
The Myth: The rest of the application does not matter if i’ve a high gpa and test score.
The Verdict: Nope.
‘It’s all about the numbers’ seems to be something I unfortunately hear a serious bit when folks discuss college admission. I am made by it sad because that is totally false when dealing with the admission process at USC. Students, counselors and parents have a tendency to get extremely anxious about GPAs and test scores.
GPAs and test scores are essential, but they aren’t the just factor that is deciding a student’s admission decision. A student deciding on USC will never be automatically admitted nor denied based solely on GPA and test scores.
We have been to understand a learning pupil the very best we perhaps can through the admission procedure. GPAs and test ratings help us determine how well you are doing academically, but we also want to get to know you beyond that. You want to learn about the way you invest your own time outside associated with the class. We are interested in observing your character and the life experiences you might have had up to this point. We wish to learn why you are considering going to college at USC. You want to study on your teachers or counselors their perspective on who you are as shmoop.pro student and human being. We can not get all that information from just a GPA and a test score.
This is the reason we don’t have a cutoff for GPAs and test scores. We want to make sure you have the preparation that is academic succeed at USC, but that can be determined in lots of ways. We determine your transcript while we calculate your GPA. What type of classes is the pupil taking? Is the student challenging herself within the context of exactly what can be obtained at her school? How does this relate with her standardized testing? There is not a secret gpa and test score combination to determine all this.
Admission to USC is competitive. They are numerous, many qualified students who are applying to USC. We do not have spots for all of them in our incoming class. We utilize qualitative components such as for example activity summaries, essays, and letters of guidelines to make distinctions among our many excellent candidates.
Whenever we wanted, we could take the highest GPAs and test scores and acknowledge those students. We would admit a very different class than the one we just enrolled if we did that. I additionally would not have a working job must be computer could do that. Our admission process is a peoples one, and we are trying to bring a well-rounded course to USC. We aim to achieve this through the use of your entire application to learn as much as we can in regards to you.
A high GPA and test score is not a ticket that is golden admission at USC. We go beyond the numbers, and now we wish you do too in the job.
Hello from one other side….
Interviews…another part for the university application process. We’re currently concluding our interviews that are on-campus the end of November (Thanksgiving excluded.) You may also see us conducting interviews in towns in your area throughout the United States. At this point along the way, it’s possible you’ve already gone through a few college interviews, and I’m sure at the end you left with either feelings of success, dissatisfaction, excitement or a number of other adjectives which could describe the uncertainty that is an interview. Hopefully I can offer you a little insight into that which we are thinking during those 30 minutes.
Our interviews generally last around 25 minutes and now we as admission counselors, spend afternoons, from 1:30 pm until 4:30 pm, interviewing around five pupils. So, exactly what’s actually going through our minds when we sit back across the table from you? Well, that largely varies according to you…
Are you visibly nervous? Perspiring? About to break down in tears? If the answer is yes, then We am most likely hoping that I am able to allow you to calm straight down. I will generally start off with questions that have actually clear cut answers: Tell me what classes you are taking this semester…What book are you reading in English right now? Students do not have to think about these questions, they have the answers. Ideally, this can help the person calm down, and we could have a relaxed conversation. If this been there as well, don’t worry, you’re not the only person. Most of that time period students feel comfortable pretty quickly after they realize the true nature with this interview. The main ideas I try to draw out from students are the following: 1) performs this person know why they’ve been signing up to USC? Can there be something specific they’ve seen here that is of interest to them? 2) Can this learning student think critically? Can they respond to a concern that needs though or might not have an answer that is obvious? 3) Are they confident in their abilities and generally are they sure they could succeed at USC? College is hard and we want those who wish to be right here.
The vast majority of my interviews get smoothly with really few bumps into the road. There are of course moments when I repeat myself because I can not remember if i have asked question during this interview, or the one prior to it. So in advance, please forgive me you the same question twice if I ask. My goal during an interview is to find a solid conversation going so it feel less like an interview, and more like one person looking to get to learn another. So just come with an open mind, greet us with excitement (hopefully genuine), and everything will get smoothly.