
Tip: Focus on the activities that are the main to you. We’re many enthusiastic about what has influenced you and your life, whether it is taking care of your younger siblings after college, submitting poetry to be published, or playing on your own school’s soccer group.
Misconception: ‘Applicants need to possess a certain quantity of community service hours to be competitive into the college admission process.’
The reality is that it’s ok if community solution plays a role that is huge your life or a small one. We’re not focused on making sure applicants meet a certain checklist of kinds of involvements. At the end of the we’re most interested in that you are pursuing your interests and passions in some capacity day.
Tip: Explain the organizations with which you’ve been included! Although some acronyms are commonly known, such as ASB for Associated scholar Body, we may not be familiar with every nickname. Do not assume that the individuals reading your application are familiar with every task offered at your college or in your community.
Misconception: ‘Colleges are just interested in knowing that learning students keep busy. So long as you join lots of businesses, you’re set.’
We hope to see applicants who’ve dedicated themselves to an activities that are few interest them, rather than the usual washing range of plenty of involvements. It’s not important just how organizations that are many join, but that which you did as a member or leader in that organization
Tip: we understand that students are going to have varying amounts of time to dedicate to different things while we are looking for students who are well-rounded and will contribute to our campus. Kids have a lot on the plate: challenging courses, family duties, trying to keep a balanced life and hopefully have some fun during the same time! Make certain you and your interests come through into the application so on you and played a role in your life that we can better understand what experiences have had an impact.
Discover USC Open House
In just a few days, our campus will be hosting the Discover that is annual USC House on Sunday, November 18. This large all-day event is an opportunity for prospective pupils and their loved ones to explore campus. Campus tours would be available through the day, in addition to different sessions covering topics such as academic programs, campus life, the admission procedure and school funding. Be it your first time visiting campus or your 20th visit, Discover USC is an excellent chance to shmoop pro interact with our staff, faculty and present students and to get to know the various scholastic departments on a deeper level.
Throughout the length of the there will be student panels that consist of current undergraduates who will share their experiences and answer questions day. The Academic and Student Life Interest Fair brings together all of the academic units along with many organizations and representatives from Student lifetime to discuss their programs that are respective. Academic departments will hold general information sessions in addition to more specific programs, such while the Thornton School of Music’s ‘The Music Industry and Popular musical’ session, the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts & Science’s session entitled ‘USC Dornsife Pre-Health: A Holistic Approach to Advisement,’ while the Engineering EXPO that includes mini-seminars focusing on academic resources and special programs within the Viterbi School of Engineering. The Office of educational funding will also host sessions that are hourly talk about the various scholarships, grants, Federal Work-Study, and loan options available at USC.
All in all, it is certain to be a day that is wonderful our campus community all fits in place to welcome 1000s of prospective pupils and families to our annual Open House. Reserve your spot now for the November 18th Discover USC program by signing up online. We hope to see you there!
Tick Tock… the December 1st Deadline is Almost right here!
The December 1 merit scholarship deadline is fast approaching and now we already have actually completed applications in our bodies that individuals’re hard at work reviewing! We expect to receive an influx of applications over the next few days and our staff that is entire the mailroom to your application readers- are gearing up for the ‘busy season.’
If you’re a first-year applicant that wish to be viewed for the merit scholarships that we award, you’ll need to submit your Common Application and USC Supplement by December 1st. The final deadline to affect USC is January 10, 2013.
A few of our programs that are talent-based a software deadline of December 1st, aswell:
All majors within the educational School of Cinematic Arts
All candidates to the Bachelor of Fine Arts programs within the class of Dramatic Arts
All majors within the Thornton School of Music
All applicants to the World Bachelor running a business program within the Marshall School of Business
Remember lots of USC’s programs require supplemental materials in order to use. Review the USC Supplement guidelines to make sure you have finished all materials that are necessary your intended major.
Now is just a time that is great complete the application, make sure every thing, and submit it. Don’t wait before the last possible second to review your application! I am sure you intend to spend your Saturday something that is doing more pleasurable than re-reading your university essay.
While we never ever expect students to experience technical difficulties with their application, sometimes things never always get as planned. You can contact the Common App Support Center if you experience technical difficulties with the Common Application or USC Supplement at any point. However, you can contact our office Monday through Friday during business hours at 213-740-111 if you have questions about USC or the admission process.
Best of luck submitting your application by the December 1st deadline!
Call Us, Maybe? Since many universities give prospective students access that is direct their admission representatives (USC included), many more students have taken taken advantage of the opportunity. But, take into account that the act of calling your admission counselor is its own art form. There is a balance between being genuinely wondering. Here are some guidelines to think about when calling your territory supervisor:
DO call us if you are confused about our application process and may need some guidance.
