(Short answer: “No.“)

Our October Early Answer (EA) deadline has come and gone, but we’re a tad ahead of the game. Some decisions were mailed over the weekend, which will likely prompt the question, “Is that all there is?”

Many more EA decisions will be released by our publicly stated mid-December deadline. That means we’re not done. Read on to get answers to those questions running through your head!

Q. If I applied EA, why are some people hearing earlier than others?

A. It’s another record year for applications. We’re running ahead on our evaluations, even with the recent score report delays at SAT and ACT. Most of the delayed scores have been delivered, which puts us in a good position to notify some of our earliest applicants sooner than expected.

Q. If I haven’t heard yet, does that mean I’m not getting in?

A. No, we have many more evaluations to go. All students who applied EA and submitted the required credentials by established deadlines will hear from us no later than the week of December 14.  As promised.

Q. How do you notify EA applicants? Letter? Online only?

A. Please note that all EA decisions are mailed to the permanent address listed on the student’s application. EA notification includes yes, no, or delay.  It’s important to note that a delay is not a denial. It just means we need a bit more time to evaluate your application relative to the rest of application pool. This is a totally normal part of our evaluation cycle. Many students who are delayed until the March notification are ultimately admitted. If you are delayed, you are welcome to submit updated test scores by February 1. Please do not send unsolicited information like recommendations, resumes or portfolios. We will not add them to your file.

Q. I don’t think you understand. I’m dying to know if I got in. Can I get an answer over the phone?

A. We do not release decisions over the phone. If you call us to beg for verbal assurances of admission, you won’t get it. Sorry. Patience is a virtue, right?

Q. My September/October test scores were delayed due to reporting issues at ACT/SAT. Am I out of the running for EA notification?

A. No. If you applied EA, we will use your delayed scores provided that USC-Columbia was listed as a recipient at the time you took the test. While some EA applicants were missing scores as recently as last week, for most it was due to reporting delays. As of this past week, we have received nearly all of the delayed score reports to date and we’ll continue evaluating EA applicants now that we have them. You can check your status of credentials received online.

Q. My latest scores are not my best ones. Does that affect my chances of admission or a scholarship?

A. Because we require score reports from all test attempts, we can determine which score gives you the greatest advantage in the admissions process. The same goes for scholarship consideration. If you plan to retake the SAT or ACT, do so no later than December. That’s the last month in which you can submit scores by our February 1 credential deadline. All scores received by this date will be considered for admission and scholarship purposes.

Q. I was in the process of applying to the Honors College, the deadline for which is November 15. You’re already releasing decisions. Will I still receive a decisions no later than the December 14 EA notification week?

A. Yes. All honors applicants with complete files are evaluated in time to receive an EA decision. Please note that the decision will be for general university admission. Decisions about admission to the South Carolina Honors College will be released on a rolling basis between late December and the end of February.

Q. My friend received an admissions decision with a scholarship offer. I did not. Does that mean I’m not getting a scholarship?

A. All students who apply by December 1 will be evaluated for merit-based scholarships. However, a few highly-qualified students may hear about initial scholarships sooner. We are not done evaluating students for scholarships. Be sure your best scores are sent to us by February 1 to maximize your chances of earning a scholarship.

Q. When will all scholarship offers be sent?

A. We release all offers by mid-March. Scores received by February 1 will be considered when making these awards.

Q. What factors are considered when offering merit awards?

A. USC defines merit as a combination of grades and test scores. Students with very high grades and very good test scores stand the greatest chance of earning an award. Note that each class competes with itself for merit aid. With a finite pool of scholarship resources, we make every attempt to award as many scholarships as we can. However, criteria for these awards can change depending on how strong the applicant pool is in a given year.

Thanks for reading. If you have questions we haven’t considered, feel free to ask them here. We’ll update this blog as questions come in. Good luck.

Yes, Columbia has experienced record rainfall this past weekend, and the campus is closed on Monday due to flooding in the area. I never cease to be amazed by how wonderful my USC colleagues are. They are hardest working bunch I’ve ever known. Everyone is working tirelessly to make sure students in the USC community are safe and comfortable during this historic weather event.

And even with the weather, we’ve received a flood of emails and calls this past week. The Early Answer deadline is right around the corner, and the questions keep coming. Let’s hit the top three: 

What are the requirements for the transcript upload process?

Can I use October test scores for Early Answer (EA)?

Should I apply EA if I’m also applying to the Honors College?

OK, about the transcript uploader…

This requirement is part of our self-reported academic record (SRAR), which is intended to help students take greater ownership of the timing associated with the application process. A big benefit of this approach is quicker turnaround on your evaluation. 

All applicants must UPLOAD a copy of their high school transcript before submitting the application. We ask that the copy include some sort of high school insignia, seal, logo, or a signature from a school official so that we can see that it is, indeed, a copy of your transcript. This advice has led some to believe that the document must be “official.” We understand that some schools may have policies prohibiting distribution of the “official” to the student. The document can say “copy” or “unofficial” on it. Our goal is to look at all courses taken just as the high school lists them on the record. The unofficial transcript will be used for your preliminary evaluation, and if admitted, we will ask you to submit your “official” transcript after you graduate from high school. The official document will be used to verify what was submitted in the initial evaluation round.  

No scanner?  No worries. We occasionally hear that students don’t have access to a scanner or electronic copies of their unofficial transcript. However, most students have a smart phone. Simply take a picture of the document and upload that image instead. Make sure the picture is clear and legible. If we have questions about the document you uploaded, we’ll reach out to you about submitting an official transcript. You will only be asked to submit an official transcript if we need to clarify anything related to your document upload. Please tell your counselor a duplicate copy is unnecessary. Copies sent by mail or other electornic means will increase the amount of time it takes to append documents to your file, which slows the process down for everyone. Slower processes lead to slower decisions, and no one wants that. So, no duplicates, please!

Scores, Sch-mores…

YES, you can use October SAT and ACT scores, provided that you list USC as a recipient of your scores at the time you take the test. If you choose to review your scores before sending them to us, that will result in delays. We may not get them in time for EA consideration. We require all scores from all test attempts, so it makes no sense to hold them back and miss consideration for EA. Take advantage your free score reports by listing USC now. Our SAT code is 5818. Our ACT code is 3880.

If you were scheduled to take the October 3 SAT and had your test date postponed due to inclement weather and flooding, we will accept the scores from the rescheduled October test date, provided that you take the SAT in October and list us as a score recipient at the outset. 

Can’t hardly wait…

We love that you’re excited and interested in applying to USC as soon as possible, but if you’ve been prompted to complete the South Carolina Honors College (SCHC) application, you have until November 15 to submit your application and scores. Use that extra time to check in with your recommenders and work on your essays, if you need the extra time. All SCHC applicants will be evaluated in the EA round and receive a general university admissions decision before we close for the winter holidays–just like the EA applicants. Honors decisions will be mailed apart from the general admissions decision. In fact, we mail these between end of December and early March. You’ll hear about the status of your SCHC application, either way, by mail no later than early March.  

Now, do your thing.

Good luck on your EA and honors application. We look forward to reviewing them in the coming weeks. We’ll be here on campus keeping our heads above water and looking out for YOU!