USC c/o 2016 Applicants Forum

[annjel]

It will be hard to be accepted by a top 10 with a 3.3 regardless of LSAT.

absolutely agree. but i can honestly say that i wasn't ready to apply this cycle and gave it my 60% effort applying deadline for the entire top 18 and was surprised to get waitlisted at columbia, penn, cornell, georgetown, and uva. so it makes me wonder what re-taking, giving my 100% on apps, and applying early might do. i want to believe i have some strong softs and although i figured i wasn't URM (im Filipino), some schools are treating me as one. but yeah, i realize it'll be tough given my crap GPA.

Well 3.3 gpa is not good but if you can retake and get your LSAT up to 170, I don't think your GPA is going to hold you back that much.

haha hope you're right. obviously PT's don't make a difference but I was PT-ing in the 175 range and ended up choking on the real thing with a 168. I also am an LSAT instructor so figured teaching it might make sure I keep my skills sharp. Although I won't lie, my GPA is making me re-think withdrawing. Who knows. I might not be as lucky next cycle and completely screw myself over.

[leepokman]

It will be hard to be accepted by a top 10 with a 3.3 regardless of LSAT.

absolutely agree. but i can honestly say that i wasn't ready to apply this cycle and gave it my 60% effort applying deadline for the entire top 18 and was surprised to get waitlisted at columbia, penn, cornell, georgetown, and uva. so it makes me wonder what re-taking, giving my 100% on apps, and applying early might do. i want to believe i have some strong softs and although i figured i wasn't URM (im Filipino), some schools are treating me as one. but yeah, i realize it'll be tough given my crap GPA.

Well 3.3 gpa is not good but if you can retake and get your LSAT up to 170, I don't think your GPA is going to hold you back that much.

haha hope you're right. obviously PT's don't make a difference but I was PT-ing in the 175 range and ended up choking on the real thing with a 168. I also am an LSAT instructor so figured teaching it might make sure I keep my skills sharp. Although I won't lie, my GPA is making me re-think withdrawing. Who knows. I might not be as lucky next cycle and completely screw myself over.

You can never trust PT score, I am usually in the 170-173 range in PT but the first time I took the real test I was so nervous that I was completely frozen, I walked out in the middle of the test and cancelled the score. Second time I focus on beating the clock at the expense of accuracy and got 167. You are obviously in a lot better shape than I was.

[epgenius]

Anybody heard anything?

[anteater1]

Submitted my app on deadline. Didn't keep track of all the updates. Finally got in last Thurs w/ 60K. Bummed that they only gave me until today to make a decision. The offer is tempting since I'd have to choose between USC and UCLA (went to UCLA for undergrad) However, I'm retaking in June hoping to re-apply and get into the top 10. So it looks like I'll be withdrawing by 5 this afternoon.

Stats: 168/3.3x

Please do if you don't plan on attending so that people on the WL like me have a better chance. BTW I am 167/3.5 what do u guys think my chances are?

Got in with identical stats, applied November though.

[zz888]

JUST GOT IN!!!! SO EXCITED!!! 164/3.8 USC undergrad student!! 10k/year scholarship

[Dream Weave]

JUST GOT IN!!!! SO EXCITED!!! 164/3.8 USC undergrad student!! 10k/year scholarship

Did you do the video?

[zz888]

Yes I did! Goodluck to everyone still waiting!

[epgenius]

Yes I did! Goodluck to everyone still waiting!

Are you URM?

[zz888]

Yes I did! Goodluck to everyone still waiting!

Are you URM?

No, but I am USC undergrad perhaps that helped.

[zman]

this must be the first non 167 to get off the waitlist so there is hope for all those 166, especially if they hvae high GPAs.

[epgenius]

this must be the first non 167 to get off the waitlist so there is hope for all those 166, especially if they hvae high GPAs.

I think it could go either way... Yes, it's good they're letting in sub-167s but if they're starting out with a 164/3.8 who had a quirk (went to USC) they might be in the stage of letting in specialized applicants instead of the most qualified.

[epgenius]

Yes I did! Goodluck to everyone still waiting!

Are you URM?

No, but I am USC undergrad perhaps that helped.

Did you do anything in addition to the video interview to appeal to the admissions committee after you were wait listed?

[zman]

this must be the first non 167 to get off the waitlist so there is hope for all those 166, especially if they hvae high GPAs.

I think it could go either way... Yes, it's good they're letting in sub-167s but if they're starting out with a 164/3.8 who had a quirk (went to USC) they might be in the stage of letting in specialized applicants instead of the most qualified.

he/she has a 3.8. That's "qualified".

[epgenius]

this must be the first non 167 to get off the waitlist so there is hope for all those 166, especially if they hvae high GPAs.

