why usc sample essays

USC Supplemental Essays 2023-24

Are you interested in applying to USC? Strong USC supplemental essays can make all the difference in the application process. In this guide, we will discuss the University of Southern California’s supplemental essay requirements and application deadlines. We will cover what role essays play in your application review and discuss how to write a strong why USC essay. Additionally, we’ll provide some examples of USC school-specific supplemental essays.

University of Southern California Background

The University of Southern California, often known as USC, is one of the nation’s premier research universities. Located in Los Angeles, California, USC offers undergraduate and graduate degrees to almost 50,000 students. In addition to USC’s academic accomplishments, it also provides students with a great environment in a bustling city. Impressively, USC is ranked # 25 of all the private and public colleges in the country.

Logically, as such top ranking university, USC enrolls some of the best students in the world. In 2022, USC received almost 70,000 first-year applications. But, they admitted just 12% . Unsurprisingly, those students accepted had impressive academics: an average GPA range of 3.82-4.0 and an SAT range of 1410-1540. Selective institutions like USC receive thousands of applicants with high GPAs and SAT scores. Therefore, this means that they look for students with impressive personal attributes, extracurricular involvements, and essays. 

Keep reading to learn more about the USC essay requirements and how you can use them to your advantage.

USC Essay Prompts: Quick Facts

• University of Southern California Acceptance Rate – US News ranks the University of Southern California as a most selective school, with an acceptance rate of 12%.
• 1 Why USC essay 
• 10 short answer essays 
• Early Action: November 1 st
• Regular Decision: January 5 th
• The USC admissions application is hosted on the Common App . Additional required materials include transcripts, letters of recommendation, optional test scores and a portfolio or additional writing sample if required by major. 
• Some academic programs have their own USC essays, so be sure to research those USC supplemental essays as well. 
• Why School and Why Major essays can be a great way to display how you will fit into the campus community. Don’t forget to mention the academic opportunities in and out of the classroom. 
• Don’t overthink your short answer essays. They are meant to be brief and insightful. 
• Start creating an outline for your essays well in advance. Use that outline to create a structured essay. This will allow you to stay organized and avoid writing your essay at the last minute.

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website. 

Does USC have supplemental essays?

Are you wondering how to get into USC? Like many other selective institutions, USC requires applicants to write USC supplemental essays. Therefore, these essays will play an important role in your application.

In addition to impressive high school transcripts and glowing letters of recommendation, strong USC supplemental essays can positively impact your application. Unlike some of the materials mentioned above, the USC essay prompts allow students to speak directly to the admissions committee. As such, your USC essays are the perfect chance to showcase your personality, interests, and motivations. 

Since USC does not have an admissions interview, the USC supplemental essays are likely the best way to make a personal connection. 

Check out the USC supplemental essay requirements: 

• 1 required Why USC essay
• 10 required short answer essays
• 1 optional educational progression essay

Technically, that’s a total of 11 USC supplemental essays and 1 optional USC writing supplement. In this guide, we’ll summarize the Why USC essay, the short answer USC supplemental essays, and the USC requirements.

Overall, don’t be intimidated by the number of USC supplemental essays. Instead, view your USC supplemental essays as a chance to highlight what makes you stand out.

Additional USC supplemental essay requirements

The application also requires prospective students applying to certain majors to complete additional USC essay prompts. The USC supplemental essays for these majors vary, but they all center around specific academic interests. 

If you are interested in one of these programs, you may need to complete additional USC supplemental essays: 

• Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Science
• USC School of Architecture
• Roski School of Art and Design
• Iovine and Young Academy for Arts
• Technology and the Business of Innovation
• Marshall School of Business (World Bachelor in Business)
• USC School of Cinematic Arts
• Kaufman School of Dance
• USC School of Dramatic Arts.

Keep reading to learn more about the USC supplemental essays and USC essays for specific majors. And, don’t forget to register for our webinar below to learn more about application timelines! 

Why USC Essay

The Why USC essay prompt is one of the most important USC writing supplements. As such, all students applying to USC must complete a Why USC essay. Luckily, the Why USC essay uses a similar format to many Why School or Why Major essays. So, you’ve probably seen similar prompts. Now, let’s review the prompt below and discuss how to structure a compelling Why USC essay. 

PROMPT #1: Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. (250 words)

As we can see, the Why USC essay prompt asks the student to articulate their academic plans on the USC campus. Therefore, a strong Why USC essay should show that the student has done their research and is passionate about their academic interests.

In your Why USC essay, try to highlight specific features of USC that excite you. This can take many different forms. For example, some Why USC essays might discuss a high-powered research lab on campus. Alternatively, other Why USC essays might focus on the unique studio culture found at the USC School of Architecture (one of the best architecture schools in the country). 

Most importantly, showing your passion for your desired USC academic program should include evidence and context. So, in your Why USC essay, share what sparked your initial curiosity and what you have done to further explore the discipline. For example, a student applying to the Iovne and Young Academy could discuss how starting an e-commerce business during the pandemic sparked their interest in entrepreneurship and human-centered design. 

Undecided students

Fortunately, admissions officers also understand that not all students have a solidified career plan. If this is you, you can still write a stellar Why USC essay. How? Well, students can still craft a compelling Why USC essay by discussing their academic interests more broadly. Even if you haven’t chosen your career path, you can use your USC essays to highlight your intellectual curiosity and academic strengths. 

Looking for more information on how to write a strong Why USC essay? Then check out our guide on how to write a strong Why Major supplemental essay to help you craft a strong Why USC essay for your major. 

USC Short Answer Essays

In addition to the Why USC essay, the USC requirements also include 10 short answer USC supplemental essays. But, don’t let these short supplemental essays intimidate you. The admissions office looks for responses that reflect your interests, passions, and motivations. Therefore, like the Why USC essay, your answers should be unique to you. However, the answers to each of these questions should be no more than 25 words.

The short answer USC supplemental essays are:

1. Describe yourself in three words. 

2. what is your favorite snack, 3. best movie of all time:, 4. dream job:, 5. if your life had a theme song, what would it be, 6. dream trip:, 7. what tv show will you binge watch next, 8. which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate, 9. favorite book:, 10. if you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be.

The beauty of the short answer USC supplemental essays is they are incredibly personal. This allows you to separate yourself from what you think the admissions committee wants to hear and allows you to foreground who you really are. As such, there is no single right answer to this collection of USC essay prompts. In fact, there are many possible excellent answers.

USC School-Specific Supplemental Essays

Additionally, a handful of majors at USC require applicants to submit a USC writing supplement as part of the admissions application process. So, keep reading for a few examples of school-specific USC requirements and USC supplemental essays. 

Check out the list below to find out more about all the programs that require additional USC essays.

But, what are the major specific USC supplemental essays? Well, keep reading for a few examples of USC essays required by specific programs on the USC campus. 

USC Dornslife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences

The USC Dornslife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences includes the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities. Whether you want to major in computational neuroscience or art history, USC Dornslife wants to learn more about your passions through its USC writing supplement. 

Most importantly, a strong application to USC Dornsife includes introspective and well-constructed USC essays. There is one required essay for the USC Dornslife College of Letters, Arts and Science. Now, let’s review and discuss the best way to approach this essay. 

Many of us have at least one issue or passion that we care deeply about – a topic on which we would love to share our opinions and insights in hopes of sparking intense interest and continued conversation. If you had ten minutes and the attention of a million people, what would your talk be about? (250 words)

This USC essay asks the student to discuss a topic that they are passionate about. A strong response to this essay prompt may directly connect to your major or another interest. However, don’t forget, there is no right answer here. First and foremost, this is your opportunity to discuss what you are passionate about. Likewise, you may even connect your academic interests to this passion. But, when choosing what to write about, be sure to stay true to yourself. While you may be inclined to discuss a major world problem, don’t shy away from the smaller topics and messages that might resonate with a large audience. 

Next, we’ll discuss USC supplemental essays for the School of Architecture. 

USC School of Architecture Supplement

Impressively, the USC School of Architecture is one of the best architecture schools in the nation.  The School of Architecture offers a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Inventive Technologies.  Applying to the USC School of Architecture requires students to complete two additional USC essay prompts and a video prompt. 

Our school views architecture as a “human right,” and that design should exhibit “social consciousness.” How do you think architecture can contribute to the greater social consciousness?

At usc architecture we will teach you to become strong critical thinkers. with that in mind please tell us about a piece of architecture that you’ve personally experienced and how its design resonated with you..

The first prompt requires students to connect architecture to the world around them. How might architecture and the built environment contribute to social consciousness? For example, you might focus on sustainable design or buildings that prioritize community spaces. 

This prompt requires reflection, so don’t hesitate to workshop a few essay ideas. Then, choose the one that best suits you. The second prompt asks students to name a specific architectural work that resonates with them. This USC essay also provides the perfect opportunity to share how the world of architecture influences your daily life. 

USC Architecture aims to engage students as critical thinkers through their USC supplemental essays. Therefore, these USC essay prompts ask students to think beyond their favorite skyscraper. Instead, you should consider how architecture and design interact with society, social consciousness, and you as a person. 

USC Video Essays

In addition to the USC essay prompts, the USC School of Architecture also has a USC supplemental video prompt.

Video Prompt:

Please produce a video that presents what you consider to be your favorite project in your portfolio and why. try to be as informative and concise as possible when you’re speaking about the project but also remember to be yourself. we are looking for students that are passionate with a keen curiosity about architecture and design..

In your video response, make sure you choose a project that reflects your interests and potential. Don’t focus on using lofty language—instead, highlight where your ideas came from and how your critical thinking skills inform the work you produce. 

Next, we will discuss the USC supplemental essays for the Viterbi School of Engineering. 

USC Viterbi Supplemental Essays

The USC Viterbi School of Engineering offers a variety of degrees in engineering and computer science. Like other programs, the USC Viterbi School of Engineering requires two additional USC supplemental essays.  Most importantly, the Viterbi USC essays seek to get into the minds of future engineers . Like the School of Architecture USC supplemental essays, the Viterbi USC essays require students to reflect on their personal experiences. 

The student body at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering is a diverse group of unique engineers and computer scientists who work together to engineer a better world for all humanity. Describe how your contributions to the USC Viterbi student body may be distinct from others. Please feel free to touch on any part of your background, traits, skills, experiences, challenges, and/or personality in helping us better understand you. (250 words)

The national academy of engineering (nae) and their 14 grand challenges go hand-in-hand with our vision to engineer a better world for all humanity. engineers and computer scientists are challenged to solve these problems in order to improve life on the planet. learn more about the nae grand challenges at http://engineeringchallenges.org and tell us which challenge is most important to you, and why..

The USC Viterbi School of Engineering wants to learn more about you through the USC supplemental essays. In the first USC writing supplement, applicants should talk about the ways their unique traits and experiences add to the USC Engineering student body. In fact, the USC Viterbi admissions blog summarizes this prompt as ”How will you make a unique contribution to the USC student body?” 

You might find some inspiration from your Why USC essay, but be sure to make each of these USC essays unique. 

Additionally, in the second Viterbi USC supplemental writing prompt, students are instructed to review key engineering challenges laid out by the National Academy of Engineering. Students then choose a specific challenge and discuss why it’s important to them. 

Structuring your essay

As you review this prompt, pay attention to the directions. Most importantly, make sure you only choose one challenge and craft a strong argument about why it matters. According to the Viterbi Admissions blog , the challenge does not have to be related to your major. Additionally, you don’t have to provide a solution to the challenge, and there is no right answer.

In each of the Viterbi USC supplemental essays, students respond to USC essay prompts that allow them to represent their most authentic selves. If you aim to study engineering or computer science at USC, these USC supplemental essays give you the chance to share your unique story and perspective. 

Does USC care about essays?

Absolutely! In fact, the more selective the institution, the more your essays might matter. Logically, highly selective schools receive many applications from students with high GPAs and test scores. Therefore, having stellar USC essays can help you stand out to the admissions committee. And, given the USC acceptance rate is just 13% , the USC essay prompts let you set yourself apart. 

In other words, admissions committees look for ways to envision you on their campuses. Indeed, they want to make sure you would enrich their community. So, your Why USC essay is one of the ways you can discuss why USC is the perfect match for you. 

USC essays are one of the ways that the admissions committee can get to know you as a person. Have you heard college admissions representatives encourage you to use “your voice” in your essay? Being authentic and introspective can allow the admissions team to learn more about you while reading your USC supplemental essays. 

