What will first-time readers think of your usc admission essay essay? Supplemental Essay Type s : WhyOddballShort Answer. Submit your essay for free peer review to refine and perfect it. This is a tricky but important distinction. How to Get a Perfect 4. Want to write the perfect college application essay? Select-A-Prompt Short Response Required.
Prompt 2, Option 3
The University of Southern California has a few supplemental essays that students must complete. There are two required essays and one optional essay. The required essays cover your academic interests at USC and lets you choose from three prompts covering diversity, usc admission essay, interdisciplinary education, or personal background. The optional essay gives you the opportunity to explain any gaps in your high school education. Want to know your chances at USC? Calculate your chances for free right now. 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 words. You do not need usc admission essay address a summer break words. Short Answer Prompts: Respond to all the prompts below characters unless otherwise specified. Dornsife Applicants Prompt: Please select one of the essay prompts below. Please provide an essay of no more than words on your selected prompt topic. The first thing you should do is figure out the content of your essay. While your essay should explore resources that will aid in your academic pursuits, usc admission essay, you should also keep it as specific to USC as possible—this essay should not be able to be copied and pasted for usc admission essay other university!
Bad: USC is a great school, located in the beautiful city of Los Angeles, with unparalleled academics and renowned instructors. Why is this bad? This sentence could just as easily apply to UCLA. Without the bit about Los Angeles, the reasoning could even apply to any decent school in existence. Good: At USC, I plan to participate in usc admission essay Joint Educational Project JEP to find a community of students who, like me, are passionate about the intersections of teaching and social justice. Through JEP, I will be usc admission essay to actively use the teaching principles I learn in my classes about the Dynamics of Early Childhood. Why is this good? The Final Step: Write a cohesive essay that tells admissions officers why you are pursuing your field and why USC is the right place for you to pursue it.
Some examples could include:. If you are worried about the word count, one way to maximize the little space you have is to find a way to relate your first- and second-choice majors. A student with a first-choice major in Physics and a second-choice major in English might want to write about their ultimate goal of writing Science Fiction novels. A student with a first-choice major in History and a second-choice major in East Asian Languages and Culture might write about their goal of curating Asian American history museums. In the first prompt, USC is asking you to demonstrate that you will appreciate, add to, usc admission essay, and benefit from the diverse community they have fostered.
It is important to recognize that this prompt builds in a lot of flexibility. There are many different avenues that your essay is free to go down. First, it does not specify the kind of experience you have to discuss. You could talk about joining a new club, usc admission essay, making a new acquaintance, reading a book that challenged your views, internal questioning where you were the one presenting the new ideasor any other experience that connects to the prompt. One topic we recommend staying away from, however, is sharing how you used to be closed-minded about certain groups of people like certain cultures or sexualitiesbut now are open-minded.
Second, it does not specify whether the challenge must be positive or negative—both positive and negative experiences have effects on us! For example, if a student were to write about an experience at a protest, it might not be the most joyful essay, usc admission essay, but it could be compelling. On the other hand, a student could write about a situation where they made a friend who was very different from them and learned about themself—like a Christian young girl learning the principles of Hinduism through a new friend or a student of South African descent learning about the history of Algeria from their Algerian American teacher. Third, it does not specify if the challenge or exposure had to lead to you changing your belief.
Sometimes we are challenged and the challenge simply reaffirms something we formerly believed. Use the space to tell a story that shows your personal growth or character arc. The key here is to show that you are open-minded and that you understand the value of learning from the people around you. This prompt is great for students who have a hobby, interest, or even just a burning curiosity, outside of their first and second-choice majors. You can also use this space to demonstrate your passion for your major and show how that passion compels you to make connections between your field of study and other fields of study.
This approach—which simultaneously shows that you understand the interconnectedness of academics and care about your field—will be very appealing to admissions officers. Examples could include:. If the subject you are writing about does not relate to your major studies, you might want to consider including an anecdote to introduce your new subject. This essay might take on a more narrative form, usc admission essay. On the other hand, if your interest relates to your major, you might want to write a reflective essay about your goals and the importance of interdisciplinary studies in achieving your goals. This could include discussing your values, beliefs, history, usc admission essay, identity, or personality.
Here are some examples:. Of course, these are just usc admission essay few examples. This prompt can go anywhere you want usc admission essay long as it ties back to something fundamental about yourself. Take some time to really think about why you are the way you are. However, if you do have a gap in your educational history, then be sure to use this space to address it, usc admission essay. Give a brief explanation of the reasoning for the gap—be it illness, a move, etc. Ideally, you want to demonstrate how you made the most of this time off and why the time off was necessary, usc admission essay. In this section, USC lets you have a little fun, usc admission essay.
