usc transfer essay example

The Ultimate Guide to the USC Transfer Essay

USC, the Trojans. The school of competitive sports and fantastic programs all around. Whatever you call it, it’s one of the most coveted schools in California. That’s why we’re providing what we believe is the ultimate guide to the USC transfer essay.

If you want more USC sample essays that were accepted, you can find them here.

Table of Contents

USC Sample Transfer Essay That Worked

How important is the usc essay, usc transfer prompt, usc transfer essay tips, provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring, the objectives you hope to achieve, how to write the usc transfer essay: tying it together..

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“While I was a senior in high school, I was filled with excitement and nervousness as I applied to my dream college, the University of Southern California. Upon the news that I had not been admitted, I was saddened; however, I realized that it simply was not meant to be at the time. It was a blessing in disguise. I am grateful for the extra two years I was given in order to spend time with my parents and having the luxury of being near other close relatives. Having grown up in the same town my whole life, I also enjoyed the company of my childhood friends and re-visited my past schools to keep the connections with my grade school teachers that have shaped me into who I am today. I have been humbled by the experience of attending a community college and have built life-long relationships. In addition to all this, the extra two years has done everything to prepare me for the adventure of transferring. Not everyone is given a second chance to achieve their dreams and I have spent the last two years investing my best effort into school in order to make my goal of transferring to the University of Southern California a reality. In the Chinese calendar, I was born the year of the dragon. Dragons are a symbol of strength and I have reflected this trait in my life by overcoming discouragement and striving with increased determination. My perspective shifted from being focused on what I felt I was missing out on until I decided to enjoy what was in front of me. Becoming involved with the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society as an officer and committee leader has helped me tremendously by providing friendships and being proactive with my greatest interest, using my love of art to benefit others. One of my objectives after I transfer is to continue being involved with school organizations that strive to leave a positive impact on others. I accomplished a vast amount of personal growth that has prepared me to branch out and discover what awaits. Dragons are also a thematic element incorporated in my artwork. As an artist, I am transferring because I am determined to achieve a Bachelor of Fine Arts in order to pursue my artistic interests. While attending a junior college, my yearn to learn has only grown. I have a passion for creating works of art that inspire thought, understanding, and exploration. I will use the opportunities available at USC to push my talent beyond my imagination. Attending the University of Southern California is an unsurpassable opportunity due to the expertise, connections, and location. I am grateful to have the opportunity to take advantage of the great resources and exposure available at USC to set the tone for my artistic career. In my future, I plan to find success as an artist prior to becoming an art professor. This career choice requires what USC offers: a strong foundation of art skills and knowledge that will allow me to further develop and flourish as well as successful faculty that I will learn from to guide my future endeavors.”  Anonymous –Accepted Into USC.

“But aren’t scores like GPA more important for the USC application process?” “Hasn’t it always been this way for every school?” 

Well, that only applies to certain schools. Schools that are highly competitive follow what is called “holistic admissions” this means that they run through applications with a fine-tooth comb in order to pick out the best candidates. The reason competitive schools do this is that most if not all applicants applying are, well, competitive. When there’s no other variable of differentiation because every student is the quintessential “straight-A student”, then the importance of the admissions essay expands.

Think of it as inflation of grades: if everyone has perfect grades, the value decreases and the admissions essay takes over as the paramount value structure in accepting students. 

Afraid that your transfer admissions essay won’t be good enough to beat the competition? Well, here’s our advice on how to approach the essay properly. 

“Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve.” (650 WORD) — University of Southern California, Transfer Admissions

This prompt is separated into two different categories. Therefore, you will be in some ways writing two different essays in one. One, there are the reasons for transferring; and two, there are the objectives. 

The next two sections will be dedicated to showing you how to tackle these parts of the USC transfer essay question as well as possible. But before we get to that, here are a few key things to keep in mind while writing your transfer essay. 

• Use a Grammar Checker so your essay doesn’t look sloppy. 
• Demonstrate that you care for the school you’re transferring to
• Avoid sounding boring by using strong imagery
• Keep the admissions officer’s attention with a strong introduction and hook. (more on this in our sister article)
• Avoid Cliches
• Follow the quintessential versatility rule ( more on this in our sister article )
• Keep your words concise by removing filler words to fit the maximum 650 words.