What is the application deadline for USC?

Now that you know more about USC supplemental essays, let’s discuss application dates and deadlines. 

USC has two application plans: Regular Decision and Early Action. However, majors requiring a portfolio or audition are not permitted to apply Early Action or Regular Decision. Instead, they have a deadline of December 1 st . Check out this list of majors with a December 1 st deadline.  

The Early Action USC application deadline is November 1 st . The Early Action plan is non-binding and non-restrictive. Therefore, you can apply to as many colleges as you wish and there is no obligation to enroll. Early Action applicants will be notified of their results in January. The Early Action plan leaves ample time for students to review financial aid letters and visit campus before deciding on where to enroll. 

If you are not ready to submit your application in November, the Regular Decision USC application deadline is January 15 th . The Regular Decision plan is also non-binding and non-restrictive. These applicants will be notified of their admissions decision on April 1, 2024. Whether you are applying Early Action or Regular Decision, your USC supplemental essays are due on the application deadline. 

If you are already in college and are interested in transferring to USC, transfer students have a USC application deadline of January 1 st if they are already enrolled at USC and February 15 th if they are currently enrolled at another college.

Starting early

No matter what admissions plan you choose, it is critical to begin working on your USC supplemental essays well ahead of their deadline. Overall, it is never too early to begin brainstorming ideas and creating an outline. By getting organized early and not procrastinating, you can ensure you submit the strongest application possible. 

Your USC essays will also be used in your overall review for merit scholarships. But don’t forget to view the USC scholarship and financial aid deadlines! All students interested in being considered for a USC merit scholarship must apply Early Action (or by December 1 st if their major requires a portfolio or audition).

Keep reading for more resources to help with your USC essays. 

More USC Resources to explore

Are you looking for more insight on how to get into USC and craft strong USC essays? Well, CollegeAdvisor has got you covered. Now that you know more about the USC Supplemental essay requirements, check out these examples of USC supplemental essays. 

Additionally, as you are researching the USC essay prompts, don’t forget about merit scholarships and financial aid. In fact, learning about USC merit scholarships and prestigious external awards, like the Questbridge scholarship, can ease anxiety about the financial aspect of enrolling at USC.

CollegeAdvisor also hosts tons of interactive webinars to help you learn more about USC essays and admissions in general. So, get informed and watch them! Specifically, check out this Q&A webinar with former Georgetown and USC admissions officers. 

Remember that the University of Southern California is just one of many great schools in the State of California. Check out this guide to see how USC stacks up to other California colleges. 

Also, check out USC Admission’s resource videos on YouTube! The video below offers tips for approaching this year’s USC supplemental essays as well.

USC Supplemental Essays – Takeaways 

As we’ve seen in this article, USC supplemental essays are a critical part of the USC admissions application. Here’s a list of 7 takeaways to help you write strong USC supplemental essays.

7 USC Supplemental Essays Takeaways

1. usc has 11 required essays: the why usc essay and 10 short answer essays. all students, regardless of major, have this requirement., 2. your why usc essay is a great opportunity to show why you would be a great fit for usc. , 3. your short answer essays are meant to be brief and authentic. don’t overthink these , 4. depending on your major, you may have additional usc essays to submit. refer to this guide for the list of majors that have additional usc essays. , 5. the deadline for your usc essays is the same as the application deadline. so, it is incredibly important that you prepare by giving yourself ample time to write and edit your usc essays., 6. the usc office of admissions views essays as a valuable part of the application. in fact, they just might be the thing that makes you stand out., 7. be yourself these essays are structured to get a closer look at who you are. don’t shy away from this element..

Looking for more guidance on the USC essays? CollegeAdvisor is here to help. Click here to schedule a meeting with our experts today and start receiving personalized college admissions guidance.

This essay guide was written by Chelsea Holley. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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4 University of Southern California (USC) EssaysThatWorked

Applying to USC in 2023 means that you are facing a lot of competition.

Luckily, one of the most effective tools you have to stand out from the crowd is your essays and responses to USC's writing supplement.

In this article, I've gathered 4 of the best essays from students admitted into the University of Southern California so that you can get inspired and improve your own USC essays.

What is University of Southern California's Acceptance Rate?

This past year, a record 70,971 students applied to USC and only 8,804 students were offered admission. That means USC had an overall acceptance rate of only 12.4%.

If you're trying to maximize your shot of getting into USC, writing essays that show why you should be accepted is one of your best strategies.

USC Acceptance Scattergram

The more competitive a school admissions is, the more heavily your essays are weighed. Let's check out the USC prompts for this year.

What are the University of Southern California Supplemental Prompts for 2022-23?

For its application this year, USC requires students to respond to three short essay questions and ten short answer questions.

USC has an intensive writing section, which means its even more important for you to make your responses the best they can be.

Here are the University of Southern California prompts for 2023:

Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. (Approximately 250 words) (1-250 words)

Starting with the beginning of high school/secondary school, if you have had a gap where you were not enrolled in school during a fall or spring term, please address this gap in your educational history. You do not need to address a summer break. (0-250 words)

Describe yourself in three words.

What is your favorite snack?

Best movie of all time:

If your life had a theme song, what would it be?

Dream trip:

What TV show will you binge watch next?

Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?

Favorite book:

If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?

4 University of Southern California EssaysThatWorked

Here are 4 of the best USC essays that worked for this years writing supplement.

Below you can read how admitted USC students answered the short essay and short answer questions. In addition, I've included some Common App personal statements examples recently accepted students.

See exactly how students got into USC and get inspired:

USC Essay Example #1

Usc essay example #2, usc essay example #3, usc essay example #4.

Prompt: What is something about yourself that is essential to understanding you? (250 words max)

If I had a fatal flaw it would be loyalty. Of all the things I value, the one thing I value the most is my family. Coming after family is my friends; I consider my friends to be an extended branch of family. My close friends know that I value my friendship and that I would do almost anything for them if they asked me. I am very trusting with my friends, because I know that if I am there to support them, they will be there to support me. Without my friends, I would not be who and where I am now, as they have helped me through my years and shaped me to be the trusting and loyal person I am.

Very often, I put my friends before me, and this is because I know that if I were in the same situation as them, they would opt to help me. My loyalty to my friends helps them understand why I do what I do, and it helps me make even more friends. Wherever I go, I want to go with friends, because I believe that I can go farther when I have others with me rather than going fast and alone, but not as far.

The sounds of my knife striking kale unnerves my cat asleep in the corner. He quickly runs over to examine the situation but becomes instantly uninterested when he sees green and smells bitterness. Unfortunately, my family has this same reaction every day of every week.

They question, “It’s bad enough that you’re going to eat kale, but do you really have to massage it?” I respond with a deep breath, during which I recall information from nutritionfacts.org. I begin to explain, “Well you see, it takes away the bitterness, because kale is composed of cellulose, so when you massage it with a strong acid–”but as I continue to delve into my rather scientific and oftentimes molecular rationale behind transforming myself into a masseuse to make a salad, everyone begins snoring. I guess no one has ever understood my immense love for the science behind cooking (and probably never will).

Sure, my family, friends, small, undiverse and traditional high school all look at me like I am crazy, but I guess that is because I am. I do not look at kale and think “dark green, bitter, disgusting plant.” Instead, I see proteins and anticarcinogenic properties--analyzing the anatomy of food seems to occupy my mind.

Cooking is an art, visual, creative and instinctive. My favorite nights are spent with knife in hand and sweet potatoes in the oven. Food is my artist outlet, and one of the few things to feed my soul (and my stomach, too).

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Prompt: Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. (250 words max)

All throughout my life, I always loved doing math no matter what the concept. My love for math led to me taking advanced math classes for my grade. I even had to take a bus to a high school when I was in middle school to take an advanced math class. I always knew that I would want to pursue a career dealing with mathematics, but I was not really sure until my junior year. I had not decided what I wanted to be in the future, so my uncle suggested being a CPA, and I looked into it. When I did my research, it interested me as they made a decent amount of money and they worked with numbers.

At USC, I would like to major in accounting and gain the opportunity to possibly receive an internship at one of the big accounting firms in Los Angeles through the networking of USC. If I were able to get an internship, I would be able to gain experience for when I graduate and search for a job. I would also consider going for a Masters of Business Administration as I know that USC has one of the best business programs in the country.

I had never considered traveling across the country to pursue an education. In fact, living in Pittsburgh all of my life and growing up with people who are so adamant about staying put, forced me to believe that I too had to box myself into this small, yet evolving city. However, now I can confidently tell my friends and family that I want to travel to California for college (and ignore their odd looks).

What strikes me most about USC is its ability to maintain uniformity despite its diverse student body--in interests, ethnicity, and opinion. There are not many schools where I could be best friends with filmmakers, artists, photographers, chemists, potential CEOs, and writers. Although all of these people are spread across different schools, they still seem to maintain a cultural unity. Being surrounded by such a distinct trojan pride combined with the ambitious atmosphere would be both inspiring and propulsive.

At USC, I would not have to confine to merely one of my interests. I have always had aspirations of becoming a doctor and pursuing neuroscience, but have never felt comfortable ignoring the humanities. As a Trojan, I could pursue research at the Dana and David Dornsife Cognitive Neuroscience Imaging Center or even take part in PIBBS, while also honing my writing skills through the intricate Writing Program.

Much like the students, my interests could somehow be molded into a diverse uniformity, and I could prove my fellow Pittsburghers that perhaps they need to move around more.

What Can You Learn From These USC Essays?

If you want to get into the University of Southern California, you'll need to answer the USC writing supplement questions as best you can. To help improve your essays, you can read these 6 essays that worked for USC and see how students got accepted.

Let me know, what did you think about these USC essays?

Ryan Chiang , Founder of EssaysThatWorked

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I'm Ryan Chiang and I created EssaysThatWorked - a website dedicated to helping students write college essays they're proud of. We publish the best college admissions essays from successful applicants every year to inspire and teach future students.

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Princeton Admitted Essay

People love to ask why. Why do you wear a turban? Why do you have long hair? Why are you playing a guitar with only 3 strings and watching TV at 3 A.M.—where did you get that cat? Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist? My answer is... uncomfortable. Many truths of the world are uncomfortable...

MIT Admitted Essay

Her baking is not confined to an amalgamation of sugar, butter, and flour. It's an outstretched hand, an open invitation, a makeshift bridge thrown across the divides of age and culture. Thanks to Buni, the reason I bake has evolved. What started as stress relief is now a lifeline to my heritage, a language that allows me to communicate with my family in ways my tongue cannot. By rolling dough for saratele and crushing walnuts for cornulete, my baking speaks more fluently to my Romanian heritage than my broken Romanian ever could....

UPenn Admitted Essay

A cow gave birth and I watched. Staring from the window of our stopped car, I experienced two beginnings that day: the small bovine life and my future. Both emerged when I was only 10 years old and cruising along the twisting roads of rural Maryland...

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College Essays

So you have your heart set on going to the University of Southern California . That's great—it's one of the best schools in the country ! Unfortunately, that makes it tough to get into: only 10% of applicants are admitted each year .

But don't worry. This guide will teach you everything you need to know to write an outstanding USC Writing Supplement .

We'll answer all of your questions, including the following:

• What is the USC supplement?
• What are the questions, and how do I answer them?
• Are there tips and tricks for knocking your USC essays out of the park?
• What steps do I take to finish my USC application?

Let's get started!

Feature Image: Sitao Xiang / Wikimedia

What Is the USC Supplement?

The USC Writing Supplement is an additional part of the USC application that you fill out on the Common App website.

The supplement itself consists of two writing prompts (250 words each) and 12 short-answer questions (100 characters each) . The word limits mean you'll have to cram a lot of information into a small amount of space.

Great USC essays are going to be concise, honest, creative, and engaging . Remember, USC designed the supplement to help admissions counselors get a better sense of your personality. Don't be afraid to embrace your individuality here! It's your chance to share aspects of yourself, your life, and your goals that aren't captured by the Common App.

In other words: this is your time to shine.

( Bobak Ha'Eri / Wikimedia)

Where Can I Find the USC Supplement?

The writing supplement is part of the USC Common Application. Once you've selected USC as one of your colleges, it should pop up in the application portal. If you're not exactly sure how to find it, don't worry ... here's a step-by-step guide!