The questions ask for short, rapid-fire responses that give you the opportunity to let your individuality shine. The most important thing to keep in mind with the short answer supplements is that USC is asking you to provide new information that sheds light on different aspects of your personality. Most importantly, have fun in this section! You can leave descriptions or notes in your responses, though remember that you have characters max. If your choices are pretty well-known, you can still leave a note about why you chose them as in the sample response to 8.
Tip: This is an opportunity to show your roots or quirky favorites. Make your response more interactive by including descriptive words that appeal to the senses, especially taste and smell. Tip: A lot of applicants will write Harry Potter. Be genuine in your response, usc admission essay take this opportunity to stand out rather than providing a generic answer. That said, you could also go for a more lighthearted answer, like a crossword puzzle writer, to use the space to show personality. Tip: Just as with the best movie prompt, you may want to avoid mainstream selections and instead usc admission essay forward a title that says something about you.
What song would you want the admissions officer to play while reading your application? Make sure the song you choose is appropriate. Example: Aggretsuko anime about a red panda who relieves job stress by singing death metal at karaoke bars. Tip: Follow similar guidelines to the theme song prompt—mainstream selections are fine and are potentially relatable to the reader, but that quirkier show you have your eye on might make for a more fun response, usc admission essay. If your selection is lesser-known, consider adding a brief description. Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate? Example: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight — I read the entire book in my favorite pair of Air Max 97s. Example: SETI: Using the Drake Equation to Find E.
This first prompt can be difficult for some due to its seriousness. This is a great option for students who feel more like deep thinkers than creative thinkers. The first prong of this prompt is your opportunity to talk about your internal self. Think about how your broad conception of education relates to your values and what is important to you. The second part of this prompt is a good opportunity to focus specifically on your field of study. Because they are asking about you personally, feel free to mention your future major and your goals. Use this essay as an opportunity to think deeply about yourself and what you are interested in. Show off your passion and energy! It is important that your personal definition of educated from the first prong of the essay relates to your criteria for achieving the definition from the second prong of the usc admission essayusc admission essay, but that can be difficult.
With attention to detail, deep thought, and smooth organization, this option can be pulled off beautifully! This prompt requires less deep thought than the former. USC is not looking for wild answers where students turn the holes in swiss cheese into a complex metaphor—they really just want to hear what you care about. That being said, what you care about can totally be weird or nuanced, as usc admission essay as your interest in the subject usc admission essay admissions officers something about you. While these are just some examples, this prompt leaves the door open for you to explore whatever you care about, usc admission essay.
Because this essay is the simpler option, make sure that your writing is impeccable if you choose this second prompt. Engage with anecdotes and a unique personal voice to keep your essay engaging. Having peers read your essays will help you to identify areas for improvement and, usc admission essay, ultimately, will help you maximize your chances of getting into USC. By creating a free CollegeVine accountyou will have access to CollegeVine resources like our free peer-review service. Describe yourself in three words 25 characters max each. Example: Cinephile. Tip: Be creative! What is your favorite snack? If your life had a theme song, what would it be? What TV show will you binge watch next? Example: Aggretsuko anime about a red panda who relieves job stress by singing death metal at karaoke bars Tip: Follow similar guidelines to the theme song prompt—mainstream selections are fine and are potentially relatable to the reader, usc admission essay, but that quirkier show you have your eye on might make for a more fun response.
beauty is in the eye of the beholder essay
The key here is to show that you are open-minded and that you understand the value of learning from the people around you. This prompt is great for students who have a hobby, interest, or even just a burning curiosity, outside of their first and second-choice majors. You can also use this space to demonstrate your passion for your major and show how that passion compels you to make connections between your field of study and other fields of study. This approach—which simultaneously shows that you understand the interconnectedness of academics and care about your field—will be very appealing to admissions officers.
Examples could include:. If the subject you are writing about does not relate to your major studies, you might want to consider including an anecdote to introduce your new subject. This essay might take on a more narrative form. On the other hand, if your interest relates to your major, you might want to write a reflective essay about your goals and the importance of interdisciplinary studies in achieving your goals. This could include discussing your values, beliefs, history, identity, or personality. Here are some examples:.
