University prepares for orientations


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The University is preparing to introduce the incoming freshman class of 2020 at its first orientation June 9-10.

The orientation is the first of six that the University is planning on hosting for freshman. The others will take place June 23-24, June 29-30, July 7-8, July 12-13 and July 21-22. Transfer students will have one-day orientations on July 19, July 26 and July 29. International freshman will have their orientation Aug. 15-16.

Orientations will include lunches, tours from orientation advisors, a spirit rally, multiple social events and performances from the USC Trojan Marching Band.

Leo Zhao, a rising junior who is one of four student orientation coordinators, said that this year’s orientation will also have orientation advisors give presentations on student life and academics, a skit that will cover a range of campus issues and a follow-up conversation with incoming freshman discussing the topics discussed in the skit.

Zhao, who was an orientation advisor last year, said that this orientation will be more streamlined than in previous years and that the staff of orientation advisors are well prepared for this year’s freshman class.

“I think this year’s staff is definitely more diverse than previous years and they’re all very excited to do orientation,” Zhao said.

The admission rate for the incoming class was 16.5 percent, the lowest in the University’s history. 8,920 students were admitted from all 50 states and over 75 different countries out of 54,100 applicants.

Overall, 41 percent of incoming students are from California, and 13 percent of students are first generation college students. While the average unweighted high school GPA was 3.84, 31 percent of students enter USC with a high school GPA of 4.00, more than 50 percent of students enrolled in AP courses in high school and most incoming freshman rank in the top 10 percent of their high school’s graduating class.

“Coming to college, there is a period where you have to transition from the mentality of a high school student to a college student,” Zhao said. “I think orientation is very really critical in preparing [students] for college life and showing them the Trojan spirit.”