• Log into the Common App website using your username and password.
• Click on the "College Search" tab and look for "University of Southern California."
• Select the search result and then click "add" to add it to your profile.
• Return to your dashboard and look for "University of Southern California." Click the label below the school that reads "Show more details."
• From there, click on the link titled "Writing Questions."
• You can also access the supplement by clicking on "University of Southern California" and scrolling down the school's home page on the Common App to find a link labeled "Writing Questions."

How Do I Answer the USC Essay Prompts?

The writing supplement contains two short writing prompts designed to showcase both your writing skills and your personality. But because you're limited to 250 words, you need to make every word count .

Here are some general strategies to keep in mind.

#1: Use a Standard Format

It's important that you aren't wasting precious space. A good strategy is to limit your intro/thesis statement and your conclusion to one sentence each . That lets you use the rest of the space to answer the prompt.

#2: Show, Don't Tell

Instead of giving run-of-the-mill answers, use stories and anecdotes to illustrate your point. Paint a picture for your audience when you can!

For example, say you're talking about your love of photography. Instead of writing, "I love to photograph people," see if you can capture the feeling of taking someone's picture.

A better sentence might read, "I love trying to capture people's personalities through my camera lens." The first answer tells us that you enjoy photography, but the second response shows us why you love it .

#3: Edit, Edit, Edit

Don't be disappointed if your first attempt at answering these prompts goes over the word limit. That's OK! Keep cutting and revising until you end up with something great.

Here are a few examples of how you can edit a sentence to make every word work:

• OK: "It was the very best experience of my whole life."
• Better: "It was the best experience of my life."
• Best: "The trip was transformational."
• Passive: "Geology would be my preferred major."
• Active: "I plan to major in geology."
• With "is": "Researching cancer treatments is my ultimate career goal."
• Without "is": "I plan to pursue a career in cancer research."

#4: Don't Wait Until the Last Minute

The USC supplement is short, so it's tempting to tackle it at the end of the application process. Don't! Writing short responses is harder than it looks, so give yourself plenty of time .

The USC Essay

USC is making things more streamlined this year: everyone answers the same question! Here's the prompt:

Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections.

What Is This Question Asking You to Do?

No option here: you're stuck with this prompt and limited to 250 words in your response. But that's OK because this is the "Why USC?" question. (It's a version of what we call the "why this college" around here.)

Why do you need to go to USC to fulfill your dreams? Or, put another way: why is USC the only school for you?

This means choosing and discussing your major (and your second-choice major if your program is very competitive). Remember that you're not committed to the major you pick . You can change majors after you've enrolled.

How Do You Answer This Question?

Research, research, research. Visit the USC website and get to know your college, your department, and the classes offered. Also, take a close look at your major's course of study. If you're going to take classes from other departments, figure out which ones and why. For example, if you're majoring in international relations and want to work in China, you'll probably take foreign language/culture courses (like Advanced Modern Chinese) and political science courses (like Chinese Foreign Policy). Research the professors in the department and mention them by name.

• Seize the day. There's more to college than going to class. Making the most of USC means getting involved and taking advantage of opportunities such as internships and study abroad programs. There are over 100 international fellowships and programs available through different colleges, so be sure to look into them . Mentioning programs like the Global Fellows Internship (available to all students) or the Maymester , which is a major-specific opportunity, shows that you're serious about making the most of your education at USC.
• Focus on USC. Your job is to show why USC and nowhere else can help you achieve your dreams.

Optional Essay: Explaining Your Education Gap

Who is this question for.

First thing's first: not everyone needs to answer this question. Only respond to this prompt if you took a semester or more off between high school and enrolling in college, or if you took time off while enrolled in high school.

So if you took a gap year (or two, or three), you should answer this question.

This isn't a trick question. Admissions counselors genuinely want to know why you took time off between high school and starting college. And don't worry if your reason isn't "sexy," like you were rescuing sea turtles off the coast of Argentina or teaching English to underprivileged students in Iowa. For most people, the answers will fall along the lines of getting a job, financial difficulties, or helping out their family.

In short: this question is asking you to honestly explain your education gap so that admissions counselors have a better idea of you and your story.

How Do You Answer the Question?

• Keep it short and sweet. It's tempting to give admissions counselors every detail of your situation. But the truth is, they only need to know the most pertinent information while still being honest. Remember: you only have 250 words!
• Explain why you're choosing now to return to school. Counselors are also going to be interested in why you want to go to college now. Be honest about this, too! It's okay to say that you wanted to take some time off to really figure out what you wanted to do with your life, and now you're prepared and excited to throw yourself into your studies. Whatever the case may be, make it clear that you're ready to be an engaged and dedicated student regardless of your education gap.
• Don't make excuses. This isn't a "woe is me" section. While taking time off between high school and college may have been out of your control, this isn't the time to air your grievances. The best answers to this question will keep things as honest and positive as possible.

Your answers in the next section might be small, but they're mighty.

Freddie Alequin /Flickr

The USC Short-Answer Questions

On the surface, the short-answer questions seem simple, but many students find this section the hardest part of the supplement . That's because these responses are limited to 100 characters or less—shorter than a tweet!

Here are some general tips to make tackling the USC short-answer questions a breeze:

#1: Maximize the space you have. There's room to elaborate on your answers a bit, and you should.

#2: There are no right answers. Admissions counselors don't have specific responses in mind. This is their way of trying to get to know the person behind the application.

#3: You're more than a major. It's tempting to make every answer tie into your major or future career in some way; instead, your answers should capture who you are as a person and hark back to your academic goals only if it makes sense for them to.

#4: Don't be afraid of a little humor. Embrace being funny but not at someone else's expense. 

#5: Avoid clichés.

#6: Keep it tasteful. If you wouldn't say it to your parents, don't say it to an admissions counselor!

Now that you have some solid strategies, let's look at each question individually.

Questions 1-3: Describe Yourself in Three Words

A good way to tackle this question is to ask your friends and family to text you their responses, and look for patterns . For example, if five people say you are nice and caring, combine those into one idea, such as "empathetic."

Adjectives are the most common words to use, but you can pick nouns, too! Just stick to ones with personality (like "bookworm" if you love to read, or "shutterbug" if you're a photographer). Choose words that are highly descriptive (e.g., "enthusiastic" instead of "fun") and avoid clichés as much as you can.

Oh, and the supplement breaks this response into three separate fields , so make sure you don't type all three words on one line ! Also, note that there's a 25-character limit per word, so think "antidisestablishmentarian" or shorter.

Here are some sample responses:

• Whimsical, artistic, collaborative
• Competitive, thoughtful, engaging
• Loquacious, jovial, encouraging
• Reserved, compassionate, giving

Question 4: What Is Your Favorite Snack?

Here's a chance to showcase your personality by being specific . Let's say that you love peanut M&Ms. A specific answer might say, "Eating peanut M&Ms while watching a scary movie."

You can also touch on your personal history , especially if you come from a diverse background. You could say something like "My abuela's enchiladas" or "Almond Crush Pocky" as a nod to your heritage.

Finally, lean into your weird . We all have strange snacks that somehow hit the spot (we're looking at you, hot dog buns dunked in hot chocolate). If there's a bonkers food you enjoy—such as dipping tater tots in soft-serve ice cream—this is your time to shine. An added bonus? It will definitely make an impression.

• Perfectly toasted marshmallows while sitting around a campfire.
• A hot dog and soda from Fenway Park.
• Homemade apple pie with melted cheddar cheese on top!
• A package of Digestive Biscuits (they're cookies!) and a glass of milk.

Question 5: Best Movie of All Time

This question can make applicants anxious because people are passionate about the movies they love ... and the movies they love to hate! That's why we recommend that you either give a serious answer or embrace your silliness.

This goes without saying, but make sure your movie choice is appropriate . If you wouldn't watch it with your family, don't list it here. Also, steer clear of any super-controversial picks—don't pick a film that's clearly discriminatory, such as Birth of a Nation.

• Serious: Blade Runner because of its influence on sci-fi film.
• Serious: Saving Private Ryan . It reminds us that war is hard, dangerous, and tragic.
• Silly: The Lion King . We should all "hakuna matata" a little more!
• Both: Legally Blonde —I love stories about women chasing their dreams.

What is your ideal job? Maybe it's making mini beach dioramas in vintage suitcases.

Question 6: Dream Job

Obviously, this answer should roughly align with your major . (Don't say your dream job is to play Aaron Burr in Hamilton if you're majoring in computer science.)

You should also think big and think ahead. For instance, if you're a computer science major, maybe you want to start a company that develops assistive AI for people with disabilities. Embrace big goals!

The more specific you are, the better. Don't just say you want to be a veterinarian. What kind of animals do you want to work with? Will you specialize in something? Do you want to own your own practice? Adding detail will make your answer stand out.

• A large-animal veterinarian that helps rural farmers care for their livestock.
• The owner of a non-profit that helps women of color succeed in corporate America.
• A judge appointed to the US Courts of Appeals.

Question 7: If Your Life Had a Theme Song, What Would It Be?

Everyone needs a little walk-in music. As you think about yours, choose a song with a title that makes a point . It's tempting to pick a song with a specific lyric that speaks to you, but your admissions counselor might not be able to make the connection. Think more along the lines of "I Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty or "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" by Aretha Franklin and the Eurythmics.

Be careful that your song title can't be misconstrued. "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred might seem like a funny choice to you, but it could also come across as cocky or overconfident.

Additionally, keep your choice appropriate . Look through the song lyrics to make sure they aren't offensive.

And whatever you do, don't say the Trojan Fight Song . That's probably the most popular—and most clichéd—answer you could possibly give!

• "Beautiful Day" by U2
• "My Shot" from the Hamilton soundtrack
• "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey

Maybe your dream trip is a mix of adventure and van life.

Question 8: Dream Trip

There's no special trick to answering this question. Just be honest and specific! And feel free to focus on experiences as well as destinations. Maybe you want to snorkel with stingrays in the Caribbean or visit the Lord of the Rings set locations in New Zealand. Share that here!

• Letting a lantern go during the Floating Lantern Festival in Thailand.
• Hiking to the top of Machu Picchu.
• Driving from California to Illinois on Route 66 with my best friends.
• Eating paella from a street vendor in Barcelona.
• Visiting Zimbabwe and bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls Bridge.

Question 9: What TV Show Will You Binge Watch Next?

This is another question designed to reveal something about you, your likes, and your dislikes. We suggest that you pick a show you like, as long as it isn't completely without substance. If you're having a hard time choosing, try narrowing it down to your favorite genre first.

• I'll binge Making a Murderer because I'm interested in how the justice system works (and doesn't work).
• The Good Place because it combines comedy and philosophy!
• Friends because it helps you understand interpersonal relationships.

I'm bingeing RuPaul's Drag Race and learning a lot about drag culture and inclusivity.

Question 10: Which Well-Known Person or Fictional Character Would Be Your Ideal Roommate?

This question essentially wants to know who you could see yourself living with on a daily basis , whether it's a fictional character from a TV show or book you love, or a real-life celebrity, such as a movie star, singer, scientist, activist, writer, or historical figure.

The prompt doesn't limit you to living celebrities, so feel free to write about somebody who passed away recently (think Stephen Hawking) or even centuries ago (such as Jane Austen).

Make sure that you're choosing a person who will reveal something positive and/or unique about yourself. It's also OK to throw in a little humor! For example, if you're a huge Renaissance-period buff, you could talk about how you'd love to live with King Henry VIII because he'd entertain you every night with stories of his marriages.

Regardless of who you choose to write about, remember that the admissions committee wants to learn something about you through the person you pick to be your roommate , so be sure that you can clearly tie them back to yourself and your own interests somehow.

• Marie Curie because we could conduct experiments together after class every day.
• Hermione Granger! She'd be a great study buddy and could teach me magic on the side.
• David Sedaris. We could write stories together and he'd never fail to make me laugh!

Question 11: Favorite Book

This is a pretty straightforward question that's similar to the "favorite movie" one above. Be honest— don't try to pass off a book as one of your favorites just because it sounds impressive or is highly intellectual . The admissions committee will likely be able to tell if you're trying to show off!

At the same time, don't write about a book that's overly childish or inappropriate , or that fails to reveal anything interesting or impressive about you. For instance, even if you really love Twilight , unless you can say something a little more intellectual about it, such as how you enjoy analyzing its portrayal of codependency in teenage relationships, this book likely won't leave much of a positive impression on the USC admissions committee.

