USC 2021-2022 Transfer Students STATS & DECISIONS ONLY

Since this post hasn’t been done yet…
Credit to @PotatoButter and @iheartkitties.

Copy and Paste the following into your post. Choose one from the three (accepted, rejected, SGR). Please take out the space after each opening bracket and delete the italicized text for clarity and proper formatting!

College transferring from:
Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: Answer “Yes” or “No”, indicate which if applicable
Entering as:
GPA:
Units completed:
Units in progress:
[ ] Pre-reqs completed: A list helps but a fraction (5/8, 3/6, etc) works as well
[ ] GEs completed: same idea here
b

ECs listed on app:
Job/Work Experience:
Essays (subject and responses):
Letters of Recommendation:

Other schools applied to:

Answer here

Good luck to all applicants!

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College transferring from: California Community College
Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: No
Entering as: Junior to Marshall
GPA: 3.3 (Upward trend, had extenuating circumstances two semesters ago)
Units completed: 43
Units in progress: 0 (Maxed out GE’s)
Pre-reqs completed: 2/2 (Writing and Calculus)
GEs completed: 8/8

ECs listed on app: Marketing Strategist for a clothing store, Creative directed for high-end clothing brand, interned for a clothing brand based in Los Angeles, helped create a smartphone app designed for trading sneakers and apparel, projected start-up in April 2021.
Job/Work Experience: Internships (Compensated)
Essays (subject and responses)
650 Word Essay: Discussed how I was rescinded from another four year university, how that fail fueled me into becoming a prospective USC transfer student. Mentioned that CC was a blessing in disguise, and talked about immense personal growth.
Understanding of you Essay: Wrote about tennis, how my perception of life is relative to tennis itself (Tennis players would know this). Perhaps one of the best essays I’ve written.
Why USC Specifically Essay: Talked about diversity and inclusion, mentioned Marshall’s tools and resources, and obviously the Trojan Family/Alumni. Definitely my strongest essay
Letters of Recommendation: One from my Professor, One from my mentor I interned for.
The LOR from my mentor was out of this world.
Other Schools: None, USC’s been my dream school. Do or die at this point lol

How I feel about my application: I feel decent about it. My GPA is on the lower side but due to MANY unfortunate circumstances. But at the same time, I’m almost positive USC will take in account GPA as we switched to remote learning. I thrive better with in-person instruction. However, my EC’s, LOR, and Essays are very strong in my opinion. Hopefully my optimism carries me into an admission acceptance haha. All the best and fight on fellow applicants!

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long time lurker here on cc, thought i’d contribute to the thread since it’s finally time for me to be in the ever nerve-wracking decisions ring lol.

College transferring from: California Community College
Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: Yes, Legacy
Entering as: Junior
GPA: 3.8
Units completed: 64
Units in progress: 15.5
[x] Pre-reqs completed: 2/2 (A in Writing, B in Business Calc)
[x] GEs completed: 8/8

ECs listed on app: School honor’s program, officer in business club (PBL), owner of small online business, guitar and bass player, volunteering
Job/Work Experience: Part-time for local government (currently employed)
Main Essay: Wanted to be transparent, I was a lazy honors student in HS who applied to schools with aimless essays as a Poli-Sci major, and got rejected by most of them. I disappointed my parents and got a lot of condescending remarks from a lot of the honors kids that thought CC was below them. I wanted to keep a mostly positive tone despite everything because that’s just who I am as a person. It sucked, sure, but I was able to focus more on myself and meet people who helped shape my view of the world and I’m generally just a lot happier. Just reinforced the fact that my interest in business was always there but I just didn’t know it until I was enrolled in my first business class at CC and that focusing on myself has always been my priority in becoming a better me.
"Understanding You": Tied it back to my monster essay and just reinforced the fact that I’m a pretty optimistic person; I just think life is too short to be spending all my energy worrying about things out of my control when I can be doing something else or cheering someone else up.
"Why USC?" Talked about how I was offered TTP when I applied my senior year but it came during a time that I was regretting a lot of decisions I made and gave up on pretty much everything, so I never took them up on their offer. As a senior, I felt obligated to apply because my dad went there, but this time around I genuinely think this is where I’ll thrive and can’t see myself anywhere else. Just said I wanted to take advantage of Marshall’s study abroad program and interact with the on-campus Transfer Student Community Club and am applying this time on my own accord.
Letters of Recommendation: None

