Graduate Applications Update
Communication Management is the only degree program accepting applications for all 2018 at this time. All other degree program applications are now closed. CMGT applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and must have GRE or GMAT tests complete before submitting an application. While there is no set deadline, applicants are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible as the committee may choose to stop reviewing at any time.
Major Change Request
If a newly admitted undergrad is requesting a major change into Annenberg, please provide this link:
Media Inquiries for Annenberg Art Exhibit
If you receive a call asking questions about the Annenberg Art Installation in ASC please refer them directly to:
Annenberg Media Relations
tel. (213) 821-5587
emilycav@usc.edu
DO NOT attempt to answer any questions or engage, just be polite and refer them to Annenberg Media Relations.
Graduate Deferral aka Updates
Although callers may use the term “deferral,” at USC, an admitted candidate may update his/her application to the next available term. Updated applications are reviewed again by the faculty admission committee within the context of the new applicant pool. Although 99.9% of updated applications are admitted again, faculty admission committees reserve the right to admit or deny. Also, updated applications are fully considered for Annenberg departmental merit scholarships. Encourage every US citizen and permanent resident to submit a FAFSA.
Change of Major Requests
Annenberg Admissions will consider change of major requests from newly admitted first-year and transfer students if received before the Friday before the first day of classes. Ask these students for their email address and forward them the following link to request a change of major.
https://annenbergadmissions.formstack.com/forms/change_of_major
Once the form is submitted, the student will receive an auto-response email of when they can anticipate receiving a decision.
Graduate Orientation and Course Enrollment – Summer Update
Each Annenberg graduate degree program offers a mandatory orientation session; the session is included in the summer classes for all graduate journalism students. Other sessions are conducted during the week before fall classes begin.
Certified graduate students register for classes after receiving notification from graduate advising.
Our office sends a blast email to all certified graduate students indicating the name and contact information of their graduate adviser.
The graduate adviser will email registration materials:
CMGT – sent emails to all certs on May 21
DSM – will send by June 1
Global – have been sent on-going as 2nd years certify
MS Journalism – will send May 25
MA Specialized & MA Specialized The Arts – will send the week of May 29
MPD – will send by June 1
Strategic PR – will send late June
USC offers a non-mandatory campus-wide orientation for graduate students. International students must attend a mandatory session. Orientation information and registration is on the USC Office of Orientation Programs webpage at https://orientation.usc.edu/graduate/. Note: Certified students must login to access information.
Questions? Ask the officer of the week. Do not refer callers to graduate advisers.
Oprah Winfrey
We may receive calls now that it is national news that Oprah Winfrey will be giving the Annenberg Commencement speech. We have received one already. Please inform individuals that the Annenberg commencement ceremony is a private event for Annenberg graduates and their invited guests. It is not open to the public.
Graduate Admission Acceptance Deadlines – Summer 2018
At this stage in the process, admitted students are usually given two weeks (10 business days) to accept an offer of admission. If anyone calls for an extension, alert the officer of the week. (Extensions are usually granted, but you want to be sure that an extension is okay and have it officially extended by Valerie or Allyson.)
For admitted students that have been offered scholarships, the accept/decline deadline is in their offer letter. If anyone wants more information or an extension, please refer to Allyson.
PhD Decisions Released
PhD deny decisions were entered on February 15 and applicants will receive official USC Graduate Admission notification by February 19. Ten (10) applicants on the alternate list were notified individually by the faculty program director. If you receive any questions from PhD applicants, please refer them to me. Thanks.
Extended Application Deadlines
Application deadlines have been extended for the following graduate degree programs. The website will be updated today.
March 31, 2018
Digital Social Media
Strategic Public Relations
Master of Public Diplomacy
M.S. Journalism
April 5, 2018
Communication Management (US citizens & permanent residents ONLY)
April 30, 2018
Specialized Journalism
Specialized Journalism the Arts
Graduate Application Submission Delays
Several applicants who were attempting to meet the January 31st 11:59 pm deadline were delayed due to volume and traffic on the application platform. There will be no negative impact on their applications. All applications will be considered on time.
Graduate Application Status Updates
On- demand application status updates are not provided. Applicants are sent an email shortly after submitting their application providing answers to some of their frequently asked questions. You should use the following as a reference when speaking with individuals who have applied to Annenberg masters level programs (except Global Communication). Global Communication applicants will need to contact the London School of Economics directly as all decisions are released from the LSE.
Copy from Now that you have submitted your application email…
What should you expect next?
