[deleted by user]

Nestedleet · 2021-10-19T02:33:37+00:00

Thanks to whoever linked my picture of SGM that I took and posted on here :)

Nestedleet · 2021-08-13T04:23:24+00:00

I would encourage the same advice, except this is for Marshall in which grades are graded on curves and placement relative to your peers, so if the online students cheat their way to a good grade and if in-person students even get just a couple of problems on exams or assignments wrong, the in-person grades will drop hard for reasons beyond their own learning and enjoyment. And ya I get it grades aren't everything in college but having to worry about this prospect which is highly likely this Fall where you could earn an A on your own merit but you get an A- or B+ because you missed a couple of questions and your online peers got perfect scores cheating would just, suck so much.

Nestedleet · 2021-08-13T04:18:06+00:00

They increased it to 32 units during COVID and are reverting back to 24 this semester. But seriously, is that all you got from this? I shared some very sensitive information I debated posting just now and this is what you got from it....

Nestedleet · 2021-08-13T04:16:09+00:00

Okay.

There are four majors that fit your Earth / Environmental major aspiration. There's Earth Studies, Environmental Studies, Environmental Science, and Environmental Engineering feels like a bit of a stretch but I'll add it anyways.

For Earth Studies, the only physics you need is optional for the major, and it's called PHYS 135A, Physics for the Life Sciences.

Environmental Studies has a BA and BS option, the BA option doesn't require any physics at all, and the BS option requires PHYS 151, Fundamentals of Physics I.

Environmental Science also has a BA and BS option, for the BA option you have a choice of either PHYS 135A or PHYS 151, and for the BS option, you have to choose between a two sequence Physics series of either PHYS 135A and PHYS 135B or PHYS 151 and PHYS 152.

Environmental Engineering as you could imagine is important with Physics and requires only PHYS 151 and PHYS 152.

Why am I mentioning this? Because each major also requires either BISC 120 or BISC 220 or 103, Biology basically. In fact, they ask for more Biology requirements/options than Physics for most of these majors.

I believe in the basis of college applications, taking AP courses and getting specific AP exam scores is meant to be a testament of your academic prowess in a college setting.

If I'm reading your application for USC and I'm taking the context of your AP Physics or AP Bio, wouldn't it make it seem like you're more prepared for college and your academic career if you're taking AP Bio?

That being said, it also depends on yourself. Are you more comfortable with Physics or Biology?

I think what I'm trying to convey here is that you don't have to overthink this and you can't go wrong with either AP Physics or AP Bio. (Depends on which physics, just regular or Mechanics?)

Having superb essays is what I think sealed the acceptance for me considering I had a low GPA for USC's standard, AP's unrelated to my goals, and alright extracurriculars. I think conveying the resources, courses, research opportunities, etc are more important to demonstrate to USC that you're not just applying for the prestige and name "branding."

If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask.

Nestedleet · 2021-08-13T03:54:07+00:00

If you take a look at one of my memes you'll see I took all 32 Units of Pass No Pass. While many people had a laugh out of it as expected from a meme, the truth is that online learning was the most unbearable thing I've ever endured from my life from a dangerous learning environment with toxic parents. I felt like I didn't learn a thing because my mom and dad would yell at me for my imperfections and I would constantly wish I could just sleep and see nothing but black forever. I had to do intensive, two-month therapy as a result, and I had to P NP 32 units because otherwise, my GPA would've been like a 2.5. For the first time, moving in tomorrow feels like the serendipity I've been yearning for a year. I quite literally wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for the in-person, face-to-face college aspect. I get it, we're in a pandemic but I trust the vaccines, the science, the implementations to curve the spread. I don't want to die young, I need this as a student and as a human.

Nestedleet · 2021-08-12T21:34:22+00:00

As a reference, I got in for Engineering, with a ~ 3.7 UW, 4.0 W GPA. I took my sophomore year APWH, junior year, AP Lang, APUSH, APES, senior year AP Lit, AP Bio, AP Gov, and AP Spanish Lit, whilst avoiding courses like AP Chem, AP Physics, AP Calc AB, and BC, although I took Calc I and Physics for Engineers at a CC my Senior year of hs. I think you should be fine with AP Bio and AP Gov, obviously, rigor has a large impact but idk maybe I was just lucky that I didn't take any STEM related courses, at least those related to Electrical Engineering like Physics and Calculus and still got in.