Other schools applied to: UCSB (TAG Applicant), UCB, UCI, CSU Fullerton

Not sure how I feel about my app, but I think I’ve got a better chance than not. Wish I kept a 4.0 but the transition to remote learning was tough for me since I did most of my work by shoving myself in the library for hours at a time. No doubt even with a 4.0 I’d definitely still be nervous, and am overthinking my essays (as you can see… I talk a lot so these word limits killed me lol) but it is what it is. Good luck to everyone! Definitely will update and make this cleaner when things get rolling haha

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I’ve been so bored and anxious waiting for the decisions to come out for transfers, so I might as well do this.

College transferring from: Santa Monica College

Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: No

GPA: 3.87

Units completed: 47

Units in progress: 12

Pre-reqs completed: None required

GEs completed: 6/6 (7/8 if Category G) and H) are taken into account)

ECs listed on app: Phi Theta Kappa (Honors Society)

Job/Work Experience: 2 Retail Sales Associate Jobs

Essays:
Understanding You: I wrote an anecdote about a time when I struggled to create a piece of clothing and related it to what kind of student I am and what I stand for. I talked about how I want to create clothes for women of extended sizes and change how the fashion industry creates clothes for bigger women.

Why USC specifically: Focused this essay on how Roski can help me gain the skills and experience for becoming a designer. I also talked about what assets I can offer as an art student to be admitted.

650 word Transfer Essay: I wrote the reasons and listed why I want to transfer in this essay. Basically explained that the CC I go to now doesn’t offer a BFA degree, and want to create more hands-on artwork. I also mentioned professors I want to be taught by and wrote about the opportunities I would strive to be a part of. I mentioned some personal issues that pertained to some withdrawals I have.

Letters of Recommendation: I needed 2 letters of rec from Artistic mentors, one being a tutor and the other being my art professor.

Other schools applied to: SAIC (accepted) and SCAD (accepted)

I feel pretty good about my application, but at this point, anything could happen. USC is my top choice, and I would be so disappointed to get rejected. I got rejected in high school for financial and GPA reasons, so I’m hopeful this rebound will be a better one. My grades have an upward trend, I’m technically still taking courses that are/were at least 12 units or more (except for winter and spring), I submitted my portfolio, LORs, and submitted everything early or on time. The essays I would say are a 9/10. I think I covered all of my bases and brought up some important personal information but I don’t know how it will appeal to my admissions counselor.

Best of luck to everyone applying! I haven’t seen many Roski applicants here, so hopefully, I won’t be the only one here. I’ll update once my decision is in :slight_smile:

College transferring from: CCC (College of the Canyons)

Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: No

Entering as: Sophomore/Junior (not sure what is considered a sophomore or Junior)

GPA: 3.8

Units completed: 32

Units in progress: 13

Pre-reqs completed: 1st Year Writing, Math

GEs completed: A, B (1of2), C, D, F, H

Note: Will have fully completed my Pre-Reqs (Econ) and GEs [B (2of2), E, G] after this spring semester

ECs listed on app: I’m a mother/coach to my daughter. Former bodybuilding competitor and sports conditioning coach for a semi-pro football team in Florida.(prior to getting injured)

Job/Work Experience: 15 1/2 years of military (retired USAF), Realtor (previously licensed in Florida and active in California) 5 years

Essays (subject and responses): Essay Question: “USC believes that one learns best when interacting with people of different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Tell us about a time you were exposed to a new idea or when your beliefs were challenged by another point of you please discuss the significance of the experience and its effect on you.” Response (in summary) I talked about being raised by my Filipino mother and African American father who ensured me to know not only my family’s history but the history of our people and though they were troubling times, it also made me realized how far we have came to be where we are. I also mentioned growing up in Japan visiting other countries as a young child, I was exposed to a culture outside of the United States and aided in the appreciation and beauty other cultures have. My exposure allowed me to excel in the military as I continued to be exposed to many others who had vast cultural differences and experiences and become a natural mediator in various groups I was assigned to to complete different projects and programs over my time serving in the military and also benefited me in real estate.

