The University of Southern California, or USC, is a top-tier private research university in Los Angeles, California. Notably, it is not part of the University of California system so there is no in-state tuition benefit. However, it does have the scale and breadth of a public university. Students have access to a globally-leading array of resources, faculty, and peers — there are 21,000 undergraduates, and nearly 50,000 students total.
USC is ranked in the top two-dozen schools in the country, but that’s not where they started. The university started in 1880 with 53 students and less than a dozen faculty members in a ‘city’ before it was the ‘city’ that’s there today. There were no paved streets, no emergency response system, and electricity was sparce. From there, the school grew with and alongside Los Angeles. Today it is one of the biggest and best schools in one of the biggest (and arguably best) cities in the country.
Alongside having globally-leading academics, USC is renowned for having an enormously impressive athletics program to match. In 2023-2024, for example, USC Beach Volleyball four-peated as national champions. USC is also widely recognized as having some of the best coaches in the country, empowering their athletes to turn visions into realities.
In this post, we’ll break down what you need to know if you’re a student-athlete who has an eye on USC but isn’t sure what to do next or what playing your sport in college would even look like! First, though, let’s look at some big picture stats — because to play at USC you need to get into USC. For first-years entering in the fall of 2023, they received 80,808 applications and accepted only 10% of applicants. For the class of 2028, the acceptance rate dropped even further, hitting a mere 9.2% out of 82,000 applicants.
Now, let’s talk sports.
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What is USC looking for in Student Athletes?
The athletics program at USC is IMPRESSIVE (caps intended). Their program is in the NCAA Division I, and they run one of the most successful athletics programs globally. They are in the top 3 for number of national championships won by a college or university, and have more Olympians as current students and graduates than any other school. So, what are they looking for? Well, the bar is high. They want student-athletes who are the best of the best. They are the best at their sport, at the top of their class academically, and who have clear vision for their future. USC knows that your major might change, but your passion for your sport should be unwavering.
If you can deliver on this, the perks are great. USC offers impressive athletic scholarships and resources to student-athletes including academic support, career counseling, and each team even has a registered dietitian to guide team members towards physical and mental success.
Recruited Athletes
If you want all those perks, you will need to go through the recruitment process. First, you’ll need to collect information. If you find a link to this absurdly unhelpful page, do not despair! It’s not the only resource USC offers — thank goodness. Instead, go here.
As you’ll see, there are two core steps you need to take concurrently. First, you need to really study the NCAA regulations. This is the holy book of collegiate athletics, and you must get to know it well. This is particularly important because compliance is required for you to be eligible to play. Breaking the rules means you can’t compete, so that’s a big no-no.
Parallel to this, you need to fill out the sports-specific questionnaire and contact the coaches. They say that all you need to do is the questionnaire, but, they say, “another way to contact a coach is by sending mail to his or her attention. Include your name, sport, age, and grade in school in your mailing. It is also helpful to include a copy of your school transcript and a resume of your athletic and academic accomplishments.” Since you are welcomed to do both, we recommend you do so.
Ideally, the coaches respond (sometimes it takes time) expressing their interest in you. That then kicks off the collegiate athletic equivalent of an extended job interview so, every step of the way, remember that you are expected to be a professional beyond your years. There will be an aspect of it that involves admissions and coach support of your application, and a serious deep-dive into your athletic performance. They may also respond that they aren’t interested in recruiting you, but that they would consider you as a walk-on.
Walk-Ons
“Walking on” is the term used for joining a collegiate varsity team outside of the recruitment process, and without the perks or security that recruitment offers. Some students become walk-ons because they don’t decide to play in college until after the recruitment windows have passed. Others are encouraged to try to walk on by the coaches because they aren’t sold on the athlete and would like to see them do a try-out or trial period. And, of course, there are other scenarios but those are the biggest two.
If you’re interested in walking on, or this is the direction you’ve been pointed in by a coach, it’s important to know that USC, as a highly-competitive Division I college fills many, if not most, of the spots on each varsity team through recruitment. So, there aren’t many openings in the team rosters. But, and especially if you’ve communicated with coaches, there is a chance.
Start, if you haven’t already, by going down the recruitment path so that the coaches know who you are. Fill out the questionnaire, contact the coaches, and put together a highlight reel. Act like you’re apply for a job. Know that this is a possibility, not a certainty, and that you won’t get perks like scholarships off the bat. Sometimes you may be given financial support or other benefits after you’ve proven your role on the team, but that is never a guarantee for a walk-on.
Club Sports
If all this has you feeling overwhelmed, but you still want to be able to play in college, USC has an outstanding club team program. They field over 50 club sports that are student-run and overseen by the university. The clubs rely on student leadership, but receive funding from USC through the Student Governments, donations, and dues.
Most clubs practice a few times a week while in season, and the programs range from nearly everything you see in the varsity lineup to ballroom dance, Dragonboat to fencing. Students in club sports have access to physical therapy, and teams travel for competitions while also hosting them at the USC athletics facilities. That said, athletes who play on club teams don’t have the admissions perks nor financial support that varsity athletes have.
Whatever way you end up engaging with sports at USC, it’ll be a wild ride. From the lowest time-commitment club to the top-performing varsity squads, being on a team at USC is an adventure among and alongside the best of the best.
You know your sport. We know college admissions. Let’s work together.