And bring copies of your resume to hand to the people on the interview panel.
@cookie16â
I just have a few quick questions if you donât mind!
- I'm going to interview with Dornsife--- should I wear similar attire (business suit, tie, dress shoes)?
- Should I create my own separate resume (I actually have one that I made for the teacher who wrote my recommendation) or print out copies of my Common Application? Also, is it 100% certain that there are three interviewees--- meaning 3 copies?
- Should I wear casual clothes for the first day since I'll probably be touring the school and going to events with other finalists, only to change into my more formal clothes on the second day for my interview?
Yes, you should wear business suit/tie etc to Dornsife interview. Yes, you should dress casually for the first day. Yes, create own resume. Itâs one of those items that is not necessary but makes a good impression. I donât know the exact number of panelists. Likely three. But why not throw 4 to 5 copies in a file to bring with you. Donât worry about copies of common app. The panelists will have your application in front of them. But you should read your app over before the interview, in case they ask you about it. Overall, relax and let your enthusiasm for USC shine through. Youâll do great.
Thanks! @cookie16â
My SCA interview was quite informal. The previous day they told us that we donât necessarily need to wear skirts or ties, and a shirt is pretty much as formal as it gets at SCA. The interview itselfâŠwell, I donât know how often this happens, but I only had one person interview me, and he didnât have my application in front of him or anything and was basically just giving me reasons to come to USC. I actually had to interject a lot, otherwise he would have done most of the talking. There werenât even that many specific questions. That said, everybody was really, really nice to me, and they even had a guy in my major come and talk to me before the interview, and he took me to eat afterwards and was also super nice. Also, I got there a little early, so I talked a little to an associate professor, who already knew my name (!!!) when I arrived, and they even offered to take me around campus after the interview.
I donât really know how the other interviews went, since I couldnât stay for the lunch unfortunately (my flight left at 3 p.m.), but a girl in Production told me that during her interview, they dissected her entire application and asked really tough questions.
Congratulations to other recipients. For those that did not receive their nominated Trustee or President Szcholarship, donât let it define you, everyone should be proud of their accomplishments that will most certainly carry you far.
To make it easier for googling info next year.
When will USCTrustee and Presidents Scholarship be announced?
Answer: The Friday morning prior to Regular Decision (RD) acceptance results announcements, typically falling around March 18-21. (coincides with and follows the last Explore USC scholarship interview weekend). In 2016, they were posted by 4:30am Pacific time, and 6:30am Pacific in 2015. These times are based off of first postings on cc or my childâs as seen in the USC portal.
Not sure if any of the very informed posters are still following this thread, but a question:
The interviews are by department based on intended major, but does accepting this in any way limit the studentâs ability to explore different interests and possibly switch majors later (within Dornsife)?
My student is a finalist for Trustee and declared an intended major, but also has broad interests and wants to explore.
A student is not locked into any majorâno matter what scholarship they receive (Trustee, Pres, Deans, etc). That is both within Dornsife or to majors in other Schools, if the student qualifies. Every School/major has info on the website on what is required to apply for internal (already a USC undergrad) transfer. Some are just as hard to enter as a new applicant (mostly audition/portfolio based majors), but many including Viterbi and Marshall have reqs to take certain courses and get certain grades at USC. Word of extra advice: It would behoove the interviewee to remember the team that is interviewing her/him is from their application declared major and would be most likely to select someone who is still all-in on studying their field. At this point, I would suggest my student not overshare about any doubts, or even her broader interests. The selectors are looking for leaders in their major, of course.
What questions should a trustee scholarship finalist in the occupational therapy major expect?? Trying to prepare as much as I can, because I need a scholarship to attend!
Is anyone attending the explore USC on march 6-7?
Most important advice for scholarship interviews: be prepared to explain Why USC. And review your application essays. Review committee may ask about them. But itâs not grueling process. Be confident, poised, excited to join Trojan family, if finances allow.