Letters of Recommendation: none :frowning: I could not get a hold of my previous commanders or supervisors

Other schools applied to: USC was my one and only because it was the only school that had the RED undergraduate program

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College transferring from: Norco College
Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: Yes, TTP & Legacy
Entering as: Sophomore for Computer Science
GPA: 4.0
Units completed: 23
Units in progress: 15
[ ] Pre-reqs completed: 2/2 (Math/Writing Requirement Met and Major Related Courses in Fall 2020)
[ ] GEs completed: 4/8

ECs listed on app: Private Tutor (offered free sessions to students in need), STEM Club officer, Drum Major for Band Program in HS
Job/Work Experience: Worked at a local ice cream shop to help make ends meet.
Essays (subject and responses): 650 Word Essay: Talked about USC has been a constant beacon of motivation in my life, the priceless opportunities I would be exposed to, and the unmatched student body that strives for academic and professional success that I feel I can add to.
Outside Focus: Talked about my love for the performing arts (music), and how I and a couple of friends wrote songs, performed at outdoor venues, and ended up creating an album.
Why I want to study at USC: Described how the engineering school, especially the computer science department, at USC is unmatched in its innovation, vast and diverse student body, and the number of incredible professors researching in fields that I would like to directly contribute to.
Viterbi Essays: Talked in great lengths about my grand challenges problem that I would like to tackle and how I am already paving a path forward as well as describing how it will actually make a difference in the world.

Letters of Recommendation: None

Other schools applied to: None

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College transferring from: LMU
Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: No
Entering as: Junior
GPA: 3.88
Units completed: 57
Units in progress: 16
[ ] Pre-reqs completed: All
[ ] GEs completed: All

ECs listed on app: About 4 or 5, most from hs
Job/Work Experience: Currently working a job and have previously worked several jobs
Essays (subject and responses): My essays were alright. I showed a lot of my academic passions and reasons why I wanted to go to USC. I’d say they were pretty average, nothing too special.
Letters of Recommendation: One from my freshman writing class

Other schools applied to: University of Maryland

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College transferring from: Santa Barbara City College
Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: None
Entering as: Sophomore/Junior
GPA: 3.27 (Composite), 4.0 (Full time College), 4.0 (PCC), 4.0 (SMC)
Units completed: 75 (only 44 are transferring :confused: )
Units in progress: 21
[ ] Pre-reqs completed: All
[ ] GEs completed: 8/8 (some may not transfer due to HS unit cap)
b

ECs listed on app: VP of Finance in student gov at my CC, Sigma Chi Eta, Girls golf Captain (high school), various leadership roles from high school, about 350 hours volunteered at local hospital, online tutor for low-income NYC students.
Job/Work Experience: Summer camp counselor/golf coach, HR/Business admin intern for a local engineering firm for about ~3-4 years. Mostly unpaid.
Essays (subject and responses):
Personal statement: Went over my experience in education and starting college at 14. Honestly not my favorite essay looking back on it but I went over my struggles with academics over the years and how I overcame through changing my habits and forming a strong foundation, sort of cringing at it retrospectively, didn’t make it too USC specific which I am kicking myself for now.
Different backgrounds prompt: talked about how I’ve lived in very different places growing up and settled in a community that made me resent my heritage (AAPI) but I overcame and embraced both my culture and devoted myself to learning about others, specifically my interest in Chicano history/culture.
Why USC essay: I talked about seeking an interdisciplinary education and wanting to combine Econ or Business with Music Industry dual major/minor and taking advantage of the programs and research available. Also talked about USC’s environment and culture is where I feel like I belong.
Dornsife social/global issue prompt: I talked about the School to Prison Pipeline and how change needs to be implemented, I think that this was one of my stronger essays because I am super passionate about the issue.
Letters of Recommendation: My academic counselor wrote one for me and I think it’ll be pretty good, I set up meetings throughout the year so she could get to know me even though everything was through zoom.
Other schools applied to
Pending: UCLA, UCSB, UCI, UCSD, UCD, NYU, Cornell, Santa Clara, GWU, AU, Cal Poly
Waitlist: CSUF
Accepted: UCR (TAG), CSULB, SDSU