If you’ve any other burning questions about how to write essays college essays well in general, check out our other articles. (Or, if you don’t want to sift through all of them, simply give us a call or contact us through email! We’ll respond as soon as we can)

The key to answering this section is to make sure that you actually have a good reason for transferring. You’re no longer a lost high school student anymore; you’re about two years away from being a true adult! That means taking care of yourself, and, most of all, aware of what it is you really want for your future. 

“But wait a minute, doesn’t everyone have a hard time knowing what they want out of life in the future?”

Not everyone, but many. Many people have yet to form their dreams even after university and after getting their first job. You’re not everyone, though. You’re you: an applicant to one of the greatest schools in California and arguably the nation. You need to show that you are mature enough to have your plans mapped out; this will help you stand out. 

“Okay, but knowing the reasons for transferring can be hard. How do I know what those reasons are exactly?”

Well, that’s the beauty of persuasive writing. You don’t have to say everything.  In fact, you don’t have to have many reasons for transferring. You just need one or two reasons that are sufficient enough to justify your application. 

Ask yourself: “What reasons make it worth it for me to apply to USC as a transfer from my original school?” Typically this means that USC has something that can provide for either your personal development or your career, or both. 

Here’s an example. 

• Reason 1: Transferring because you want to expand on a business idea or existing business by learning from USC’s strong business program. 
• Reason 2: Knowing that you can connect well with the community in USC because you’ve fallen in love with the Southern California culture after having seen how unenthusiastic and slow the rest of the world seemed. 

These reasons are good reasons that justify your application to a prestigious school. You don’t have to have a story about how both your mother and sister died from a lightning bolt to have an interesting story to talk about.  

It’s very common for applicants to get stuck in thinking about their reasons for applying to a school other than, “getting good grades and making good money.” Chances are, if you can’t think past that level then you simply haven’t given it enough thought yet. 

Of course, you could also just have a hard time fabricating reasons for goals, which is understandable! If you have a hard time coming up with information, don’t just start writing about something random. You MUST have good reasons that are meaningful because that’s what makes a fitting applicant. Please speak to us if you can’t think of anything; we’d be happy to help in any way we can!  

As for the objectives that you hope to achieve, this connects with the previous question in the USC transfer essay prompt. Once you have a reason for applying, you should have a good idea of what the objectives are. 

In fact, we would say that it actually makes more sense to work this backward. First, think about what objectives you hope to achieve, then your reasons for applying as a transfer to USC. 

This is typically the natural stream of thought that would take place when answering this question, or simply planning for the future. “What do you really want for your future and how does applying for USC make this work?”

If your objectives don’t at least in some ways correlate with the reasons why you want to apply for USC as a transfer student, your application can sound a bit awkward. Saying that your reasons are to challenge yourself in a field you’re passionate about won’t help if you claim that your future goals involve doing something in a completely different field. It won’t really make much sense to admissions officers. 

You need your reasons and your objectives to correlate with each other in order for admissions officers to not only understand you but also to not think you’re “wishy-washy” or apathetic about your future. 

You could also think of it like this: You have a set of dreams and goals that you would like to achieve. Achieving this dream is easier if you apply for USC and capitalize on their benefits.

Here’s an example of how this would play out.  

• Objective 1: You want to learn how to expand your small business in selling affiliate products online through a string of websites. You’ve always had a passion for this and it made sense to go to a great school that can show you how to expand on said business. 
• Objective 2: You find that you don’t know very many like-minded people with the same passion and drive for business growth in your area. You find the 9-5 grind boring and, as such, you seek more entrepreneur-friendly places like Southern California to feel a sense of community and belonging. 

