The University of Southern California, usually just called USC, is California's oldest private research university. Don’t let the name fool you. While it might sound like a UC, it is not a part of the University of California system. USC is one of the most popular schools for students looking for an Urban mid-sized campus experience. Located near downtown Los Angeles, USC is especially known for its film and media majors. However, the school offers over 350 degree paths. So, whatever you want to study, they probably have it.

USC has become more competitive over the last couple of years, and last year, they had just about a 10% acceptance rate. If you hope to get into USC, you must be a strong candidate. We want to help by breaking down the most important things to do if you hope to get into USC.

What is USC looking for?

USC published two things to help answer this question. The first is a blog called “what we look for,” and the second is an annual document called the Common Data Set. We are going to use both here to get a full picture. In their blog, they talk about using a “holistic view.” They go on to write:

“We conduct a comprehensive, holistic review of your application to consider academic and personal characteristics. We will review your performance in school, the rigor of your program, your writing skills and any test scores you choose to submit. We also consider personal qualities, as revealed in community involvement, leadership and achievements.”

This is mirrored in their Common Data set, but they take it a step further by breaking down the relative importance of these factors.

While you want your application to slay in every category they look at, pay close attention to those marked “very important” and “important.”

Rigor, GPA, and Your Transcript

The first thing USC is going to look at is your academic history. USC requires 16 credits to apply and recommends 20. We also recommend going for the full 20. It's hard to get in, and academics aren’t the place to do the minimum.

But it isn’t enough to just get the recommended credits. You want to take as many of these credits as you can at a high level. This should mean IB, honors, AP, dual enrollment, or accelerated courses. USC says, “Incoming first-year students demonstrate superior academic performance — and the potential to do more” and goes on to say, “Students offered admission typically pursue the most rigorous program available to them in English, science, social studies, foreign language and the arts.” This means taking the hard classes available to you.

They also want to see you do well in these challenging classes. You should still be able to show them an excellent GPA. Most students who got in last year had over a 3.75, and the average applicant had a 3.87%. That means over 50% of applicants had over a 3.87:

Plus, nearly a third of students submitted a perfect 4.0 GPA. If you’re picking up what we’re putting down, this means you want to have a strong GPA while taking difficult classes.

Test Scores

USC is currently test-optional. However, if you submit scores, they consider them to be “very important.” Last year, around 50% of students submitted test scores. So, test scores aren’t necessary, but they can really help you stand out if your scores are good. Ideally, your scores (if you choose to submit them) should be above USC’s 50th percentile, aka better than most applicants.

You might notice that the 75th percentile is a perfect score in a couple of categories. That means over 25% of students sent a perfect score. TL;DR: your scores should be high.

Personal Characteristics

There is no section on the Common App called “Personal Characteristics,” but USC really wants them to come through in your application. Ideally, these characteristics come through in your essays, short-answer responses, and teacher and counselor recommendations. Specifically, they say, “Our application will paint a picture of you and how you might contribute to the community, tradition, and spirit” of USC.

To do this, you need to make sure your essays etc. showcase who you are. When it comes to the Common App Essay, we have a ton of blogs about how to write a great one (and we think this one is especially helpful.) However, if you need a crash course… Great Common App Essays do a couple of things:

They showcase a couple of positive characteristics.
They tell a good story.
And they do both of those things in a well-written and creative manner.

It might not seem like much, but it is harder than it looks. Give yourself time.

USC also has a supplement. Some students find their supplement really fun, and some find it very stressful. They have one very standard question about what you want to study and then have around 10 “fun,” “get to know you” questions. Overall, they are looking for creative and engaging answers that show a little more about you.

Talents and Extracurriculars

It is no secret that top colleges care about your extracurricular activities. USC says explicitly a couple of things that you should keep in mind.

They say they are looking for:

Careful attention is paid to preparation for the intended major.
Students who will become enthusiastic partners in learning and research.
Contributions you might make to the classroom, the broader learning environment, and the community at large.
[Students who] get involved by participating in student organizations and connecting with others.
[Students who] seek to grow to their fullest potential, and they work to serve others in the community along the way.

This all boils down to following your passions and getting involved in your community. At least one of these passions should be academic and connected to what you want to study in college. You need to follow that passion outside of class. You should also push yourself. USC will not be impressed with an hour-a-week club meeting. They want to see commitment and follow through.

It is hard to be a great candidate for USC, but if you are motivated and ready to put in the work, we know you can do it. USC wants dynamic candidates with great grades and resumes. If you are worried about applying, we would be happy to help!

Need expert application advice? It’s what we do; contact us here.