<p>I'm very familiar with what to do to apply to UCs but I want to make sure I do the best I can in fall when I apply for USC. I've looked on their website but I guess I just need clarification:</p>
<p>My academic couselor is very impersonal, which is understandable since he has a lot of kids to deal with. Am I supposed to be a letter from him and what should I say in requesting it?</p>
<p>Same goes for teacher recs... do I just pick 2 who I had a fairly good relationship with and go with it?</p>
<p>You don't find out the essay questions until you get an application, correct? And also, do they prefer you submit an application online? When can I obtain this application?</p>
<p>And last.... when is the deadline for the app? I'm looking to get as much financial aid as possible, but I have no idea how THAT really works either.</p>
<p>yea, simply ask your counselor and teachers for recs...they've done probably hundreds of them over the years...do the app ONLINE...much easier and you can erase mistakes ^^....be sure to do the Part 1 app...it begins in like july or august...although its not required i recommend you do it cus it does save you like $20</p>
<p>give him a list of your extra curriculars, interests, etc, so he can write a letter that is more personal than just "____ is a good student with a <strong>.</strong> GPA."</p>
<p>This year, the deadlines were December 11 for scholarship consideration and January 10 for all applicants. I'm not sure if you had to apply for the scholarship deadline to be considered for need-based aid, but I think it's a good idea to get your application in early anyway.</p>
<p>Most schools have a procedure to get recs. Check your high school's website or call the counselors office. If they don't, be prepared to give the counselor and teachers a resume and one of your best essays. Ours has a questionaire to fill out they refer to as their "Instant Intimacy" form. They use this information on the recommendation if they don't know you well.</p>
<p>It's fair to talk to the teachers you want to use and ask them if they would be willing to write you a good recommendation. Hopefully, you can get a feel about their opinion of you. Be VERY prepared with a packet of information and all the forms needed including stamped envelopes. If you think they won't write a good one, don't use them. </p>
<p>The essay questions are usually the same so check last year's application if you want to get a head start. You can usually revamp your UC essays to fit USC's. </p>
<p>You are still very early in getting ready for your app for next year. Some people are still waiting for their decisions from this year. So relax, and don't worry about the app or recs until this year is finished!</p>
<p>GET A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS! i think that only having one must have hurt me, cause that would make rec's the weakest part of my app. and if i had it do over again, i wouldnt apply to annenberg i would have put something in CLAS cause some of the schools are VERY competitive (we all underestimated annenberg's selectivity by a longshot)</p>
<p>I go to a school where the counselors are really lazy people who don't really do much. They are mean too so I didn't even ask them to do the recs for me. USC requires counselor OR teacher, so I gave it to two of my teachers that I got to know quite well junior year. One of which was my English teacher, so I expected that recommendation to flow really well (she was an awesome teacher btw). The other one was my Chem AP teacher.</p>
<p>I planned it so that my Eng teacher could speak about my integrity to pull through that class (it was extremely hard, and I got a B), and my creativity skills. And my Chem teacher, to write about my mathematical skills. I don't know if they wrote it like I planned it 'cus at our school, the teachers don't let you read their recs (the English teacher was suspected to have written bad recs before too lol). yea...</p>
<p>Be creative about your USC essay. I think USC is a lot more hollistic than the UC. I did a time frame story for my essay. If you've ever read The Sound and the Fury then you would know what I'm talking about, especially the section with Benji. Took me 2 weeks to do. When I showed my essay to different people, it was a split between, "Wow i'm really confuse at what you're doing" or "Wow, this is really layered and deep". My senior Eng teacher didn't like it, but I sent it in anyways because, to me, it was one of my best essays. In the end I got into USC so...trust your instincts =)</p>
<p>I can't believe you're preparing your apps for USC already lol...i procrastinated so much last year haha...good luck to you! Fight on!</p>
<p>"Be VERY prepared with a packet of information and all the forms needed including stamped envelopes."</p>
<p>Oh crap! Where do I get that! the forms, I mean.</p>
<p>Oh, counselor OR teacher? I didn't know</p>
<p>I'm one of those people who has to start VERY early, or else I get sloppy and write a bunch of crap, if school papers are any indication. I think I'm going to write about my brother having Asperger's.</p>
<p>Thanks guys. I can be pretty "special" about these things ;)</p>
<p>Ok-
Check your high school website for LOR (Letter of Recommendation) procedures. If they don't have any, ask the counseling dept. If they still don't have any advice, this is what you put in the packet:
1. Resume (Brag sheet of clubs, honors, activities)
2. Your best college essay (doesn't have to be USC essay)
3. Find a questionaire from another school to fill out about yourself- this tells the counselor/teacher things about you that you want them to write about you- e.g. your strengths, goals, etc.
4. LOR form from USC. You can print it out when the application is released- some time in the summer. Fill out your part.
5. Copy of transcript
6. Stamped, addressed envelope to USC Admissions</p>
<p>Make sure you make it clear when it is due. It's best to ask starting the third week of school because everyone is too busy before that. </p>
<p>Don't worry about this now! Concentrate on getting good grades and good test scores. If you really want to get started, work on your essays. They usually use the same prompts every year so you can look at last years apps.</p>