Hi
I was admitted to USC as an Undergraduate Student. I am a Presidential Scholarship finalist and my interview is in two weeks. I’m wondering what I need to prepare and what questions they might ask. I know that there will be a panel of the admissions office, student, and a professor. Also, I’m wondering what the schedule is like because I know I have to sleep over at USC. What will I be doing over the course of two days?
My D is a Trustee scholar. She has participated on the interview panels from both sides. She says students need to be very familiar with their applications and essays. Also be relaxed, be yourself and show your interest in USC. They might ask where else you have applied.
Not positive about Presidential scholar interviews, but when my D was interviewed, there was a full day of activities planned for the students–tours etc. Have your USC host show you exactly where your interview will be the night before so you won’t be rushed. There is also a full slate for parents.
Good luck.
The questions they ask differ based on interviewer, interviewee, major, etc. But they’re all based on your application, so review that well.
When you signed up for Explore, there should have been a sample schedule there for you to download. It should still be there. But overall Explore is very open ended–there’s lots to choose from in terms of what to see and what to do, and you can pick whatever you want to do for the most part except for a few mandatory events.
So, I’ve been an Explore student, have hosted Explore students, interviewed for the Trustee scholarship and served on the panel as well, and each situation is honestly different. When I interviewed, I was talking to the Chair of my department for about 20 minutes about all sorts of things completely unrelated to my application, and he basically spent most of his time convincing me to come to USC. When I was on the panel, the professor had the application out in front of her and based all questions on it, and in the end I also had the chance to ask some questions, but I had never even seen the application. We had no one from admissions there.
As on how the two days are structured, there’s a bunch of info on the pinned threads. On the first day, you get to do a campus tour, a neighborhood bus tour, you can attend all sorts of presentations (pre-med, thematic option) and then you break off according to which school you’re in. The Dean of Admissions will make a speech and the admission committee will all introduce themselves individually. In the evening, you can go to a dining hall with your host, and your host will plan all sorts of fun things for you. There’s also usually an ice cream social or something of that sorts.
You usually sleep on the floor that night, so bring a sleeping bag, but sometimes your host will have a couch or something of that sort. The next day, you can get breakfast at the dining hall and attend a class if you have time, and then you have your interview. After your interview, they’ll serve you fancy lunch, and that’s pretty much the end of Explore.
^^^ just a note that I don’t think the student overnight is mandatory. If you are traveling with a parent and prefer to sleep in your hotel bed versus a dorm floor, then by all means do so. You’ll probably get a much better night’s sleep!
My D did the overnight 2 years ago during her Explore, and last year was happy to host multiple prospective students. Just be aware that often hosts are assigned 2 students, so the dorm floor can be crowded!
@LayraSparks Thanks for all the info about Explore! Greatly appreciate it. Do you happen to know if boys typically wear suits or blazers and khakis to the interview?
Thanks @jmek15 - If USC doesn’t mind I am sure my son would sleep better at the hotel dad is staying at nearby. 
He is in the March round and we have not yet received specific Info.
Just wonder if parents go with their kids to events at Explore, have separate activities or mostly just drop the kids off. Thanks!
@CA1543 On the first day, the parents stay with their kids until after the major-specific presentations/activities. Then they split; students get to meet their hosts, and parents have a nice dinner with admissions officers/faculty etc. You will reunite with your son after his scholarship interview.
I’ve never heard of a student not staying in their hosts’ dorm. They are required to stay with their student host for the whole evening/next morning because the students are not allowed to leave campus during that time. Anyway, I highly discourage not sleeping in your hosts’ room; staying in the dorm is a cool experience that allows you to better see college life from a different perspective. You get to meet new people, see how USC students live, eat breakfast at the dining hall, etc. He’ll be missing out on A LOT if he doesn’t stay. And your son should sleep well; you get to be really tired at the end of the first day of Explore from all the walking around, touring, and learning all the new information they throw at you!
@CA1543 I’ve definitely seen both, so I’d say wear a suit, you can’t go wrong with that.
Also, I second what the previous post said. Staying in the dorm allows your son to meet actual, real USC students who are not just there to convince him to go to USC and can answer so many questions that you wouldn’t normally ask on a student panel etc. It could also help him figure out what sort of a living situation he wants and what students do in the evenings, if nothing else.
USC Village, March 2017.
Wow, thanks for posting @PrimeNumber2! Can you imagine when it is all landscaped in USC’s meticulous socal style? What a game changer for the neighborhood and the school.
@CADREAMIN I have really appreciated all of your insights on CC. Do you know of any resources where one can research USC’s GPA distribution? My daughter has been admitted for fall and is trying to figure out whether it is a good option for premed. Thanks.
Wow. At the Explore they said that they are hoping to have the reception for scholarship recipients on 4/29 in USC Village – looking possible.
I saw this info about the scholarships for 2016 - just sharing the numbers:
https://about.usc.edu/files/2016/10/Freshman-Profile-2016.pdf
Fall 2016 Entering First-Year Class:
New students 3,068
USC Mork Family Scholars (full tuition + stipend) 9
Stamps Leadership Scholars (full tuition + stipend) 3
USC Trustee Scholars (full tuition) 117
USC Presidential Scholars (half tuition) 370
USC Dean’s Scholars (quarter tuition) 99
Recipients of other USC merit scholarships 44
National Merit Scholars 229
Seems about 15% get Presidential or Trustee & I would think the 229 National Merit Scholars are in addition but not sure. I would have thought more would get the Dean’s 1/4 tuition.
@CA1543 , They report students attending USC, but more awards were offered to students who did not end up matriculating. We don’t know that number. In past years we’ve seen that the larger the scholarships (Mork, Stamps, Trustee) tempt more to attend. But for all we know they offer a lot of the lower (Deans) scholarships to students who would be less likely (it’s not enough to really make USC affordable to many) to pick USC with a Dean’s over perhaps Ivies, or affordable State flagships or other admissions.