USC - 2026 Counselor Conference Notes

Balanced College Planning, October 2026

What USC told counselors this fall

I spent a day with the USC admission team and faculty from Viterbi Engineering and Marshall Business. Here is what matters most for families applying this year, in plain language, with the details you can act on.

The USC calendar at a glance

Always confirm dates on USC's admission website, since specifics can shift.

  1. Nov 1
    Early deadline (Early Decision and Early Action)Also the deadline for merit scholarship consideration for most majors.
  2. Dec 1
    Performing arts deadlineEarly Decision is not available for performing arts.
  3. Mid to late Dec
    Early Decision notifications
  4. Mid Jan
    Early Action notifications
  5. Mid Feb
    Scholarship finalists notified
  6. Feb 15
    Transfer application deadline
  7. Apr 1
    Regular Decision release

Six things every USC applicant should know

USC reads every application in context

USC was clear that grades and scores only mean something in context. They look at the classes available at your student's school, how your student did in them, and the trend over time. As they put it, numbers can look precise while measuring only a narrow slice of who a student is.

The three questions they want every application to answer: Who are you? Where do you want to go? What do you want to do?

Early Decision helps students who are already strong candidates

  • ED benefits students who are well prepared and competitive as they stand today. USC is hoping for more ED applicants this year.
  • USC does not deny students in the early round. Early applicants are either admitted or deferred.
  • If deferred: simply opt in and follow the instructions. Do not send a letter of continued interest and do not email the admission office.
  • Before committing to ED, run USC's Net Price Calculator. USC called it a genuinely good tool for judging whether a binding commitment makes sense financially.

Apply early if merit aid matters to you

Applying by November 1 is how most students are considered for merit scholarships. Last year roughly 1,000 students received merit awards, averaging around $10,000. If your student's major does not offer an early option, they apply Regular Decision instead.

Testing is optional, but choose carefully

  • If your student submits scores, USC requires official scores.
  • If your student chooses "do not consider my scores," they cannot switch later to add them. Decide before you submit.

Write about what you actually care about

  • USC is neutral about which activities are "best." If you care about it, they will care about it, and genuine excitement comes through.
  • For the main essay: name the qualities that are central to who you are, then show examples of what those qualities look like in your life.
  • USC considers both first and second choice majors, and sometimes admits students as undecided (though you cannot apply as undecided). Do not pick an obscure major to game the system. Students write stronger essays about what truly interests them.
  • New this year: an optional essay prompt connected to free speech and open inquiry on campus.

One letter of recommendation, and no extras

USC requires one letter, usually from the school counselor, though a teacher letter is completely fine. USC does not accept additional letters.

"What are the things in the future that will still require human judgment?"

USC's framing for how it thinks about AI and education. They expect the humanities to matter more in the coming years than they have in a long time.

Program by program

Tap a section to open it.

Viterbi School of Engineering

About 13,000 applicants expected for roughly 450 first year spots

What they look for

  • Viterbi only considers students who list an engineering major as their first choice.
  • Strong grades in the most challenging courses available, with math and science grades reviewed separately. If calculus is offered at your school, complete it by the end of high school. Senior year is fine.
  • Testing is truly optional. A student's calculus grade matters more than an SAT score.
  • There is no ideal "engineering applicant" story. Do not quit band to join robotics, and do not take a college class just because your high school does not offer it. USC does not expect students to go beyond what their school offers.
  • Skip the manufactured passion project. Admission officers said plainly that it reads as coached. They love genuinely interesting high school students doing genuinely interesting high school things.
  • Students who are "kind of interested" in engineering are welcome. Viterbi wants creative thinkers, the musical theater student who also loves calculus, not just technical specialists.

Choosing a major

  • Please do not default to mechanical engineering. Pick the field that sounds most exciting and start there.
  • If your student likes a bit of everything, look at Enterprise Systems Engineering, which is hired across every industry.
  • New last year: a BS in Artificial Intelligence, blending software, hardware, and data.
  • Engineering fields move in cycles. Computer science has been declared "dead" twice and bounced back. Think long term.

