University of Southern California - An Introduction

When the University of Southern California opened its doors to 53 students in 1880, Los Angeles still lacked paved streets and electric lights. Today, our city is a global center for the arts, technology and intercontinental trade, and USC is a world-renowned private research institution enrolling more international students than any other U.S. university and operating an integrated academic medical center that serves more than a million patients each year.

USC at a Glance

The University of Southern California is one of the world’s leading private research universities. An anchor institution in Los Angeles, a global center for arts, technology and international trade, USC enrolls more international students than any other U.S. university and offers extensive opportunities for internships and study abroad. With a strong tradition of integrating liberal and professional education, USC fosters a vibrant culture of public service and encourages students to cross academic as well as geographic boundaries in their pursuit of knowledge.

Student enrollment statistics from the 2013-2014 academic year:

Undergraduates	18,000
Graduate and professional students	23,000
Total	41,000

20% of 47,358 freshman applicants were admitted

249 National Merit Scholars, 2013 freshman class

Female	51%
Male	49%

13% of freshmen were first-generation college students

3.73 average unweighted GPA for entering freshman class