How to Get Into USC: Strategies and Essays that Worked
/How hard is it to get into USC? Learn the USC acceptance rate and strategies to get accepted
----
Part 1: Introduction
Situated just a few miles from Hollywood, the University of Southern California (USC) is famous for its stellar film and performing arts programs. Indeed, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a blockbuster hit that doesn’t involve a USC alum.
But don’t let the Hollywood glitz overshadow the fact that USC is also the oldest private research university in California. Core components of the modern Internet were created at USC, including the Domain Name System (which allowed you to type “shemmassianconsulting.com” into your browser and arrive at our website!).
USC also houses one of the nation’s premier college athletic programs and its athletes have gone on to win the most Olympic medals for the United States.
Excelling in sports, the arts, and academia, USC seems to have it all, and they expect their student body to as well. The university encourages undergraduates to expand their studies across disciplines to challenge their ways of thinking. The school strives for students to be global citizens, from seeking out unfamiliar cultures to approaching problems from a holistic perspective.
If your child is a talented, motivated student interested in USC, read on to find out our best advice for how to get into USC, information on USC admissions statistics and USC admissions requirements, and guidance on how to tackle the school’s secondary prompts—including sample USC essays.
USC rankings
Forbes: 14
Niche: 29
U.S. News and World Report: 28
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education: 74 (globally)
(Suggested reading: USC vs. UCLA—Which College is Better?)
USC setting
USC’s urban campus is a green oasis in the middle of Los Angeles. The university plays a significant role in LA, acting as the city’s largest private employer.
USC student population
Undergraduate students: 21,000
Graduate students: 26,000
(Note: USC rounds their student population data to the nearest 500)
Here are the admissions statistics for the class of 2026:
Applications: 80,808
Acceptances: 8,094
Matriculants: 3,633
Acceptance rate: 10.01%
Here’s what we know so far about teh class of 2028:
Applications: ~82,000
Acceptances: 7,550
Acceptance rate: 9.2%
USC tuition and scholarships
The 2024–2025 cost of attendance (i.e., tuition, room, board, and fees) at USC is $95,225.
USC conducts need-blind admissions and two-thirds of students receive financial aid. Approximately 21 percent of students in the class of 2027 received a merit-based scholarship. The average merit-based award is $18,463 while the average need-based award is $48,959.
Take note, in order to be considered for merit-based scholarships, your child must apply to USC by December 1st, even though the regular application deadline is January 15th.
Who gets into USC?
To help you understand how likely your child is to get into USC, we’ve collected the admissions data from the successful USC applicants for the class of 2027:
USC average GPA: 3.79
(Note: USC states the middle 50 percent average unweighted GPA among enrollees is from 3.79–4.00)
USC average SAT score*:
25th percentile: 1430
75th percentile: 1530
USC average ACT score*:
25th percentile: 32
75th percentile: 35
International students: 17%
First-generation college students: 25%
Among the class of 2027, 23% of students were white, 22% were Asian/Asian American, 20% were Hispanic/Latinx, and 8% were Black/African American.
*USC has made it optional for students to submit their SAT or ACT scores until at least the 2024-25 admissions cycle. These test scores are from the 2023-24 admissions cycle
----
Part 2: USC admissions requirements
USC academic requirements
USC suggests that your child complete the following coursework in order to be prepared for college:
English: 4 years
Math: 3–4 years (Your child should have earned a grade of C or better in at least three years of high school math, including Algebra II. Ideally, they should also continue on to more advanced courses.)
Foreign language: 2–4 years
Laboratory/natural/physical science: 2–4 years
History and social science: 2 years
Academic electives: 3 years
Your child’s grades are very important to USC, but the university also cares about context. How competitive was your child’s high school? Did their grades go up or down throughout their four years? Did they challenge themselves?
In addition, USC looks for students who utilize their summer vacations well, whether enrolling in a special music workshop, volunteering in their community, or working a part-time job to save for college.
USC offers a unique resource that’s telling about their desire to level the playing field, despite what you may have read about the university’s involvement in the 2019 college admissions scandal: a database to find the nearest admissions counselor. Your child should take advantage of this and reach out to their designated contact when they are in 10th or 11th grade. The goal of this interaction isn’t to impress the counselor or bombard them with accomplishments; your child’s mission should be to learn a little bit more about USC in ways that they couldn’t from the website.
USC application requirements
Students wishing to apply to USC must submit the following:
USC supplemental essays
Optional in 2023–2024: ACT or SAT test scores
1 letter of recommendation from a counselor or teacher
Transcripts and mid-year report
Optional: Portfolio, resume, and/or additional writing samples, depending on what major your child is applying to
Note that USC does not offer an early action or early decision program for every major. Majors that require a portfolio or audition must submit their applications by the regular decision deadline. Thus, your child should submit their application by either of the following dates:
Early Action: November 1st
Regular Decision (for majors requiring a portfolio or audition): December 1st
Majors in the following schools are affected:
Iovine and Young Academy
Kaufman School of Dance
Roski School of Art & Design
School of Architecture
School of Cinematic Arts
School of Dramatic Arts
Thornton School of Music
World Bachelor of Business (Marshall School of Business)
Regular Decision (all other majors): January 15th
Need inspiration for your Common App personal statement? Click below for instant access to 25 full-length example essays including advanced breakdowns of why they resonate with admissions committees.
Gain instant access to 25 exclusive full-length examples covering all seven prompts, plus comprehensive analyses for each to help you craft stellar essays.
