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Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.
Updated on April 10, 2020The University of Southern California (USC) is a private research university with an acceptance rate of 11.4%. Located in the University Park neighborhood southwest of downtown Los Angeles, USC offers over 150 undergraduate majors with programs in the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Marshall School of Business drawing the greatest number of students. USC has strong research programs and is a member of the Association of American Universities, and for excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, USC has a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Academics are supported by an 8-to-1 student to faculty ratio. In athletics, the USC Trojans compete in the Pac 12 Conference.
Considering applying to this highly selective school? Here are the USC admissions statistics you should know.
During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, USC had an acceptance rate of 11.4%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 11 students were admitted, making USC's admissions process highly competitive.
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The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to the University of Southern California. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.
The University of Southern California has a highly competitive admissions pool with a low acceptance and high average SAT/ACT scores. However, USC has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. Strong application essays, and glowing letters of recommendation can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities a rigorous course schedule. USC has additional application requirements for particular majors; applicants are encouraged to review the specific requirements for their intended major.
In the graph above, the blue and green dots representing accepted students are concentrated in the upper right corner. The majority of students who get accepted to the University of Southern California have "A" averages, SAT scores (ERW+M) above 1200, and ACT composite scores above 25. Higher test scores will improve your chances measurably, for over 75% of admitted students reported an ACT composite score of 30 or higher and a combined SAT score around 1300. But even if your grades and scores are on target for USC, you have no guarantee of admission. There are a lot of red dots hidden beneath the blue and green on the graph. Also keep in mind that a few students get accepted with scores a little below the average range. These are typically students with a special talent or unique personal circumstances.
Complete mission statement available on the USC website.
"The central mission of the University of Southern California is the development of human beings and society as a whole through the cultivation and enrichment of the human mind and spirit. The principal means by which our mission is accomplished are teaching, research, artistic creation, professional practice and selected forms of public service."