DON’T email us just to express hi. Your email needs a purpose.
DO contact us for those who have a relevant concern in regards to a specific major. USC has 150 majors and 150 minors; having the ability to demonstrate your knowledge and curiosity about your interest that is academic is we appreciate, but we also know a lot of choices could be confusing.
DON’T over-communicate…CONSOLIDATE! We would rather answer a couple of well thought out emails than numerous questions that are individual.
DO remind us if and when we have met in yesteryear. We meet thousands of pupils each year and appreciate when students don’t assume we remember the conversation we had using them.
DON’T have your parent contact us. Be your own advocate!
DO compose us a note if there is a circumstance that is outlying want us to keep yourself informed of. This is something that we shall factor in your application too.
DON’T address us incorrectly or improperly in the email.
DO include your USC ID number and/or full name in your email.
Finally, DON’T ask us to edit your writing samples. We can provide you advice that is general what you should take into account when composing your private statement however it is maybe not right for us to edit them.
Introducing Kenley staff blogger that is new
It absolutely was just over couple of years ago that I started as an Assistant Director of Admission at USC. Wow, just what a journey it has been! I work with students from a variety of areas: Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Kansas City, and parts of Orange County and San Diego (phew!). I have bright red hair, while the fiery personality to match, and so I am always complete of energy and up for any adventure. I love to travel, explore the outdoors, bake anything with chocolate (lots from it!), and you can always find me dancing when there is a tune that is upbeat. I am thrilled to be joining the blogging team and can not wait to share some of my insights and knowledge about the admission college and process life.
I grew up in Utah and lived in the many stunning hills in the globe. I spent quite a bit of time checking out them, but got tired of the long winters, which is why I was eager to attend school in sunny Southern Ca. We attended Claremont McKenna College where I studied International Relations and Psychology.
I adored my university experience. I really adored it, and that’s why I like working in higher education, specifically assisting students find an organization that is a good fit. It is extremely easy to talk to potential pupils about USC because it is such a place that is great live and study. We am lucky to operate on such a dynamic, energy-filled campus. Our students are thinkers, educational options are abundant, and we’re located in an urban community in one of the best metropolitan areas on earth. I can’t wait to share more about the USC experience as well as the admission process within my posts to come!
Table For One
‘ Our suitcases that are battered piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer how to go. But no matter, the road is life.’ Jack Kerouac
Currently, I am writing this website sitting inside a Peet’s Coffee in Northern California. Table for one, headphones in ears, answering emails and signing down notes about my senior high school visits from earlier today. For the week that is next a half, i am located in hotel spaces and having dishes on my own. Usually, there is time and energy to explore the cities I visit in order that’s nice. But most regarding the right time, the road can be tiring so I invest most of my time resting whenever you can. It is very simple to get ill regarding the road! For about 8 weeks of the 12 months, several thousand admission representatives all around the nation live this lifestyle. From the outside perspective, this indicates really glamorous. In lots of ways, it is just a extremely job that is fun. It really is truly rewarding to manage to simply help students in one of the very transitional phases in their lives. It is additionally nice being able to be out of the office. However, this element of the work can be isolating as well. It creates me appreciate my buddies, family and wife back in the home even more. Still, our mission is what is in the forefront. USC visits over 2,000 schools each year; we visit the most schools that are high of any college in the nation. We are out here in search of students which will constitute the following class that is incoming of at USC. It is our goal to put together an exceptionally diverse class every year so we desire to meet all types of pupils. I am honored to do my tiny part in this process. It brings me personally a feeling of fulfillment to operate for a university that aligns with my vision that is own for. So seek us out. Ask concerns. Get to know us. We care about what we do and all we want is for you really to enjoy a your decision. It’s really a life that is big so that it’s important to be well informed. Like we are in a hurry in between visits, it’s probably because we are if we seem. But we will constantly prompt you to feel welcome to contact us at a different time, via e-mail or phone. We think just what we do issues. It is loved by us. Regardless if it means sitting through one lonely meal at a time ☺
By the means, in case you’re interested, the USC Admission office has posted pictures of our adventures on the road. They are all on our Instagram account, @USCADMISSION. Follow us. Say hi. Maybe also make tips if we have been in your town!
