Frequently Asked Questions

USC Pre-College online exploration courses are designed for high school students to complete at their own pace and can be accomplished during the academic semester of high school. All of the course content and assignments are completed online. Students who complete at least 70 percent of the material will earn a Certificate of Completion from USC and a transcript from the USC Pre-College Programs office.

Students admitted to USC Summer Programs take one academic course over a four-week period on USC’s campus and earn college credit. Most summer programs students stay on campus in the residential halls; however, some students who live nearby prefer to commute to campus daily.

Both the online and on-campus courses are taught by USC faculty and industry professionals.

USC Pre-College online exploration courses consist of material designed to be reviewed and completed independently. Course work contains video content and assignments. Each course contains 20–25 hours of content to be completed independently.

Here is a breakdown of a typical USC Pre-College online exploration course:

• Instructional videos: 5–6 hours
• Reading, resources and knowledge checks: 7–9 hours
• Assignments: 8–10 hours

In order to assess students’ understanding, there is a knowledge check at the end of each of the five modules of a course. The knowledge checks consist of multiple-choice questions; students must earn at least a 70 percent in order to receive a Certificate of Completion. Knowledge checks may be retaken as many times as needed.

Students who successfully complete an online exploration course earn an official Certificate of Completion from USC. Students who are admitted to USC Summer Programs and successfully complete their four-week, college-level course earn three college credits.

Each online exploration course has five modules and each module will take about five to six hours to complete. Courses typically take students two to four weeks to complete; however, students have up to 90 days to successfully complete the material and earn a Certificate of Completion.

How will I receive my Certificate of Completion and USC Pre-College Programs transcript?

Qualifying students (who complete all content sections and pass all knowledge checks) will be emailed an official Certificate of Completion from USC. In addition, the USC Pre-College Programs office will provide a course transcript, if requested.

Students can earn a Certificate of Completion for the online exploration courses by completing all content modules and answering 70 percent of the questions correctly on the knowledge checks at the end of each module. There are five modules in each course.

Students must review all content and complete all five modules in order to earn a Certificate of Completion.

Students can connect with the USC Mentor to ask clarifying questions about the course content.

As a high school student, there are many advantages to enrolling in one of our USC Pre-College online exploration courses. Upon successful completion of your course, you will:

• Earn a USC Certificate of Completion
• Add to your college applications
• Gain a better understanding of who you want to become during your college career
• Try out a college major before committing to undergraduate studies

While enrolling in one of these courses can indicate your interest in the university and passion for a specific academic area, it does not guarantee admission or a special preference in the admissions process. Upon completion of your USC Pre-College online exploration course, however, you will be awarded a Certificate of Completion, which can be added to your high school resume and college applications.

We ask that you tell us a little about yourself, explain why you want to take the course and provide contact and demographic information for yourself and your parent(s) and/or guardian(s).

Yes. When you submit your application, you will be asked to submit a $35 application fee. When you submit your application payment, be sure to write your first and last name in the space provided.

The tuition is $1,990 per course, in addition to a $35 application fee.

Students who have paid their tuition in full will receive an email with instructions on how to access the online exploration courses. We require students to be paid in full at least three business days prior to the start of the course.

Yes, in order to participate, students must be at least 14 years old or older and enrolled in a high school or secondary program.

Students who have graduated from high school and are taking a gap year and/or would like to take an online course prior to attending their first semester of college are also eligible for online exploration courses.

USC Pre-College Programs is proud to honor full scholarships for our online exploration courses to students enrolled in the summer session of the USC Leslie and William Morrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative (USC NAI). Qualified and interested students who are enrolled in grades nine through 12 may send an email for application and enrollment instructions to precollegeonline@usc.edu.

When admitting students into these courses, our team looks for candidates who have a dedicated interest in their chosen topic and are motivated to add to their current high school curriculum. We also seek students who wish to deepen their knowledge in particular areas and are seeking academic exposure to their desired field of study.

Students can choose the “forgot my password” option on our course platform to perform a password reset. The course platform website will be shared with admitted students.

You may email precollegeonline@usc.edu with any other questions related to accessing your online course materials.

USC Pre-College Programs has developed a simple online learning platform for students to access course content, assignments, chat features and messages from USC Mentors and staff.

The course materials can be accessed from any computer, tablet or phone with internet and a web browser.