Great. You’ve got your objectives for the future sorted out as much as you can and you have a few good reasons to apply for UC as a transfer student to achieve said objectives. Now it’s time to merge them together.  The formula for the essay may therefore look a bit something like this: 

Intro paragraph

• Start with a good hook. You may talk about your dreams / objectives you would like to achieve. 
• Make sure not to start the hook about how much you want to attend USC, though. This is a cliche and, more importantly, does not highlight what makes YOU special and only highlights what makes USC special. (which the admissions officers already know.)
• You can make the introduction paragraph about anything in general, but it just needs to be interesting and transition into the body paragraphs without losing the admissions officer’s attention. This is best done by writing about the dreams and objectives. We recommend also to do the intro paragraph last, as it is the most difficult part to come up with ideas for. 

Body paragraph 1

• Talk about your objectives that you would like to achieve. 
• A good way of manifesting your dreams in your mind is to simply be more thoughtful about what you really want. More often than not, a better response than “I want to be a doctor” is something more wide and open such as “I aspire to dedicate what time I have left of my years doing what is most fulfilling to me: to save lives that are at risk.”

Body paragraph 2

• Talk a little bit more in depth about said objectives. 
• You may elaborate with how you came about this objective and why it means so much to you. What was the spark that made you want to commit to this objective? Why do you care so much that it would speak to your very being? 

Body paragraph 3

• Talk about your reason for applying to USC. 
• It is paramount that in this section onward that you don’t allow for your writing to fall flat. Many writers tend to use all their abilities of good imagery in the intro and first few paragraphs only for them to run out of steam at the last parts. Don’t do that. 

Body paragraph 4

• Talk about your next reason for applying to USC.
• If you only have one reason, you may disregard this. You may also use this paragraph to talk about the ways in which applying to USC will help fulfill your objectives and use that as a reason. 

Conclusion 

There you have it! A better approach to the USC transfer admissions essay. You’re at least more prepared now to tackle your dreams of becoming a trojan! Remember: the competition of entering USC as an undergraduate is fierce, and as a transfer even more so. 

Your GPA, extracurriculars, awards, and work experience are not the only vital thing being reviewed. You’re facing holistic admissions, so remember to keep your pen (or keyboard) sharp and your brain sharper. 

Have further questions about our essay guide? Concerned whether your essay-writing abilities will save you from low grades and test scores? You might want to consider talking to a college admissions counselor for advice and help. Here at PenningPapers, we provide you with free consultations to ensure that you don’t regret pressing that “submit” button. 

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3 USC Essay Examples By Accepted Students

The University of Southern California is a selective private school in Los Angeles. Its film school is consistently ranked the top in the country, though its other academic programs are incredibly strong as well.

USC requires applicants to fill out a variety of prompts, some in the form of essays and others as short-answer questions. In this post, we’ll go over three essays that helped real students gain acceptance to USC and explain what each essay did well and where it could be improved. 

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our USC essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts. 

(Also, CollegeVine has a ton of other resources for your USC application. Want to learn what USC will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take? Here’s what every student considering USC needs to know. ) 

Essay Example #1 – 10 Minutes to Change the World

At what point does injustice become background noise?

Bloodied black bodies can be “liked” on Instagram. Gunshots in classrooms are easily reposted via Tiktok. My generation’s digital environment is so overwhelming we’re desensitized. Given the numbing nature of dark humor, youth prefer it over justice. Rape culture is palatable once it’s a punchline. Laughter is more socially acceptable than tears. 

A recent documentary about Jeffery Dahmer (which his victim’s family members did not consent to) has led to several callous jokes about his horrifying devastation of the Black gay community. Tiktok now hosts several trends concerning Dahmer, all spearheaded by Generation Z youth.

Humor is a valid coping mechanism, but it’s now a crutch for a generation that needs to start walking on its own. 

Why is shock humor desired today? Dark humor was how I grappled with my internalized racism, partly triggered by enduring racial slurs at school. However, the hilarity fizzled out once I realized how counterproductive it was. Now, rather than reposting footage of global tragedies or joking about them, I promote new bills, pro-cause literature, and nonprofits, celebrating the proactivity of our nation.

To begin my conversation, I would address my own desensitization, urging my audience to examine theirs as well. Through my talk, I want individuals to undergo a transformative examination of social media consumption and the role of humor in the face of tragedy. Hopefully, my talk leads them to consider how they can work to alleviate social issues, rather than laughing at them.