The Waiting Game. The countdown to mailing decisions that are final on and I’m sure all our first-year applicants are wondering… what is taking so long?! It takes a great deal of manpower and hours to see 47,000 applications and we wish to give every application a review that is fair order to create the amazing, well-rounded, diverse, and successful Class of 2017. Let me pull straight back the curtain a little and demonstrate why it will take us many months to finish this process…Since USC utilizes a holistic method of the admission procedure, we have been committed to reading and re-reading every piece of this application. You understand those short answer questions you responded to? We read those. That activity summary you completed? Yup, every activity is read by us, company, and experience you listed on there. Once I read an application, I want to reach understand you- your passions, your perspective, and most of all, hear your voice come through. This process takes some time thought even as we make an effort to comprehend exactly how your academic performance, test ratings, writing, involvements, and recommendations come together to paint a fuller picture of who you are as a student and a person.The admission office may seem enjoy it runs like a well-oiled device on the outside—and it is—but it only runs because smoothly as it does through the application of multiple checks and balances through the procedure. We contact students when a piece is being missed by us of the application and once we need additional information such as mid-year grades. We check with the departments that are academic USC and consider their views on applicants and listen to their recommendations. First and foremost, we rely using one another to simply help us see applicants in a way that is different recognise something we didn’t initially see. It’s a process that is incredibly collaborative it requires time.This is a difficult process for our office, as well at the end of the day. You can find many applicants that are qualified we don’t have room for each year. It’s never effortless making these tough decisions, but I find comfort comprehending that our applicants will have many amazing college options the following year irrespective.I think We speak on behalf of our office that is entire when say we are pretty excited to finally manage to shout out to the world, here is the amazing USC Class of 2017! As well as in merely a couple weeks that are short we—and many of you—will find a way to do just that.Grades, Guidance, and Goliath: Confessions of the Director DadThe article below is from our very own Director of Admission, Kirk Brennan. He shares with us the struggles of being a parent of the college that is prospective also having a leadership role in degree. Understandably, juggling these two functions is very delicate. Thank you, Kirk, for sharing your understanding of what our moms and dads go through during this time that is stressful! This coming Monday will mark the eighteenth anniversary of the day my wife (who you may remember) delivered our very first kid. This particular year — the one in which that child is applying to college — feels like my first day on the job though i have worked in admission for 22 years. Exactly what a strange way to look at my task: through the eyes, and through the home of a student that is prospective.I had numerous disillusioning observations this year. I saw that tours of different schools seem the same, that college marketing materials look alike and even say the extremely exact same things, and how a number that is small of businesses vendors seem to drive this method for most schools. I saw that a deal that is great of student’s impression of my university is perhaps not controllable, and We was especially disheartened when my very own student, after feeling proud to get a mass-mailer from a college, quit reading any one of them only days later on, and even felt anger as she sifted through them. At USC as well as in the admission occupation in general, we work hard to be helpful, but some full days I’m uncertain how much we’re helping ( and I also welcome your suggestions at admdir@usc.edu). What strikes me more than any such thing may be the emotional roller coaster of the senior year. I had been saddened to view mundane events of life magnified to become critical pieces of a puzzle that cause college; a grade regarding the tiniest test prompts a crisis, or an option to relax one afternoon sometimes appears as a possible deal breaker for university admission, therefore career, then lifetime joy. Then there’s record; therefore many universities to consider, will she love these schools, did she miss a better fit, and can she even get in at all? Then completing the applications, especially the anxiety behind answering the least questions that are important the application form (we discussed ‘What’s my counselor’s work title?’). The short term relief of completing them was soon replaced by confusion on the lack of communication as colleges read. Now the decisions are developing the grand finale of the trip — one day she gets in and feels great excitement for her future, another she’s refused and feels worthless, as if judged harshly by strangers. Learning and growing may be hard, and turns that are many life will be unpredictable, but clearly I cannot be the only one ready because of this ride to end. From the ground i’ve watched this roller coaster many times, and such rides tend to end up in the same manner — with our children enrolling in a college they love. Yet we riders still scream, even feel real terror going down the mountain as in the event that safety bars will not assist; normal responses, if utterly irrational. I nevertheless love rollercoasters (Goliath is the best), and I think We shall enjoy this ride. I’ve grown nearer to my daughter, so we have all grown closer as a family. I’ve seen my younger daughter console her older sister. We all cherish the time that remains in this phase of our family life, we will share together while we avoid the question of how many more meals. You can find many hugs, tears, pats on the trunk, and scoops of ice cream to soothe the pain sensation, yet great hope for the near future. Today we look forward to this ride finishing, but we imagine when it ends, just like Goliath, I will be excited to get back in line to drive once more. I sure hope so, anyway: my youngest is counting about it.
Does Test Prep Work? The other day I happened to be interviewed by Chapel Hill high school guidance counselor, Kristen Hiemstra.
Beyond the Merit Scholarship…. What Else exists?
