The University of Southern California (USC), located in the heart of Los Angeles, California, is the oldest private research university in the western United States. Founded in 1880, USC has made a name for itself among the nation’s elite higher education institutions. USC is ranked #28 (tied with University of Florida, UC Davis and UC San Diego) among National Universities by U.S. News & World Report for 2024. It was also ranked #8 for Best Business Programs (tied with Cornell University, Indiana University–Bloomington and UNC Chapel Hill).
ANOTHER RECORD LOW ACCEPTANCE RATE FOR USC
USC’s overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 was 9.2% according to The Daily Trojan. The university also received around 17% more applications compared to last year.
This year’s application cycle was the second since USC began offering an early action admissions option, which required students to apply by Nov. 1 to be considered for merit scholarships. These applicants were either accepted early and considered for scholarships or deferred to the regular decision pool.
Just under 50% of the applicants applied using this new option. USC admitted 7.2% of early action applicants.
USC ADMISSIONS UPDATES
Homeschooled Applicants:
The University of Southern California continues to operate under a test-optional policy. However, for homeschooled applicants, USC “recommends” submitting either SAT or ACT results, AP exam results, transcripts from college courses or other accredited online schooling programs, “if possible.”
International Students:
Additionally, international applicants whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate English proficiency and “may wish” to submit their SAT/ACT exam scores to do so. However, USC also accepts the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test or PTE Academic examinations.
Dean of Admission Timothy Brunold said that the percentage of international students has recovered from previous years.
“International applicants had begun taking a downward turn, both after the Trump administration came into the White House but also because of the pandemic,” Brunold said. “This is probably the first post-pandemic year that is more back to normal.”
19% of students admitted to the Class of 2028 are from an international community comprised of 87 countries.
New Legal Studies Major:
Meanwhile, 60 students were admitted to USC Gould School of Law’s new undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies. “The B.S. in Legal studies is a major designed for students who are looking to become future leaders in the community, the city, the state, the nation and the world. It is also suitable for students wanting to pursue graduate education in various disciplines, including economics, humanities, social science, political science, business, health care, public service and many more, and for anyone who wants to obtain a general understanding of the place of law in contemporary society.”
TTA Takeaway: USC began its Early Action program last year after public calls for a formalized early option. Previously, many students missed out on the chance to qualify for merit scholarships because they were unaware of the earlier December 1 deadline. USC’s Early Action program is non-binding, and applicants are either accepted or deferred to the regular round, so there is really no risk or downside to applying EA besides the more condensed timeline. Interested applicants, especially those looking to secure a merit scholarship, should ensure they have all admissions materials ready early in the fall in order to take advantage of this new opportunity at USC. Additionally, some programs requiring a portfolio have a deadline of December 1. Make sure to carefully review the admissions deadlines on USC’s website.
At Top Tier Admissions, we are committed to making the college admissions process more transparent. Easy access to clear data helps families understand trends in college admissions to make more informed decisions. We’re collecting acceptance rate data at selective schools and providing insight and analysis of our own. For historical data, see our collection of Ivy League and Top College Acceptance Rates and Admissions Statistics, including the Class of 2028 Ivy League admissions data and admissions stats for a range of additional selective schools.
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