What the Essay Did Well

This prompt is incredibly open, which can be both a blessing and a curse: you can write about anything you want, but with that much freedom, will you be able to focus on something specific? For this student, the answer to that question is unquestionably yes, as they do a phenomenal job writing about a creative, nuanced topic, in a way that is clear and easy to understand.

The topic they choose is also personal, which is important. The purpose of any college essay is to teach your readers something about who you are, and if you write about a topic that you know a lot about, but aren’t emotionally invested in (like, say, the different kinds of screwdrivers you learned about while helping your dad with a summer project), your personality won’t shine through.

This student, however, focuses not on racism in general, which is far too broad a topic for an essay this short, but on the problematic ways Gen Z copes with racism. That unique perspective shows that the student both has strong critical thinking skills and can reflect on their own experiences. And to take things a step further, they are also willing to get vulnerable, and acknowledge their own role in perpetuating the very issue they are highlighting, with the section:

“Dark humor was how I grappled with my internalized racism, partly triggered by enduring racial slurs at school. However, the hilarity fizzled out once I realized how counterproductive it was. Now, rather than reposting footage of global tragedies or joking about them, I promote new bills, pro-cause literature, and nonprofits, celebrating the proactivity of our nation.”

In this part of the essay, the student shows a remarkable level of humility, and an ability to work on themselves. While getting vulnerable with a bunch of strangers thousands of miles away is not easy, this especially deep self-reflection is what takes this essay from good to great.

In addition to zooming in on their own character, the student also zooms out from their own experience, to arrive at thoughtful, compelling takeaways that assuredly would hold the attention of a million people. Lines such as “Humor is a valid coping mechanism, but it’s now a crutch for a generation that needs to start walking on its own” and “Given the numbing nature of dark humor, youth prefer it over justice. Rape culture is palatable once it’s a punchline. Laughter is more socially acceptable than tears” show that this student is not only personally invested in this issue, but ready to start taking steps towards solving it.

Lastly, this essay is incredibly well-written and easy to follow. The passionate yet conversational tone stays true to the goal of the prompt (start a conversation!), and because of the writer’s varied sentence structure, we never get bored or want to stop reading.

What Could Be Improved 

The main problem with this essay comes in its last paragraph: 

“To begin my conversation, I would address my own desensitization, urging my audience to examine theirs as well. Through my talk, I want individuals to undergo a transformative examination of social media consumption and the role of humor in the face of tragedy. Hopefully, my talk leads them to consider how they can work to alleviate social issues, rather than laughing at them.”

Unfortunately, this paragraph doesn’t tell us anything we don’t already know, which unfortunately means the student has essentially wasted 63 words in a 250 word essay. If you write a strong essay (which this student does), you do not need to wrap things up or connect your answer back to the prompt explicitly. Those things will just happen naturally.

Instead of this paraphrased, overly tidy conclusion, the student could have painted a picture of what their talk would look like. For example:

“Hopefully, I can inspire my audience to reflect on their own desensitization, as I did, by describing the time I retweeted ten Trump memes in an hour, and how that did absolutely nothing to help me feel better about the state of the country. Turning away from band-aid solutions and committing to sucking the poison out of the wound is challenging, but I hope that through my talk and conversations my listeners have with each other afterwards, more of us will feel ready to take on that challenge.”

This version doesn’t just summarize points the student has already made, but rather presents us with tangible ways (reflecting on their own low moments; conversations after their talk) they hope to continue fighting back against desensitization.

Essay Example #2 – The Power of Debate

Prompt:   What is something about yourself that is essential to understanding you? (250 words)

“Chill. Out.”

Surely my classmates felt annoyed that I had transformed a simple English debate about the existence of the American Dream into a full-on tirade, hands revolving in furious circles, voice emphatically piercing throughout the room. But for me, the slightest mention of a debate, even a minor discussion on the best team in the NFL (Patriots!), unleashes my passionate, borderline bombastic self, determined to conquer the war of words.

