Waiting for Admission Decisions
It’s a busy time of year in the Office of Admission – our counselors are immersed in your essays and eager to select future Trojans. And now that you’re on the other side of the deadline, you may be looking forward to your last semester of high school, spring break, and hearing back from colleges.
We understand that waiting is the worst! While we never want this process to be overly stressful, we know that that’s just how it goes this time of year….so, my advice to you is to take a deep breath (yes, right now).
You may be wondering, what can I do while I wait?
Hopefully you’re not spending what is left of your academic year stressing out too much, but I hope some of these resources will help you navigate the woeful waiting period. You’ve just spent months hustling to get everything together to apply, and the change in pace can really drag on. So how can you use your time more effectively as you count down to the day you’ll hear back from USC? Well, check out our list of Do’s and Don’ts:
Do send us your fall grades. First-year applicants—we call this the mid-year report, and you can upload it to your USC Applicant Portal. In most cases, your high school counselor has likely already uploaded this on your behalf via Common App, but things happen and sometimes there are technical issues/miscommunications. Thus, I always recommend students upload a copy themselves just to be sure their bases are covered! Transfer applicants—we need an official copy of all of your grades in college thus far including the fall term (and the winter quarter if applicable).
Don’t panic if your USC admission counselor doesn’t respond to your email right away. We are getting tons of emails right now and still trying to read all of your applications, so I encourage you to check out our other blog posts, ask.usc.edu, the admission website, your USC portal, our other social media platforms, calling our main line at 213-740-1111, etc. You may get answers more quickly from those places than we may be able to provide this time of year. Remember, we are still reading applications and we want to make sure each one gets our full attention.
Do watch your email for communication from colleges. Email is the most common way a school will try to get in touch with you, so please read what we are sending. This is how we notify you if we are missing something in your file, such as a transcript or test scores (if you are choosing to report them). These notifications will also be sent to your USC Portal, so make sure to keep your login information handy. Pro tip: check your SPAM folder, as communications may accidently end up in the forgotten folder.
Don’t compare your academic achievements, extracurricular involvements, etc. with other applicants. Many colleges (such as USC) use a holistic admission process, which means we consider a variety of factors when making decisions. Just because a student may have “stronger” quantitative factors than another student does not mean they necessarily have a better chance of being admitted.
Do continue to work hard in all your classes! The college you attend will request your final transcript for this year to verify that your academic performance remained consistent. Keep up the hard work in your current semester/quarter!
Don’t feel like you have to know where you’re attending college right NOW – even if your friends/parents/teachers are pressuring you. First-year applicants will receive their admission decisions by April 1 and have until May 1 (the National Candidates Reply Date) to decide. Transfer students, those notification timelines will vary at each school (more on that later).
Do relax and enjoy what’s left of the school year! In a matter of months, you may be leaving some or all of your friends and family as you begin your next step in your educational journey. Take advantage of this time—your first day at a new school will be here before you know it.
Let’s not forget all the people that got you to this point!
Support your friends. If you’re anxious to hear back from colleges, it’s likely your friends are too–so don’t feed the beast!
Thank your counselors and teachers. Some people who deserve a ton of gratitude are the counselors and teachers who spent so much time advising you, editing your essays, and writing you fantastic letters of recommendation, all while trying to navigate the challenges COVID has created. Now that your application is in, write them a nice thank you note, or pop into their office or Zoom room to catch up. Just let them know you appreciate their help in this process.
Here’s a reminder of the timeline for decisions:
First-Year Applicants: Every applicant will have an admission decision by April 1. You will receive an email when a decision has been posted in your USC Applicant Portal. Students who interviewed for a merit scholarship will receive their scholarship decision via email around the same time.
Transfer Applicants: Applicants will receive one of two notifications by May 31: either an admission decision OR a request for spring grades. If we request your spring grades, you may not have an admission decision until mid-July.
As a Trojan myself, I know the feeling all too well. This process is scary and overwhelming a lot of the time, but I hope you are also able to embrace the excitement of it all too! You are about to embark on an incredible journey (no matter where you end up), and that is certainly something to celebrate.
Written by: Hayley Camin, Associate Director - Office of Admission