Print this page.Admission as a freshman to USC is based on a combination of grades earned in specific high-school courses and official SAT* or ACT scores. Admission to the university is selective; the majority of admitted students score at or above 1070-1250 (the middle fifty percent of admitted students) on the SAT,* and have a B+ or better high-school average. Higher grades will offset lower entrance examination scores, and vice-versa. Additional factors may be taken into consideration, such as extraordinary personal circumstances, special talents, outstanding extracurricular activities, and evidence of leadership.
Students are expected to complete the following minimum high-school core course curriculum.
High-school courses required for admission for the 2007-2008 academic year:
English - 4 units: At least two units must have strong grammar and composition components, at least one must be in English literature, and at least one must be in American literature. Completion of college preparatory English I, II, III and IV will meet this criterion.
Mathematics - 3 units: Algebra I and II and geometry are required. (Applied Mathematics I and II may count together as a substitute for Algebra I if a student successfully completes Algebra II). A fourth, higher-level mathematics course is strongly recommended (i.e., Algebra III/trigonometry, precalculus, calculus).
Laboratory science - 3 units: Two units must be taken in two different fields and selected from among biology, chemistry or physics. The third unit may be from the same field as one of the first two units (biology, chemistry, or physics) or from any laboratory science for which biology and/or chemistry is a prerequisite. Courses in earth science, general physical science, or introductory or general environmental science for which biology and/or chemistry is not a prerequisite will not meet this requirement. It is strongly recommended that students take physical science (taught as a laboratory science) as a prerequisite to the three required units of laboratory science outlined in this section.
Social studies - 3 units: Must include one unit of US history. One-half unit of economics and one-half unit of government are strongly recommended.
Foreign language - 2 units: Both units must be in the same language.
Academic electives - 4 units: These must be college-preparatory units taken in addition to the 15 units above, and they must taken from at least three different fields selected from computer science, English, fine arts, foreign languages, humanities, laboratory science (excluding those for which biology and/or chemistry is not a prerequisite), mathematics above the level of Algebra II, or social sciences. It is suggested that one unit be in computer science which includes programming (i.e., not just keyboarding) and one unit in fine arts (appreciation, history, or performance).
Physical education - 1 unit: or ROTC is required.
How do we feel about dual enrollment, honors, AP, or IB courses?
We encourage all students to challenge themselves in the classroom. Taking challenging courses in high school prepares a student for the rigors of college classes and also helps develop consistent study habits. We know that some students have many options for AP/IB courses due to the size of their high school. We also know that not all students are able to fill their schedules with AP and/or IB courses due to a number of factors, including school size, personal interests, and scheduling issues. There is no "set" number of advanced courses that we're looking for. Rather, we want to see that the student has succeeded in their own academic environment. When a student applies, we evaluate his or her transcript solely on performance in courses that we require. We do weight honors, AP, IB,
and dual enrollment courses separately.
Still have questions? Visit our virtual advisor page. Or you may contact one of our admissions counselors. Admissions counselors are available in the Office of Admissions Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM eastern time.
*Critical reading and math scores combined. While we do require freshman applicants to complete the writing section of either the SAT or ACT, we do not use these writing scores in our admissions evaluations. Instead, we are gathering these scores so that we may study them to determine how to use them in future years.
NOTE: College prep course requirements will change beginning with the fall 2011 freshman class. 2007-08 high-school freshmen should plan ahead for the following changes: four unites of mathematics, one unit of fine arts, and one academic elective will be required.