Don’t be fooled by its name, The University of Southern California is not a UC school. Instead, it's a mid-sized private research university in Downtown Los Angeles. USC is actually the state’s oldest private research institution. The school is famous for its media programs and sports; however, they have a whopping 350 academic program options and over 1,000 student organizations.

USC is currently Test-Optional and recently introduced an application option (they don’t have an early decision option.) While USC has always been a tough school to get into, recently, its acceptance rates have fallen sharply. Last year, they had around a 10% acceptance rate. If you are serious about getting into USC, you need to have a great application, and part of that is an excellent writing supplement. USC has a fairly unique supplement that students tend to either love or hate, so we wanted to share our advice on how to approach this supplement.

​​Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. (Approximately 250 words)*

The first question is actually very standard. We see this question so often we have a formula to tackle it. The secret first step here is research. Before you even start writing, you should know a lot about USC. Being a USC expert will make this so much easier to write. Once you have done that, you can jump into this rough outline:

1)     Introduce your academic passion.

You should tell a short personal story about when you fell in love with your intended area of study. For example, if you hope to major in Law, History and Culture, you could write about volunteering at your town’s historical society and helping set up a cultural exhibition. You then want to connect that experience to your intended major and state it explicitly.

While they say you can talk about your second choice major selection, you don’t need to, especially if they are related. (For example, if your second choice is Legal Studies… they will understand.)  Remember, USC has a lot of programs. While at other schools, you might just apply as a “history” major, make sure you find the most exciting program for you at USC.

2)    Back it up with USC specifics.

This question doesn’t just ask, “What do you want to study?” It also asks, “Why USC?” This is where your research will help you. You want to mention at least two higher-level classes (at USC, these will usually be marked as either 300 or 400-level courses) and why you would be excited to take them. You should connect them to your specific interests, goals, and/or previous academic experiences. For example, if you want to take POSC 426 The United States Supreme Court, you could connect it to a fascinating online class you have taken or a research project that you completed last summer. Take your time to show how this class will help you pursue your interests. You should then do the same with a professor whose work you would love to assist. Again, you want to connect that professor’s research to your interests and passions. Once you have done that, you can also speak to any unique academic opportunities you found during your research. There is a lot going on at USC, and there will likely be some opportunities that stand out to you.

3)    Wrap it up.

This essay isn’t long enough for a formal conclusion. Just make sure you leave them with the idea that USC has what you need educationally and that they should want you as a student.

Starting with the beginning of high school/secondary school, if you have had a gap where you were not enrolled in school during a fall or spring term, please address this gap in your educational history. You do not need to address a summer break. (250)

The second question is optional…. It is also, in our opinion, bizarre and unnecessary. There is a question in the Common App's education section that asks the same thing (and that one isn’t optional), so they will already have this information. Honestly, we don’t know why they ask it again. If you are applying to USC and also have a gap, we can help. Reach out here.

The next section of the supplement is divisive. It asks a bunch of super short answer questions that are also super quirky. Many students find these really fun, and others tend to overthink them or find them really stressful. Take a deep breath; these are supposed to be short and fun…. What’s Sabrina Carpenter’s new album… that’s right, Short n’ Sweet. That’s what we are aiming for.  Don’t worry about over-explaining yourself. Our biggest overall tip is that each answer should only be a couple of words. You can’t write a manifesto here and shouldn’t try to.

Describe yourself in three words.

The most important thing here is that it is actually three words. Don’t try to sneak in more. There are two routes to take here. You can either use three positive adjectives or try to write a cheeky lil sentence. Your answer will, then, either look like “Charismatic, Determined, Joyful” or “Makes great dumplings.”

If you list adjectives, try to make them dynamic and say something new about you that the reader couldn’t have gleaned elsewhere in your application. If you do a sentence, have some fun and highlight a trait that feels “very you.”

What is your favorite snack?*

We don’t think there is a wrong answer to this question. However, we love it when students get a little specific. Think about it: What's the best answer to “Dude, what’s your favorite Pop-Tart?” Is it ‘Strawberry,’ or is it “The 2002 tie-in merch Pop-Tarts that came out for the Spider-Man movie. Look it up!”? Ok, don’t get that aggressive. But you get our point: specificity helps, especially if it connects to a community, region, or personality quirk.

