Life at USC: Studies, Competition, Struggles and beyond

I applied to the following universities: University of Michigan—Rejected University of Southern California—Admitted University of Wisconsin–Madison—Rejected University of California, Davis—Rejected I applied to only ambitious universities and to the above 4 alone. My undergrad CGPA was 8.9 which could have been the main factor in the above rejections. I was also not desperate to get into a university that I could easily get into. I was ready to take my chances and settle only for the top ones. USC was the only admission I received. Online applications required payment of application fees, 2-3 recommendation letters, a statement of purpose, a personal statement, a TOEFL score (IELTS accepted too) and other personal documents like marksheets, etc. After the decision was rolled out, a non-refundable commitment fee of $500 (this fee will be later used towards first-semester tuition) was to be paid along with submission of Financial proof to finance the education required to receive an I-20. A good undergrad GPA (nothing specified as a cutoff, but anything above 8.0 – depends upon the undergrad university and branch as well as the specialization chosen for the master's). English Exam—TOEFL/IELTS (no official cut-off). GRE was optional The admission process was smooth. No challenges, really. I applied for Fall but got admitted for Spring which was also a blessing in disguise. I applied for Fall 2022 but received a deferred admit for Spring 2023. USC was the only admission I received, making it more straightforward to choose it. I applied to the University of Southern California for a master's in Applied Data Science during the second week of December 2021. I received an update on my application during the third week of May 2022 that my admission has been deferred to Spring 2023. I was given one month's time to accept the deferral. After accepting the deferral, I received the I-20 in October. Classes started in January of 2023....Read More

Applied to Northwestern University (rejected), University of Southern California (accepted), Northeastern University (accepted), and Carnegie Mellon University (rejected).  Rejected because the competition in these universities is a little bit more when it comes to applications, maybe the SOP wasn't as tailored as the professor who reviewed it wanted. Chose the University of Southern California based on alumni connections, job opportunities, rank of this university. The seniors whom I spoke to also suggested that the professors teach a lot better compared to other university professors.  Submitted SOP, resume and LORs in order to complete the application and from then you just have to wait for their email of acceptance. Admission criteria include : Min GPA of 3.9/4, GRE above 320, IELTS above 8 I applied for the fall intake but got the admission for the spring intake but was happy to take it more because spring intakes get a really good chance to work on themselves and show something to the companies for their internship chances for the summer of the following year. This is what you should do too if you get the chance for that but you have to make sure that in the first semester you score a good GPA....Read More

I applied to 5 Universities: Columbia(rejected) , NYU courant(rejected) , North Carolina State University(Admitted) , Northeastern(Admitted), University of Southern California(Admitted) I got admits from the universities mentioned above.  I believe that Columbia was more likely to admit a student who has a stronger academic background with good research papers backing them as compared to someone with work experience. But this is my personal guess. Admissions are quite unpredictable and depend on variety of factors.  I chose to go with the University of Southern California because of its prestigious Computer Science department. I also felt that being in LA could be advantageous in terms of landing an internship/job.  USC puts heavy focus on your Bachelors CGPA. So in my opinion: only those who had a cgpa above 9 were being considered. Apart from that, a good portfolio, with substantial work experience/ academic research is definitely something that helps with the process. GRE score varies for every year. In 2024, alot of universities were not taking GRE score into consideration. However, i did take the GRE and got a score of 321. It is also compulsory to take one of the language exams like IELTS, TOEFL etc. I took the IELTS and had an overall band score of 8. Fall intake. I got my admit sometime in March. The early Fall deadline is somewhere in the mid of December. It is wise to be ready with all exams by Aug (if you're applying for the fall intake), because alot of applications open in September, and most of the deadlines close by December/January. The decision process is time taking, the admits start rolling out in january, but most people receive admits in March/ April. The admits are rolled out till June....Read More

Submitted a CV, 3 LORs and an SOP. Be sure to highlight your academic abilities and mention why you align with the program and course offerings. Alumni Network, Location, Access to cross program facilities. Great infrastructure, amazing network of people, decent on campus opportunities to supplement your expenses, overall an expensive journey, but one that you'll enjoy. Has the same ups and downs, stress and laughter of a college....Read More

no interview required Location and the course curriculum California is the main tech hub in USA and course is designed such that we have choices to pursue the minor like Data science. Overall it is a great experience to be here at usc. Good peopel around, great networking opportunities and cool places to visit nearby...Read More

My experience at USC has been absolutely incredible. From the vibrant campus life filled with diverse opportunities for growth and exploration to the world-class faculty and research facilities, every aspect of my university journey has exceeded my expectations. USC truly fosters a supportive and enriching environment that has enriched my academic and personal development in countless ways....Read More

I’m still in my first semester at USC, so I’m still getting used to the curriculum. It is very difficult to take out time for applying for internships and then giving their online assessments, preparing for interviews. All of this has to be done in conjunction with the numerous assignments that we get every single week which eats up a lot of out time....Read More

College Reputation, Location, and College Life. You'll learn how to balance your course work, on-campus jobs, and an active social life....Read More

Due to ranking, it was ranked well, close to California bay area...Read More

"Yes i had to submit SoP, LoRs, CV' KeyPoints 1. Internship and Undergrad Experience. 2. Why I want to study the particular subject? 3. What would I want to do in the future by completing the degree. (Specific)" Reasons for choosing this uni: "1. Course Curriculum 2. University Ranking 3. Course Ranking 4. Location" Overall experience: "1. The campus infrastructure is amazing. 2. You get to learn many new things through various activities. 3. Overall I would rate USC 7/10. Although I am admitted in the engineering school, the Marshall school of business is quite better. "...Read More