The University of Southern California’s Early Action program is of recent vintage, but boy, is it popular! Back in the day (a mere handful of years ago), USC only gave consideration for merit scholarships to applicants who applied Early. The Class of 2028 was the first crop of applicants to see a combined Early Action/Merit Scholarship admissions round that killed two birds with one stone. However, the fact that receiving merit aid to this elite college is contingent upon applying during the Early Action round has created an anomaly in the acceptance rate. Let’s unpack this phenomenon!

A Look Back at the USC Class of 2029

As we await the Early Action data for the recently admitted USC Class of 2030, let’s first review what happened during the second admissions cycle to implement a combined EA/Merit Aid program. 8.37% of applicants were admitted via this program to the Class of 2029. That’s a pretty low acceptance rate, no? It’s all the more astonishing when one considers the fact that the overall acceptance rate to USC last year was 11.19% — nearly three points higher than the EA acceptance rate. 

Admissions Cycle	USC Graduating Class	USC’s Early Action Acceptance Rate
20250-26	Class of 2030	Not Yet Published
2024-25	Class of 2029	8.37%
2023-24	Class of 2028	7.2%

Why University of Southern California’s EA Acceptance Rate is Lower than Its Overall Acceptance Rate

Under normal circumstances (and indeed as is the case for almost all highly selective colleges), the Early round acceptance rate is lower than the Regular Decision and overall acceptance rates. And why? Admissions officers prize students who demonstrate interest by showing their enthusiasm with an Early application. Successful Early Action applicants typically put forth their game plans for engaging with the many resources and opportunities on their future campus and show admissions officers that they’re willing to prioritize their school over others. Thus, Early round applicants are admitted at much higher rates — except at USC!

The answer to this anomaly lies in the merit aid program that’s paired with Early Action. To qualify for merit-based scholarships, applicants must apply through Early Action. In other words, they are highly incentivized to apply Early — far more than they would be otherwise. According to reporting by The Daily Trojan, prior to the introduction of this new EA program, roughly 60% of USC applications would come in through previous Early Action deadlines, and USC administrators anticipated this percentage would grow now that EA has been formalized. However, for the Class of 2029, only around 50% of applicants applied via EA.

In any event, most applicants compete for a limited pool of resources in the Early Action round, which is why the acceptance rate is lower relative to Regular Decision. Does this mean that prospective USC applicants should opt for applying Regular Decision over Early Action? No!

Ivy Coach’s Assistance for Deferred or Rejected USC Applicants

80% of Ivy Coach’s package clients have earned admission to USC since the introduction of Early Action two years ago. And guess what? All of our students apply in the EA round despite the heightened competition. We understand that the right application — one that combines a strong singular hook with stellar letters of recommendation, rigorous coursework, and highly effective college essays — will always shine more in the Early round. As a team of college counselors who all once worked in elite college admissions offices, we’ve seen the edge that demonstrating your interest by applying Early gives to students.

If you’re interested in optimizing your child’s odds of admission to the University of Southern California, contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation and discover your next steps. For deferred candidates, we offer a PostMortem application review and assistance in crafting a powerful Letter of Continued Interest to USC. For rejected candidates, we provide a PostMortem application review. Once your Early round applications are analyzed, we’ll be able to focus on your remaining Regular Decision colleges. However, first, our team of former elite college admissions officers will determine where things went awry in the Early Action round and devise a new strategy for your success.