Chances of getting into University of Southern California
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance Rate
16%| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Elite | |
| Applicant Competition | Very High |
How hard is it to get into USC and can I get accepted? The school has a 16% acceptance rate ranking it #8 in California for lowest rate of acceptance. Last year, 9,042 out of 56,676 applicants were admitted making USC a very highly competitive school to get into with a low chance of acceptance for typical applicants. Academically, it has exceptionally high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 7 percent. University of Southern California typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students. Only 37% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.
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Find out which students are getting accepted at USC, which are not, and how your GPA, SAT, or ACT scores compare.
Calculate My ChancesUSC SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
SAT Range
1360-1530Applicants Submitting SAT
55%| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 690 |
| SAT Math 25th | 670 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1360 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 750 |
| SAT Math 75th | 780 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1530 |
| Average SAT Score | 1450 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to University of Southern California?
University of Southern California typically requires applicants to be in the top 7 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1360 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1270. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1450 out of 1600. The school ranks #6 in California for highest average SAT composite score. 55 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school. Note: SAT scores presented on this page have been adjusted upwards per the College Board's concordance tables for test takers after March 2016.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1530 and Above | Good | >24% |
| 1445 to 1530 | Avg + | 16%-24% |
| 1360 to 1445 | Avg - | 10%-16% |
| 1275 to 1360 | Reach | 6%-10% |
| Less than 1275 | Low | <6% |
USC ACT Scores
ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score
ACT Range
30-34Applicants Submitting ACT
61%| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 30 |
| ACT Math 25th | 28 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 30 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 35 |
| ACT Math 75th | 34 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 34 |
| Average ACT Score | 32 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into USC?
Admission data indicates that USC regularly accepts students with ACT's of 30 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 7 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 28 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 32 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 34 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #7 in California for highest average ACT composite score. Scoring well on the ACT is very important as 61 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to University of Southern California.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 34 and Above | Good | >24% |
| 32 to 34 | Avg + | 16%-24% |
| 30 to 32 | Avg - | 10%-16% |
| 28 to 30 | Reach | 6%-10% |
| Less than 28 | Low | <6% |
Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA
Avg. High School GPA
3.73Typical High School Grades
A-You will need very good grades in high school to get into University of Southern California. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at University of Southern California was 3.73 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #16 in California for highest average GPA. Meeting these GPA requirements alone is not enough to gain admission as USC is a very selective school.
| High School GPA | Freshmen Within Range | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 3.75+ | 57% | Good |
| 3.50 to 3.75 | 25% | Avg - |
| 3.25 to 3.50 | 12% | Reach |
| 3.00 to 3.25 | 4% | Reach |
| 2.75 to 3.00 | 2% | Reach |
| 2.50 to 2.75 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.25 to 2.50 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.00 to 2.25 | N/A% | Low |
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 30,164 | 26,512 | 56,676 |
| Accepted | 4,643 | 4,399 | 9,042 |
| Acceptance Rate | 15% | 17% | 16% |
| Enrolled | 1,726 | 1,632 | 3,358 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 37% | 37% | 37% |
Fall 2020 Application Deadline
Applications are Due
Jan 10, 2020Days left to Apply
94Applicants have 94 days left until the Fall 2020 term applications are due on Jan 10, 2020.
Seniors, these are the SAT and ACT test dates you can still sit for a test and send your results to USC before the Jan 10 application deadline.
| SAT Test Date | Scores Available |
|---|---|
| Nov 2 | Nov 15 |
| Dec 7 | Dec 20 |
| ACT Test Date | Scores Available |
|---|---|
| Oct 26 | Nov 14 |
| Dec 14 | Dec 24 |
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to University of Southern California and what considerations affect admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Class Rank | Neither required nor recommended |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Required |
| Recommendations | Required |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Required |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | Yes |
| Dual Credit | No |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=123961 IPEDS survey data for University of Southern California.
