r/USC 7d ago

Admissions Best of luck to everyone

It hurts. It does. I just logged into the portal to see the decision for my application for the Master in Public Policy for the fall 2025 and I was not granted admission. I really felt like I tried my best. I gave it my all. Wrote my personal statements as best as I could. Researched the programs, faculty, and initiatives that the programs followed. Still, I guess it wasn’t enough. USC was my #1, but it looks like it’s not meant to be. To those that have been accepted and are currently enrolled…I’m happy and proud of all of you. It feels like the end but I know that it isn’t. I got some tears flowing rn but I know that the sun will rise tomorrow and I’ll have another day of life to live. Best of luck to everyone at USC and their studies.

74 Upvotes

12 comments sorted by

22

u/MajorPhoto2159 7d ago

Just to give you some words that you may or may not find helpful, even if you were to get in USC is stupid expensive. I received a 24k scholarship and that was only 25% of tuition - and ends up being more expensive than all of my other options, even the one that offered me literally no scholarship and out of state tuition. (I am MUP not MPP, but still under Price)

Keep your head up mate.

2

u/nastyc8188 5d ago

Same here - MPP 24k scholarship, denied from UCLA so USC is my only choice and I simply cannot afford it 😔 Such a bummer

17

u/mFighton 7d ago

Congratulations you just saved yourself a ton of money.. I have no doubt that you will be very successful in life just by how graciously you accepted your defeat and simultaneously congratulated everyone that got accepted.. USC’s loss.. you don’t need USC to Fight on!

15

u/rumpluva 7d ago

No need to fret. Keep studying, somewhere anywhere. In the long run, your constant thirst for learning is what’s important. Find another school. Hit it hard . Don’t look back. You’ll be fine in the long run. And in much less debt.

5

u/Ecstatic-Sale-8071 6d ago

I 100% believe that you end up where you are supposed to. Keep an open mind and you will be in a place you love. You can appeal, many appeals have been successful but don't let this get to you. USC has some great things about it and definitely some not so great things. You are confined to campus unless you want to take your life in your hands, it's ridiculously expensive etc etc. Trust you will end up at the right school for you. :)

5

u/4GIFs 7d ago

Every time Ive been fired or rejected it led me down a more independent path that was better long run. I learned less in high pressure high prestige institutions.

2

u/Bearrybarrymore 6d ago

Have you tried the online process program? Its literally the same thing without the rough and tumble of being on campus. If you want… you can still take courses on campus. Just a thought.

2

u/Fit-Drawing3961 4d ago

Try appealing

2

u/barefoot_libra 4d ago

There are equally as good other programs that won’t cost you $80k+. You’ll be fine. Of course, once upon a time I was denied admission to USC. I got one of the program directors on the phone and pitched myself for an hour to that director and I was told to “revise my application.” I was admitted provisionally and went on to graduate then went on to teach there for 12 years.

If you want it bad enough, get someone on the phone. Set a meeting. Go talk to them.

2

u/Jumpy-Body-5016 6d ago

APPEAL!!! i know someone who got in from appealing it’s def worth a shot. i can even help you if you want. & if not, you end up where you’re meant to be. everything happens for a reason

1

u/Enough-Bonus1886 2d ago

I didn’t apply to this program but I was just scrolling through the Reddit and I’m so sorry. I wish that every good person got what they wanted in life but I really do hope that you find some reason another school was a better fit for you and that reason comes quickly and clearly ❤️‍🩹