Answers we love to this include: Extra hot salsa and blue corn chips, Aloo Tikki, an Acai berry smoothie, thick-cut salt and vinegar chips, water ice, kosher dill pickles, the cheese side of Garrett Popcorn, etc. (Don’t say the 2002 pop-tart thing.)

Best movie of all time:*

Our tip here is to avoid anything that would take the top spot on a “best movies list.” For example, don’t say Citizen Kane. If you love Orson Welles, say Chimes at Midnight or The Third Man instead. The Godfather feels overdone, but Once Upon a Time in New York will probably be said less. These choices will let the reader know that you know your classic films without feeling generic.  

We would also avoid anything too controversial or very graphic. Like, we assume you aren’t putting Birth of a Nation or Cannibal Holocaust, but it is also probably best to avoid Gone with the Wind and Natural Born Killers.  Keeping it PG-13-ish might be the best practice here.

Dream job:*

This one needs to connect to what you want to study. If you wrote the essay above about Law, History, and Culture, your answer to this question should be something like “Entertainment Lawyer” and not “Model.” Yes, we would all love to be a full-time Ice Cream Taster, but your answer needs to make sense with your intended major.

If your life had a theme song, what would it be?*

Again, avoid anything too cheesy, such as “Eye of the Tiger” or “Don’t Stop Believing.” We would also steer clear of any recent Top 40 songs. Give us something a little unique here.

Also, be mindful of the lyrics. They don’t have to be squeaky clean, but “Guess Ft. Billie Eilish,” is not the vibe you’re going for. Try to keep it above board.

Dream trip:*

Again, there is no wrong answer here; however, if you can connect it to an interest or something personal, that is great. For example, if you would love to take your grandfather back to Italy, if your academic interest in history has pulled you to Egypt, or if you hope to one day surf in Tahiti due to its unique breaks, that is great. Or maybe you just have always wanted to go to Chile. That is also ok!

What TV show will you binge watch next? * 

Again, just avoid anything too popular, and you should be fine. You don’t want to be millennial-cringe, and say The Office.

Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?*

We like to reverse-engineer this one. First, think of a quality you would love in a roommate, then think of a character who oozes that quality. For example, if you would love someone who is very organized, you could say Amy Santiago from Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Maybe you want someone who is a great cook; you could go with Sydney from “The Bear.”

Favorite book:*

We have some rules for this one. You don’t want to say anything that would be on a high school reading list. You want to look like someone who reads for pleasure and has unique interests, so it’s best to skip “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “The Great Gatsby,” “1984,” “Death of the Salesman,” and the like.

We would also avoid anything YA. Sorry to “Harry Potter” and “The Hunger Games.” Speaking of “Harry Potter,” don’t say anything too controversial.

You can connect your book to your intended major, highlight a particular interest, or just have it be a great read. Whichever route you go, you want your choice to feel interesting and unique.

If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?*

There are two routes to take with this answer. You can use this to highlight an academic passion. However, you want to be specific. If you hope to minor in Art History, don’t just say “Art History 101.” You want to showcase that you have specific interests inside of the larger major. For example, you could write “En Las Calles: Understanding Trends in Mexican Mural Art” or “The Modern Museum: New Methods in Curation.”

The other route is a little more cheeky. Your class doesn’t have to be academic. You can make any skill or quirk into something that sounds like a college course. For example, “Advanced New York Bird Watching,” “Baking the Perfect Croissant: A Practical Guide to French Cooking,” or “Karaoke for non-Musicians.” Don’t be afraid to get quirky if you take this approach; it should feel fun!

USC’s supplement is mostly “fun questions.” While it should feel a little goofy and creative, sometimes these kinds of questions create more stress than they are worth. For some students, 3-word answers feel harder than 600-word essays. If that sounds like you, first, take a deep breath (we know it's hard), but try not to overthink these. And if you need help, we've got you covered! On this supplement or anything else!

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