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College transferring from: Houston Community College
Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: Nope and nope
Entering as: Sophomore
GPA: 3.78
Units completed: 53
Units in progress: 0
[ ] Pre-reqs completed: Not sure
[ ] GEs completed: 7

ECs listed on app:

  • Boxing
  • Photoshop Art (My avatar is one of them)
  • Building Computers
  • Video Production
  • Music Production
  • Part time/Full time job at an IT Company as their Lead Online Marketing Director

Bonus Stuff:

  • Son of a Central American Immigrant family (Guatemala/El Salvador)
  • I used to take care of my step father after he had a terrible fall that left him immobile and unable to look after himself. I did this during my first 3 semesters in college.
  • Mentioned living in Compton California and the struggles of living in a lower income community.
  • First Generation/Lower-Income Student
  • Mentioned a 3 year gap between my high school and my college days. Touched upon personal growth and raising my GPA from a 1.96 in High School to a 3.78 in college.
  • For some reason I included an incident that forced us out of our gang infested neighborhood and move to Texas, and I wish I never did. It seemed like it was “too much” and I hope it doesn’t bum someone out at the admissions office.

Job/Work Experience:

  • Host at a Mexican Restaurant
  • Sales Associate/Customer Service at a local clothing store where I was awarded "Associate of the Year
  • Home Depot for about 2-3 Months
  • Lead Online Marketing Director for a fast growing IT Company in Houston

Essays (subject and responses):
I believe my essays were pretty good.

Personal Statement: Centered around the growth of an imperfect rose and how it still elects to stand tall no matter what it endures. Inspired by the famous poem of Tupac Shakur “A Rose That Grew From Concrete”. I wrote the majority of it in under 20 minutes after waking up from a super weird dream.

USC ESSAYS:

Something Essential Essay: I wrote about my curly hair and how uncontrollable it is no matter what I do to it. I eventually just grew to accept its “vibrant” nature and let it shape its own path instead of trying to control it. I tied that into my own personality and life and stuff and what not.

Why USC and why my major of choice: Wrote about wanting to use my voice to help represent people with similar backgrounds as myself. Finding a way to incorporate my communicative skills, artistic skills, and experience in marketing to fulfill my dream of working in the sports industry. The entire theme was centered around being a “fighter” and wanting to share and grow with fellow Trojans in my home town of Los Angeles.

Address Education History: Wrote about my bad high school days and how I graduated with a 1.96 GPA overall. Shared how I was a naïve young guy who thought I had life figured out just for me to find out the hard way that I understood absolutely nothing about life. Touched upon my 3 year gap between high school and college and how I grew and matured. Eventually that maturity lead me to understand what I needed to do in order for me continue growing and achieving a better life for myself and my family. I enrolled in some college courses thinking I wouldn’t do very well when in reality I actually shocked myself at the type of grades I was earning, eventually ending my 4th semester with a cumulative 3.78 GPA (nothing special but I’m proud of it).

I had a lot of fun with the short answer responses.
3 Words: Resilient, Dynamic, Limitless
Favorite snack: Bowl of green grapes and dark red cherries
Favorite movie: Reservoir Dogs
Dream Job: Sports Commentator
Song: Shine on You Crazy Diamond
Ideal Roommate: Double D from Ed, Edd, n Eddy
Favorite Book: Animal Farm - George Orwell
Show I’m binge watching: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Teach any class, what would it be: How to throwaway anything Cinnamon Apple scented

Letters of Recommendation:

  • Sociology Professor
  • Communications Professor
  • CFO of an IT Company I work for

Other schools applied to: Stanford, Cornell, UT Austin, A&M, University of Houston, and Rice (Denied back in Spring. Reapplying was too much of a hassle. They wanted me to make an entirely new common app profile and resubmit every single document once again which originally took me forever.)

If you got this far, I’m sorry I made you read a lot.

Any idea what my chances are?

