In search of a school that has been at the top of its game for decades and counting? USC claims this pedestal fair and square. USC, short for the University of Southern California, was founded in the year 1880and ranked 63rd in the world university rankings 2022 and 19th in the US college rankings 2022. Being the oldest private research university in California, USC has excelled in business programs, engineering and technological innovations, cinematography, and other noteworthy areas. Its location, state-of-the-art facilities, and extensive learning opportunities make it the utmost choice of a large number of high schoolers and international students who want an efficiently balanced college experience. In this article, you will know what makes USC unique in itself and whether USC is worth its title. Here we will see about What Is USC Known For, Is USC A Good School?
What Is USC Known For?
Location and Weather
Wondering why this tops the list? A school’s location plays an important role in a student’s college experience and in the case of USC, its location cannot be overlooked as it is one of the most reputable things USC is known for and comes with several benefits as well. USC university park is located in the heart of the US’s second-largest city- Los Angeles, while Its Health Science campus is located northeast of downtown LA.
Both campuses offer access to entertainment, shopping, and other resources for students to enjoy and necessary to succeed in their various careers. This totally shapes a student’s college experience and offers a lot of juicy opportunities to make beneficial connections & networks, and also gain much experience in the real world.
USC’s location and proximity to the nation’s movie industry- Hollywood- is a great asset to the visual and performing arts department and the School of Cinematography.
Aside from all those, USC has sunny weather for almost 300 days of the year, hence, giving room for unhindered school activities.
Academics
With USC consistently ranked among the top 30 universities of the nation and top 100 universities in the world and ground-breaking innovations such as the creation of DNA computing and the likes to boast of, one can hardly argue about its prestigious academic programs and output.
USC offers a total of 126 undergraduate programs and is divided into 23 schools. This includes the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and other 22 graduate and professional schools.
USC’s School of Cinematic Arts is probably one we are most familiar with and a well-known school at USC. It stands out as the oldest film school in the United States with numerous alumni who have won Academy Awards and Emmy Awards and also faculty members to boast of.
Some of the highly ranked graduate schools USC is known for include: the Marshall School of Business, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Viterbi School of Engineering, and Gould School of Law among others.
Some of the undergraduate programs USC is well known for and are highly ranked include Cinematic Arts, Engineering, Accounting, International Business, and others.
USC also offers interdisciplinary student-centered learning. This allows students to combine two or more class offerings that suit students’ interests and career goals.
Admission Status
USC enrolls about 19,500-19,600 undergraduate students and has an acceptance rate of 16%. USC is highly selective and this is largely due to its reputation and top-notch academics that are so coveted by thousands of students.
Admission into USC depends on one’s SAT scores which should be 1440 on average.
Extracurricular Activities and USC Campus Life
USC is a school that values extracurricular activities enough to include them in one’s grade calculations and curriculum which makes the school all the more loved and builds its reputation.
USC offers a wide range of extracurricular activities with over 1000 organizations related to culture, arts, religion, degree programs, career interests, athletic teams, recreation, and lots more for students to choose from.
Some of USC’s prominent clubs include the Speak to Lead club- which aims at improving students’ public speaking skills. An interesting fact about this group is its interest in recruiting reserved students, students with learning disabilities, or international students.
Another trendy club is the Women and Youth Supporting Each other(WYSE) which centers on resolving essential teenage issues and conflicts, preventing teen pregnancy, and securing leadership roles.
USC has about 40 residence halls and apartments on campus, although students are not required to live on campus as there are other accommodations off-campus. With about 98% of USC students living on campus, however, USC still strives to maintain and build a community with a sense of family, especially one with respect and understanding for the diversity of races, cultures, religions, and other factors.
Some of the living options on campus for people with special interests include the Women in science and engineering floor; Asian, Pacific Islanders, Desi American community: Rainbow LGBTQ+ community, and others.
USC also has about 25% student participation in Greek life with approximately one in five undergraduates belonging to one or more fraternities or sororities. This has earned USC a party school reputation.
Diversity
USC is known for its diverse population and is ranked among the top 10 universities in the United States for diversity. According to reports, 27% of USC students are white, 15% are Hispanic, 5.8% are Black or African American with others being 8.4%; International students also comprise 23.8% of USC’s population.
USC also educates students who are not economically privileged and gives financial aid or merit scholarships to about two-thirds of incoming freshmen.
USC’s admission is also need-blind meaning one’s ability to pay would not impact one’s admission decision.
USC Traditions and Athletics
USC is known for its strong athletic teams and is a great choice for students that want to pursue athletics beyond high school. The university’s team is well known as the USC Trojans and was so named by a Los Angeles sportswriter, Owen Bird to signify the relentless fighting spirit of the team as likened to the ancient trojan.
