<p>I keep on rereading my USC essay and I feel like it's the worse thing ever. I thought it would be better to write a different essay from my UC app so that it could fit the prompt better. But truthfully, I wish I hadn't because my UC essays are so much better. My common app ones are like 10 times better. Ahhh, I totally regret it.</p>
<p>I’m with you, except I’ve been re-reading my entire application. I wish I spent more time on my resume since I think it’s TERRIBLE. your essay does play a big factor, but I’m guessing USC emphasizes your numbers (SATs and GPAs) much more than the essays.</p>
<p>Sadly, the only thing I take pride in was the one-word answer quick takes</p>
<p>I speculate that it is SAT/ACT Scores #1, GPA #2, then something that distiguishes you from the crowd, which could be your essay could be your ec’s, could be your diversity or some combination thereof. </p>
<p>The essay in and of itself I don’t think will make or break you. But if you have similar stats the better essay might prevail.</p>
<p>Good Luck I hope you get in!!</p>
<p>speaking of which, how do the adcoms look at your quick-takes anyways?</p>
<p>Hey captcrunchh, when we went to the explore back in March, the head admissions guy said they love to read the quick takes and the actually read to us some of the takes they thought were pretty funny. </p>
<p>They have to read so many apps that it sounded like it was a great way for them to get a mental break. Might be a little advantage if you had a clever one.</p>
<p>I loved the quick takes-it was so fun! I actually looked forward to doing that section.</p>
<p>And all of you, thanks for the response :)</p>
<p>i think if you write a really crap essay</p>
<p>and show you have the writing skills of an average highschool freshman</p>
<p>your chances will definately be hindered</p>
<p>It looks like a stats driven school to me from acceptances thread</p>
<p>It depends on the school you are applying to. I would say the film school is almost entirely essay driven, as long as your stats don’t suck too much.</p>
<p>I think my essays were crap, but I got accepted with average stats. :D</p>
<p>I wrote one emotional essay about the death in my family. Another one was about my love of learning for math and the other one was a funny one about random stuff haha. My quick takes were pretty original since I’m sure noone has used the same ones I did. Well, maybe the music and favorite object weren’t too original, but I like my quick takes answers the best.</p>
<p>All in all, I’m sure the essays mean something to the adcoms. If you portray yourself as a robot who studies all the time, I don’t think that’s going to help you. As long as you wrote about something that doesn’t have to do with something you’ve already pointed out in the essay (like winning state on something and writing about that in your EC section of the app), and did it well, then you have a good shot.</p>
<p>urm i actually think my stats suck. so its probably my teacher recs and my essay that saved me.</p>
<p>I think stats are the most important. USC really wants to shed its “party school” image.
That said, if you write like a kindergartener, it’s definitely not a good thing.</p>