• Wild because this book inspired me to be courageous and go on a three-day hike by myself.
• Lolita is my favorite book because it's downright disturbing yet hauntingly beautiful.
• Definitely The Hobbit . It was the first book I read that showed me the power of taking risks.

Question 12: If You Could Teach a Class on any Topic, What Would It Be?

This final question from USC is truly a thought-provoking one. Basically, the admissions committee wants to know what kind of class you'd teach if you could choose any topic of interest to you .

While the topic you write about doesn't need to directly relate to your major, it should definitely be something you're deeply passionate (and, ideally, fairly knowledgeable) about . Are you really into horror movies and enjoy dissecting their depictions of female characters? Then perhaps you'd like to teach a class on women in horror.

Be as specific as you can be. Don't just say you want to teach a class on the environment because you're committed to combating climate change. What specific topic concerning the environment or climate change would you like others to learn more about, and why?

• A creative writing class that would focus on writing stories from the perspective of children.
• Women of color in astronomy. Too few know about the accomplishments of Beth Brown and Mae Jemison!
• The Navajo language. Not enough schools teach it and we Native Americans must strive to preserve it.

Finishing your supplement is like climbing a really tall flight of stairs. Just put one foot in front of the other! 

Next Steps for Your USC Supplement

Even once you've finished and submitted your Common App and USC essays, you're not quite done. Most of USC's colleges require you to submit additional materials, such as portfolios or writing samples, before your application is considered complete.

Visit the links below to view each college's supplemental application requirements and submission deadlines:

• USC School of Architecture
• Roski School of Art and Design
• Iovine and Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation
• Marshall School of Business (World Bachelor in Business)
• USC School of Cinematic Arts
• Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
• Kaufman School of Dance
• Ostrow School of Dentistry (Junior Transfers Only)
• USC School of Dramatic Arts
• Viterbi School of Engineering
• Thornton School of Music

Need Some Extra Help?

The USC application process can be overwhelming, but PrepScholar is here to help you succeed ! Check out our resources below for more information about how our experts can help you achieve your dreams.

Haven't started your Common Application yet? No problem! We've got you covered with tips and tricks to make your application stand out from the crowd .

Start learning more about USC! Check out their admission requirements , mission statement, admission website, and this great blog post about getting to know USC without leaving your couch.

Still stressed about your supplement? Get in touch with PrepScholar's college admissions team !

Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar.

Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges.

Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now :

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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USC Supplemental Essays 2023-24 Prompts and Tips

September 1, 2023

When applying to a school like the University of Southern California, it is important to grasp that their acceptance rate in 2023 is lower than Harvard’s back in the late 1990s. Last cycle, USC received roughly 80,000 applications and admitted just 9% from that pool (their first time in the single digits). We don’t bring up these numbers or the Friends -era Harvard comparison to cause future applicants unnecessary fear. Rather, we want aspiring Trojans to realize that in addition to strong high school grades and standardized test scores, they need to excel in other critical areas of their application as well. This brings us to the topic of the USC supplemental essays.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into the University of Southern California? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into USC: Admissions Data and Strategies   for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

The supplemental essay section offered by USC is a fairly epic one and presents just such an opportunity for students to differentiate themselves from swarms of other qualified applicants. In addition to several short essays, you are also required to answer 10 short answer questions. Below are the USC’s supplemental prompts for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with tips about how to address each one.

2023-24 USC Supplemental Essays – Required Prompt #1

Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. (Approximately 250 words)

This is part “Why Us?” and part “Explain Your Major” and your aim is to seamlessly touch on both topics in a tightly woven 250-word composition. For a deeper dive, let’s examine a list of characteristics of a winning USC “Why Us?” essay:

• How did your interest in your major of choice begin and how has it matured over the years?
• While pursuing your majors(s)/interest(s) of choice, how will you take advantage of the university’s immense resources both inside and outside of the classroom? Be sure to cite specific  academic programs ,  professors ,  research opportunities ,  internship/externship programs , and  study abroad programs . Discuss why they pique your interest.
• Feel free to touch on  student-run organizations  related to your field of study that you would like to join.
• Lastly, don’t ignore your second-choice major in this essay.

In any “Why Us?” composition, you need to show that you’ve done your homework on a given school, but you don’t want it to read like a robotic list of items that you Googled ten minutes before writing the essay (even if the timing of the Google search is roughly accurate). In addition to the pure research element, a lot of the time and skill required in creating a stellar USC essay will involve connecting the classes, professors, opportunities, etc. of interest that you have uncovered to your distinct values, talents, aims, proficiencies, and future goals.

USC Supplemental Essays – Short Answers

(#1 provides 25 characters for each word, and #2-10 provide 100 characters each)

• Describe yourself in three words.
• What is your favorite snack?
• Best movie of all time
• If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
• What TV show will you binge watch next?
• Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?
• Favorite book
• If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?

USC Supplemental Essays (Continued)

It would be a bit silly to try to advise you on what your favorite snack is. Obviously, the USC admissions committee wants to hear “Pepperoni Pizza Combos” but will also accept “Ranch-flavored Bugles.” As such, we’ll keep our advice on these a bit broader:

• This is a chance to make a personal connection with an admissions officer. Don’t overthink these or pick movies, books, songs, or trips that you think an admissions officer will find impressive. Just be genuine.
• For #1, try to avoid words like “interesting” that are…well, not very  interesting , or words that could describe most of USC’s applicant pool, like “hard-working” or “dedicated.”
• For #10, don’t pick a general topic in a traditional discipline. Instead, pick something about which you are passionate. This could be a blend of pop culture and academics or a highly esoteric topic that you happen to be obsessed with (e.g., the Beatles 1965-67 mid-career era, the history of jai-alai, or how to groom a ferret).
• You have 100 characters to utilize, so do include some short explanations that infuse your answers with extra personality. For example, you could jazz up Ranch-flavored Bugles as follows: “Ranch-flavored Bugles, me and my mom’s go-to Jeopardy snack.”
• Final tip: if you feel stuck, try brainstorming a few options for each one before choosing your favorite.

USC Supplemental Essays – School-Specific Prompts

In addition to the required essays noted above, you’ll also need to answer at least one additional essay question that is dependent on the school or college you are applying to at USC. Below, we’ve broken down the most popular options:

Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Many of us have at least one issue or passion that we care deeply about – a topic on which we would love to share our opinions and insights in hopes of sparking intense interest and continued conversation. If you had ten minutes and the attention of a million people, what would your talk be about? (250 words)

What makes you tick? What keeps you up at night? Which subjects could (and do) you talk about for hours if given the opportunity? If you could address one problem in the world, large or small, what would it be? Here’s your chance to tell us all about it. You’ll then want to explain “why”—why will (or should) your passion/topic of choice be made relevant to a wider audience? Why is it so important that others hear your message? Your answer will give admissions readers greater insight into what type of issues are most important to you.

Viterbi School of Engineering

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and their 14 Grand Challenges go hand-in-hand with our vision to engineer a better world for all humanity. Engineers and computer scientists are challenged to solve these problems in order to improve life on the planet. Learn more about the NAE Grand Challenges at  http://engineeringchallenges.org  and tell us which challenge is most important to you, and why. (250 words)

The NAE Grand Challenges list is expansive and includes a number of pressing issues, like clean water access, solar energy, and nuclear terrorism. Basically, you are 100% guaranteed to find at least one item on this list that resonates with you. After reviewing the options, which one are you most passionate about, and why? Is there something from your personal background or experiences that inspired your interest in this area? Alternatively, have you engaged with this topic either inside or outside of school, and if so, how? What would you still like to learn about it? If you choose an issue that you are genuinely interested in and clearly convey your reasoning for doing so, you’ll be well on your way to a compelling response.

The student body at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering is a diverse group of unique engineers and computer scientists who work together to engineer a better world for all humanity. Describe how your contributions to the USC Viterbi student body may be distinct from others. Please feel free to touch on any part of your background, traits, skills, experiences, challenges, and/or personality in helping us better understand you. (250 words)

Take note of the wide-open nature of this prompt. You are essentially invited to talk about any of the following topics:

• A perspective you hold
• An experience/challenge you had
• A community you belong to
• Your cultural background
• Your family background
• A personality trait
• A skill you hold

Although this prompt’s open floor plan may feel daunting, a good tactic is to first consider what has already been communicated within your Common App personal statement, activities list, and other USC essays. What important aspects of yourself have not been shared (or sufficiently discussed)? The admissions officer reading your essay is hoping to connect with you through your written words, so—within your essay’s reflection—be open, humble, thoughtful, inquisitive, emotionally honest, mature, and/or insightful about what you learned and how you grew. No matter what type of story you tell, the goal is to have the reader come away saying, “I can definitely see this applicant as a contributing member of our talented and engaged Viterbi community.”

How important are the USC supplemental essays?

There are five factors that USC considers to be “very important” to their candidate evaluation process and the essay section is one of them. Along with GPA, standardized test scores, rigor of high school coursework, and recommendations, the Common App and supplement essays play a huge role in the USC admissions staff’s decision-making.

Want personalized assistance?

Lastly, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your USC supplemental essays, we encourage you to  get a quote  today.

• College Essay

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

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University of Southern California (USC) 2020-21 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

The Requirements: 2 essays of up to 250 words; 2 short-answer lists.

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Oddball , Short Answer

University of Southern California 2020-21 Application Essay Questions Explained

There’s no nice way to say this: the USC application is kind of all over the place. It kicks off by asking applicants to choose one of three prompts, two of which overlap with the Common App, and it just gets stranger from there. You’ll be asked about everything from your academic interests to your life’s theme song, so our best piece of advice is, buckle up. Oh, and also remember that you should use every essay as an opportunity to showcase something different about yourself. 😉

Please respond to one of (the three) the prompts below. (250 word limit)

1. usc believes that one learns best when interacting with people of different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. tell us about a time you were exposed to a new idea or when your beliefs were challenged by another point of view..

To rephrase the question: What experiences have exposed your personal blindspots? When have you been forced to admit that you were wrong? This first option may be the most challenging of the three because it requires a great deal of self-awareness and introspection. A successful essay will showcase your humility, intelligence, and adaptability. Maybe you never used to think of your teachers as people with lives outside of school until the day your family put your dog down and your English teacher offered you some words of comfort. How did your perspective change? What did you learn about the universal nature of grief? Don’t limit yourself to stories about conflict and don’t worry about being right or wrong. The most interesting essays will focus on small, personal moments that have shaped the way you see the world.

And finally, a warning: this prompt is very similar to the third prompt on the 2020-21 Common App , which asks students to reflect on a time when they challenged a belief or idea. If you chose this prompt #3 for your Common App personal statement, you might want to steer clear of this particular USC prompt in order to avoid redundancy. If you picked a different Common App prompt, feel free to refer to our prompt #3 guide for more inspiration!

2. USC faculty place an emphasis on interdisciplinary academic opportunities. Describe something outside of your intended academic focus about which you are interested in learning.

If you already have a major in mind, chances are your application is bursting with supporting evidence. So you want to be an English major? We bet you’ve served on the board of your literary magazine, entered writing competitions, and aced your Literature AP. This is your shot to show USC that you’re well-rounded! Maybe you’ve always wanted to study physics, but were intimidated by the math. Perhaps the field of astronomy has piqued your imagination as much as your academic interest. Don’t be afraid to get a little out there! The prompt never says you have to choose another academic topic, so if you’d like to go for a quirkier answer, maybe you could focus on a new skill you’d like to gain: Woodworking? Orienteering? You should avoid being weird for weird’s sake, but we encourage you to think outside the box and be genuine about your interests and passions! Make sure to explain why you haven’t yet studied the topic you propose and describe the specific reasons for your interest. Maybe a recent debate you got into with a friend sparked an interest in philosophy. On the other hand, you might just be daydreaming about what your life would be like if you could speak Japanese, where you’d go, and who you’d meet. The point is, don’t just explain why the subject is worth studying in general. Render it specific to your life and personality.

3. What is something about yourself that is essential to understanding you?

Here’s your free-for-all prompt! With a question this broad, you can write about pretty much anything as long as it tells a story about you and your life. (Sorry, that treatise on wide-legged pants will have to wait.) Our three primary pieces of advice are the same as always: (1) Pick a story rather than a fun fact. Give yourself the opportunity to really write in your own voice. (2) Use a topic that hasn’t shown up on your application before. (3) Make sure no one else could put their name on your essay.