Thanks, totally hear you on the department making the selection, and student is deeply interested in intended major. More me asking about later flexibility (having personally experienced total commitment turning into evolved interests in a school that did not make shifting easy).
One more question â any sense of who from the department usually is on the interviewing committee? Prof/Asooc. Prof./etc.?
Clarifying (and trying not to obsess on behalf of my kid, who will do this their way and be much cooler than I) â do you think departments are looking for kids who will contribute to in a lively and meaningful way to undergraduate life for the department, or are they looking for kids who might go on to graduate school and make a mark in the field? Not mutually exclusive and I donât really know how you distinguish this when youâre talking to a HS senior! Well, I do sort of know â itâs the difference between someone who intends to major in biology and go to med school and someone who intends to major in biology because they love biology. Maybe fuzzier to sort out in the humanities and social sciences. Which relates to my question above because if itâs the grad school/make this my life model, Iâd expect them to almost expect the kid to know something about the faculty and work of the department. Whereas if itâs lively kid whoâs going to be interesting part of the mix, then understanding the faculty and their research doesnât seem as important.
officially ending my obsession here
@1999mom, when so much tuition $$ is on the line, I can understand the obsession with getting as much right as one can! There are usually 3-4 people on the panel that conducts the interview and I believe they allot about 15 minutes per finalist (each major/School may run them differently). The panel is often composed of one admissions rep, one professor type (for my Sâs interview, there was one professor in the major and also the asst. head of the department) and usually a current undergrad Trustee/Presidential scholar there as well.
The student who can relate to the work being done at USC (research? program specialties?) by professors in the major might seem like a good match, if the student genuinely wants to focus on those areas and has a history of ECs or research or read a lot of current books/research on those very specific topics for the past couple of years or more. Itâs not the sort of thing a kid could suddenly read up on, so doing a bit of research on the major/schoolâs areas of focus works if it brings to the kidâs attention that he/she has done work in that exact branch. If that is so, when the finalist is asked: Do you have any questions by the panel, Iâd suggest she ask something about this specialty, framing it in a story about what she has done in that exact field and how excited she is to continue work in that area. After all, all the finalists are admitted students to the major!
But this sort of specific tie-in is by no means necessary! I believe the scholarships go to leaders. The kids who have led/started special interest clubs in HS will likely become leaders in or start clubs in college. The kids who did out-of-HS research in their field, or started a business in the field, or volunteered in their communities are the sorts of independent and activated students that each major needs. So this isnât about being the captain of your HS tennis team. Sports leadership is not really what these academics are interested in, per se. They are looking for genuine passion for the field, plus the type of student who is actively engaged in the classroom. The kids who like to raise their hand in class and join in the discussion. At this level of âreward,â the top administrators/professors at USC want to give Trustee/Presidentials out to get this next level student to attend to strengthen the entire USC student body. Of course, for interviewees who canât be bothered to research their department, or donât really want to go to USC, this less-interested vibe and attitude may be detected, so if the finalist is naturally shy or likes to play down their accomplishments or is more laid back, the interview is not the place to play it too cool. 
@madbean âmost helpful. Thank you!
Extremely helpful â thank you! Seems like if you genuinely want to go to USC and are intellectually lively and engaged, curious and naturally expressive about that engagement, it goes a long way.
Please help me think this through. DD, a likely NMSC Finalist, is interviewing for Presidential in early March. She is a strong candidate for scholarships at BU, which requires DD to name BU as NMSC first choice by March 1. She will learn of BUâs award in mid-March, but USC is a better fit. Our thoughts are to name BU as requested then switch if needed (e.g., does not receive USC Presidential and must rely on NMF Presidential). We note that USC will notify of all awards by April 1. By when must we name USC as first choice for NMSC? Thoughts?
May 1st is the usual date. Sheâll have time to switch if need be.
Advance apologies for a possible thread hijack, but do you have a reference for that BU date, @DadofThree111? Dâ17 is interviewing for a USC trusteeâs scholarship and will likely be a NMF. Sheâs also interested in the BU trustee scholarship but has not picked a preferred school yet.