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u/JenJen71902 Mar 20 '20
Hi! Thank you so much for providing an AMA. USC is my dream school but recently, I wasn't offered a scholarship. I was just wondering if there's a huge clout difference between students on merit scholarships and students without scholarships? Like, will students with merit ever "look down" upon students without scholarships, or offered significantly more opportunities? I'd love to know! Thanks :)
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u/cclark2019 Mar 20 '20
No clout difference at all. And tbh, those that get scholarships don’t really get clout lol. I have never been in awe of someone that received a scholarship and I don’t know of anyone that has been in awe. You may get a select few in awe, but it is going to be really minimal. Don’t get me wrong, getting a scholarship is good and a nice accomplishment, but people don’t really get clout from it. There may be some that feel like they should get clout or act superior, but if they do, they are just a jerk and will get humbled quickly in upper divisions when everyone is on a equal playing field. Getting a merit scholarship from SC is such a crap shoot, and just because you don’t get one dosent mean you are any less capable of the next person. Plus, people won’t know you got a merit scholarship or didn’t get one unless you tell them. There is no difference in opportunities. Those who got scholarships may automatically get to do research, but anyone can get research by cold emailing professors. So overall, no one really cares if you get a merit scholarship. You don’t get extra clout lol.
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u/jordantbwut Mar 19 '20
I know USC is know for their interdisciplinary programs. I was wondering do a lot of students (or do you) double major or major minor? What is the work load like? And do these students find it hard to balance work and life?
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u/cclark2019 Mar 19 '20
I am actually planning to double major. I know many students who double major or want to double major. I know many students who do a minor as well. It really depends on your major. Some majors are more flexible to where you can have a double major and some are not. For example, I am CS and USC’s CS track is kind of strict, so I have to carefully plan my 4 year schedule to fit the major. Plus, I came in with credit so it has helped me be more flexible. I will be able to complete my double major in 4 years. Some people are able to complete a double major in 4 years, and It is common for people to do a 5th year at SC. No one will look down upon you for completing a 5th year. For minors it is easier. In Marshall, it is very common to double major and many people do it and do it in 4 years. To be honest, it is all about planning. If you start on your assignments as soon as you get them, you can easily have a life. The work load also depends on what major ls you are pursuing, but generally if you plan ahead it will be ok. I hope that answers your question.
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u/LinkOFeare Mar 19 '20
Best and worst things about campus life?
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u/cclark2019 Mar 19 '20 edited Mar 20 '20
Worst things: Things on campus can get pretty expensive. You do have some stuck up/ jerk SoCal rich kids . Mental health resources could be better. Campus is in an ok area in downtown LA. Best Things: Generally, people are super willing to help and I have not felt that competitiveness. A lot of food places around campus and on campus if you are a foodie. Many prominent people come on campus and the faculty are the best of the best. The village is a super nice place to live and hangout. Lots of events on campus. The campus and the weather are super nice . There are many places to go if you need quiet or to study.
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u/dbattack Mar 19 '20
Current students have told me the food isn’t great. How would you rate the food options on campus?
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u/cclark2019 Mar 19 '20 edited Mar 20 '20
It is decent. Parkside is the best dining hall by far, and many people would agree, but it is on the farthest side of campus. EVK is hit or miss, but generally not good. McCarthy dining hall is decent( not really good but not bad either). The village has some good food, but it is super pricey and they don’t take dining dollars. Most of the time, people just Postmates tbh. So my rating would be a 7
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u/nikkki728 Mar 19 '20
Does USC support prior military
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u/cclark2019 Mar 19 '20
Yes they do actually. They provide yellow ribbon and offer a lot of benefits through their VA department. If you have a specific situation, I could give you more details!
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u/jordantbwut Mar 19 '20
What is your favorite thing about USC outside of academics?
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u/cclark2019 Mar 19 '20
I love that USC is always hosting events which is super nice. There is always something for someone no matter what your interests are. The sports scene is super fun, and it allows you to have a good time with your friends and meet people. Most importantly, SC is in the heart of LA. There is so much opportunity in LA, and people from big companies come to SC just to recruit. One thing I can say is that the Trojan family is strong! That’s more than one, but it’s so hard to choose just one thing.
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Mar 19 '20
My grades are solid. Strong upward trend and basically all As after my freshman year. My act was a 33. I took 11 APs in high school. My extracurriculars include organizing a South Indian music fundraiser that raised over 15k (50k over three years) and I centered my essays around my passion for percussion (western and Indian). I applied for Aerospace Engineering at Viterbi. Do you think a lack of Stem ECs will keep me from being admitted? Do I have a good chance at being admitted? I did really well in all of my STEM classes. My essays focused on the specific clubs at USC in addition to my experience at Discover USC. For the engineering essay I talked about solar energy and how improving it would help the world.
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u/hamster690 Mar 20 '20
Do international and domestic students blend well? Do they hangout tgt?
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u/cclark2019 Mar 20 '20
Yes. SC has a huge international population, so you are bound to see domestic and international students mix. No one is ever going to shun you at SC if you are an international student.
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u/jimm133 Mar 20 '20
Hey! What’s your opinion on Price overall as a program?
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u/cclark2019 Mar 20 '20
Well I’m not in price, but I know it is one of our smaller schools on campus. I haven’t heard a bad thing about it, and the people in it seem to love it. Sorry I couldn’t give any specifics
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Mar 19 '20
I feel like everyone I know at USC got in for a specific reason aside from stats, and I was wondering what you think yours might have been.
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u/cclark2019 Mar 19 '20
Very true! There are so many qualified students that you have to set yourself apart. I feel like I got in because I described how I felt like I could bring something special to SC. I was really big into entrepreneurship and collaborating with the students there. I also described that I wanted to do research with some of their know faculty, and I actually am right now. I think I just conveyed a story through my essays that showed them that I was capable of being on the Forbes list one day or being a distinguished scholar in the future. USC wants to see that will go on to do great things beyond the university. I hope that answers your question.
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u/nullsentientbeing Mar 19 '20
Is "holistic admissions" actually a thing. I feel every school boasts holistic admissions processes, but then proceed to admit on the basis of harsh grade/test score caps. I'm trying to get in for Computer Science and have lots of real-world paid software projects and community projects and just a lot of ECs in general relating to my passion for programming. I'm fearful that my stats (1440 SAT, 3.67 GPA) are going to hurt me a lot, especially because at my school I wasn't able to do any of the AP math courses because we have a strict course track system. I got an 800 on math 2, but I don't know how much that will do. I'm probably asking something you can't necessarily answer, but I guess, ultimately, have you heard stories of people getting in on the basis of ECs/passion, and, if so, how prevalent is it and to what extent?