This brings back memories. My poor son didn't think he would get into any colleges. After much handwringing, he was offered a full ride at the University of Minnesota, and got accepted at NYU, the University of Miami, UC San Diego, USC, and was on the waiting list at UC Berkeley. I told him to pick USC and he did in the fall of 2014. He still lives in LA. He loves it there and thanked me for telling him to go to USC.