Similar to the first USC prompt, this one also mirrors a Common App prompt, so we’d recommend nixing this option if you wrote your Common App personal statement on prompt #1. If not, hit up our Common App guide for more brainstorming tips!

Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests at USC. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. (250 word limit)

Unlike the second prompt above, this one is all about your enduring academic interests and passions, but it’s not really about you. Rather, it’s not about you alone. This is USC’s take on the classic Why essay. In asking how you plan to pursue your interests, admissions is really trying to suss out your core reasons for choosing USC. While college will offer you a wealth of social and professional opportunities, its primary function is academic — and your primary role is as a student. So, what kind of student do you hope to be? Where do you hope your studies will take you? What resources and opportunities does USC offer that will meet your needs and guide you towards your goals?

To answer these questions, set aside an hour or two to pore over the USC website (there’s no hack, you’ve just got to put in the time). Beyond the basic departmental listings, look up information about news and research coming out of your department, the kinds of courses available, the opportunities that other undergrads have had studying in your area of choice. Even if you have a wide array of interests, consider explaining how two to three departments might complement each other or foster your interest in a larger idea or theme. Your ultimate goal is to show that your interest in USC (just like your intellectual curiosity) runs deep!

Describe yourself in three words (25 characters).

When the challenge is pith, the opportunity is humor. We rarely offer an across-the-board directive to be funny because humor writing is hard — and sometimes it just simply isn’t appropriate for the story you need to tell in a longer essay. But with lists and short answers, it’s wit that will make you stand out. Your answer doesn’t need to be laugh-out-loud funny, but it should avoid the generalities that so often populate these questions: loyal, kind, smart… you get the idea. We’re sure you are all of these things — and they are lovely qualities to showcase in the stories you tell elsewhere in your essay — but these sorts of terms can ring hollow if you aren’t able to back them up with evidence. A good place to start might be to examine your contradictions (you’re mostly easy-going, until you start playing Scrabble) and craft an essay that showcases some funny irony about your personality. Think about how different people in your life would describe you, and then think about order. Can you make it read like a very short story? Can you make it rhyme? Though this assignment is short, you may need to spend some time wordsmithing different combinations. When the prescribed format is a list, order matters just as much as content, so use every element of the assignment to your advantage!

The following prompts have a 100 character limit:

What is your favorite snack, best movie of all time:, if your life had a theme song, what would it be, dream trip:, what tv show will you binge watch next, which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate, favorite book:, if you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be.

Behold! USC’s attempt at being quirky! You’ve been limited to less than the length of a tweet for each answer, so you’d better make every word (and character) count! These prompts don’t have time for generalities or gentle introductions, so you’ll have to cut straight to the point. The more specific your words are, the more memorable your answers will be. Favorite snack? Don’t just say, “popcorn and Junior Mints.” How about, “A box of junior mints melting over hot popcorn as I watch a horror movie” (72 characters). If you can paint a funny picture or display a knack for wit, take this chance, but don’t force it. You also don’t exactly have to think of this as filling in the blanks, but more as filling in any blanks in your application. Anything that doesn’t feel like it merits a full essay can go here as a tweet, hot take, punchline, or elegantly-worded sentence.

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USC Essay Examples

The USC essay examples show you how to write a college essay to convince the University of Southern California that you are a good fit for them. These essays are meant to probe into your personality and find out more about you and why you would be a great addition to the USC campus.  Let’s review some of the top USCE essay examples so you can write your own!

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Article Contents 7 min read

Usc essay prompts.

USC has three prompts and a section for short-answer questions. The first and second prompts are required, while the third one is optional.

The second prompt also has three optional sub-prompts, and candidates need only choose one to answer.

There are then a series of ten questions, also required, that are to be answered with 100 characters or less.

Check out how to write your essay:

It is time to delve into each prompt and have a look at some USC essay examples that you can learn from.

Prompt 1 (Required): Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections (250 words).

Ever since my parents bought me my first computer at the age of 6, I’ve been fascinated by what happens inside these machines. That’s why I want to be a computer programmer – to understand the inner world of computers.

My journey into coding started when I realized I could write programs to make the device perform tasks I wanted done. Soon, I was reading every single book I could get my hands on about programming and spent my days watching YouTube videos about writing machine-level code.

Within two years, I’d become the go-to kid in my high school regarding computer issues. Topics like new gadgets and software releases were all I was interested in.

I want to build on my self-developed knowledge by attending the Computer Science program here at USC. The university’s well-known for its research in this field. I want to understand the inner logic of computers and USC will help me plant deep roots in science – I want to possess in-depth knowledge and understanding behind the 0’s and 1’s.

USC also offers a chance for students to delve into the entrepreneurial aspects of Computer Science. I intend to pursue these classes to gain knowledge on how to use my education to create the applications of the future – for my own and the public’s welfare.

Electronics, my second-choice major, will also help me achieve the same goals, albeit with a slightly different approach. Studying the underlying technology will give me a deeper insight into realizing my digital dreams. (250 words)

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As you have probably grasped by now from the USC essay examples above, the prompts are intended to bring out as much information as possible about you. They are questions that you answer in the first person.

Now, although the prompts may seem easy, you always need to make sure that you have the best essay before you even think of submitting it. Give yourself at least 6 weeks to plan and write your essays.

The best way to do that is to either learn how to write an essay yourself or find college essay advisors who can help you with your submissions.

Want to learn more about college essays?

USC is one of the leading universities in America and a highly ranked one in the world. This means it is also one of the toughest universities to get into.

But that shouldn’t concern you too much. You need to instead focus on creating a complete application package, writing all required essays, and sending in your application on time.

If you find it overwhelming, you can also find college advisors who can guide you through the process.

You better get good at it – and fast. Applying to top universities like USC means you need to be on your toes all the time. The reason they – and all other top-ranked universities – are selective is because they want to make sure they take in students who will keep up with their intense course flow.

And the scrutiny begins at admission time – with your application.

Alternatively, if you think your essay isn’t up to par, you can use college essay review services to help you with your submissions.

They are very important. The universities use essays as a way of collecting information about you. The admissions committee members pore over the essays to get a “feel” of the kind of person you are. They gauge you as they read each word. And if they find you lacking, your application could be rejected.

Therefore, make sure you invest time and effort into writing each of the college essay topics .

Please use the academic essay structure, with an intro, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

The most important thing to focus on is the story itself. It should make the admissions committee members take notice of what you are trying to tell them.

Dig deep to find that story, tell the truth, and make sure there are no spelling or grammar errors, and you should have an essay that stands out.

The values and traits that the university is looking for include bright students who can cope with the curriculum, integrate into the diverse student body with ease, and contribute positively to the college community as a whole.

The best way to go about it is to find a balance between both. It shouldn’t be so casual that it makes the readers wince, and it shouldn’t be so formal that it would look like it was written in Olde English.

Use short sentences to convey clear, concise ideas and cut words that add no value to the sentence or story and you should have a great essay.

The USC prompt has been pretty standard over the past few years – with just a question or two being changed. With that being said, the important thing is check for the prompts on the official USC website the year you are applying.

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How To Answer The USC Supplemental Essay Prompts For 2022/23

Located in the heart of Los Angeles, the University of Southern California (USC) is home to a large student body, incredible research advancements, and a large football stadium and culture. USC is ranked one of the best public universities in the US. It boasts a competitive admissions process with an acceptance rate of just 11%, meaning only about 1 in 9 students gets accepted.

USC Supplemental Essay Prompts

Essay 1: please respond to one of the prompts below. (250 word limit).

• USC believes that one learns best when interacting with people of different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Tell us about a time you were exposed to a new idea or when your beliefs were challenged by another point of view. Please discuss the significance of the experience and its effect on you.
• USC faculty place an emphasis on interdisciplinary academic opportunities. Describe something outside of your intended academic focus about which you are interested in learning.

What is something about yourself that is essential to understanding you?

Essay 2: (250 words limit).

Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests at USC. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections.

Essay 3 (optional)

Starting with the beginning of high school/secondary school, if you have had a gap where you were not enrolled in school during a fall or spring term, please address this gap in your educational history. You do not need to address a summer break.

Short Answers Questions

• Describe yourself in three words. First Word: (25 characters), Second Word: (25 characters), Third Word: (25 characters)
• What is your favorite snack? (100 characters)
• Best movie of all time: (100 characters)
• Dream job: (100 characters)
• If your life had a theme song, what would it be? (100 characters)
• Dream trip: (100 characters)
• What TV show will you binge watch next? (100 characters)
• Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate? (100 characters)
• Favorite book: (100 characters)
• If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be? (100 characters)

How Anushka Got Into USC with Crimson

How to Answer the Short Essay Questions

Usc believes one learns best when interacting with people of different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. tell us about a time you were exposed to a new idea or when another point of view challenged your beliefs*. please discuss the significance of the experience and its effect on you.*.

The first supplemental essay (and its three prompt options) asks you to speak from experience about a non-academic moment of growth or the formation of a particular value. While the first prompt is the only one that demands you narrate a specific experience, a solid response to any of the three prompts should describe a particular instance and unpack its implications .

In generating a topic, the experience you choose does not have to be overly serious, but the analysis should show how it speaks to your growth in a powerful way that does not feel too grandiose. USC admissions officers are looking for applicants to demonstrate their understanding that learning is not just sitting in class and pursuing academics but is also significantly impacted by personal growth and a transformation of values .

If you choose this prompt, consider the different circumstances that caused you to change your thinking about a particular issue .

• Maybe it was a passing conversation with a stranger or friend,
• an experience engaging with a social
• a civil issue in your community,
• Or even a slightly more rigorous debate or academic setting.

Whatever topic you choose, vivid language that examines how events made you feel in the moment will be essential to drawing out moments of actual growth . Remember that genuinely changing an established view is hard work, so please be honest with yourself as you look over the depth of these implications. Whether you write about how your experience attending a protest deepened your empathy for a particular cause or how a dare with your friend caused you to deactivate Facebook and rethink the role of social media in your life, try to craft a narrative story with clear consequences.

USC faculty place emphasis on interdisciplinary academic opportunities. Could you describe something outside your intended academic focus about which you are interested in learning?

Responding to the second prompt should show that your intellectual curiosity expands beyond your professional aspirations . Try to recall when you were surprised by how an experience outside your area of expertise affected you. This experience could be anything from how your experience on a safari led to an unexpected interest in endangered species preservation to finding meaning in a collection of poetry you were required to read. Your essay should construct a narrative demonstrating genuine intellectual curiosity in an area outside your prospective academic focus.

A response to the third prompt can take on a variety of topics. Whether you explain the influence of a familial structure, a hobby, an experience as part of a larger community, or even some other unusual facet of your expertise, your narrative should discuss how this influence has positively shaped you .

Again, this is not a spot for arrogant essays about accomplishments and ambition. Instead, it’s for examining a topic that will lead the admissions committee to fully understand you and how you hope to use a USC education. Ideally, the topic will be distinct from your Common App essay topic (which can be similar). It will explain an aspect of your thinking or reasoning that’s not in any other part of your application.

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Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests at USC. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. (250 words)

The second supplemental essay question helps the admissions committee understand why you are interested in USC instead of another school . The question requires you to research USC’s specific offerings. You’ll use this knowledge, alongside language that introduces your main academic interests and their origins, to explain why USC is a perfect fit for you. Evaluators want to see a response that shows you are attracted to their school and how you have thought deeply about the particular ways USC would help you realize your academic goals.

Tip 1: set the stage by anecdotally introducing your academic interests

Talk about how your struggles with precalculus and the extra time spent working with a teacher sparked a blooming interest in mathematics or how your experience watching the nightly TV news with your family compelled you to intern for a political campaign and learn about the history of international relations.

Tip 2: Reference USC Resources

Once that framework is established, you should reference specific USC resources — classes, notable professors or researchers, proximity to specific professional opportunities, or extracurricular activities — that will help you pursue your interests most effectively.

An excellent place to start is by checking the extensive list of possible majors posted on the USC website and identifying departments that closely match your academic preferences. Then, you can go to departmental websites to identify class offerings and professors you can reference in your essay. Resources like the Undergraduate Research Program in the School of International Relations , or the chance to work with a figure you admire in a specific field, are good examples that help you realize certain career aspirations.

Tip 3: Relate USC Resources to your interests

Finally, relate the USC resources to your interests. Suppose you began by writing about watching the news. You can describe how the “Visual and Popular Culture” within the “American Popular Culture” major would help you answer questions about the power of television news you’ve had since you were young.

