Mary Waller (Junior from Chicago, IL): because you got mixed up about an essay topic or a deadline, just remember that you are (probably) not actually insane, and that everyone else is experiencing the same thing as you freak out about small details in your essay, and have regular panic attacks. You will need to keep in mind, instead, that you will be awesome. That is the part of you that admissions officers desire to see, and if you don’t genuinely believe that you are awesome, how on earth are you going to convince an admissions officer you are? Challenge yourself become authentic.
Spencer Lepow (Freshman from Houston, TX): I wish I would have known that the goal for the admissions officer is get you IN. They are fighting them out by submitting a polished application that really reflects you and your strengths for you, so help.
Simone Geller (Freshman from Foothill Ranch, CA): For the most part, the students deciding on a prestigious school like USC are all going to be smart with good grades and high test scores. What is imperative to get across in your application through your essays is a clear picture of who you truly are. Discuss the things you are passionate about, your goals for the immediate while the future that is distant and things you aspire to do at USC if you opt to come right here.
Paige Handley (Sophomore from Provo, UT): I discovered it very helpful to go to the educational schools I had been applying to because it gave me personally a feel of what kind of college i’d like. I don’t know I think it is different for everyone, so visiting helps whether I wanted to go to a big or small school and.
Lorelei Christie (Freshman from Arlington, VA): Research all the scheduled programs USC provides, and take action early on! Luckily, I discovered Thematic Option early enough to apply carefully to the program. Now T.O. is one of my favorite reasons for having SC. You will find tons of other unique, exciting programs here that we wish I’d known about previous.
Engie Salama (Junior from Irvine, CA): If only I had understood how helpful the admission staff at USC are! truthfully, just shoot a message to your admission therapist with any questions you might have, as well as’d be thrilled to assist. I’m like a whole lot of students are intimidated by the application form procedure, and it will be considered a little depersonalizing because of how applicants that are many like USC get but I think communicating with the staff helps alleviate that feeling.
Mythbusters: From the origin!
We understand that there surely is a lot of information… err… rumors boating in the college garden, on Twitter, and on those college message board web sites, and our company is here to help you get the factual information you are searching for. In this post, we hope to debunk a number of those myths that are common USC’s application procedure, and allow you to gain a better understanding of how our procedure actually works.
Myth #1: It is simpler to have in if you connect with a certain major.
We now have said it prior to and we will say it again: affect what’s truly your choice that is first major and don’t try to ‘game’ the system. We will always start thinking about students for his or her first choice major, their 2nd choice major, and ultimately as undecided before they are released from the process.
If you are applying to one of our engineering majors, we will always consider students equally for both their first and second choice majors while it is true that applying to certain majors means we will pay closer attention to certain things, i.e. your math and science preparation.
There are cases where students are admitted to their second choice or as undecided. We do have a transfer that is internal if you’re admitted to USC and wish to change to another major later on.
Myth number 2: Visiting campus, writing letters, and having an admission interview will help my likelihood of admission.
False. We do perhaps not track what’s referred to within the admission world as ‘demonstrated interest,’ so don’t worry if you’re applying from half real way across the globe and can’t make a visit to campus. We just lack the capacity to interview all interested pupils, meaning that the majority of students who apply will not have the possibility to interview. Don’t worry. We encourage you to make use of the ‘Additional Information’ portion of the Common Application to generally share whatever you would have discussed in a interview.
Myth #3: I shouldn’t bring it up in my application if I got a bad grade in a class.
Wrong! The first place admission counselors get when they notice a downward trend in grades or an individual lower grade may be the ‘Additional Information’ section of the most popular Application. This is certainly your opportunity to explain the context surrounding any reduced grade you may have received.
Myth number 4: The more letters of recommendation I have, the better my chances of admission.
Incorrect. For some majors, we only require one page of recommendation from an academic source, which means that that individuals really, truly only need certainly to see one letter. We would require more than one if we thought this would not suffice. However, we do understand that sometimes, candidates like to submit a extra page from a non-academic source, i.e. coach, community service organizer, etc., and this is perfectly acceptable. Its really in regards to the quality of the page over the true quantity of letters you submit.
Myth #5: Send your Admission Counselor a shmoop.pro gift—it will assist your opportunities!
Hmm, we wish. But unfortunately, this is a myth. Us a (non-edible) gift, we will have to send it back if you send. Bribery won’t work with this situation.
Myth no. 6: I should not bother applying if no one in my family went to USC.
Although it holds true that the Trojan Family is an exceptionally important aspect at USC, we evaluate all applicants on their own merits. We are made up of about 20% legacy pupils, and although we specific love to simply accept legacy pupils, the actual fact that the parent, grandparent, or sibling went to USC is one of many factors we consider whenever reviewing a student’s application.
So there you have it. Six typical myths that individuals have now (hopefully) shed some light on. Please remember to always contact USC directly should you have any questions about the application procedure. Good luck!