This has been evident in the team’s performance over the years. The USC Team has won a whopping sum of 131 national championships and its football team winning 11 national championships and 7 Heisman trophies. USC boasts of such a splendid performance that it is often said that only Stanford and UCLA beat USC teams at their own game by winning more titles than USC teams.
Other impressive USC teams include the USC women’s track team- ranked top 10 of the NCAA championship on 12 occasions; the Men’s swimming and diving team- which has won a total of 88 medals at the Olympic games and the USC Women’s beach volleyball team among others.
Some, if not all of the traditions USC is known for, revolve around the university’s athletic powerhouse unsurprisingly. One of these has to do with first-year students ‘kicking the flag pole’ for good luck when heading to their inaugural football game at LA’s Memorial Coliseum.
Another well-known tradition that has been in place since the year 1961 springs from the USC mascot- Traveler, the horse. Here, a Trojan warrior gets to ride Traveler the horse around the field every time the USC Trojans score a touchdown.
The above traditions usually take place during Troy week which is the week before the annual football games with USC’s rivals- UCLA Bruins-begin. This week includes the CONQUEST bonfire and events and also features the vigils that were said to have begun in the early 1940s after the incident where some UCLA students threw paint at the Tommy Trojan statue.
Other USC Traditions include the Songfest- An annual event where students showcase their talents and various university fraternities and sororities get to perform and the winner gets a Songfest trophy and other prizes; and the Hammocking McCarthy where students string hammocks between trees on hills where McCarthy sits. This is usually done on one of USC’s ‘bounteous’ sunny days.
Is USC A Good School?
A lot has been said about what USC is known for, all those and more put together have built the university’s reputation and placed it among the top-ranking universities in the nation and the world.
Reviews over the years and counting have shown that USC efficiently offers top-notch academics and research. At USC, students have the freedom to combine different courses that best suit their interests, hence giving students a more flexible approach to designing their degrees. USC clearly states that whatever a student’s dream is, there is a great chance of finding the programs, resources, facilities, and flexibility needed for one’s ideal program at the University.
USC’s location is another factor that adds prestige and value to this university. With its location in the heart of the US’s most exciting state, comes various career opportunities to explore and gain real-world experience.
USC also boasts of famous alumni the likes of Neil Armstrong, Judd Apatow, George Lucas, Regina Kings, and others that have won various Academy Awards, Emmy awards, and Fulbright scholar awards among others, and also gives students the privilege of learning under the guidance of award-winning faculty members.
USC has some of the best facilities in the country such as the School of Cinematic Arts which is the oldest in the nation, the first School of Architecture in Southern California, the USC Annenberg media center, the Keck school of medicine, and the school of pharmacy, libraries with millions of books and museums including the Fisher Museum of Arts and most of its programs ranked highest in the nation among others.
You should know that amidst the numerous good things USC has to offer, the university has its downsides which any typical large university would likely have like class sizes, expensive tuition, and most importantly USC’s highly selective admission status.
Conclusion:
In all, the University of Southern California (USC) is known for its sunny and lucrative location, top-notch academics and research, interdisciplinary learning, traditions, famous alumni extracurricular activities, campus life, and a lot more which has helped in building the university’s reputation and giving an excellent and balanced college experience for people of different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
Frequently Asked Questions
– What GPA is required to get admitted into USC?
To get admitted to USC, you should have a 3.79 GPA or higher. You might need to compensate for a lower GPA with a higher SAT/ACT score and an impressive application.
– What career opportunities and resources does USC offer?
USC offers a lot of career-related resources but the most important is the Trojan Network. Due to USC alumni being rooted in various companies, it is usually easier and a great start to reaching out to them during job or internship search.
USC also offers career-related resources like information sessions by recruiters, on-campus interviews, and resume interviews among others. Other organizations a student from USC can get associated with include UGSA, AIS, and a lot more.
– Are there on-campus jobs at USC?
Yes. There are tons of on-campus jobs at USC- one could work in libraries, bookstores, cafeteria, admissions office, and FMS. You should however apply at the right time. For example, it is easier to get on-campus jobs in Fall.
– How can one apply to USC and what to expect?
Application to USC is done through the Common Application which is also known as the Common App. This app is accepted by several colleges and universities including the entire Ivy League. It requires your basic information, test scores, GPA, extracurricular activities, and about two recommendations. In addition to this, applicants will be required to answer supplemental questions in two essays of up to 250 words and two short answer lists.
You will be asked to address your major selections, experiences, background, prospects, and areas you’re interested in asides from your intended academic focus. You will also be asked to describe yourself by answering a couple of questions like what your favorite snack is, a well-known person you wish could be your ideal roommate, your dream trip, your favorite book, and other questions in no fewer than 100 characters.