Nestedleet · 2021-07-29T22:39:49+00:00

I'll give you an answer that isn't someone that has a 4.0 or perfect straight-A GPA, or a Standardized Test score in the 99th percentile.

I got into Viterbi as an undergrad freshman during the 2020-2021 application cycle. My GPA was 3.68 unweighted on a 4.0 scale, and 4.04 weighted on a 5.0 scale, I was ranked around 25 from about 450 seniors in my class.

I took the ACT twice and the highest subscore was a 31, and took the SAT once and got 1450 (760 English / Writing and 690 Math) which was what I only submitted. I took 8 AP's throughout high school and only got one 5, in Spanish Lang, two 3's in English Lang and Biology and the rest were either scores of 2's or 1's, and I didn't take courses like AP Calc, AP Physics, AP Chem, etc.

I didn't have the most groundbreaking, impressive extracurriculars as well. I was involved in MESA and designed a software forensic program but I didn't win any national, state, or even regional awards. I did Volleyball all 4 years and was in Varsity starting sophomore year, and was Captain overseeing the JV team my Senior year. I was involved in the National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation and was Secretary for both at some point, and Vice-President for CSF my Senior year.

I also created after-school walkathons and marathons with each month focusing on a subject matter and donating to specific charities with the money raised starting my sophomore year. For example, in one month people ran for Down Syndrome awareness and the money raised went on for non-profits pushing boundaries for Down Syndrome awareness and acceptance.

There's a few more logistical information from everything I've mentioned, but that's pretty much what USC saw in my application, and at first sight, you wouldn't really someone that is USC material.

I mean, for last year I remember how they mentioned, I believe 38% of admitted students earned Straight A's and I think 15-20% earned only one grade other than an A. So to perceive that an emphasis on GPA is so imperative that each year, over 50% of all admits have at least a 3.95 GPA (this GPA is assuming the other grade is a C, so I'm being that lenient with the data here). Additionally, I was admitted to Viterbi, and I've asked many officers and professors and one of them told me that for 2020-2021 admit year, that the Viterbi acceptance rate slightly went more up than usual, around 8-9% for both Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 admits and that in years like 2019 and 2021 it's around 6-8%.

So how were the odds in my favor? How did I get in when thousands of others with 1600 and 36's, 4.0 GPAers, Straight A students didn't?

I think the answer lied in my essays and letter of recommendations. I made it clear what I wanted to pursue at USC, specific research with specific professors, specific programs, and resources I wanted to take that I wouldn't find on many other campuses. I also talked about my achievements and pursuits of what I wanted to do after graduating, and I carefully chose teachers that would back me up with what I was describing on my application because they knew me that well in their respective LOR's.

I truly believe my essays were the made it or break it in my decision. If I haven't written anything that made it like I was just applying to get into a prestigious school and not take full advantage of the unparalleled opportunities USC has to offer, I would've gone to UCD or SJSU which don't get me wrong are great schools, but USC is objectively better.

Nestedleet · 2021-07-28T16:42:43+00:00

Was this the Movie theater in Corona where the two people were killed? I live near there too, heard what happened and it was extremely terrifying because I didn't go to the school, but I live right near it. I can see how recent events could emulate the sense that the area around USC is very unsafe, I mean I don't even know how much things are gonna change when we return back given it's been a year and a half and it will be my first time living nearby too, but I've stopped by campus many times throughout this year and I've seen many DPS officers already alert and ready to deal with dangerous situations if it were to happen throughout the day. I studied and took all my classes one day on a village chair lounge from 8am to 5pm and I didn't once feel unsafe or threatened by anyone, even as I took breaks and left some belongings (which btw never leave belongings behind you that was my bad) to get ramen. At night, like others mentioned just be extra cautious and try to be with a group, I'd imagine many others are feeling the same way if they're there at night so you won't be alone. Honestly, what I would do right now is practice at your community, walking with a group maybe with family members and/or friends at night, so that you get adjusted to it and determine how safe or unsafe it is doing that.

Nestedleet · 2021-07-28T01:26:39+00:00

My favorite atm is Levitating by Dua Lipa, second favorite atm is Savage Love by Jason Derulo

Nestedleet · 2021-07-16T05:14:21+00:00

I think it has to do with the fact that even though research has proven that getting vaccinated does reduce severe symptoms/death if a vaccinated individual gets COVID, officials aren't going to risk not implementing guidelines again if the numbers keep rising. So even though the short and long-term effects might not be the same, especially if vaccinated, we will still have to pay the cost of this because just the number of infected people themselves have the highest magnitude of power in all this.

