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?