Advice to get into USC Answered
I’m a sophomore and I don’t live in California. I’m a Hispanic female, and USC is my dream school. I currently have a 3.2 GPA but I plan to raise it as much as I can in the next 2 years. I’m currently taking AP World History and it’s the only AP Class I’ve taken so far. I’d say I’m a fairly good student but this year my grades have dropped due to someone passing away this year. I’m currently taking 3 honors classes, Chemistry, English, and Spanish. My grades this year have consisted of A’s, B’s, C’s, and a D. I’m in the advanced wind ensemble in my school and I’ve been playing flute since 5th grade and I’ve been accepted this year into my States district honor band. I also take piano and have been playing for 5 years. I’m also in the marching band at my school and I hope to be in leadership next year. My PSAT score from 9th grade was an 870. I know I’ll need to do more extracurriculars but my school doesn’t offer many strong options, and I’ll need to take more APs but I’m not sure how many I should take. I would love to study Theater at USC since acting is my passion. I need advice on what to improve and keep in mind to get in. I really want this and I’m ready to work hard and do what I need to do to have a chance at getting accepted.
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2 answers
Besides taking the most rigorous classes your school offers and doing your best to improve your grades, the best way to improve your application is through theater-related extracurriculars. Demonstrating a track record of interest is especially important for theater programs, to the point where great auditions and experience can somewhat make up for grades that aren't the best.
This CollegeVine blog post has some activities to consider adding to your list. Hope this helps!
Hi @mariposa_15!
To improve your chances of getting into USC, you should aim to reach at least 3.75 by the time you apply. The 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores for USC are 1330 and 1520 respectively, so try to get around 1420 for better chances.
How many AP classes you should take depends on how many your school offers.
It's a good thing that you've been into music for a considerable amount of time. You can show distinction in playing instruments like the flute and the piano by participating in competitions. Depending on where you live, there might be various summer programs available for Theater aspirants. Try joining theater-related clubs (if your school has any).
Hope this helps!
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