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no clue but you sound like a strong fit, im excited to see your results! I love the whole curly hair essay thing

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I appreciate it! Hopefully USC sees it the same way lol

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Spring Grade request April 12 around 3pm I will edit around mid June when grades are posted

College transferring from: Los Angeles Community College
Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: Yes to TTP/ No to legacy
Entering as: Sophomore
GPA: 3.7
Units completed: 32
Units in progress: 18
[ ] Pre-reqs completed: IDK tbh
[ ] GEs completed: IDK

ECs listed on app: School senate, Curriculum Committee, Health club
Job/Work Experience: Local Holiday shop
Essays (subject and responses): I wrote about how my doctor declare me dead before I was born but I was actually alive and how It affect everything
Letters of Recommendation: my English 101 teacher and my senate advisor

Other schools applied to: Stanford, Brown, John Hopinks

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Did you get a physical letter asking for spring grades or it just came on the portal saying “awaiting”?

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Had an interview

College transferring from: RISD

Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: nope
Entering as: sophomore

GPA:4.0
Units completed: 21
Units in progress: 15
[ ] Pre-reqs completed: probably only the english one since the others are not offered to freshman in RISD
[ ] GEs completed: not sure but again, freshman are not allowed to choose classes except 1 random elective

ECs listed on app:

-Brown RISD game dev club
-school student body president (hs)
-MUN member and head of design for the club (hs)
-internship I mentioned below
-volunteer english teacher back in my country

Job/Work Experience:

-internship in one of the best game companies in my country
(I’m a US citizen but I live abroad)

Achievements:

-international art contest winner (only one from my country)
-published one of my illustrations in an award winning book
-honors student at RISD
-presidential scholarship and honors list in a summer camp for game art and design

Essays (subject and responses):

-the one that was asking why I was transferring:
I talked about how transferring is basically impossible in my country and you would have to take ALL the national exams again from scratch, and had to start out as freshman no matter how many years you had studied before. So I wrote that the transfer system in the US was underestimated and that I would like to use it to broaden my perspective and have a more interdisciplinary college experience. Because rather than studying interdisciplinary subjects in one college, I wanted to do that in more than one.

For the SCA writing one I told the story of How I grew up in a very poor and old neighborhood where I created new games to teach the street kids and thats how I started to like making games. I talked about the narrow streets and the old buildings, how we would play until the sunset, and essentially how that transformed into my love for video games.

Letters of Recommendation: from two professors that apparently nominated me for an honors student

Other schools applied to: NYU, UofU, CMU

Bonus circumstances: while I was applying to USC, my family lost their homes, they were homeless for a few months. They also lost their savings worth an entire year of their combined income. I lost my cat to cancer and there was a huge earthquake that killed family friends. I had to move 3 times and at some point didn’t even have a desk or a stress free environment that I would study in.

Accepted: NYU, UofU

(I forgot to complete my application for CMU so thats that haha)

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Portal

Accepted two nights ago but I don’t know the time
College transferring from: SMC
Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: Yes and yes
Entering as: junior
GPA: 3.9
Units completed: 51
Units in progress: 12
Pre-reqs completed: All
GEs completed: all

ECs listed on app: health club, Research experience with drugs
Job/Work Experience: EMT
Essays (subject and responses): talked about my personal experience of seeing the impact of drugs in community and losing friends
Letters of Recommendation: biology teacher

Other schools applied to: UCLA, CSUN, CSULB

2 Likes

congrats!!! if i could ask, what major were you accepted for? Fight on!!!

College transferring from: Santa Monica College
Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: Answer “Yes” or “No”, indicate which if applicable : TTP and have legacy
Entering as: Sophomore to Marshall
GPA: 4.0
Units completed: 16
Units in progress: 15
[ ] Pre-reqs completed: All
[ ] GEs completed: 5/8
b

ECs listed on app: ASB leadership in high school, recognized volunteer worker from key club and various other clubs as treasurer, and have been recognized by the North Hollywood neighborhood volunteer worker from the city award.

Job/Work Experience: I’ve worked at a Japanese restaurant during the whole year of sophomore year. At the Japanese restaurant, I’ve learned how to speak Japanese from the workers and was able to become trilingual. Then I started working as a barista since the summer of 2020 till march 2021. I was the only worker there which I made and cooked by myself only which shows independent work habits.

