Admission

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Personal Information

• Enter your name as it appears on your government issued I.D. Indicate any alternate or previous names in the “other name” field (i.e. maiden name).
• Enter the email address USC Rossier should use to communicate with you throughout the application process.

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Academic History > Colleges Attended > Add a College > Upload a Transcript 

Any form of unofficial transcripts including print-outs from student portals are not acceptable for admission review.

To expedite admission decisions, please upload registrar-issued transcripts from all attended institutions to the USC application portal. Official transcripts should be submitted separately to the USC Office of Graduate Admissions upon acceptance and submission of intent to enroll.   

International students should refer to USC’s country specific requirements to determine which academic records they need to submit. 

To Upload Your Transcript to The Application Portal  

Login to your USC Application Portal and navigate to the Academic History section. Enter detailed information about your academic history from each institution you have attended. 

Once you have saved this information, you will find an option to Upload a Transcript for each institution. You can upload only one PDF per institution. If the transcript consists of multiple pages, you must scan each page and merge them into a single PDF file. If you do not have access to a scanner, you can take clear photos of each page and combine them into one PDF.  

There are various online services available to merge multiple files into a single PDF or convert photos into PDFs. Once you have uploaded your transcripts and completed all other sections of the application, you can proceed to submit your application.  

Upon admission and submission of the statement of intent to enroll, you must submit degree-conferred transcripts from all attended institutions to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Supporting Information > Documents > CV/Resume

Your résumé should be detailed enough to help the admission committee understand the various experiences – extracurricular, leadership or volunteer – that have shaped your interest in the program. Outline your roles and responsibilities within each organization and highlight any special achievements or accomplishments. In the “Supporting Information” section of the application, select “Documents”. Select the “add document” button under “CV/Resume.”

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Program Materials > Documents

Essay responses will be used to evaluate your personal, professional and educational perspectives and experiences and the ability to effectively communicate ideas and organize written thoughts. Responses to essay questions should be double-spaced with a 12-point font and one-inch margin on all sides. Include your full name at the beginning of each document. Upload each essay as a separate document in the appropriate section.

Personal Statement – 500 words or less

The Master of Education in School Counseling program prepares practitioners who view challenges as opportunities to excel as members of a school’s leadership team, responsible for the social, emotional, and academic well-being of students. 

We seek applicants with a clear, well-defined interest in school counseling that reveals why they care deeply about counseling as a discipline and a career, that they have the academic, professional, and personal experiences to support their interest, and that they are diligent students who will be committed to completing our graduate program of study. 

Please provide a brief statement of purpose that describes your interest in school counseling and your commitment to equity within urban and high needs school communities. Given what you know about the School Counseling Program at USC, please discuss why you think the program is a good fit for you.  Lastly, please share your future career plans and any other aspects of your background or personal experiences that might aid the admissions committee in understanding your interest, qualifications, and motivation for becoming a school counselor by completing this program. 

Upload your Statement of Purpose in the “Program Materials” section of the application under the tab “Documents.” Select the “add document” button under “Personal Statement”.

Short Answer - 250 words or less

Please select two of the following three short answer questions and upload your responses below.  Your responses are intended to aid the admissions committee by providing new information not otherwise stated in your statement above.  Short answer responses should be limited to 250 words or less. 

Please indicate the Short Answer prompt to which you are responding with your uploaded document. 

Short Answer 1: 

What do you believe is the most important characteristic of an effective school counselor? 

Short Answer 2: 

Students will learn to proactively address the toughest 21st century challenges we face as a society, preparing our next generation of citizens, workers and leaders by promoting Wellbeing.  Therefore, the themes of College and Career Readiness, Trauma-informed Practices and Restorative Justice are paramount. Which of these topics do you view as most essential to addressing these challenges?  

Short Answer 3: 

Describe an experience in which you found yourself changing your views about a significant topic or a significant person in your life. What prompted the change? How do you think that change will affect the counselor you will become?  

Upload your Short Answers in the “Program Materials” section of the application under the tab “Documents.” Select the “add document” button under “Writing Sample”.

Optional Essay – 250 words or less

To aid the admission committee in evaluating your application, use this essay to discuss anything in your academic and/or professional history that may require additional explanation. This essay is optional.

Upload your optional essay in the “Program Materials” section of the application under the tab “Documents.” Select the “add document” button under “Other.”

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Program Materials > Recommendations > Add Recommendation

USC Rossier requires two letters of recommendation to complete the application. One recommendation should come from a current or former supervisor who can comment on the value you have added to your workplace. The second recommendation letter should come from a current or former professor who can attest to your ability to perform well in graduate level courses.

