#earlyanswer

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!