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@logn
0 answers, 0 votes
 • a year ago •
Admissions Advice
[edited]

Should I apply EA or RD for USC
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I am conflicted with what to do for my USC app. I am currently a senior with a 3.6 GPA. I am taking 3 APs this year, and by the end of the semester I should be on track for a 4.2 GPA, which will raise my overall. Is it worth it for going early action to apply regular decision in my scenario? My SAT is also lower than average (1250) for USC and i’ve considered retaking and studying for the Dec 4th SAT. But, i’m scared that applying regular decision will hurt my chances because i’m not sure if my overall GPA will be raised a ton. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

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@CameronBameron
2,263 answers, 8,667 votes
 • a year ago[edited]

I highly recommend not applying EA to USC unless you are a legacy, recruited athlete, wealthy donor kid, or child of a faculty member. Last year USC only accepted 5.9% of its 40,600 EA applications. This made getting into USC more competitive than MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Yale, and UChicago.

With your stats (GPA, test scores, course rigor), you are not a highly competitive applicant for the EA round.

Your logic is not accurate because, during the RD round, USC accepted 13% of its applicants, or roughly twice as many as it did during the EA round. You have zero advantage applying EA to USC IMO.

Only 50% (34% SAT/16% ACT) of it's admits submitted test scores so unless you have 1500 SAT to report, it's sort of meaningless since the middle 50% range is between 1460 and 1540. Your 1250 is about 260 points below the 50% percentile score of 1510. That's way to much pressure to make up by 12/4. I would focus on your grades and the quality of your essays and supplemental essays instead.

Good luck.

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[🎤 AUTHOR]@logna year ago

Would you recommend still taking the SAT? When I took it the first time I didn’t study whatsoever, even if I got a 1400 or somewhere near that range, would you suggest submitting that? Thank you for the feedback, I appreciate the insight!

@CameronBamerona year ago

Why did you write in your post that your SAT is lower than average (1250) for USC. If you actually scored 1400 on the official exam, then I would study very hard and try to get an extra 100 points to 1500. Otherwise, anything under 1460, is a lower score than 75% of USC admits.

[🎤 AUTHOR]@logna year ago [edited]

No sorry I meant if I could get up to 1400 or somewhere near that range, I thought USC’s 50th percentile was a little above 1460 though rather than 75% of admits getting above, but I understand what you are saying.

@CameronBamerona year ago

USC's 50% percentile is 1510. It's 25% percentile is 1460. So actually 75% of those admitted who submitted test scores have between a 1460 and 1600. This why if you submit a score, unless you are a "hooked" applicant like a legacy, recruited athlete, wealthy donor kid, child of faculty, you need a 1460 IMO. I'm sure there are a few outliers that are admitted with 1400s but they have to have some kind of "spike" that is attractive to USC.

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