While visiting high schools and attending college fairs, the USC admission counselors often connect with members of the Trojan Family who have a daughter or son who is considering USC. These parents may wonder, “how much does legacy status really impact a student’s application?” As part of an ongoing series on the Trojan Family, I’m here – with some help from a few colleagues – to answer that question and provide advice for legacy students.
When applying to USC through the Common Application, students will submit background information about their family members. The information within this section of the application is how we determine a student’s legacy status. Only those applicants with a parent, grandparent, or sibling who graduated from USC (or is currently enrolled) are considered a legacy for admission purposes. While we understand that there are many ways to be a part of the Trojan Family, legacy status is a technical designation, and only those relationships listed above fall into the parameters.
As most applicants and their parents likely know, the process of applying to USC has become increasingly competitive. Due in large part to the number of applications we receive every year (roughly 56,000 high school students applied last time around), the university doesn’t have the space to offer admission to every qualified student. The reality is that there will always be legacy students, known as “Scions” at USC, with very strong applications who don’t receive an offer of admission.
However, it’s important to us that our population of Scions is represented among the entering class; roughly 19 percent of the first-year students joining USC for the 2017-2018 school year are Scions. But, legacy status is, on its own, not going to be the deciding factor in the evaluation of a student’s application. There are many factors that we are considering when making our decisions, and legacy status is just one part of that.
With this in mind, I asked a few of my fellow USC admission counselors to provide their perspectives and advice.
Tyler-Rose Veguez, who works with students from California and Texas, encourages Scions to do their own research into USC. “Don’t rely upon what other people, like your family members, say about USC. Figure out your own reasons for being interested in applying,” she advised, “Use your connection to the Trojan Family to gain a deeper understanding of USC’s core values – that will put you on a road to researching the university on a deeper level, and if you can show within your application that you truly know why USC is the right fit for you, that can really help you stand out.”
Kelsey Bradshaw echoed that guidance, and advised students to make the process of choosing their future school and major their own personal journey. “Just because USC was right for your siblings or parents or friends doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s right for you,” she continued, “Also, you shouldn’t just pick your major because someone you know studied that and was successful. You should find something you are passionate about!”
Finally, Hayley Camin – who counsels students from Indiana, Kansas, and California – guides Scions to not be demoralized if they aren’t admitted to USC. “There are so many schools out there that could be a good fit for you, and, if you still have your heart set on USC, transferring is always an option,” she concluded, “There’s more than just one road to USC. And we’re here to help and support all of our students – that’s what the Trojan Family really means to us.”