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This page contains the following:

-General admission requirements

-Course requirements for the 2010-2011 academic year (entering USC in summer or fall of 2010 or in spring of 2011)

-Course requirements for the 2011-2012 academic year (entering USC in summer or fall of 2011)

-Dual enrollment, honors, AP & IB courses

-Honors College admission information

General Admission Requirements

Admission as a freshman into the University is primarily based upon a combination of grades earned in specific high-school courses and official SAT* or ACT scores. Specific course requirements are listed below. Seventy-five percent of admitted fall 2008 freshmen scored a 1090 or higher on the SAT or a 23 or higher on the ACT, and also earned a GPA of at least 3.37 on a 4.0 scale. Students with at least a B (3.0) average on required high-school course, and who have scores as indicated above, are generally competitive for admission. 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.

Courses required for 2010-11 academic year

Students entering USC in the summer or fall of 2010 or in the spring of 2011 are expected to complete the following minimum high-school core course curriculum:

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.

Courses required for the 2011-12 academic year

Students entering USC in the summer or fall of 2011 are expected to complete the following minimum high-school core course curriculum:

Mathematics - 4 units: These include Algebra I (for which Applied Mathematics I and II may count together as a substitute, if a student successfully completes Algebra II), Algebra II, and geometry. A fourth higher-level math course should be selected from among Algebra III/trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus, statistics, or discrete mathematics or a capstone math course, and should be taken during the senior year.

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.

Fine arts - 1 unit: One unit in appreciation of, history of, or performance in one of the fine arts

Academic electives - 1 unit: A college prep course in computer science (i.e., one involving significant programming content, not simply keyboarding) is strongly recommended. Other acceptable electives include college preparatory courses in English, fine arts, foreign languages, social science, humanities, laboratory science (excluding those for which biology and/or chemistry is not a prerequisite), or math above the level of Algebra II.

Physical education - 1 unit: or ROTC is required.

Dual enrollment, honors, AP, and 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.

Honors College Admission Information
Admissions consideration requires excellent high-school grades and strong scores on the SAT or ACT. Higher SAT or ACT scores may offset grades or vice versa. Fifty percent of fall 2009 honors freshmen received scores between 1350 and 1440 on the SAT (on the critical reading and math sections combined) and 31 and 33 on the ACT. Average weighted GPA was 4.55. You must submit the freshman application and Honors supplement by November 15th. If you complete the admissions application online, and your self-reported scores are high enough, you will be invited to apply for the Honors College and top scholarships at the point of application. All supplemental materials (including application fee official fee waiver, official transcript(s) from your high school, test scores, two letters of recommendation, and optional personal statement) must be submitted by November 15th as well.

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 (not including writing score). 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.

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