----
Part 3: 2024–2025 USC supplemental essays (examples included)
USC requires applicants to write a 250-word supplemental essay and ten short-answers in addition to the Common App essays. For the first essay, USC gives students a choice of three essay prompts. Below, we’ll provide an example essay for the main prompt and explain what makes it effective. We’ll then provide the list of short-answer questions and discuss how to answer them.
USC supplemental essay
Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections.
Here is an example essay based on how one of our students answered this prompt:
As a child of Bangladeshi immigrants, I decided years ago to become an immigration lawyer. My parents secured their green cards, and eventual citizenships, by the time I was born, so I never knew the struggle of living insecurely in America on a visa. I have only known the privilege of being a full-fledged American citizen. I want to help others access those same opportunities.
Like many immigrants, my parents focused on academic achievement and instilled in me a desire to be extraordinary. All great attorneys have superior intellect, sharp communication skills, and a fearsome work ethic. Those qualities are essentially table stakes. The most remarkable attorneys are the ones that possess a great deal of creativity.
From my perspective, the best way to build the muscle of creativity is to expose yourself to different ways of thinking.
That’s why I hope to attend USC.
USC fosters creativity in its approach to the undergraduate experience. When I visited I was struck by how often current students, the tour guide, and admissions officers emphasized interdisciplinary thinking. USC kicks it up a notch through the Renaissance program, enabling and encouraging us to create the most diverse mashup of majors. Instead of a typical history/poli-sci double major, USC would push me to obtain a dual degree in something like archaeology and comp lit, which would be an unusual but potentially perfect path towards law school.
Here’s why this essay works:
Many students try to pack this essay with all of the reasons they think this is the right school for them, leading to a paragraph full of Googled summary, and telling the university nothing they don’t already know about themselves. This student finds the perfect way around that. He chose to focus on just one aspect of USC—its Renaissance Ideal—and explain thoroughly what that philosophy represented to him. He makes clear where he got the information on the Renaissance Ideal, by the way, emphasizing that he visited campus and paid attention.
He also wove in a piece of his family background to explain his academic ambitions, which helps the reader get a fuller picture of the student.
(Very) short answers
After your child completes the supplemental essay, they will need to answer ten simple questions in less than 100 characters. The tight word limit forces the responder to present their choices without explanation. Here are the USC 2023 short answer questions:
Describe yourself in three words. (25 characters each)
What is your favorite snack?
Best movie of all time
Dream job
If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
Dream trip
What TV show will you binge watch next?
Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?
Favorite Book
If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?
Remind your child to be thoughtful, but not overthink this section. They should take a little time to think of an answer that is uniquely them. So if their go-to snack is chips, don’t tell them to say “granola.” But maybe they can write “Lays Salt and Vinegar Chips.” Because, if chips are truly their favorite snack, wouldn’t they have a favorite type? Being specific and illustrative here matters more than seeming virtuous.
Similarly, if your child’s favorite movie of all time is To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, don’t suggest they write All Quiet on the Western Front in an attempt to appear more intellectual.
Gain instant access to essay examples for every supplemental essay prompt from the top universities and BS/MD programs in the United States. Subscribe today to lock in the current investments, which will be increasing in the future for new subscribers.
----
Part 4: Frequently asked questions
Is UCLA or USC harder to get into?
Both UCLA and USC are highly selective institutions with rigorous academic standards. However, each school has different focuses and admissions processes.
Looking at acceptance rates, UCLA’s most recent acceptance rate for the class of 2028 stands at 9%, while for USC (as noted above) it’s 9.2%. Clearly, both schools are difficult to get into and will require your child to stand out in ways beyond academics to gain acceptance.
Keep in mind that UCLA receives almost twice the number of applications that USC does which could be due to its status as a public university while USC is private. This difference also may make USC a bit more amenable to accepting out-of-state students over UCLA, which tends to prioritize California residents.
Lastly, when determining which school is harder to get into, your child will need to consider their goals and fit for the particular programs at each institution. Some majors may be more popular than others, receiving more applications meaning more competition for entry via particular program.
How can I increase my chances of getting into USC?
To increase your chances of getting into USC, it goes without saying that strong academic performance should be your foundation. With a high GPA and perhaps some AP or IB classes under your belt, you can increase your chances by building on top of this.
Next, you’ll want to engage in extracurricular activities that showcase your leadership abilities and commitment to serving the community. This aligns with USC’s mission to create future leaders.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, you’ll need to ensure your passion for USC and the talents you will bring to the campus are communicated effectively in your essays. USC isn’t merely looking for top-tier academics, they also want to know what you will add to their community.
Is USC considered prestigious?
USC is considered prestigious for its highly regarded academic programs, its groundbreaking research in areas such as Alzheimer’s and stem cells, and its influential alumni network which includes George Lucas and Will Ferrel.
Additionally, USC faculty includes a stellar list of high-achieving professors from Nobel Laureates to Macarthur Fellows. All of these aspects add to USC’s worldwide prestige.
Final thoughts
USC seeks out students that demonstrate academic rigor, appreciate diversity, and make a positive impact in their communities. Your child should ensure they highlight their ambition and creativity when submitting an application.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on college admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into top programs like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT using his exclusive approach.
THERE'S NO REASON TO STRUGGLE THROUGH THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS ALONE, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH ON THE LINE. SCHEDULE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION TO ENSURE YOU LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE.