The central mission of the University of Southern California is the development of human beings and society as a whole through the cultivation and enrichment of the human mind and spirit. The principal means by which our mission is accomplished are teaching, research, artistic creation, professional practice and selected forms of public service.
Our first priority as faculty and staff is the education of our students, from freshmen to postdoctorals, through a broad array of academic, professional, extracurricular and athletic programs of the first rank. The integration of liberal and professional learning is one of USC's special strengths. We strive constantly for excellence in teaching knowledge and skills to our students, while at the same time helping them to acquire wisdom and insight, love of truth and beauty, moral discernment, understanding of self, and respect and appreciation for others.
Research of the highest quality by our faculty and students is fundamental to our mission. USC is one of a very small number of premier academic institutions in which research and teaching are inextricably intertwined, and on which the nation depends for a steady stream of new knowledge, art, and technology. Our faculty are not simply teachers of the works of others, but active contributors to what is taught, thought and practiced throughout the world.
USC is pluralistic, welcoming outstanding men and women of every race, creed and background. We are a global institution in a global center, attracting more international students over the years than any other American university. And we are private, unfettered by political control, strongly committed to academic freedom, and proud of our entrepreneurial heritage.
An extraordinary closeness and willingness to help one another are evident among USC students, alumni, faculty, and staff; indeed, for those within its compass the Trojan Family is a genuinely supportive community. Alumni, trustees, volunteers and friends of USC are essential to this family tradition, providing generous financial support, participating in university governance, and assisting students at every turn.
In our surrounding neighborhoods and around the globe, USC provides public leadership and public service in such diverse fields as health care, economic development, social welfare, scientific research, public policy and the arts. We also serve the public interest by being the largest private employer in the city of Los Angeles, as well as the city's largest export industry in the private sector.
USC has played a major role in the development of Southern California for more than a century, and plays an increasingly important role in the development of the nation and the world. We expect to continue to play these roles for many centuries to come. Thus our planning, commitments and fiscal policies are directed toward building quality and excellence in the long term.
The University of Southern California (commonly referred to as USC, SC, Southern California, and incorrectly as Southern Cal), is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational research university located in the University Park neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, USA. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university.
U.S. News & World Report ranked USC 27th among all universities in the United States in its 2008 ranking of "America's Best Colleges", also designating it as one of the "most selective universities" for admitting 21% of the 35,809 who applied for freshman admission in 2008. According to the 2007 freshman profile, 18% of admissions were associated with legacy preferences. USC was also named "College of the Year 2000" by the editors of TIME magazine and The Princeton Review for the university's extensive community-service programs. USC students hail from all 50 United States as well as over 115 countries.
USC men's and women's athletics have won 88 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships,, third in the nation (behind UCLA and Stanford), and 347 Individual NCAA Championships, second in the nation.
When USC opened in 1880, tuition was $15.00 per term and students were not allowed to leave town without the knowledge and consent of the university president. The school had an enrollment of 53 students and a faculty of 10. The city lacked paved streets, electric lights, telephones, and a reliable fire alarm system. Its first graduating class in 1884 was a class of three—two males and female valedictorian Minnie C. Miltimore. USC was founded by a Methodist horticulturist, an Irish Catholic pharmacist and a German Jewish banker. The university is no longer affiliated with the Methodist Church, having severed formal ties in 1952.
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Top States for Incoming Freshman
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| Percent of Students International: | 17% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 21% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | No |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (Pacific-10 Conference) Basketball (Pacific-10 Conference) Baseball (Pacific-10 Conference) Track (Pacific-10 Conference) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 32,008 | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 31,458 | ||
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 550 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 4,570 | 16% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 9,543 | 13% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 14,558 | 66% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 4,594 | 66% | |
Any Aid: |
80% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 27% (Most Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 86% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 620, Math: 650 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 710, Math: 730 |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 27% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 28, Verbal: 27, Math: 27 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 32, Verbal: 33, Math: 32 |
| Application Fee: | $ 65.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Recommended |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Required |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Not Required |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Required |
| TOEFL: | Not Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
College Advice
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Question:
Need advice please help me!!!!?