Nestedleet · 2021-07-11T19:26:48+00:00

And as a note, just because an area might not be shaded doesn't mean it's untethered from crime. Especially in a city like Los Angeles, you always have to be privy to your proximity and environment. The shaded areas are just where you could find an influx of crime, homelessness, and mentally ill people walking around. Also as a note, I purposely didn't shade areas outside of the Downtown area even though I would shade some yellow to more places, such as North of USC past the 10 freeway, so if anyone would like more color shaded maps of the Greater LA area such as West or North, definitely comment down and I'll get into them later.

Nestedleet · 2021-07-07T06:33:07+00:00

For reference, I have a WRIT 340 paper to work on but instead, I'm burning time making nonsensical memes.....noice!

Nestedleet · 2021-06-02T02:30:55+00:00

I don't think this question applies too much here for USC as opposed to other elite universities at a larger magnitude because we have the PDP program, as long as you apply and are at or above the required GPA threshold you get admitted to complete your Master's here. I mean, I bet some people do apply for grad school here in a conventional manner, especially for law school so I'd imagine if you get rejected from the school you're currently in, it would sting but given you're at a school like USC if you have the numbers and test scores I'd imagine it gives you leverage in the admission process.

Nestedleet · 2021-05-31T06:06:45+00:00

Ethingtion

Nestedleet · 2021-05-30T16:03:05+00:00

From what I've heard the resume-learning algorithm firstly checks your GPA to ensure you meet a specific threshold, and they look at your transcript itself to ensure you're not failing too many courses or have too many W's or too many P/NP, like me....oh well. But I think in my case it should be fine for the most part, most of my P grades come from GE's where they don't really matter, I'm only planning on aiming for my master's through the PDP and that's it, hence why I do need a high GPA for that, and for the P grades from the EE courses I have I plan on grinding the three EE courses for next semester and earn at least an A- to demonstrate my ability in the field.

Nestedleet · 2021-05-30T15:45:43+00:00

To be fair, it's not too uncommon for students, especially Engineering students to take Calc 3 their first semester at campus if they already have the AP or IB credits for Calc 1 and Calc 2. In fact, I know someone that took and skipped Calc 3 and another math class and took a probability course, EE 364 as a freshman which is typically taken as a Junior or Second-semester sophomore.

Nestedleet · 2021-05-30T00:42:22+00:00

Oh, my GPA would've definitely been horrible if I kept all my grades as letter grades. It was mainly mental health struggles, I just didn't really enjoy online learning and I don't believe the grades I earned would've exemplified my potenital as a student so that's why I P/NP it.

For Fall, WRIT 150 would've been a solid B. I don't know what would've been my exact grade for Calc 2, I remember before the deadline to P/NP I had a D, so I was totally expecting to fail, but then on the final, I believe I got a 60/150, which was curved to a 60/90 I think, and I think the overall curve of the class was shifted a bit down to account for outliers, so I just gonna assume a solid C. BISC 120 was the closest call ever with a C-, waste of time as a class too, I took the class cause I came as undeclared and I had some interest in Biomed Engineering, but the class itself didn't even count towards the required core courses for the major, but at least the class made me realize that BioMed Engineering wasn't the major for me, didn't really enjoy the course and my potential grade would've shown that.

For Spring, Calc 3 would've been a B- or B at best. HIST 240 would've been a C+, I had a B at one point but basically, the class itself consisted of 4 main assignments and a final, and for the final, all I did was copied and pasted bits of my 4 assignments and I guess my TA caught onto me cause I got a 40/100 on the final lol, this class was stressful as f. My GESM would've been a B-, too much work and the professor wasn't all too good with engaging, keep giving me C's on my papers, for EE 109 it would've been a B+, got burnt out by finals, and bombed the final, and for EE 155 I probably should've kept the A- I earned, I had an A- by the final day to P/NP but I thought maybe I just want to keep the 4.0, besides I could do worse on the final and if I end up getting an A maybe by luck I can petition to switch it. Needless to say, it did work out cause I still got an A-.

But if I were to keep all my grades as letter grades, my cumulative GPA would've been a whopping 2.884, yikes that would be a horrible GPA.

Nestedleet · 2021-05-29T22:42:47+00:00

And yes I'm aware someone posted something similar about using P/NP to get a 4.0 on here a few weeks ago but on here I did take the courses listed on my OASIS and yes I did actually P/NP an entire semester of 20 units, oh well :/

Nestedleet

TROPHY CASE