GRE Waiver
Applicants to the on-campus Master of Communication Management program may request a GRE waiver. The protocol for this process is detailed below. These instructions can also be emailed to the applicant. Other Annenberg programs do not offer GRE waivers.
Start a USC Graduate Application and select the on-campus Master of Communication Management degree program.
Complete the form at the following link http://annenbergadmissions.formstack.com/forms/gre_waiver_request.
Applicants will be required to upload a copy of your resume and transcripts to submit the form.
3. Anticipate a response to your request within 7-10 business days.
Major Change Requests
New first year fall and spring 2020 admits may request a change of major online at: annenberg.usc.edu/majorchange
Requests will be considered on a weekly basis and decisions will be released before the May 1 reply deadline for first years. Decision notifications are sent via email from Annenberg Admissions.
Current USC students that want to change to an Annenberg major or add an Annenberg minor must attend an academic advisement information session; the schedule is on the Advisement and Academic Services website at https://annenberg.usc.edu/current-students/advisement-and-academic-services/usc-students-applying-annenberg or call (213) 740-0900 to schedule an appointment with an academic adviser.
First Year Decisions Released
First year admission decisions will be released online by April 1, 2020. The University does not release admission decisions over the phone. Denied applicants who did not review their decision online will be sent a letter this week.
If you receive calls from denied candidates about the reason for the decision, you may reiterate that all admission decisions are made by USC Admissions and offer to transfer the call to that office. If the caller becomes argumentative, irate, etc., please ask them to hold and have the officer of the week take the call.
Admitted candidates who are interested in visiting should be directed to their admit packet which details the various visit opportunities taking place during the month of April. Annenberg will participate in all of the on-campus programs.
First year admissions notifications
The first admission notifications to freshman scholarship applicants will be released in late January.
These notifications typically increase the amount of contact from applicants and their families. Students and parents can be anxious, sad or disappointed, so conversations can be difficult. Expect call volumes to rise, and be prepared to route them appropriately, as noted below.
Some common themes:
Is any space left? Though we have only issued approximately 15% of our admission offers, some seem to believe that spaces are going fast. It is appropriate to assure students that the university is still considering all candidates for admission, that no applicant has been denied admission, and thousands more admission offers will be sent in late March.
No scholarship? Some will be confused about their award. These can be difficult conversations so emphasize and route immediately to USC.
What does this mean? Applicants not offered a scholarship attempt to read between the lines in hopes of finding some indication of their chance of being admitted. None is indicated, of course. If asked what the letter means, route to Admissions.
Routing to Admission:
The Student-Services Contact Center is a general service center for admission and financial aid. This office can be reached at 213-740-1111, or via e-mail at www.usc.edu/contactadmission
Graduate Journalism Summer 2020
Classes for all three graduate journalism degree programs (MS Journalism, MA Specialized Journalism and MA Specialized Journalism – The Arts) begin Monday, June 29 and end Friday, August 14.
Graduate Recommendations
We have received a few calls from prospective applicants about recommendation letters. The online graduate application is not showing applicants the section of the application where they can enter their recommender details. We are working with the university admissions office to get this corrected ASAP.
If you receive an inquiry about this from a PhD applicant, please ask the individual to have their recommender email their recommendation to ascadm@usc.edu and include the applicant’s full name and date of birth.
If an applicant to any of the master’s programs calls about the error, please get their name, email address and degree program and we will contact them with further direction when the issue has been resolved.
Cheat Sheet
The 2018 cheat sheet is now updated on the left panel of the blog. It is also posted at the intern desk. Remember that it is a two-sided document.
Publications & Swag Manual
There is a publications and swag manual now available on the side panel and in the Y drive. When you are unsure of what certain items are or look like, please reference the manual.
Y:\10 – Intern Folder\Inventory\Publications & Swag Manual 2018-2019
Admissions Mail
Annenberg Admissions now has our own mailbox in the Tech Ops Office, ASC 124. After 3 p.m., interns working an afternoon shift are expected to go and request all mail for Admissions.
Always ask if there are any boxes for suite 140 as some items may not be addressed to Admissions, but to individual admissions staff. Check the label before bringing materials to the intern desk.
Intern Project Requests
As intern project requests are completed, please be sure to indicate completion at the bottom of the form. Please file completed forms immediately. If you do not complete a request by the end of your shift, please leave detailed notes as to the status of the project. This includes where items may have been stored, next steps, etc.
Ambassador Nametags
If you keep your Admissions Ambassador name tags in the office, please take them home with you. We are running out of space to store them in the office, and some Ambassador weekend events may require them. They are attached to the Intern Projects whiteboard.
FERPA TRAINING
ALL INTERNS-
Please complete the FERPA Training that Nick emailed you. It is important that you get this done and send him the confirmation email that you have completed it by Wednesday September 19th so that we can give you all access to Web Admit. Please contact Nick with any questions! I have put the link in this blog post in case you have the chance to complete it during your shift!
Link: https://ferpa.usc.edu/
Thank you!
Notes and Passwords
Please do not leave notes, updates and passwords stuck to the monitors at the intern desk. If you have suggestions about how to improve processes or things you need added to the blog resources, please feel free to let Valerie know or mention when you complete the every shift checklist. All ideas and suggestions are welcome.
USC Admission Center Tour Calendar
USC Undergraduate Admission has launched a calendar feature on the On-Campus Tour Programs webpage. It was designed to greatly improve campus visit planning for guests. In addition, it can be a wonderful resource for all staff to know what tours are offered and when.
There is a link on the blog side bar to help you direct prospective applicants who wish to schedule campus tours and Meet USC. Detailed features can be found on the Y drive.
Y:\7 – Undergraduate Recruitment\MEET USC\2018-2019\Tour Calendar Features_Aug2018
Tour Training/Re-Certification
Nick will be working with you on re-certification for tours and/or new tour training as necessary. Once Nick clears you, you must be able to give a tour to me. September 14th is the early target to be cleared by Nick. A copy of the script in the Y drive.
Y:\7 – Undergraduate Recruitment\MEET USC\ANN building tour
*Ariel and Zharia began tour training with Roberto this summer and must be cleared by him before giving me a tour.
Spring 2019 Major Changes
Submitted spring major change requests will be reviewed by October 15 and students will be notified by Valerie. New requests will be accepted until Thursday, January 3 at 5 p.m.
All requests must be submitted through our Formstack form. So feel free to share this link: https://annenbergadmissions.formstack.com/forms/change_of_major
Media Center
The following official statement has been released by the school:
The USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism’s media center was named in 2015 following a pledged gift from CBS, Julie Chen, one of the school’s most distinguished alumni, and her husband, Leslie Moonves. In recognition of the sensitivities surrounding recent allegations against Mr. Moonves, he and Ms. Chen have requested that USC Annenberg temporarily suspend use of the media center’s name until the investigation concludes.
If you receive any calls please get the name, email address and telephone number of the caller and give to your supervisor or the officer of the week. It will be forwarded appropriately for response.
Transferring into Annenberg Major
Annenberg Admissions is no longer approving change of major requests from new fall 2018 students. Continuing USC students must use the internal transfer process.
However, spring 2019 first-year and transfers may request to change their major by completing the form at the following link: http://annenberg.usc.edu/majorchange. A flyer with this link on it can be found in the middle cabinet. This can only be done until Friday, January 11, 2019.
2018 Graduate Applications
All 2018 graduate applications are now closed.
2019 Application guidelines for Ph.D are now on our website and the application will open on August 1, 2018.
All 2019 master’s degree application guidelines will be available on August 1st and the applications will open on September 1, 2018.