Delete Phone Messages
Please make sure to delete all voicemails once you’ve written the message on a pink slip. This will prevent confusion about whether the phone call has been returned. Thank you.
Intern Folders
Please check your folders regularly and toss old materials. (Folders are in the first drawer under the staff mailslots.)
Stow your backpacks and personal items in the second drawer during your shift.
Graduate Application Deadlines
Please refer to the graduate applicant webpage for the summer 2022 and fall 2022 application deadlines.
WePow Interviews
If applicants call requesting a video interview be sent or resent to them for any reason, please have them send a written request with their name and USC ID number to our ascadm@usc.edu email address.
WebAdmit Access to PhD applications
All interns have been granted access to post 693 PhD in Communication. If you do not have access, see Valerie immediately.
Transfer Admissions Fall 2022
Virtual information sessions will be conducted each month. Ko will release the information session schedule soon.
Graduate Applications
All 2020 Master’s degree application guidelines are available on the Annenberg Admissions website at https://annenberg.usc.edu/admissions/graduate-applicants.
However, guidelines no longer appear after the application deadline has passed.
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!