<p>It’s worth a shot. Use same essay as the UC. I think you have a better shot there than the other 3 UCs. UCSD is very point specific. The other 2 UCs are very UC GPA specific (put less importance on SAT). USC is a bit lenient toward GPA but prefers good SAT and places importance on the high school. If you came from a high school that feeds into USC you have a good shot.
Are you female? If yes, it’s an added bonus. You have better chances at the top UCs as well as USC.</p>