<p>Hey, I'm currently applying for USC [Southern California not South Carolina] and I kind of need help on the applications. I was wondering if there is anyone on these boards who was actually accepted to USC that can help me out. I hardly come on these boards but feel free to e-mail me at <a href="mailto:mathura529@sbcglobal.net">mathura529@sbcglobal.net</a></p>
<p>If you don't get any PM's try some specific questions here and you might get some brainstorm answers.</p>
<p>many, many people on this board are current 'sc students (i'm one of 'em). ask away.</p>
<p>A lot of people here (myself included) are current USC students. Ask away here!</p>
<p>Yay! Okay here it is:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>On the application it gives me four questions I should answer in a paragraph. One of the four is optional and it asks "OPTIONAL: Any information that you believe is relevant to our consideration of you as an applicant, but not already discussed or explained in your application". What should I put for that?</p></li>
<li><p>How do I sent my SAT scores?</p></li>
<li><p>I'm literally braindead when it comes to starting the essay.</p></li>
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<ol>
<li><p>i did not fill out the optional paragraph because i had explained everything i wanted to say in the other short essays and the long essay</p></li>
<li><p>um... i did not take any SATs, but for the act i just supplied the USC code # when i registered for the test (i took it at the end of september, had my application completed a few weeks ahead of the dec 10 scholarship deadline)</p></li>
<li><p>the prompts last year, if i remember at all, were quite helpful. just take one of the prompts, mix it in a large bowl with the EC you have devoted your whole life to, sprinkle in some wit and sarcasm, add 2 tbsps of bragging, .5 cup of insight into you who you are as a person. bake on 450 for 30 minutes. let cool.
just kidding. theres no recipe for a college essay, unfortunately. but dont stress about it too much- i didn't work very hard on my essay, i think it was better bc it just came naturally to me and wasnt forced or trying too hard to be a "college essay." granted i did have a perfect gpa and a super ACT score, so my essay was very likely NOT a defining part of my application.</p></li>
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<li>Neither of my kids who were accepted to USC did the optional paragraph. This is where applicants can state a hardship, explain a circumstance, or give other important information about themselves. You have to be careful not to use it to give lame excuses.</li>
<li>Send your SAT scores through Collegeboard.com
<a href="https://ecl.collegeboard.com/account/login.jsp?applicationId=115&destinationpage=https%3A%2F%2Fnsat.collegeboard.com:443/satweb%2Flogin.jsp%5B/url%5D">https://ecl.collegeboard.com/account/login.jsp?applicationId=115&destinationpage=https%3A%2F%2Fnsat.collegeboard.com:443/satweb%2Flogin.jsp</a></li>
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<p>i just looked back to see what i put for my optional question on the application. i wanted to take advantage of any opportunities i was given to tell about myself. i used it to talk about qualities about myself that would contribute to my success in college, which gave me a place to talk more in depth about interests/ecs that i hadn't done proper justice to on my activity lists.</p>
<p>Thank you so much everyone. Your advice is really helping me get through this process so much easier!</p>
<p>Wait...actually do any of you think you may be able to help me on the essay portion of it? My GPA isn't exactly perfect (a little higher than a 3.5) so I'm really hoping my essay kicks ass!</p>