WHich one of these colleges do you recommend I attend Manhattan College, College of Mount Saint Vincent or Mercy College which ones offer the best education. Because they all offer pre-dentistry studies. I will give best answer to anyone that can help thank you very much
15 months ago
Best Answer
USC in California has the best program in Dentistry here. good luck..I dont know the school you mentioned above really well..
You better surf their website. dont forget to search for financial aid and scholarships in each. Enjoying your reading in those colleges, you will find out more interesting news contributing to your decision...Good luck...
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My dad went there and my brother is going there now. I reallyyyyyyy want to go there to continue the tradition. I'm going to be a sophmore this year in high school and I was wondering what the ideal GPA is and the ideal SAT score to get in.
15 months ago
Best Answer
According to the College Board, 90% of accepted students at USC had GPAs over 3.75, and 97% were in the top 1/4 of their graduating classes in high school. Most (86%) submitted SAT scores, and the middle 50% seemed to score between 630 and 740 on each of the three sections. They say that the most important factors in their admissions decisions are your application essay, recommendations, the rigor of your high school program, standardized test scores, and your GPA. Important factors are extracurricular activities and talent or ability, followed by a lot of other things, including having a relative who is an alumnus.
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Question:
What are these college dorms like?
I'm a junior in high school, looking at some colleges, mostly in southern California. I want to know what the dorms are like at University of Southern California, Pomona College (both in Los Angeles), and the University of Washington in Seattle. If you have pictures you'd be willing to share, please include that in your answer and I will send you my email address. Thanks!
15 months ago
Best Answer
Hi - I went to the Univ of Southern Cal. My dorm experience there was awesome, but space is not guaranteed for every incoming freshman. Typically a freshman would live in the residential halls or in one of the freshman apartments on/near campus. Rooms are spacious compared to my friends' dorms at other schools in the area, and conveniently located within a 5 min walk to class. I lived in Radisson (no longer student housing), Parkside IRC and Troy East. Each building I lived in had high-speed internet, cable TV and AC (very important during LA summers!). There is a free gym on campus and most of the apartment buildings have a courtyard pool and bbq area.
My RAs were really helpful, especially around finals time, like having an older sibling to talk to. They hosted lots of programs set up to get students acquainted with one another and also provide the opportunity to see LA's sights and attractions if you don't have a car. For example, a group of us went to Disneyland. Virtual tours of the rooms are available at http://housing.usc.edu/.
Hope that helps!
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I know it's a good school...but does anyone have specifics about USC? I already wikipedied it...so I don't need any wikipedia articles...or the USC website. Personal experiences and/or opinions please...such as do you think USC is a good school, why or why not? Thanks!
16 months ago
Best Answer
U.S. News (the premier source for college rankings) ranks USC as 27th in the nation. I'm not too sure about in the world, but...I'm sure if you call up their admissions office, they'll be happy to list out some statistics for you. If you can, take a tour of the college, sit in some classes, talk with the students and professors.... You'll get a much better idea of how it is at the university firsthand!
Unfortunately, I'm not too knowledgeable on USC myself, despite living in SoCal. Some of my friends have applied there--some might even be going there, but that's about it. I DO hear good things in general about it (as opposed to the iffy vibe for SDSU or so--no offense to anyone out there!).
Best of luck in your search!
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can you tell me anything bout usc...from hard to easy...groups..test..parties..traditions..moeny needed..scholarships..sports..history..anything
18 months ago
Best Answer
I think it has a poor location. I would hate living in downtown LA. Way too expensive, no where nice to live, and you have to drive forever in traffic just to get anywhere.
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Question:
boston university or usc (business)?
well for a business major would usc be better or boston university? i got alot more money offered if i attend boston but would boston university turn out to be a better school? i heard that harvard, BC, and other "smarter" schools in boston discriminate boston univ. students.. is that true? if your a student tell me what school your from.. thanks!!!
well i have lived in socal all my life, and though i will regret it im tired of this boring weather.
also i thought that BU's alumni network is really strong..
for the money including the financial aid, 7,000 loan (year), and scholarship of both semesters, i,ll get 40,000 that year, for BU
as for USC ill only get 20,000 including loan
20 months ago
Best Answer
Do you live in Boston or plan to work there?
USC has a national alumni network that is RABID. Definitely one of the advantages of going to USC. Especially for Business.
