Create the option to submit
Take a timed diagnostic early enough that a strong testing path remains possible without becoming mandatory.
USC is test optional: submit a score only when it adds useful evidence
USC says 2027-28 first-year applicants may apply without SAT or ACT scores and will not be penalized in admission or scholarship review. A submitted score is considered with the rest of the academic record.
USC remains test optional for 2027-28 applicants. In the Fall 2025 enrolled class, 44% submitted SAT or ACT results; their middle 50% ranges were 1470-1540 SAT and 32-35 ACT. Those are submitter ranges, not application cutoffs.
Policy map
Optional means the applicant controls whether the score enters review.
USC evaluates applicants with or without testing and says the no-score path carries no penalty in admission or scholarship selection.
| Decision | How USC treats it | Useful evidence | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Submit SAT/ACT | Score is considered with other academic information | A strong, representative section profile | Assuming the score replaces grades or rigor |
| Do not submit | No stated disadvantage or penalty | Transcript, rigor and the rest of the application | Writing an explanation for a score that was never required |
| Scholarship review | Score remains optional | Published scholarship and application criteria | Believing a test is secretly mandatory for merit |
| International proficiency | Separate proficiency rules can apply | Approved English-proficiency evidence | Confusing admission testing with language proficiency |
Application plan
Set a decision date before the application deadline.
A test-optional student still benefits from an explicit plan: test, evaluate and decide without allowing indefinite retakes to crowd out the application.
Read the score with the transcript
Ask whether the result confirms rigor, adds a missing academic signal or creates an unnecessary contrast.
Protect essays and portfolio work
Once practice stabilizes, shift time to the USC writing, major materials and senior coursework that every applicant submits.
School-specific decisions
USC score strategy depends on what else the application says.
The same composite can add value in one academic context and add little in another.
Questions students ask
What to know before you plan.
Is USC test optional for 2027-28?
Yes. USC states that 2027-28 first-year applicants are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Will USC penalize applicants without scores?
USC says applicants without SAT or ACT results are not disadvantaged or penalized in admission or scholarship selection.
What is the USC SAT range?
The Fall 2025 enrolled submitter middle 50% was 1470-1540. It describes score submitters, not the entire class.
What is the USC ACT range?
The Fall 2025 enrolled submitter middle 50% was 32-35.
Should I submit a score below the USC range?
There is no universal cutoff. Decide whether the section profile adds useful evidence in the context of the transcript, intended major and full application.
Keep planning
Compare USC choice with California test-free rules.
Fact basisUSC Undergraduate Admission 2027-28 testing guidance and 2025-26 first-year student profile. The named official publication defines the factual scope used here; students should match any time-sensitive rule to their exact exam administration or college entry term.
Earn the option, then make the submission decision.
Use timed evidence to build a score, compare it with the correct cohort and submit only when it strengthens the USC read.
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