Of course, these are just a few examples. This prompt can go anywhere you want as long as it ties back to something fundamental about yourself. Take some time to really think about why you are the way you are. However, if you do have a gap in your educational history, then be sure to use this space to address it. Give a brief explanation of the reasoning for the gap—be it illness, a move, etc. Ideally, you want to demonstrate how you made the most of this time off and why the time off was necessary. In this section, USC lets you have a little fun. The questions ask for short, rapid-fire responses that give you the opportunity to let your individuality shine.
The most important thing to keep in mind with the short answer supplements is that USC is asking you to provide new information that sheds light on different aspects of your personality. Most importantly, have fun in this section! You can leave descriptions or notes in your responses, though remember that you have characters max. If your choices are pretty well-known, you can still leave a note about why you chose them as in the sample response to 8. Tip: This is an opportunity to show your roots or quirky favorites. Make your response more interactive by including descriptive words that appeal to the senses, especially taste and smell. Tip: A lot of applicants will write Harry Potter.
Be genuine in your response, but take this opportunity to stand out rather than providing a generic answer. That said, you could also go for a more lighthearted answer, like a crossword puzzle writer, to use the space to show personality. Tip: Just as with the best movie prompt, you may want to avoid mainstream selections and instead put forward a title that says something about you. What song would you want the admissions officer to play while reading your application? Make sure the song you choose is appropriate. Example: Aggretsuko anime about a red panda who relieves job stress by singing death metal at karaoke bars.
Tip: Follow similar guidelines to the theme song prompt—mainstream selections are fine and are potentially relatable to the reader, but that quirkier show you have your eye on might make for a more fun response. If your selection is lesser-known, consider adding a brief description. Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate? Example: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight — I read the entire book in my favorite pair of Air Max 97s. Example: SETI: Using the Drake Equation to Find E. This first prompt can be difficult for some due to its seriousness. This is a great option for students who feel more like deep thinkers than creative thinkers. The first prong of this prompt is your opportunity to talk about your internal self. Think about how your broad conception of education relates to your values and what is important to you.
The second part of this prompt is a good opportunity to focus specifically on your field of study. Because they are asking about you personally, feel free to mention your future major and your goals. Use this essay as an opportunity to think deeply about yourself and what you are interested in. Show off your passion and energy! It is important that your personal definition of educated from the first prong of the essay relates to your criteria for achieving the definition from the second prong of the essay , but that can be difficult. With attention to detail, deep thought, and smooth organization, this option can be pulled off beautifully! This prompt requires less deep thought than the former. USC is not looking for wild answers where students turn the holes in swiss cheese into a complex metaphor—they really just want to hear what you care about.
That being said, what you care about can totally be weird or nuanced, as long as your interest in the subject tells admissions officers something about you. While these are just some examples, this prompt leaves the door open for you to explore whatever you care about. Because this essay is the simpler option, make sure that your writing is impeccable if you choose this second prompt. Quotation marks! Throughout this essay, the writer uses physical and powerful verbs to describe his passion for debating. Words like these help the essay communicate a wealth of emotion while adhering to the short word limit. So, how can you apply this? List verbs, images, and feelings that communicate this emotional state.
Really strive to immerse your reader in your emotional world. By far, the most important element of this essay is its focus on a personal transformation. Why is this attractive to an admissions reader? Well, because it demonstrates that the applicant is introspective and interested in improving himself in deeply personal ways. Focus on a personal quest also helps the awards and achievements of the author seem authentic, rather than just bragging. But by framing these achievements in relation to his battle with temper, they seem like natural progressions of his biography. How can I involve my achievements or biography in ways that reflect this ongoing struggle? Brainstorm examples of personal growth that have helped you throughout high school, and which you want to continue in college.
This writer has a good instinct for when to add comic relief. When writing a college essay, it can be easy to get lost in self-seriousness, and be ALL ABOUT ANGST ALL THE TIME. So, what can we learn from this? Well, that you should always have perspective about how serious your topic is. For more help with your USC essays, check out our USC essay breakdown. As always, CollegeVine is here to help you with other elements of your application as well. Want more help with your essays and improving your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses.
USC Supplemental Essay Prompt. Active, Fighting Words Throughout this essay, the writer uses physical and powerful verbs to describe his passion for debating. Flaws, Challenges, and Obstacles By far, the most important element of this essay is its focus on a personal transformation. Short, Personal Humor This writer has a good instinct for when to add comic relief. Is my opening eye-catching, captivating, and unique? Have I used active, vivid verbs and imagery to convey my passions and experiences? Is my essay reflective?
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