How to Answer the Short Answer Questions

It’s easy to try and impress examiners with your short answers. Instead, use these prompts to give the readers an authentic representation of yourself .

Tips for Option 1

The first prompt (three words that best describe yourself) is one of the hardest to answer without sounding ingenuine or fake.

First, avoid descriptors like “ambitious” or “hardworking.” There are far better forums in your application to express your academic accomplishment and drive.

Second, spend time reflecting on the elements of your experience that have forced you to learn something new. If you can identify a quality, like humor or levity, and reflect on how that affects the lens through which you approach the world, you should include this quality.

Otherwise, think about the activities you engage with most and what type of qualities they foster. Maybe your experience doing debate after school has made you “community-oriented,” or your growing interest in running live DJ sets has made you more “adaptable.” Whatever your experience, finding descriptors to reflect your experience (which you’ll write about in other parts of the application!) will help you avoid overly generic descriptions and stand out from other applicants.

Tips for preference-based prompts

For the preference-based short answer questions, you’ll want to dwell similarly on your past experiences, especially pivotal moments of growth, sidestepping the temptation to answer to impress. It may be hard to think of the most technically proficient movie you’ve ever seen. Still, it will be easy to remember movies that have significantly impacted your life or personal development.

Unless you’re an established film academic, you probably can’t humbly claim you think the best movie of all time is Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane or Godard’s Breathless. It’s more likely you feel that it’s a movie you used to watch with your family when you were sick or an accessible old classic that opened your eyes to the aesthetic possibilities of cinema in a new way. The character limits are restrictive but don’t limit yourself to one word. Begin the question with your answer, then use your remaining space to offer a brief piece of context for the preference that speaks to your background or passions.

How to Stand Out in Your USC Supplemental Essays for 2022/23

The essay components of the application are crucially important to make sure you stand out among the rest! The USC application has several essays prompts, especially short answer questions .

Knowing how to approach the supplemental questions for the USC application can take time and effort. The various questions, ranging from short-answer responses to short essays, ask a lot about your personality and academic or personal aspirations . But if you’re not careful, your answers to these prompts might appear insincere or common.

Supplemental questions give you space to demonstrate genuine passion, personality, and growth in your personal and academic life that arises directly from lived experience and suggests an apt fit for USC. Below are several strategies and ideas for each prompt designed to avoid common mistakes and stereotypical answers and create responses that can help present your authentic self to the admissions office.

How Crimson Can Help You With Your USC Supplemental Essays

Crimson takes a personal approach when helping students with their supplemental essays. Advisors get to know their students first. Then they show them how to incorporate their dreams, aspirations, goals, and any unique story aspect into their supplemental essays.

Final Thoughts

Writing supplemental essays for USC, as with any school, should attempt to present the sense of a complete, ambitious person engaged in the business of thinking about the world, one who goes beyond grades and a resume, to the admissions committee. When you write, please remember the more prominent themes of what you are trying to communicate, and rewrite or remove anything that feels extraneous or inauthentic. If you follow the tips above, you should be well on your way to generating a USC supplement that you can be proud of — best of luck!

What Makes Crimson Different

Key Resources & Further Reading

• Acing your College Application Essay: 5 Expert Tips to Make it Stand Out from the Rest
• MIT Supplemental Essay
• Harvard Supplemental Essay
• Columbia Supplemental Essay
• Princeton Supplemental Essay
• Cornell Supplemental Essay
• Brown Supplemental Essay
• Upenn Supplemental Essay
• Dartmouth Supplemental Essay
• Johns Hopkins Supplemental Essay
• University of Chicago Supplemental Essay
• NYU Supplemental Essay
• Northwestern Supplemental Essay
• How to Tackle Every Type of Supplemental Essay
• 2021-22 Essay Prompts Common App Essay Prompts
• What are the Most Unusual US College Supplemental Essay Prompts?

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How to Write the USC Application Essays 2018-2019

The University of Southern California — more commonly known as USC — is located in the heart of Los Angeles, California. The school’s position in a metropolitan area offers students the opportunity to not only explore their own intellectual curiosities, but also the city’s vibrant cultures.

Often known for its fierce athletic rivalries, the Trojan student body advertises a highly spirited, tight-knit community. With nearly one-fifth of the undergraduate class involved in Greek life, the school encourages its students to embrace both social and intellectual endeavors.

Boasting competitive programs in business, medicine, and engineering, USC has become one of the most prestigious private research universities in California. This past year, USC was ranked #21 by U.S News & World Report, and achieved a historic low acceptance rate of 16%, with over 56,000 applicants.

In addition to the Common App personal statement, USC requires two supplementary essays (four for prospective engineers), and multiple short answer questions. While these essays may initially seem daunting, CollegeVine is here to help you approach these prompts and land a spot in USC’s class of 2023!

USC Application Essay Prompts

Please respond to one of the prompts below (250 words or less).

The first question allows you to choose between three prompts. Many of you are probably worried about making the mistake of choosing the “wrong” prompt, but it is important to know that no prompt is easier than the other. It’s important to remember that there is no right or wrong answer here; the purpose of this essay is for the admissions office to get to know you and your individuality.

If you’re having trouble choosing, it might be better to think of personal experiences first and molding the story to fit one of the prompts. While the questions are different, the goal is the same: to showcase your personality. It’s safe to say that your anecdote will likely work for all 3 prompts — it’s just a matter of which approach you want to take.

The main challenge with this essay is the brevity of your response; with only 250 words, there isn’t too much room to pack in loads of details. Even so, 250 words provide plenty of room for a brief introduction, at least one short-body paragraph, and a few sentences to wrap up at the end. Here is how we at CollegeVine recommend you to tackle each prompt.

Prompt Option #1

Usc believes that one learns best when interacting with people of different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. tell us about a time you were exposed to a new idea or when your beliefs were challenged by another point of view..

At first glance, this question seems very similar to prompt #3 on the Common Application: R eflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking ? What was the outcome ? The key difference between the two is that USC wants to know about a time when your belief was challenged by someone or something else . Here, you are the one being challenged , not the one doing the challenging .

For those of you who chose prompt #3 on the Common App, do not write about the same thing. This will just make your application seem too repetitive. Instead, try to think of some situations that forced you to look at an idea from a different perspective and thereby prompted your growth as an individual.

Here are a few examples to get you started:

• Speech and Debate – You were a member of your school’s Speech and Debate Team and participated in a competitive tournament. You competed under a debate category that mimics a Congressional hearing room, and took stances on scenarios that reflect modern world issues and controversies. Perhaps the issue at hand was internet security or the implementation of renewable energy. During your round, you were challenged by a rival competitor who put forth an opposing perspective, bringing a new idea to the table. What did you learn from this?
• Foreign Travel – You traveled to another country on a mission to educate and bring medical resources to underprivileged kids and their families. Having never traveled internationally before, you had never encountered another country’s culture or practices. Shocked by the torn state of the developing nations, you learned about the world outside of your own home state. You were introduced to the notion of embracing another country’s environment and using it as a means to gain worldly perspectives. This trip ignited your desire to provide assistance to those in need and expand your worldviews through travel.
• Challenged Through Literature – Being exposed to a new idea or being challenged can be as simple as reading a book (literally). Perhaps Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In inspired you to conquer your introversion and step out of your comfort zone. Or maybe her book exposed you to a new idea by proposing a novel way to approach work and leadership.

The key here is to demonstrate some sort of personal growth. While the prompt doesn’t explicitly ask for this, including a few sentences on how you matured will add that extra “wow factor” that USC loves to see. It is important to be honest here (as with all essays). Don’t write what you think USC wants to hear — write what you think highlights who YOU are . If you didn’t save hundreds of lives by providing vaccines to children in Africa, then there is no reason to pretend that you did.

Prompt Option #2

Describe something outside of your intended academic focus about which you are interested in learning..

Here, it is important to note that USC wants something outside of your academic focus. This, however, doesn’t limit you to discussing only academic topics; you are free to discuss almost anything that you’re interested in (as long as it’s appropriate, of course). Essentially, this is USC’s way of asking, “What else are you interested in?”

There are two ways to approach this prompt:

• Write about an interest that is outside of your focus, but connects back to your major. An example of this would be a Biology major interested in using artificial intelligence to streamline medical practices or an Environmental Studies major interested in law for the purpose of implementing green energy policies.
• Write about something completely unrelated to your major. This gives you more freedom and can thus be about anything. For example, you could be an Economics major with an interest in music or a Physics major who wants to be multilingual.

As with the previous prompt, it is important to be truthful. Don’t write about an interest that you think will make you look more appealing, as admissions officers can easily spot essays that try too hard. In order to convey real passion, be yourself and be honest. This is a great prompt to employ descriptive language and imagery; entice the readers into wanting to learn about what you love.

Prompt Option #3

What is something about yourself that is essential to understanding you.

Out of the three prompts, this one is the most open-ended, almost mimicking the infamous interview question “tell me about yourself.” Before jumping in, first ask yourself, “Is there anything I want USC to know about me?” When contemplating this, make sure you choose something that cannot be found somewhere else on your application. Don’t write about being a star basketball player if you already listed that under your extracurriculars.

Since this prompt is so flexible, you can incorporate any of the aforementioned examples from the previous two prompts to fit into this one. For instance, you could write a vivid account of your travels last summer and emphasize your desire to absorb new cultures. Or perhaps your interests in law and public policy are what fuel you to work toward making a positive social impact.

An easier way to start brainstorming for this prompt is to create a list of your personal qualities (avoid clichés like hard working, responsible, smart, etc). After doing this, try thinking of anecdotes that show or highlight this particular quality. If you’re adventurous, it would be great to tell a story of the time you went skydiving and connect it back to your inclination to step out of your comfort zone. If you’re a problem-solver, include an anecdote of the time you successfully completed an escape room and use that to highlight your love for puzzles in everyday life. Here, the possibilities are endless.

This prompt allows for more creativity; there is no need to be too serious and academic here. It doesn’t hurt to have a little fun with this essay — a little light humor goes a long way. As always, use vivid language to show the reader who you are.

Essay Prompt 2

Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests at usc. please feel free to address your first and second-choice major selections. (250 word limit).

With so many options at USC, it might be a little overwhelming to choose a major let alone know how to pursue it. CollegeVine is here to help you narrow down your interests and find ways to express them at USC.

Before we dive in, here are a few facts about USC that will help you get started:

• USC is located in metropolitan L.A., the home of many large companies such as Deloitte, Bank of America, and Paul Hastings.
• USC has its own medical school, the Keck School of Medicine.
• USC has its own business school — the Marshall School of Business — that offers programs for undergraduates.

To approach this prompt, you should first evaluate your academic interests and your selected major. Next, you should ask yourself, “Why USC?” What does USC offer in your major that no other college offers? If you are interested in medicine, you might discuss the practical experience that the Keck School of Medicine can provide you. Perhaps you have a strong interest in stem cells, and will pursue this by conducting medical research at Keck. Or maybe you are more interested in clinical experience and are hoping to shadow doctors at the medical school’s hospital.

If you are interested in business economics, you can analyze USC’s optimal location in downtown Los Angeles, discussing how the school’s geography gives you access to internships with the nation’s top corporations. You can include a brief paragraph on the strengths of USC’s Marshall School of Business, raving about how an education there will provide you with the necessary leadership skills to succeed in business.

Avoid vague and cliché answers such as “USC has a good business school,” or “USC is prestigious and highly ranked.” These types of responses don’t particularly answer the question, nor do they show that you have done your research on the school.

No matter what subject you intend to pursue, the most important thing is to show the school what you will do at USC if you are accepted . Which professors do you look forward to working with? What special curriculum path do you hope to head down? What resource do you plan to take advantage of? There is no right or wrong answer; USC just wants to understand the academic path you intend to follow. You don’t have to be too creative or try to think of an outside-the-box answer. For this prompt, simple and straightforward is better.

Short Answer (One Sentence)

Describe yourself in three words., first word:, second word:, third word:, what is your favorite snack, favorite app/website:, best movie of all time:, hashtag to describe yourself:, what is your theme song:, dream trip:, what tv show will you binge watch next:, place you are most content:.

These rapid-fire questions scare a lot of applicants because many think there is a “correct” way to answer them. The reality is, however, as with all prompts, there is no right or wrong answer. 

