Admissions Factors
What USC Looks For
USC rates 5 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses, academic GPA, application essay, recommendations and character and personal qualities.
How USC rates each factor
Each college sorts 18 factors into four levels on its Common Data Set.
Very important
Considered
The numbers behind the class
Overall admit rate
11.2%
9,345 of 83,488 applicants
Early decision admit rate
No early decision
Admitted from the waitlist
No waitlist
Enrolled first-years had an average high school GPA of 3.85. 69% of those who reported a class rank were in the top tenth of their class.
Frequently asked questions
What does USC look for in applicants?
USC rates 5 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses, academic GPA, application essay, recommendations and character and personal qualities.
Does USC consider legacy status?
USC rates alumni relation as "considered" in its 2025-26 Common Data Set.
Does USC track demonstrated interest?
USC rates the level of an applicant's interest as "not considered".
Source: USC’s own Common Data Set 2025-26, Section C. Last checked 2026-10-08. The ratings are the college’s own description of its process. Counts are for one entering class.