Essays (subject and responses): I was born in South Korea, I talked about how my parents always wanted me to have a wider vision and stronger language proficiency, in which elementary, middle school, and high school, I’ve been studying in countries such as Ireland, Fiji, South Korea, and the United States. I was able to communicate with students from across the world in which I strengthened my social skills to understanding my peers and surroundings. Everyone’s different so I really can’t say if I did well on my essay, but I also recognized the economic recession and job losses in global economy, in which I wanted to pursue my education at USC and promote growth in both Korea and the U.S. in the future from understanding the fundamentals of job creation, social interpretation and internship experiences that can give better stability to younger generation kids.

Letters of Recommendation: Biology professor, he gave out 110 practice questions per exam, and we had 4 exams + 1 final project + 1 final exam. Our class was one of the hardest in which, I uniquely copied down every single words (even jokes and laughter) in my notes and shared it to my peers, to stick it for study guide.

Other schools applied to: Columbia (Economics), NYU (Stern)

I was just an ok student in high school, SAT score: English 570/ Math 770.
AP English language: 2
AP Us history: 2
AP Calculus BC: 4
AP Statistics: 4
AP English Literature: 3
GPA: 3.61 unweighted

[/quote]

As of 4/23/21 around 8:30pm ACCEPTED

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ACCEPTED to USC Marshall for Business Administration Emphasis in Accounting
Decision Date: April 23, 2021 around 8:30pm

College Transferring From/Type: University of San Diego (USD)/Private 4 Year
Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP)/Legacy: Yes; Legacy
Entering As: Sophomore
GPA: 4.0 (will likely remain as 4.0 after spring semester)
Units Completed/Degree: 18
Units in Progress: 15
Pre-Reqs Completed: 2/2 (Lower Division Writing Requirement; Math - Calculus)
GEs Completed: 6/8

Extracurriculars:
*turned in a resume

  • Job/Work Experience: Marketing & Advancement Assistant for Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice
  • Volunteer: Volunteer Coordinator on Community Center’s Youth Leadership Team

Essays:
Personal Choice: I wrote about a personal medical condition and how I felt trapped, like my condition defined me. But my fight to recover and to learn to be content under these new circumstances instead of pretending it didn’t exist, made me finally see how strong I was mentally and emotionally and this allowed me to use this mindset to succeed in my future endeavors.
Why USC: Because I declared a double major in Accounting and Finance in my first semester at a University where all freshmen start off as undeclared, I centered this essay around what motivated me to do this and how taking this challenging step as a first generation college freshman allowed me to understand exactly what I want out of my college education.
Reason for Transferring Essay: This essay was centered around my involvement in my close-knit community and how the dedication and commitment of the people in my community gave me a sense of purpose and desire to help those who are in the same position. I connected this to specific programs and aspects of USC that reflect the parts I love most about my community and previous experiences and that I seek to make a focal point in my future.
Letters of Recommendation: 2 - 1 from supervisor at work, 1 from English professor
Schools Applied To: Only USC

QUESTIONS:

  1. Were you surprised by the results?
    Yes! While I heard about how TTP applicants did have a more clear path to transferring, the whole college application process from when I was a high school senior really psyched me out so I was careful to not be too optimistic as bad as it sounds. I am especially shocked that I heard back so quickly since I know of previous transfer applicants who heard back as late as July.
  2. What do you think was your biggest strength/what got you in?
    I am a legacy with TTP. But it probably also helped that I have a high GPA and was pretty involved on campus despite only being a freshman.
  3. Did you have any help with the application?
    Yes, a mentor of mine who had helped me when I first applied for college as a high school senior provided me with some feedback on my essays.
  4. Are you going to attend? Why or why not?
    Yes, it will definitely open doors for me in my career
  5. Is USC your first choice?
    Yes, dream school
  6. Did you submit/did the materials (transcripts, etc.) arrive on, before, or the deadline?
    I submitted the Common Application around mid-January
    They received my official college transcript on 1/21 and high school transcript on 1/25
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