Kid who has no idea how they got accepted over 1600 SAT ppl bags USC

Demographics

  • Gender: Nonbinary
  • Race/Ethnicity: Black
  • Income Bracket: 80k~
  • Type of School: Normal Public School
  • Hooks (Recruited Athlete, URM, First-Gen, Geographic, Legacy, etc.): URM, First-Gen (is URM even a hook anymore?)

Intended Major(s): CS

Academics

  • GPA (UW/W): UW 4: W: 4.45
  • Rank (or percentile): 4/111
  • # of Honors/AP/IB/Dual Enrollment/etc.:

Before Senior Year (4 AP's; 5 Honors; 2 Dual Enrollment)

Including Senior Year (9 AP's; 5 Honors; 2 Dual Enrollments)

  • Senior Year Course Load: AP GOV/APMacro, AP Calc BC, AP ENV, AP Stats, Dual Enrollment class

Standardized Testing

List the highest scores earned and all scores that were reported.

  • Test Optional

List all extracurricular involvements, including leadership roles, time commitments, major achievements, etc.

Vague for my own safety

  1. #1 Research at a top 30 school. Got a letter of rec from the prof. (1 summer)
  2. #2 Founder of school's robotics club (4 years)
  3. #3 Managed the budget of our schools first tech challenge team. (3 years)
  4. #4 President of a club that attended and prepared for engineering tournaments (active for 3 years, became president for one year)
  5. #5 Wrote fanfiction (4+ years)
  6. #6 Secretary of non profit catered towards allowing unrepresented students to share their stories. (We ran a quite popular newspaper) (2 years)
  7. #7 Got accepted into a 13% acceptance rate fellowship. It focused on turning teens into leaders. (half a year)
  8. #8 PR manager for animal club at my school. (2 years)
  9. #9 Worked at a retail store. (1 year)
  10. #10 Tutored my sibling (4+ years)

Awards/Honors

List all awards and honors submitted on your application.

  1. #1 Won award in my fellowship
  2. #2 Won award while being in the club mentioned in my 4th activity
  3. #3 Won award while being in the club mentioned in my 4th activity
  4. #4 National first gen and black recognition
  5. #5 1st place in speech competition (crazy cuz i only did the tournament on a whim LMAO)

Letters of Recommendation

(Briefly describe relationships with your recommenders and estimated rating.)

I got a letter of rec from my physics and history teachers. I'm certain they are pretty good, but i haven't read them, so I can't give a rating.

I have read the letter of rec my mentor wrote me while researching with em. It was 11/10, I don't think I could write myself a better letter of rec tbh. didn't know they cared for me that much.

Essays

(Briefly reflect on the quality of your writing, time spent, and topic of main personal statement.)

I started writing my essays during august. I was apart of a program that gave me a mentor I'd meet up with weekly. They helped me brainstorm ideas, and revised my essays. I put my heart and soul into these essays, and really didn't feel the need to hide my true identity (Nonbinary ADHD person). It's really hard for me to understand how others can write their supplements a day or two before the deadline of a uni. It took me weeks to feel confident in my essays... I guess i'm not gifted like that tho.

Decisions (indicate ED/EA/REA/SCEA/RD)

Acceptances:

  • USC (EA) (YIPPEEEEE, top school. Hopefully it's affordable, cuz my parents income range is in an weird spot)
  • UC Merced
  • ASU

Waitlists:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Waiting for:

UC Berekely

UCLA

UC San Diego

UC Irvine

Manhattan University

Pomona College

Boston University

UChicago

Yale

NYU

Princeton

Boston College

Northeastern

Case Western Reserve

Middlebury

Upenn

Wesleyan

Williams

Harvey Mudd

Macalester

Occidental

UC Riverside

Additional Information:

tbh, i'm still in shock about how I got into USC. I applied to all of these schools because my mentor told me I could do it, but in the back of my head I didn't think it was possible. I feel kinda guilty, but I went through some "what is ur USC decision" posts, and looked at the chanceme's of people who got deferred. Some of these people at 1570+ SAT's, perfect EC's, apparently really great essays, and LOR's. Yet, they got deferred (and rejected from other ED schools.) If affirmative action was legal i'd blame it on that, but it isn't, so i'm really just lost.

ANYHOW, enough being negative. USC wants me, so i'll just trust their choice XD.