Is it possible to get into USC not having the best grades Sophomore year?
Hey, I’m currently in my sophomore year of high school and this year has been really rough. My grades have suffered although they are a bit better compared to last semester. My grades first semester were two A’s, two B’s, two C’s, and a D. Now I currently have three A’s, one B, and three C’s.
Im taking three honors classes and 1 AP this year and I plan to continue doing so till I graduate. I plan on doing very well the next two years of high school, but I’m wondering if this will lessen my chances of getting accepted. Do I still have time to fix it or turn it around? Also I know that I can increase my chances of getting accepted by having good extracurriculars and getting a good SAT or ACT score :)
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2 answers
It really depends on your major. A student who has a 4.5 GPA can get rejected from USC as an engineering or film major while a 3.5 GPA could get in through a less competitive major. Should you apply in a competitive major, it does hurt your chances but is possible should you explain why you have 2 B's, 2 C's and a D. In addition, your SAT/ACT score as well as AP scores, must be greater than their majority. Which means you should aim for 1440+. Your extracurriculars should also be tailored to your major and be impressive. It is a tough place to be in but it is possible. Best of luck.
From the info you've provided, your current GPA is around a 2.9ish (I think?). I think it's probably higher if you factor in your freshman year grades. The USC average GPA is 3.8. That means that you could feasibly get in with a slightly lower GPA if you have good ECs and test scores like you mentioned. I think it would be pretty difficult to get your GPA up to the 3.6-4.0 range, but that doesn't mean that it's impossible. It would take a lot of hard work, but it's definitely possible. I believe in you and good luck!
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