Since you have 100 characters for each short answer of this style, you can briefly explain your choices if you wish (e.g.”Best movie of all time: The Godfather; the depth and complexity of the mobsters was an unprecedented portrayal of crime circles”). If you can add answers that showcase your personality, i.e. a genuinely funny joke or something really interesting, then that might help you stand out a bit if it resonates with your admissions officer. But don’t force anything or it will produce the opposite effect.

It often scares students to leave such a straightforward response, but that’s exactly the purpose of these questions. The school wants to get to know you in a more direct and casual way.  Unless your favorite website really is CNN or your theme song is Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, there is no reason to be too obscure or intellectual. If you thought Mean Girls was the best movie of all time, then don’t be afraid to put that down!

As long as you avoid any offensive comments and your answer is appropriate, you can practically write anything in the spaces (as long as it’s honest). Even so, make sure to use your own good judgement for these answers. If you were a big Fifty Shades of Grey fan, it might be better to put down your second choice for best movie of all time.

For Engineers

*the following prompts are only for students who listed engineering as their major., what do you personally expect to get out of studying engineering or computer science in college (250 words).

This prompt closely resembles the standard “Why Major?” question that schools often ask. In the “Why Major?” prompt, you want to explain your motivation for studying that subject, why you’re qualified to do so, and why that specific school is a fitting environment to pursue that major. This USC prompt, however, focuses specifically on why you’re interested in engineering or computer science, as well as what you hope to accomplish with your degree. One thing to note is that you can discuss what you want to gain while you’re a student and what you want to be able to do after you graduate.

Take care not to repeat any information from the previous prompt about how you intend to pursue your academic interests at USC. That prompt is where you’ll want to write about USC-specific resources. In this section, you can really hone in on the reason behind your intended major.

Perhaps you want to study computer science because you’ve witnessed firsthand how much more efficient it can make our lives. For example, maybe you were able to code a program for a hospital that you volunteered at that saved employees from manually searching for and updating data. With a degree in computer science, perhaps you want to be able to build larger-scale programs to increase efficiency of data systems in hospitals even further. In terms of the skills you might develop while in college, maybe you want to better understand the collaborative side of computer science, since you’ve been coding mostly on your own.

Whatever the reason, be sure to tell an engaging story about your passion for engineering or computer science, as well as the skills you hope to develop.

While the world as a whole may be more technologically advanced than ever before, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) has outlined 14 Grand Challenges that engineers should focus on to improve life on the planet. Learn about the Grand Challenges at www.engineeringchallenges.org and tell us which challenge is most important, and why. (250 words)

It might be difficult to pick just one challenge out of the 14, but it’s important to note that one choice isn’t better than the other. This prompt definitely holds less of a personal aspect compared to other questions since it does not explicitly ask about “you.” If relevant however, your personal experiences can still be incorporated.

If you have experience conducting research in a lab, you might find the challenge “Engineer Better Medicines” the most important. For this example, you can connect your time working in research to your summer internship at the hospital and speak about how you witnessed firsthand the level of physical, emotional, and familial impact research work has on people.

Even if you do not have any personal connection with any of these challenges, however, you can still write an equally strong response as long as you give your reasons for your selection. You can even draw on other people’s life stories here. It is about how you convince the reader that your challenge takes precedence, and not about the actual challenge. The key word for this prompt is “why.”

As an example, if you choose “Make Solar Power Economical,” you could praise the potential that solar power holds, but challenge the high price that makes it difficult for most people to obtain. Following this with an explanation of the rapid depletion of Earth’s natural resources will help you emphasize the need for a shift in energy source and thereby, more renewable energy affordability. This was just one example of how to approach the question, but make sure to always answer the “why” no matter what prompt you are writing about.

Here are some questions to get you on track:

• Will the world be a more unbearable living environment if we did not make any progress in Challenge #1 or Challenge #2 (and so on) in 50 years?
• What does the future look like if the world unites in tackling this obstacle?
• How and why will this improve our future?

As with all other personal essays, remember to show and don’t tell the reader who you are. DO be genuine and DO answer the question. DON’T pretend to be someone else and DON’T be afraid to be yourself. Happy writing!

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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Home — Application Essay — National Universities — Why USC: The Perfect Fit for Academic Excellence and Vibrant Campus Culture

Why USC: The Perfect Fit for Academic Excellence and Vibrant Campus Culture

• University: University of Southern California

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Words: 632 |

Published: Feb 15, 2024

Words: 632 | Pages: 1 | 4 min read

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Academic excellence, diverse opportunities, vibrant campus culture, in conclusion.

I find USC to be the perfect fit for my educational journey. USC's commitment to fostering innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and global engagement aligns seamlessly with my personal and professional aspirations. In this essay, I will delve deep into the reasons why USC stands out among other institutions and why I am drawn to become a part of its vibrant community.

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One of the primary reasons I am attracted to USC is its unwavering commitment to academic excellence. The renowned faculty members, cutting-edge research opportunities, and rigorous academic programs offered by USC's various schools and departments make it an ideal environment for intellectual growth.

USC's dedication to interdisciplinary studies is particularly appealing to me. As a student interested in exploring the intersections of different fields and bridging the gap between disciplines, USC's emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration provides an unparalleled opportunity for me to grow as a scholar and thinker. Whether it be through the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences or the Viterbi School of Engineering, USC encourages students to pursue their academic passions across various areas of knowledge.

Moreover, USC's commitment to global engagement is a distinguishing factor that sets it apart from other institutions. With its extensive study abroad programs, international partnerships, and diverse student body, USC offers a truly global educational experience. As someone who believes in the importance of understanding different cultures and perspectives, USC's global focus aligns perfectly with my desire to become a global citizen.

USC's dedication to providing diverse opportunities both inside and outside the classroom is another compelling reason why I am drawn to the university. From volunteering and community service initiatives to internships and research opportunities, USC offers a wide range of avenues for students to apply their knowledge and make a positive impact on the world.

At USC, students are not confined to the boundaries of their majors. The university encourages and supports students in pursuing their extracurricular passions, whether it be through involvement in student organizations, entrepreneurship ventures, or artistic endeavors. This holistic approach to education ensures that students like me have the freedom to explore their interests and develop a well-rounded skill set.

Furthermore, USC's location in Los Angeles is an incredible advantage that opens up numerous opportunities for networking, internships, and career prospects. The vibrant city's rich cultural scene, thriving industries, and proximity to major companies provide USC students with real-world experiences that complement their academic journey.

The vibrant campus culture at USC is something that truly captured my attention. The university's commitment to fostering a sense of community, inclusivity, and active engagement is evident in every aspect of campus life. USC's diverse student body, with students hailing from all over the world, creates a dynamic and enriching environment where different perspectives are celebrated.

Beyond academics, the various student organizations, clubs, and events at USC offer countless opportunities for personal growth and leadership development. Whether it be through joining a cultural club, participating in a sports team, or engaging in social activism, USC enables students to find their passions, form lifelong friendships, and make a difference in society.

The Trojan Family, USC's extensive alumni network, is another testament to the strong sense of community that defines the USC experience. The support and mentorship offered by the Trojan Family provide students with invaluable connections and resources that extend beyond their time at USC.

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In conclusion, USC's commitment to academic excellence, diverse opportunities, and vibrant campus culture make it a compelling choice for my collegiate journey. I am confident that USC's interdisciplinary approach, global engagement initiatives, and dedication to student success will provide me with the ideal environment to thrive both academically and personally. USC's unique combination of innovation, diversity, and community has convinced me that it is the perfect place for me to pursue my educational aspirations and make a positive impact on the world.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, usc sample essays: where can i find them.

Hey everyone, I'm in the process of working on my USC application and I'd really like to see some sample essays that people have written for their USC applications. Does anyone know a reliable source where I can find them? Any help would be super helpful!

Hi there! It's a great idea to look at sample essays to help inspire your own writing. Luckily for you, CollegeVine has compiled a few examples of USC essays that were written by real students who were ultimately accepted to the university, and has also provided breakdowns of what each essay did well and any points that could have been made even stronger: https://blog.collegevine.com/usc-essay-examples/.

Make sure you use these samples to help generate ideas and inspire you, but don't copy or imitate them. The key is to showcase your own unique story and voice in your essay, not parrot someone else's strategy—there's more than one way to write an excellent essay. Also, consider asking teachers, guidance counselors, or any mentors you have access to for their suggestions and feedback. They may have read many essays in the past, and can help you in refining your essay.

Finally, remember that CollegeVine also offers both a free peer essay review service and paid reviews by expert college admissions advisors. Sometimes, getting a more objective set of eyes on your essay, from someone who doesn't already know you well, is the best way of figuring out which kinks still need ironing out.

Best of luck with your application!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

USC Transfer Essay Success: An Example

The USC transfer essay can be quite daunting, especially if your GPA and extracurriculars are not very impressive. Fortunately for you, dear reader, you may still fulfill your dream of becoming a Trojan!

Below we have a successful USC transfer essay from a very fortunate and generous applicant. They were able to get accepted into USC with some rather average scores. No, not average compared to a lot of students; we mean average as in average for the rest of the transfer applicants to USC. So, what did their stats look like? Their college stats before transferring were something like this compared to the competition.

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Their GPA: 3.8

Average USC Transfer GPA: 3.7

Okay, so that’s not exactly a large advantage amongst the rest of the admissions pool. With that said, our applicant must have had something to compensate for their competition.

Remember: it’s not enough to be average to get in to your dream school (unless you want to rely on the luck of the draw), you want to have something to show you are better than the rest of the admissions pool to maximize your admissions chances.

With that said, they did in fact have something to compensate for it! And no, we don’t mean bribes. They were able to play the college admissions game right by constructing their story for the college essay as well as possible. Though they do not have all of the traits that we put in our college application services, due to their having consulted us only after their submission, they were a fantastic writer who nonetheless hit most of the good points.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at our applicant’s successful USC Transfer Essay.

USC Transfer Essay: The Prompt.

Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve. You can type directly into the box, or you can paste text from another source. (Approximately 650 words)

I want my success to be determined by what I do, not who I am. Growing up as a Vietnamese-born immigrant, I have been influenced by the culture of my parents as well as that of my peers. At a youth conference that I attended in Vietnam, two businessmen proclaimed that a woman’s appearance was more important than her professional capabilities in defining her potential for early career success. This unfortunate yet earnest piece of advice, stemming from years of cultural and societal conditioning, had been impressed on me as the status quo, complicating an already convoluted path for a young aspiring lawyer like me to navigate. I was not born with privilege, nor was I expected to become particularly successful in my future career, but I had always wanted to be self-made and a professional involved in law and politics. Relying on my grit, and with my husband’s support, I forged a plan that involves attending a University to realize my goal to become a lawyer. After a tumultuous experience in High School, I had seized the opportunity to attend Pasadena City College so that I could better prepare both financially and academically for the opportunity to transfer to a leading University to study Political Science. It had become clear at the end of High School that I needed such a stepping stone in order to build a stronger foundation and strived to improve my study habits, while using the experience I gained from a part-time job as a fashion model to build confidence and fearlessness as a woman. My academic interest was in political affairs and I was especially drawn to how externalities influence political outcomes, such as how the appearance of a woman running for office can become a deciding factor over her campaign platform. Just like how the social sciences have double blind studies and the life sciences have experimental controls, I would like to learn about the science of politics and how we can apply scientific principles to the development of greater political competency. I also want to be better prepared for entry into a law school, where what I accomplish as an undergraduate will help me secure the strongest opportunity forward. I believe that the world class faculty at USC and perhaps a scholarship or two would allow me to proudly accomplish my goal and represent the next generation of young professionals who are what they do.

Here we will show you some of the positive attributes that make this college essay so powerful. We will show you what they did in their essay (that is covered in our editing services) that gave them the competitive edge to get accepted by USC.

• Interesting Intro: The introduction here could be optimized more to bring out some of the gravity of the situation. Nonetheless, it’s a rather well-written part. The first line suggests that there was a problem with the way the our applicant was seen and she later clarifies it by describing the businessmen. The introduction should have something interesting in it that makes the whole admissions essay stand out. Having a good topic to write about, especially if it is about social pressures and fighting against the status quo, will help you have an incredible advantage against other applicants. There are plenty of ways to find good topics to make your intro look good.

On the topic of good introductions and good admissions essay topics, you can find our articles about it here.