Student experience

  • Students take engineering courses from day one and are never locked into a major.
  • Academic advising is required every semester for all four years.
  • Most of USC's research happens in Viterbi, so paid undergraduate research is widely available.
  • Students can add a non-engineering minor, study abroad, and join design teams without enrollment caps.
  • Worth exploring: Viterbi's podcasts, YouTube, and Instagram, plus their events for prospective students.

Marshall School of Business

Curiosity, rigor, and a clear "why"

What they look for

  • Curiosity, and a transcript that takes full advantage of the rigor available at your school.
  • A clear why in the supplement. Do not assume the transcript will carry the application. The typical admitted student clearly cares about something.
  • For the AI in Business program, calculus should be completed before college. For other Marshall majors it is not required.
  • The World Bachelor in Business (WBB) is available only through Early Decision or Early Action.

Program highlights

  • Every Marshall degree is a BS and every program is STEM designated, which is unusual.
  • A flexible, liberal arts based business core lets students explore before choosing an emphasis. Business Administration offers the most flexibility.
  • AI is being built into core business classes starting this fall.
  • About 90 percent of first year students travel internationally through programs like the Global Leadership Program and short courses abroad.
  • Students who arrive with AP or IB credit may be able to pursue a progressive master's degree.
  • Student panelists described small cohorts, business clubs that run like real organizations, and double majoring plus a minor while still graduating in four years.

Transferring to USC

Deadline February 15. One third of USC graduates started as transfers.

The big picture

  • USC enrolls more transfer students than any other private research university in the country and has articulation agreements with nearly every California community college.
  • Review is still holistic, but academics weigh much more heavily for transfers. Meeting the minimum requirements is not enough.
  • Students can transfer after one year or two. It is roughly a 50/50 split.
  • Get USC's "Transferring to USC" guide as early as possible. It is dense but covers everything needed for course planning.

Course planning details that trip students up

  • Third semester and higher world language courses must be taken in person. USC requires proof.
  • For general education lab sciences, the lab must be in person (the lecture can be online). A petition form is routinely required.
  • Keep every syllabus and course material. They may be needed to show course equivalency.
  • Some dual enrollment credit will not transfer. For example, English composition taken during high school usually counts only as elective credit and would be retaken at USC. This does not affect eligibility for admission.
  • A second choice major is considered only when there is evidence of progress toward it.

Applying

  • Both the high school and college transcripts are required.
  • Fall grades matter, so wait until they are available before applying (performing arts applicants excepted).
  • Decisions arrive at the end of May, or USC may request spring grades and decide in June or July.
  • Transfer scholarships are competitive. A high number of units and a high GPA make the strongest case.
  • DACA and undocumented students are not considered international applicants.

Arts, portfolios, and special programs

Performing arts, SlideRoom, QuestBridge, and international applicants
  • Portfolios: submit the USC application first, then upload to SlideRoom. Faculty review portfolios and recommend candidates, and admission makes the final decision.
  • Performing arts: the deadline is December 1, and Early Decision is not available.
  • QuestBridge: applications are reviewed first. USC matches only about five students, but admitted 140 QuestBridge applicants last year. Dance, BFA Theatre, WBB, and the Iovine and Young Academy do not participate in the QuestBridge match.
  • International applicants: must submit a financial statement in the USC applicant portal and an English language proficiency exam.

A reading note: USC shared James, the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by USC professor Percival Everett, as a window into the intellectual life of the university. It is a great read for any student curious about USC.

What this means for your student

USC is looking for real students with real interests, not polished narratives. If USC is on your student's list, the next few weeks are about finalizing the early versus regular decision, confirming major choices, and making sure the essays sound like your student.

Questions about how any of this applies to your family? Bring them to your next BCP meeting or reply to this month's newsletter.

Rya Carpenter, Balanced College Planning

Summarized from the USC counselor conference, fall 2026. Policies and dates can change, so confirm details at admission.usc.edu.