Of course, when discussing the merits of pharmaceutical price controls at a debate tournament, my assertive speaking style and quick-thinking become valuable assets. But other times, I find those tendencies to hinder what would otherwise be productive, civilized conversations. Often, a simple discussion about the merits of pineapple on pizza would quickly devolve into a redundant, unproductive squabble. I have to constantly remind myself that not everything needs to be debated endlessly, no matter how much I vehemently disagree (Pineapple on pizza, however, is a TERRIBLE idea).

Yet it is this desire to seek truth and conclusion, to vouch for my beliefs, that drives me to my life endeavors. Whether it be interning at an immigration law firm and fighting for clients’ prosperity or volunteering for a local Board of Education candidate, I strive to focus my love for reasoning and dialogue into avenues that benefit those around me. Pointless debates lead nowhere, but insightful, genuine conversations are essential to addressing the key issues that affect our community. And honestly, pineapple on pizza doesn’t really matter that much anyway.

Not only does this essay start with a one-line paragraph, it starts with two sentence fragments. This is a great way to begin a college app essay, because let’s face it: admissions readers have to plow through hundreds of essays per day. They don’t want to pick apart drawn-out introductions. They want something that’s going to pique their interest, and “ Chill. Out. ” meets this requirement. It immediately creates a drive to read more: what is the conflict here? Who’s saying “chill out,” and why? 

Throughout this essay, the writer uses physical and powerful verbs to describe their passion for debating. If you went through the essay with red pen, you’d underline a lot of dynamic action: “ vehemently disagree ,”  “ drive ,” “ conquer the wa r,” “ voice piercing through the room .”  Words like these involve the reader physically in the action of debate in a way that drier words, like “respond” or “address” would not. As a result, the applicant comes across as enthusiastic and passionate.  And, as the icing on the cake, the violent words make the author’s personal growth – their stoic mastery over their passions – resonate as more truthful by the end of the essay. We can appreciate their calm, because we’ve experienced their storm. 

By far, the most important element of this essay is its focus on a personal transformation . This applicant could have relished in their success on debate team or the Board of Education, but they don’t – instead, they involve these occurrences in a narrative about their fatal flaw . 

Why is this attractive to an admissions reader? Well, because it demonstrates that the applicant is introspective and interested in improving themself in deeply personal ways. For example, it takes humility to insert yourself into the perspectives of others (“ surely my classmates felt annoyed ”). And it takes honesty to 1) identify a problem with yourself and 2) correct your behavior (“ I have to constantly remind myself that not everything needs to be debated ”). 

What Could Be Improved

There is honestly very little this student needs to do to strengthen this essay as it already is captivating, passionate, and illuminating. However, a word of caution is to make sure the mood of your essay matches your personality. This essay works because as far as we can tell from what this student tells us about themselves and the activities they engage in, they are outspoken, quick-thinking, and love to exchange ideas. These qualities all lend themselves to a fast-paced, dynamic essay. But if that isn’t you, don’t try and inject powerful language into your essay to have the same impact as this student. Make sure your essay reflects you and the story you are trying to tell.

Essay Example #3 – Admitting You Were Wrong

This essay covers the difficult topics of eating disorders and mental health. If you’re thinking about covering similar topics in your essay, we recommend reading our post Should You Talk About Mental Health in College Essays?

Prompt: 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 view. Please discuss the significance of the experience and its effect on you. (250 words)

“You barely have lunch, and I’m worried that you’re not eating enough.”

My face burnt bright red. They know.

It was true, of course. Throughout sophomore year, my daily food intake slowly inched below 1,500 calories, barely enough to sustain a toddler. Six months in, my period halted its monthly cycle – hormonal amenorrhea. Tired, anxious, scared. Yet, nothing deterred the voice in my head from telling me that I would never be small enough.

With an already petite stature, my health was never questioned; people seldom criticized my diet or the amount of space I occupied in a room. Skinny was healthy, and I bought into that myth. Until I started to listen. I listened as my friend confronted me with her concerns. For the first time, I was exposed to a new definition of health detached from fear foods and aesthetics. Not immediately convinced but willing to change, her perspective encouraged me to do the research and reflect on my health subjectively. In the following week, dietetic research papers and videos filled my search history; the verdict was glaringly clear. I was wrong.