Topics Article

Good Introduction Article

2. More Questions than Answers: This is a technique that is implemented by more talented writers, so it may be rather difficult to execute properly. The gist of this is that the writer answers a question, or begins to answer a question, with background information that obscures. This means that they made the admissions officers more confused than they are informed. This may sound like a rather bad idea; after all, who would want to just make the admissions officers more confused than necessary. Bear with us here.

The goal of doing this is mostly in the intro. The writer writes enough about their background to inform eh admissions officers but leaves out very critical context to make the situation seem more dynamic than it may be.

Our applicant here does exactly this. Instead of just spilling all the tea by saying “People said a woman’s anatomy is more important than their business sense, then I proved them wrong”, she puts more detail into suggesting the disgust she feels about this viewpoint and, in the end of the paragraph, implies that something will happen where she prove them wrong.

Note: As effective as this is in convincing admissions officers (it certainly helped with our applicant) this is very difficult to do properly. We’ve seen plenty of rough drafts fail to do this without our intervention or help. Thus, we suggest that if you are looking for a good introduction with this stylized writing, you should consult with one of our expert admissions editors first.

3. Rising From Ashes: In the USC transfer essay, and in just about every admissions essay at that, it is vital to have a description of personal growth or development. The only exception to this is if the essay prompt asks something of you that makes it impossible to bring up personal growth. (which is very rare since it’s such a common topic!) This doesn’t mean just getting better at something: everyone has that. A good moment of personal growth is going through a “fall” or “dark times” that inspire you to make yourself better. A wealthy student from a nice neighborhood in New York working through personal struggles may not be as impressive as one who had been living through oppressive forces all their lives.

Now, this does not mean you have to have had a bad backstory in order to demonstrate personal growth. However, it does mean you should find an instance of “lacking” in your life that had become the catalyst to your personal growth. Everyone has one, no matter how big or small; you just have to be able to dig through it and write it in the right way to make it work for you.

We do understand that this may be very difficult for people who have a hard time finding “low-points” in their lives; for that we recommend that you shoot us a message! We deal with situations where students cannot write their admissions essay to its maximum capacity all the time. When you talk with our admissions experts, you will have a better prepared USC transfer essay that will maximize your chances of admission.

122 thoughts on “USC Transfer Essay Success: An Example”

I liked the course very much. It extended my knowledge about USC transfer essay writing. Thanks a lot for the great post! I liked how detailed and helpful it is..!

Hi there Anna! We’re glad that this was helpful! Let us know if you’ve any questions and let’s keep in touch!

I want to apply to USC so bad! Is there any way you can give me more advice and tips to get in as a transfer?

Hi there Isa! No problem. I can send you an email and we can discuss your current application there!

Best, Jason Xie

I’d love if you can also do the same with me. Im currently applying and figuring out the right approach on how to write my essays.

Hi Yonathan! I just sent you an email. Thanks!

Hey Jason, I am also looking for help on how to write my USC essays properly. I would love it if you could do the same with me.

Hi Mahmut! I just sent you a message to your email. Thanks!

Hey Jason! I am also applying and wanted to see if you could help me out as well?

Hi Audrey! Thank you for the reply. We can help you, no problem! I just sent you an email and we may discuss further from there.

Hi Isa, I am planning to apply to USC for transfer can you help me too?

If you’re looking for help with your USC transfer application, I can certainly help. I just sent you an email!

Hi! I would love some more info on the transfer applications as well. Can you also send me an email?

Hi Kwon! Just sent a message. Thank you!

I’m writing a transfer essay to USC could you help me please?

Hi George! No problem. I just sent you an email!

Hello Jason! I’m working on my essay for the transfer application too, can you send me some help with my essays? Thank you!

Hi Jeff! I just sent you an email. As a reminder, please reply to our email with the best callback number for my team and I to reach you! Thank you!

Hello! I am interested in getting feedback on my use transfer essay

Hi Kassidee Avila! Thank you for your response. I sent you a message to your email.

Hi Jason, can you please help me on my USC application as well? Thank you so much.

No Problem Claire Kim! I just sent you an email!

Hi jason, I am currently applying to transfer to USC as well! do you think you could help me with my application? Thank you so much

Hi Nate! I just sent a reply to your email. Please take a look. Thanks!

I am writing essay for transfering to USC. Could you give me more sample essay? I am stuck that I don’t know what to write.

Hi Connie! I sent you a reply through your email. We may discuss further there. Thanks!

I am applying to USC and would move some help with my transfer essay.

Hi Kēhaulani McAllister. I just sent you an email. Thank you!

No Problem Kēhaulani McAllister! I sent you an email just now. Thank you!

Hi Jason, I’m applying to transfer to USC, and was wondering if you can help me also with my transfer essay? Thank you

Thanks for the comment Nicole! I sent you an email just now and we can talk about how we can help!

Hello, thanks for this informing article, I need some help with this essay in particular.

No problem Dan! I just sent you an email!

Hi I am in the process of applying to USC and would greatly appreciate any help possible, thanks

Hi Danica! Just sent you an email. Thanks!

Hi I am in the process of applying to USC and would greatly appreciate any help possible, thank you

Hi Danica! I sent you an email and you can take a look. Thank you!

Hi there! Would you be able to help me with my transfer application by chance?

Hi Lauren! We certainly can! I just sent you an email and we may discuss our services there. Thank you!

Hello: I am applying to USC as a transfer and I would love some feedback.

Hi Freddy! Great! I just sent you an email and we can work from there!

Hi there! Would it be possible to assist me with the essays or take a look at it? Thanks.

Hey Fernando! We certainly can. We just sent you a message to your email. Thank you!

Hi! I am currently applying to USC as well and would love to receive any sort of help or additional sample essays.

Hi Joey! We can definitely help with your essays. I sent you an email. Thank you!

Hello! I am currently applying to USC and I would love to receive any help with my essays or just an overview of my application if possible.

Hi Lila! We can help with your USC essays! I just sent you a reply to your email!

Hello, I also need some help with my USC why transfer essay.

Hi Tommy! Thank you for your comment. We can help and we’ve just contacted you through email. Thanks!

Hi. This helped me a lot! I would love to attain some more advice for my transfer essay.

Hi Sabbi! Thank you! We’re glad you liked it! We can certainly talk more about how we can help you. I just sent you an email.

Hi I need some help with my college essay.

Hi Tadashi! Thank you for the comment! We can help and we just sent you an email.

Hi, I would like some advice for my transfer essays as well! Thank you 🙂

Hi Dianne! We just sent you an email so we can talk about how we can help you out. Thanks!

Good morning! I would love some help with my essays.

Hi Alexis! We just sent you a message through your email and we can discuss how we may help you there. Thanks!

Good morning!

I would love some help with my essays

Hi Alexis! *See previous comment* Thanks!

Hey! Can you also help me with my transfer essays? I will be trying to transfer into the CSBA program.

Hi Emily! Thank you for your request. We can certainly help with your transfer essays. We just sent you an email and we can help you from there. Thanks!

Could you help me with the transfer essays too? I am trying to transfer as a CSBA major.

Hi Emily! *See previous comment* Thanks!

Can you send me an email? I need help with my essay.

Hi! Can you please help me with my transfer essays too? I would really appreciate it!

Hello Kristina! We just sent you a message to your email and we can go from there!

Hi! Can you please help me with my USC transfer essays too? I would really appreciate it!

Hi Kristina! We can certainly help! We just sent you an email.

I am applying to USC as a transfer student. Can you check it out?

Hi Jacob! No problem. I just sent you an email, thanks!

Hey Jason! I enjoyed your insight and breakdown on the USC prompt. I would love to get more wisdom on my application from you!

Thank you Samuel! I just sent you a reply to your email.

Hi, I’m planning on applying as a transfer as well! Can you guys take a took at my application?

Hi Alan! Of course! I sent you a message to your email.

I am a transfer applicant and would love to get some support with my application

Thank you for your reply. Because we are in the last few days of the admissions season for USC Transfer, we are experiencing high volumes of clients and requests. As such, the available services may change. However, we may still help you and anyone coming after in whatever way we can! I sent you a message to your email!

This is great! I also would love to get more tips on essays!

Thank you! We’ll be sending you a message to your email.

Hey Is too late to get feedback on my responses?

Hi Michael! You reached us when the deadline had already passed. However, we can still provide feedback! We just sent you an email.

I am applying as a transfer student to USC for Fall 2022.

Can I please get guidance with my essay?

Thank you, Zayn

Hi Zayn! No problem. We just reached out to you through your email. Thanks!

I am also applying as a transfer student to USC for Fall 2022. I would very much appreciate some guidance on my essay

thank you, Dai

No worries. I just sent you an email and we can work through it from there. Thank you!

Hi Jason I see that loads of students are interested in feedback. I’ll be transferring for the fall semester of 2022. May I receive some guidance? Best, David

I am also applying as a transfer student to USC for Fall 2022 as a CS major. I would very much appreciate some guidance on my essays.

Thanks, Rohit

Hi Rohit! I can certainly help you through a free consultation over the phone (or zoom depending on what you prefer). We actually get quite a few CS majors requesting help, so I’d be glad to help however I can! I sent you an email.

I am also applying as a transfer student to USC for Fall 2022 as a Business Administration major. It would be amazing if I could guidance.

Sincerely, Daymen

Thank you for your request for help! Some of our advising and guidance services have changed indefinitely and we won’t expect services to return to their original format until around mid-March or so. I’ll provide more info on this through email. I’ve sent you an email!

Need help with transfer essay

Thank you for your request for help. We apologize for the late reply; we’ve been quite busy with helping clients on their USC essays due to the close deadline! The deadline has been extended to the 16th, though, which gives us some spare time. We can provide some advising and guidance services, but some are limited indefinitely. I’ve sent you an email!

I am not sure if this page is still active, however, It would be beyond appreciated if I could receive some help. I am applying to Transfer to USC for Fall 2023. I have already composed my essays and have been editing!

Thank you for your reply! We’ve recently been swamped with requests for hourly and package services; so, replies for free consultations had to slow down a bit. However, we still have space and can help with your essays. I sent you an email!

Hi! I am applying to USC for fall 2023. Would I be able to request some feedback on my essay?

Hi Jolie! No problem; I just sent you an email!

I am applying to USC for 2023. I would appreciate to have some advice on my essay:)

Thanks for the request; I’d be happy to help! I sent you an email!

Hi! I am applying to transfer for fall of 2023 to USC and hope for some help!

Hi Naya! Thanks for requesting help with your USC application; I can certainly help. I just sent you an email!

Hi David! Thank you for your request! I would be happy to help and just sent you an email to schedule a reservation!

Hi! I am applying to transfer for fall of 2023 to USC and would love any assistance!

Hi! I am applying to transfer for fall of 2023 to USC and would love some help!

Hi Emma! Thank you for requesting help! I would be glad to help with your USC transfer essays; I just sent you an email!

Hi! I am applying to transfer for fall of 2023 to USC and would love any help I can get!

Hi! I am applying to transfer for fall of 2023 to USC. I would love some help!

Thanks so much for the request! I’d be happy to help and I just sent you an email, thanks!

Hello, I am applying for transfer for Fall 2023 and could use help with my essay. Can you please give me information on your process?

Hi Francesca! Sure! However, the deadline is quite close so I may be limited in how much help I may provide! I sent you an email!

Hi! I am nearing the deadline but would love some last minute pointers. I am close to being done- could you help me out a little bit?

My apologies! We received your request quite late into the deadline and thus don’t have any available spots for reviews! However, we are still available to help out with other colleges that are past the February 15th deadline! I just sent you an email about that!

Hiꜝ, I am also thinking of transferring to USC next term. Could I also ask for some help?̊̈ The post was beneficial. Thank you so much. Have a great day.

Hi Victoria! Thanks for the request and I’m glad you like my post! I just sent you an email where you can reserve a free consultation with me! (:

Hello, I am applying for a transfer for Fall 2024 and could use help with my essay. Could I also ask for some help?̊̈ Thanks!

Hi Sean! Of course! I would be happy to help and have just sent you an email where you can reserve a free consultation. Thanks! (:

Hi! I’m applying to USC for Fall 2024 as a transfer student. I don’t know if it’s a little late to ask for some help in formulating my essay, as the due date is next week. I hope to hear back soon. Thank you!

Hi Nadya! It’s certainly not too late to ask for help with the essays, and I’d be happy to help! I just sent you an email!

Hi! I’m applying to USC for fall 2024 as a transfer student and could use some help with writing my essay. Thanks!

Hi Nadya! I responded to the previous comment and just sent you an email!

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