What GPA do you need to get into USC?

Among 627 applicants who posted a USC admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.96 and the middle half reported 3.90 to 4.00 (492 reported a GPA). USC sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.

What SAT score do you need for USC?

Among 627 applicants who posted a USC admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,540 and the middle half scored 1,490 to 1,570 (440 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.

Does applying early help at USC?

In these posts, 55% of early applicants who reported a result were admitted (174 of 315), against 43% in regular decision (170 of 393). Early pools differ in who applies, so this is a description, not a promise.

What extracurriculars do USC admits have?

The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (68%), athletics (45%), tutoring/teaching (41%), research (39%). 85% held at least one leadership role and 73% listed a national or international award.

What is the USC acceptance rate?

The official rate is published by USC in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.

College admissions data

How to get into USC

What 627 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 1,452 USC results that students posted for the 2016 to 2027 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.

Applying to USC? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.

USC admits by the numbers

Median unweighted GPA

3.96

Middle half 3.90 to 4.00

Median SAT

1,540

Middle half 1,490 to 1,570

Median ACT

Middle half 34 to 36

Median weighted GPA

4.50

Middle half 4.31 to 4.70

Results posted: 627 admitted, 809 rejected, 16 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the USC acceptance rate; the official rate is in USC’s Common Data Set.

Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference

Median	Admitted	Rejected
Unweighted GPA	3.96	3.91
SAT	1,540	1,520
ACT	35	34

When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.

What USC admits did outside class

Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.

Nonprofit/Service68%
Athletics45%
Tutoring/Teaching41%
Research39%
Internship37%
Music32%
Work/Job30%
STEM club/competition29%

Held a leadership role

85%

Founded something

46%

National or intl. award

73%

Did research

39%

Early vs. regular decision at USC

Early (315 results)55%
Regular (393 results)43%

Share of posters in each round who were admitted. Early applicants are a different group (often stronger and more certain), so read this as a description of these posts, not as odds.

Intended majors of USC admits

Engineering14%
Computer Science13%
Business9%
Economics9%
Political Science8%
Biology6%

Who got in

Of the admitted posters, 16% first-generation, 14% low income, 18% underrepresented minority, 8% legacy, 1% recruited athlete and 13% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 21% chose USC.

Three recent USC admits

2027 cycle · RD · Political Science
Los Angeles applicant whose essay examined the inequality between his commute's two worlds.
GPA 3.98 UW · SAT 1520 · Original post
2027 cycle · EA · Chemistry
STEM outreach leader across Science Olympiad, WiSTEM, and teaching programs for younger students.
GPA 3.85 UW · SAT 1520 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · Business
Teen entrepreneur who built a STEM business and app and mentors middle schoolers.
GPA 3.97 UW · SAT 1570 · Original post

Where else USC admits got in

USC admissions questions

What GPA do you need to get into USC?: Among 627 applicants who posted a USC admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.96 and the middle half reported 3.90 to 4.00 (492 reported a GPA). USC sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
What SAT score do you need for USC?: Among 627 applicants who posted a USC admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,540 and the middle half scored 1,490 to 1,570 (440 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.
Does applying early help at USC?: In these posts, 55% of early applicants who reported a result were admitted (174 of 315), against 43% in regular decision (170 of 393). Early pools differ in who applies, so this is a description, not a promise.
What extracurriculars do USC admits have?: The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (68%), athletics (45%), tutoring/teaching (41%), research (39%). 85% held at least one leadership role and 73% listed a national or international award.
What is the USC acceptance rate?: The official rate is published by USC in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.

Applying to USC?

A Specialist who got into a school like USC can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.

Book a free call

Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2016 to 2027 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with USC. All colleges