Today, I exercise for adrenaline. I eat for fuel. I recognize my worth beyond the number on the scale. Listening to a different perspective was all it took for me to unravel the flaws of my own, and that, as I currently eat the rest of the holiday toffee pretzels unabashedly, is something that I am forever thankful for.

This student opened up about a deeply personal topic in a that really allowed the reader to see the mental and physical effect her eating disorder had on her. We aren’t just told she had an eating disorder and when she was confronted by a friend it changed her perspective; we are shown  what she suffered through and what her original perspective was. 

Admitting to thoughts about the “ amount of space [she] occupied in a room ” and how “ Skinny was healthy”  demonstrates very clearly her mental stance on her body. That contrasts with her admission of her physical health: “ my daily food intake slowly inched below 1,500 calories, barely enough to sustain a toddler ” and “ my period halted its monthly cycle. ” Describing both the mental and physical aspects help us to understand the depth of the struggle she went through and how deeply engrained she was in her current way of thinking.

This essay has a triumphant ending that warms our heart for the student because she was able to find help and conquer her eating disorder. The last paragraph nicely reflects on the effect this new idea had on the student by showing us her new mental approach to food and her weight: “ Today, I exercise for adrenaline. I eat for fuel. I recognize my worth beyond the number on the scale. ” Finishing the essay with her giving thanks for eating “ holiday toffee pretzels unabashedly ” brings a light-hearted conclusion to a serious essay and leaves the reader with a smile on their face for how far this student has come. 

While the narrative this student tells is very good, it reads more like an “Overcoming Challenges” essay than a “New Beliefs” essay. This could be fixed with more attention to the encounter with her friend and her subsequent research on eating healthy.

We are simply told, “ I listened as my friend confronted me with her concerns, ” and that through that experience she was “ exposed to a new definition of health detached from fear foods and aesthetics. ” However, what we want to see is how this student grappled with the confrontation and what her mental and emotional response was to learning new information that contradicted her previous assumptions.

Like in the beginning, a quote from her friend would be a nice way to place the reader in the action. This student also provided us with a lot of introspection about her eating disorder, so the essay should pay the same amount of attention to her overcoming it. For example, she might write something like this:

“ ‘We are all concerned for you.’ The sad eyes of my friend roamed over my thinning body, and I heard my heart shatter. I wasn’t just hurting myself, I was causing all my friends and family to worry. ‘I think you’ll like this article.’ Turning her computer around, big bold letters ran across the screen: YOU ARE MORE THAN A NUMBER. I hesitated in the moment, terrified of letting go of the societal message to be skinny that had become my mantra. But as my sunken, tired eyes looked back at me in the mirror that night, I opened up the article and learned just how wrong I had been. ” 

Where to Get Your USC Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your USC essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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How to Write a College Transfer Essay (With Examples)

Lisa Freedland is a Scholarships360 writer with personal experience in psychological research and content writing. She has written content for an online fact-checking organization and has conducted research at the University of Southern California as well as the University of California, Irvine. Lisa graduated from the University of Southern California in Fall 2021 with a degree in Psychology.

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Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Undergraduate transfers continue to increase, growing 5.3 percent from the fall of 2022 to fall of 2023. Students may transfer for a variety of reasons, ranging from academics to athletics to geography. Some students simply want to be closer to home or found that the culture of the college started out in is not a fit for them. 

If you are in the process of transferring colleges, it’s likely that you will have to write a personal essay as part of your transfer admissions process. Ultimately, there’s no one way to write a college transfer essay. Everyone is unique, and this individuality should shine through in your essays.

However, there are some recommended things to include, and even a real example essay that was used to successfully transfer college! In this post, we’ll help you write a powerful transfer essay so you can tell your story to the admissions committee.

Jump ahead to…

• Do’s and don’ts
• Why did you choose your current school?

What are your main reasons for transferring out of your current school?

Why do you want to attend the transfer school.

• Example essay

Additional resources

• Key takeaways
• Frequently asked questions

College transfer essays: The do’s and don’ts

Before we start, we want to cover a few basics do’s and don’ts about what your transfer essays should be about.

