<p>hey you guys..this is my first post..
BTW i am kinda stuck on my USC essay and i was wonderin if any of u guys had any tips on which essay is better to write on and anythin that they like to see on the essay</p>
<p>heres the prompts
The 18th century French philosopher Denis Diderot said, Only passions, great passions can elevate the soul to great things. Describe one of your passions and reflect on how it has contributed to your personal growth.</p>
<p>Thomas Edison failed many times before successfully inventing the modern electric light bulb. He said, "If I find 10,000 ways something won't work, I haven't failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward." Reflect on an accomplishment you achieved in an unlikely way.</p>
<p>Newtons First Law of Motion states that an object in motion tends to stay in motion in the same direction unless acted upon by an external force. Tell us about an external influence (a person, an event, etc.) that affected you and how it caused you to change direction.</p>
<p>thanks a lot for helping i really appreciate it</p>
<p>What is your passion???? #1 is probably the easiest....Did you complete a personal statement from common app? You can probably get ideas from that as well....</p>
<p>not yet.. but thanks a lot for the advice =)
i was thinking about writin about passion but i heard from some poeple that USC really likes people that associates themselve with the community..
im not sure...i just heard about it</p>
<p>First, DON'T write about something because you heard USC likes associating with the community. </p>
<p>Think of something you care about, something / someone / some activity which you truly care about or which was important to you. Not necessarily something that was objectively important (i.e., death/sickeness in the family) but something that was meaningful to you, such that you could write with sincerity and authenticity. Something that if your family or friends read it, they would smile and say, "that's mr asian alright". </p>
<p>Once you have chosen your topic, then align it to their essay prompts. My D (who loves USC, by the way!) wrote about some stray thoughts that occurred to her while riding her bicycle. So it doesn't have to be something grandiose, just something that stamps your personality on your essay. Good luck to you!</p>
<p>mrasian - better content. I cannot prove that, but I think it's a reasonable guess. Would you prefer to read a book on a hard topic, or one with good content? I imagine the readers of the essays feel the same way.</p>
<p>On admitted student's day (or one of them) they read excerpts from the short answers from the applications, and they were hilarious. So I got the impression these people had a good sense of humor as well as an appreciation for the serious side of the impact their choices have on the school, and on each applicant.</p>
<p>The most important thing you should remember when you choose a topic for your Application Essay, is that this essay is basically the sum of your personality, at least for the admissions folks. It is, in a way, your tiny first impression. Now- what kind of impression do you want to leave? This is up to you.
No one can tell you how to write or what to write, that’s supposed to come from you, from your soul. There are no special rules or techniques, and there isn’t any code to be cracked either. All you have to do is to be yourself, to write from yourself, and not from what you think (or hear) is best.
What most institutions are looking for is originality, innovation, and depth. They want to get to know you. If you try to follow some kind of rules, or write what you think they expect you to write, it won’t be you, and it probably won’t be the best you are capable of, because the lack of interest from your side will be noticeable and the essay will be uninteresting to the reader as well. You don’t want that. Don’t fall for those traps. Just be true to yourself, and from there-the rest will come from itself. Being yourself and writing about your real passions and interests will also guarantee you originality, for as a human being- you are one of a kind.
What do you really like? Write about that.
What can you write about that will be unique and new? Don’t do what other people have already done long before your time. That is common. Common is boring.
How can you leave an impression that will make your reader remember you? How can you stand out? Think about those things when you are writing your essay. WRITE FROM YOUR HEART. You don’t have to be dramatic, nor melancholic - you don’t need a relative of yours to die in order to have a moving story - inasmuch as sometimes, the most clear and deep, the most meaningful stories, are those trivial, simple stories we find in small everyday moments. Love what you are writing, and write about what you love. Believe it… Believe yourself. Don’t get rejected for writing something that wasn’t even you. That sucks more than anything. Write about yourself and take whatever consequences there will be, knowing that you deserve them, for you were truly what you are.</p>
<p>^I would like to add something to the post above. Not only is finding a unique topic a goal, but also a unique writing style. This is what will bring the substance alive and will distinguish a good essay from a great one.</p>