BU is a good bit lower ranked than Harvard and BC, but you're more likely to encounter a BU person than a USC person. That said, if you run into a SC person in charge of hiring, they're going to love the fact that you're an SC alum as well.
How significant is that money difference? It may be worth it to go to BU if you plan on getting an MBA later. Especially if you're going to get some work experience in Boston after undergrad.
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20 months ago
Best Answer
USC of course. The only thing Loyola has going for it over USC is physical location. Well, you're likely to get more money from Loyola cuz it's not as prestigious, but I don't think it's worth it.
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Question:
Why are USC graduates so much more proud of their school than graduates from other schools?
Why are USC graduates so much more proud of their school than graduates from other schools?
What's so good about USC? Why are USC graduates prominently displaying their USC graduate status in their car license plates, flags hanging outside their house and posters hanging on their cubicles? It seems USC alumnis are extra proud of their school compared to graduates from other schools. Why is that? Even UCLA graduates don't goto this extremes.
21 months ago
Best Answer
School places an emphasis on community spirit. Alumni network is strong. It's an advantage. They help their own. It's a good thing.
What's the big deal? It's a license plate frame. Have you seen someone from Notre Dame?
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I don't have any credits right know due to the fact that I took a couple months off.I'm taking classes now so I will have 36 units in May 2007 and I was wondering if I could still apply to USC for this fall 2007 semester????
22 months ago
Best Answer
According to their website their deadline for transfers for the fall 2007 semester is February 1st http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/admission/deadlines/ I would suggest you getting moving quickly on your application which you can get on-line here http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/apply/
Good Luck!!!
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Question:
USC Help... Please Answer?
Hi.... I'm currently a junior in Hollywood, Fl and I am curious to see what the statistics are for USC. I mean what is the average GPA, SAT, Service Hour Recommendations, extra-curricular, etc. I plan on attending some school in California no matter what and I have some safety schools but USC is my dream school. I have attended 3 high schools in 3 years which is VERY frustrating! See the thing that worries me is that in my freshman year I did fine with a 3.8 GPA but after transferring I went through such shock that my sophomore year was average and I believe my GPA dropped to a 3.6 and had some C’s so I left that school because I was very uncomfortable and it was in a way very ghetto, I'm now in a college prep and I’m having my best year over my 1st two semesters I have a 4.0 average. I want to graduate with a 3.8, 1300 SAT, 125 Community Service Hours, and a good essay. Also will USC give me a break for going to 3 different high schools. And does living in Fl hurt my chances?
22 months ago
Best Answer
These things change from year to year, so you really need to talk to someone in admissions at USC to get a serious answer. Living in Florida may help, not hurt, your chances, since many schools try for a diverse class, including where they come from, and there are likely to be fewer applicants from Florida than from California or other states further West. I don't think that going to three different high schools will catch you a break; what you need to do in your admission essay is to talk about how you overcame that hardship. After all, you will be going to a new school in college too, and they need to know that you are capable of adapting, not someone who whines and blames circumstances for everything. I notice that you talk about what you WANT to graduate with, not where you are now, so it is hard to know if you will get in. What you study will probably have an impact, since some subject matters are more impacted (overcrowded) than others. You may not, for example, get into the film school, but if your major is something in which they need more students, you stand a good chance. I have to wonder why USC? Is it just because you have heard of them due to their sports teams, or is there something you want to study there?
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i want to know which university is better in general if you don't know what your studying yet. New York University or the University of Southern California? I can get into either, but i cant decide.
im from ny also
24 months ago
Best Answer
It's hard to say, they are different on various levels and will depend on some of your personal preferences. For example, NYU is in the middle of a huge city. USC is in a big city, but it has a much more campus-like feel. Whether those things matter to you will influence which one you might prefer.
Regarding academics, again, it depends on the field that may be of interest to you. For example, USC has a very strong communication program. But NYU is better in other areas (e.g. more traditional fields like economics).
If sports is a big deal to you then USC may be more exciting as it has some serious sports programs while NYU is not huge on that.
I highly recommend visiting both schools to get a feel for how you enjoy the local environment. You should try to meet with some students, possibly stay in dorms to get as good a feel as possible for what it would be like to live and go to school there.
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if you go there or not |
