USC Freshman Class Gets High Marks

By James Grant on September 24, 2009 8:05 AM

USC’s entering undergraduate student body is the most academically talented in the university’s 129-year history.

Average standardized test scores for the incoming class are in the 94th percentile as compared to all students in the United States. More than 85 percent of incoming freshmen were in the top 10 percent of their high school class, and around 10 percent of them were valedictorians. The average grade point average of the group was 3.7.

USC received 35,753 applications for 2,869 places in the fall 2009 freshman class. With this year’s applicant pool, the university’s admission rate was 24 percent.

The class represents a highly competitive and highly diverse group of students, with very broad geographic representation:

• The class is among the most ethnically diverse class ever enrolled at USC, with 22 percent under-represented minority students, including 7 percent African-American, 13 percent Hispanic, 2 percent Native American/Pacific Islander, and 24 percent Asian students. In addition, 12 percent of matriculating students are the first in their families to attend college.

• Outside California, the leading metropolitan areas in the United States supplying new class members at USC are, in order: New York City, Seattle, Chicago, Honolulu, Dallas, and Boston. The most represented foreign countries are: China, South Korea, Canada, India and the United Kingdom.

• Overall, 52 percent of newly enrolled students are from California, with 11 percent international students representing 41 foreign countries.

“We are pleased to see increased student interest in attending USC even in this difficult economic environment. We believe this is testimony to the enduring value of a USC education and the unique preparation USC offers for the women and men who will be the leaders of the 21st century,” said Jerry Lucido, USC vice provost for enrollment policy and management.

USC enrolls more under-represented minority students (African-American, Hispanic and Native American) than most other private research universities in the country (5,142 as of fall 2008). Moreover, USC enrolls more than 3,000 low-income undergraduate students (as defined by Pell Grant eligibility). Most importantly, low-income students at USC graduate at rates comparable to the overall undergraduate population.

USC offers admission without regard to ability to pay, and the university meets 100 percent of the demonstrated need of on-time financial aid applicants. Almost 60 percent of USC’s undergraduate students receive some form of university aid. This represents more than 9,000 students - more than the total undergraduate population of most highly selective private research universities.

USC has the largest university-funded financial aid budget of any university in the country, providing more than $180 million each year of university funds to undergraduates. This year the university raised its budget for financial aid 8 percent in recognition of the effects on families of the global economic recession.

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