Freshman acceptance rate decreases
As the 2017-2018 college application process comes to a close for seniors worldwide, the USC Office of Admissions celebrates the university’s most selective freshman class in its history.
Out of a pool of over 56,000 applicants, an increase of 3.5 percent from last year, 8,980 students received admittance, according to USC News. This 16 percent acceptance rate is also a historic low, decreasing half a percent from last year.
In addition to being the most selective admissions cycle, this year also features the most academically accomplished admits, according to USC News. The average unweighted GPA for accepted students is 3.84 on a 4-point scale, while 31 percent have received a 4.0 GPA.
Archanaa Lingan | Daily Trojan
Over 79 percent of admits scored in at least the 95th percentile on standardized tests, while 42 percent scored in the 99th percentile.
Beyond the academic numbers, however, Dean of Admissions Timothy Brunold said USC seeks out students who can contribute to USC’s dynamic intellectual, social and cultural communities.
“[We look to] find something compelling, something that will enrich the USC community,” Brunold told USC News. “These students have a strong character and a willingness to engage in learning, an eagerness to dig deep into scholarship. It’s about the impact these students will have in class, in the library, in the lab and in the community. These students have a unique perspective, and their presence will strengthen the University.”
The newly minted freshman class is also one of the most diverse. Students of color make up over two-thirds of the recently admitted students. Approximately 24 percent of newly admitted students are from underrepresented minority populations — 14 percent of which are Hispanic/Latino and 6 percent are black.
The University said it has also maintained its commitment to expanding financial aid for low-income students who will attend USC. It has increased available aid by 76 percent over the last ten years, and USC students graduate with less student debt on average than students at other colleges, according to USC News.
´Over 2/3rds are of color´….so does this mean that USC is finally shedding their reputation for harboring predominantly the white of the white rich conservatives from the Orange County area? I graduated from USC in the mid-90s and at that time it was full of elitist entitled AHowls! The Greek Row was 90% white with 1 black fraternity and 1 Asian!
Nothing so epitomizes the politically correct gullibility of our times as the magic word “diversity.” The wonders of diversity are proclaimed from the media, extolled in the academy and confirmed in the august chambers of the Supreme Court of the United States. But have you ever seen one speck of hard evidence to support the lofty claims? – Thomas Sowell
He also, in an interview, pointed out that someones individual qualifications should be the tool for admittance, and that someones ethnic or religious group that they are part of should be out of it. Here is a test for those who espouse diversity. Go to the main Campus eatery. Look around the room of tables and chairs, and go outside and do the same. Study the composition of social groups interacting. The majority of it is white students hanging with white students, Asians with Asians, Blacks with Blacks, etc. So where is the diversity but in name? Is that what the University is implying when it uses these numbers? These group quotas mean nothing and should be taken as they are. Worthless to the reader.
Ethnicity shouldnt even be a factor/come into play. Grades & test scores should be the only determining factors in college admittance.