• To submit the names of your recommenders, go to the “Program Materials” section of the application and click on the tab “Recommendations.”
• Using the ‘Add Recommendation’ button, enter the name and email address of each recommender you’ve asked to electronically submit a letter of recommendation. Each recommender will automatically receive an email that includes a password and directions for submitting the letter of recommendation. If the recommender does not receive the recommendation letter request, advise them to check their spam or junk mail folders.
  
• Recommendation letters must be typed on official letterhead from the organization with a signature. If the recommender is not able to obtain company letterhead, this must be noted somewhere in the letter.
• It is your responsibility to ensure all recommendation letters are submitted in the proper format prior to the appropriate deadline. Letters uploaded in the incorrect format without explanation are subject to further review.
• Recommendations letters should be submitted by recommenders by the application deadline, but they are not required to be submitted at the time you submit your application.

Please note: recommendation letters are program-specific and cannot be used to apply to additional programs. If you withdraw your application from a particular program, your letters of recommendation will be deleted along with the application.

Where to find it on the application: Submit Application Tab

Application fees must be paid by credit or debit card

An application fee waiver is available to applicants who meet certain eligibility criteria. Eligibility criteria and instructions for obtaining a fee waiver can be found at the USC Graduate Admission website. If you choose to apply for a fee waiver you must:

• Start your online application but do not submit the application until the fee waiver is approved.
• Provide supporting documents to demonstrate qualification.
• Have your fee waiver request approved.
• Complete and submit your online application.

USC Rossier welcomes international applicants. If your prior study was completed outside of the United States, you must have earned the equivalent of a United States bachelor’s degree to be eligible for admission. View the international application requirements based on your country of study. 

International students whose native language is not English and who completed their undergraduate work outside of the United States are required to demonstrate proficiency in English as part of the application process. For more information on English proficiency requirements, English-language test waivers and other alternate accepted exams, please visit the USC Graduate Admission English-Language Proficiency page.

TOEFL or IELTS Test Scores
Where to find it on the application: My Application > Academic History > Standardized Tests > Add a Test Score

International students whose native language is not English and who completed their undergraduate work outside of the United States are required to submit an official TOEFL or IELTS score as part of their application. You must have taken one of these tests within the past two years.

In order to be considered for admission, you should receive a TOEFL score at or above 90 iBT with no less than a score of 20 on each band, or an IELTS score at or above 6.5 with no less than a score of 6 on each band. 

You may upload your test score report in the “Academic History” section of the application to be used in application review. However, only scores received electronically from the testing service are considered official. Official test scores should be sent from the testing agency directly to USC.

• TOEFL: To send official scores, use USC ETS code 4852. Please note that USC does not accept super-scoring for the TOEFL.
• IELTS: Select “University of Southern California” at the time of registration. Alternatively, provide this information to your testing center after taking the test.
• No department code is required to send TOEFL or IELTS scores
  

For more information on English Proficiency requirements, English-language test waivers, and other alternate accepted exams, please visit the USC Graduate Admission page. 

Your application materials will be reviewed by both the USC Rossier School of Education Office of Admission and Scholarships and the USC Office of Graduate Admissions.

• Refer to your USC Rossier personal portal for timely and accurate updates on your application status (including missing items).
• If your application is complete by the round application deadline, expect to receive notification of your admission decision within 5 weeks.
• You will receive a decision letter from both USC Rossier and the USC Office of Graduate admission.

No. Your diploma will read “Master of Education in School Counseling”.

There is no minimum GPA required to apply to USC Rossier programs, but competitive applicants typically have a GPA of 3.0 or above. However, GPA is one of many elements evaluated in the admission committee’s comprehensive evaluation of candidates. In the application, you may use the optional essay to discuss anything in your academic and/or professional history that may require additional explanation.

USC Rossier students come from diverse academic backgrounds. Education or experience related to your program of interest can make you a more competitive applicant, however it is not required. If your bachelor’s degree is unrelated to the program for which you are applying, use your application to communicate your passion for working in your selected degree field and explain how your background and experience has prepared you to be successful and positively contribute to your chosen field.

Applicants are permitted to apply to up to three USC programs within the same academic year. When completing your online application, select all programs to which you would like to apply. Please read each program’s guidelines carefully, as each program may require different documents or methods of assessment. Application fees are required for each program to which you apply, but you will only need to submit transcripts and test scores (optional for most programs) once.

You may request to transfer up to six units of graduate coursework completed at another college or university that are similar to the courses in the school counseling online program. However, you will be required to replace these units with elective courses. All students complete a total of 49 units in this program. Contact the Master’s Program Office at rsoempo@rossier.usc.edu to find out if your transfer courses can be applied to your degree.

GRE scores are not required, nor accepted for admission at USC Rossier.

Yes. However, we recommend that you work closely with your academic and career specialist to plan your academic schedule.