Thank you for submitting your application for admission to USC Annenberg. We wanted to take this opportunity to enlighten you on the admission process at USC and the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Your application is reviewed by both the USC Office of Graduate Admission and USC Annenberg School Admissions Office.
What does each office review?
USC Graduate Admission receives, verifies and reviews all transcripts to calculate your grade point average. This office also receives and verifies your standardized test scores. In addition, they determine if an international applicant is required to submit English language proficiency test scores.
USC Annenberg Admissions screens your application to ensure that all required documents have been uploaded successfully.
What information can I expect to receive from USC Annenberg?
The Annenberg admission office will inform you when your application is released to the faculty admission committee for review. (Note: Only applications that have all transcripts, test scores, and supporting documents are released to the faculty admission committee for review.)
What information will USC Graduate Admission provide?
The USC Office of Graduate Admission will email you about submitting outstanding transcripts if they are not received within 30 days of application submission.
How can I check the status of my application?
You may verify that you have successfully uploaded transcripts, and the status of your recommendation submission by logging into your online application and clicking on the ‘Check Status’ tab. You may contact USC Graduate Admission to see if your test scores have been received via their contact form or by telephone at 213-740-1111. Please be sure to include your full name and USC ID in all correspondence. USC Annenberg Admissions will not provide status checks.
How and when will I be informed of my admission decision?
Admission decision notification dates vary by degree program, however faculty admission committees anticipate releasing decisions starting in March 2018. Official admission decisions are released from USC Graduate Admission. You will receive an email notification from the Office of Graduate Admission to the email address you used to apply informing you that a decision has been made. When you receive the decision notification, follow the instructions in the email to register and view your decision at youSC.
Welcome to 2018!
We hope you had a wonderful winter break and are ready to get back to work! Here are a couple of things to be aware of as you get settled:
We are missing team members! 😦 Pancho is abroad in London, Glazer is on the East Coast for his Winter Olympics internship, and Nick will only be joining us for January before he heads to South Korea for his Winter Olympics internship. I will be hiring 3 more interns to join. More to come on that this week.
The look of this blog has been refreshed! Make sure you read all tabs and let me know if you have any suggestions or changes that need to be posted.
We are now officially entering our processing/conversion mode. We will chat with you soon in our next intern meeting about what that means and the expectations of you.
The water shelf in the kitchen sink is no longer in use. Please make sure you stock the fridge in ANN 203 at the end of each shift.
More announcements this week as we settle in.
CLOSED – Freshman Interview Registration
All Annenberg on-campus freshman interview appointments have been booked. If there are cancellations, appointments will appear on the registration site. Prospective students may also inquire about the availability of interviews with USC Admission x01111.
Closed Additional Freshman Interviews
The freshman interview schedule has reopened with an additional 70 interview times. If prospective applicant does not have their USC ID number instruct them to enter a two or three digit number. You may also open the interview form and complete it with them on the phone.
https://annenbergadmissions.formstack.com/forms/freshman_interviews
After submitting the form, the student will receive an email confirmation with parking details.
Parking has been reserved for all freshman interviews in the USC McCarthy Way Parking Structure. Enter campus via the McCarthy Way entrance (formerly entrance 3) and let the attendant know they are there for an “Annenberg Freshman Interview” or give the RSVP-ID: 191868.
Freshman Interviews
Prospective freshman interviews have begun. The front desk will call the intern desk to announce that an interviewee has arrived. Ask the name of the interviewee and check the interview list posted above the intern desk to see who is scheduled to do the interview. Inform the interviewer that their interview has arrived.
Annenberg First Year Interviews
First year interviews opened this morning at 9:00 a.m. and were all selected by 1:00 pm today. Additional dates will be added on September 18th at 9:00 a.m.
Freshman Interviews
The USC Admission has opened the website for admission interview sign ups.
NOTE: Annenberg will offer on-campus interviews. Sign-ups will open August 28and interviews begin the week of September 18. The USC Admission website will direct to our link. To interview with Annenberg, students must use our link.
Only one interview is permitted either with USC Admission or Annenberg Admissions.
Interviews are not required.
This is the sign up link: https://www.formstack.com/forms/?1780714-GuSvr7fB2Z.
Graduate Journalism Summer 2018
Summer session for graduate Journalism, Specialized Journalism, and Specialized Journalism– The Arts all begin on July 2 and end on August 17. The immersion course and well as other requirements and electives will be taught during the summer session.