I think it could go either way... Yes, it's good they're letting in sub-167s but if they're starting out with a 164/3.8 who had a quirk (went to USC) they might be in the stage of letting in specialized applicants instead of the most qualified.

he/she has a 3.8. That's "qualified".

No offense to zz888, but I find it hard to believe that, to a school taking 167/2.8s, a 164/3.8 is more qualified than a 166/3.64... If so, I take offense to such a policy.

[Dream Weave]

this must be the first non 167 to get off the waitlist so there is hope for all those 166, especially if they hvae high GPAs.

I think it could go either way... Yes, it's good they're letting in sub-167s but if they're starting out with a 164/3.8 who had a quirk (went to USC) they might be in the stage of letting in specialized applicants instead of the most qualified.

he/she has a 3.8. That's "qualified".

No offense to zz888, but I find it hard to believe that, to a school taking 167/2.8s, a 164/3.8 is more qualified than a 166/3.64... If so, I take offense to such a policy.

I mean a 3.8/164 is a pretty qualified applicant. Much more so than the low 3.0/167s. I don't think it's fair to call him unqualified. I fully understand your frustration.

[RetakeFrenzy]

.

[RetakeFrenzy]

JUST GOT IN!!!! SO EXCITED!!! 164/3.8 USC undergrad student!! 10k/year scholarship

Congrats!! I remember you from the Gtown waitlist thread

[leepokman]

JUST GOT IN!!!! SO EXCITED!!! 164/3.8 USC undergrad student!! 10k/year scholarship

I am starting to think that something went wrong in my application. I think I have pretty good number(167/3.5). I did the video thing and emailed them LOCI as well. Haven't heard anything yet. But I applied pretty late on 1/23 maybe that's why. I am starting to worry.....

[RetakeFrenzy]

JUST GOT IN!!!! SO EXCITED!!! 164/3.8 USC undergrad student!! 10k/year scholarship

I am starting to think that something went wrong in my application. I think I have pretty good number(167/3.5). I did the video thing and emailed them LOCI as well. Haven't heard anything yet. But I applied pretty late on 1/23 maybe that's why. I am starting to worry.....

Hang in there. USC will not let 167s go easily.

[jdmonkey]

JUST GOT IN!!!! SO EXCITED!!! 164/3.8 USC undergrad student!! 10k/year scholarship

I am starting to think that something went wrong in my application. I think I have pretty good number(167/3.5). I did the video thing and emailed them LOCI as well. Haven't heard anything yet. But I applied pretty late on 1/23 maybe that's why. I am starting to worry.....

Yes I am anxious myself still in CR2!

[leepokman]

JUST GOT IN!!!! SO EXCITED!!! 164/3.8 USC undergrad student!! 10k/year scholarship

I am starting to think that something went wrong in my application. I think I have pretty good number(167/3.5). I did the video thing and emailed them LOCI as well. Haven't heard anything yet. But I applied pretty late on 1/23 maybe that's why. I am starting to worry.....

Yes I am anxious myself still in CR2!

I think being in CR2 is better than being waitlisted. Good luck!

[zz888]

I wrote an LSAT addendum, yes my LSAT is a little lower than they'd like but I have a history of doing poorly on standardized tests (I was accepted into USC below 25th percentile SAT score but graduated in the top 10% of my class) I think having a 3.8 GPA from their own undergrad school as well as 3 LOR from their own professors helped, they know how academically rigorous their undergrad curriculum is. Maybe they are trying to raise their GPA median.

[Dream Weave]

I wrote an LSAT addendum, yes my LSAT is a little lower than they'd like but I have a history of doing poorly on standardized tests (I was accepted into USC below 25th percentile SAT score but graduated in the top 10% of my class) I think having a 3.8 GPA from their own undergrad school as well as 3 LOR from their own professors helped, they know how academically rigorous their undergrad curriculum is. Maybe they are trying to raise their GPA median.

Posting to help everyone out. My friend got in yesterday off waitlist. 4 years work experience, 3.9 GPA, USC undergrad, low low LSAT (don't know actual score- but could be sub 160)

[Dream Weave]

I wrote an LSAT addendum, yes my LSAT is a little lower than they'd like but I have a history of doing poorly on standardized tests (I was accepted into USC below 25th percentile SAT score but graduated in the top 10% of my class) I think having a 3.8 GPA from their own undergrad school as well as 3 LOR from their own professors helped, they know how academically rigorous their undergrad curriculum is. Maybe they are trying to raise their GPA median.

Posting to help everyone out. My friend got in yesterday off waitlist. 4 years work experience, 3.9 GPA, USC undergrad, low low LSAT (don't know actual score- but could be sub 160)

So I would say they are going after GPA median now and looking after their own as they do it!

[zman]

I wonder how many of the 167 3.73++ they got this cycle. Those are their ideal numbers.