• Elaborate on how your current school has helped you progress towards your goals. Positivity is always a good thing!
• Research your prospective school (e.g. specific classes, organizations, opportunities) for why you want to go there.
• Make sure to follow the standard/correct essay format! Transfer essay prompts may vary from college to college so you should make sure that you’re answering the exact question.
• Use up your limited word count by listing negative aspects about your current school. Instead, focus on how it has helped you grow, but how another school could further help you develop your interests/passions 
• List a group of random classes or opportunities available at your new school. Mention opportunities you’re (genuinely) interested in that relate to your goals and passions – make sure you’re telling a story through your essay.
• Copy your initial admissions essay (the one that you used when applying to colleges in high school) – you’ve changed a lot during your time in college so you will want to write a brand new essay.

Apply to these scholarships due soon

$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

$2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship

Making the Leap Scholarship for Transfer Students

BigFuture $40k Essay-Free Scholarship

Tennessee HOPE Scholarship

Niche $25,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

NMU Presidential Scholars Competition

Minnesota State Workforce Development Scholarships

$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship

What is the goal of the transfer essay.

Potential transfer students should know that not all colleges and universities require transfer essays, so when in doubt definitely check-in with the college in question for clarification. For the purposes of this article and the sample transfer essay, we’ll be using this prompt:

Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve. 

Most colleges will be interested in learning why you want to transfer and how transferring will help you achieve your goals. However, specific prompts will vary from college to college, so you should definitely pay attention to the specific prompt you are asked to respond to.

Some of the common questions you’ll come across include:

• How will your transfer school help you accomplish your goals?

Below I’ll break down how to respond to each of these questions and include an example from a successful transfer essay.

Also see: Can you transfer into an ivy league school?

Why did you choose your current school? 

To answer this question, you’ll have to go back in time when you were in 12th grade and selecting your college. Did you choose the college because it had a program you liked? Maybe you really wanted to take classes with a specific professor? Maybe you thought you wanted to attend college in a specific part of the world? Whatever the reason you should lay it out in the most factual way possible.

Here’s how I responded to this question:

Just like Jeopardy, Criminal Minds is also a show that I have watched from a very young age, and one that I continue to watch quite regularly. Being exposed to this interesting world of FBI profilers for so long inspired me to want to dive into the world of psychology myself. Due to this, I originally chose the University of Wisconsin, Madison for its amazing psychology program, and because I wanted to try something new. Being from California, this “something new” came in the form of watching snow fall from the sky, seeing cheese curds being sold in all the grocery stores, and simply living somewhere far away from home.

Also see: How to write a 250 word essay

This is always an important question for transfer admissions officers: why did your current college not work out? We recommend that students be as honest as possible and stick to the facts (as opposed to simply complaining about your current school).

Students have very different reasons for changing schools, which often depend on what type of school you’re transferring from (a 2-year or 4-year). While many community college students transfer because their plans did work out and they’ve accomplished what they wanted to at their school, those transferring from four-year universities often do so for less positive reasons (which was my experience).

If the situation at your college didn’t exactly pan out as you thought it would, you should also try to talk about some of the ways you are making the most of the situation. This shows the admissions officers that despite the less-than-ideal circumstances, you have continued to learn, grow, and contribute to your community.

Here’s how I accomplished this:

Arriving in Wisconsin, I got exactly what I wanted: an amazing psychology program and the experience of being somewhere quite different from the place I called home. My classes were interesting, my professors were helpful and caring, and experiencing the first snow was quite exciting. However, as winter progressed, walking back from class everyday under the progressively gloomier sky seemed to be a cruel reminder that I was no longer in sunny Southern California. While eating dinner in our many dining halls, I always viewed the wide array of food available: quesadillas, Chinese food, burgers, even pecan pie. The food was all delicious, but going day after day without even seeing Korean food once made me miss those fun dinners with my family. Back at my dorm, my “home away from home”, it started to feel like anything but being at home. To feel more comfortable where I was, I decided to pursue things I liked, and that I was familiar with. My passion for psychology led me to join the university’s Psychology Club, where I was able to learn about recent revelations within the field of psychology, furthering my interest in the subject. 

Going through the admissions process as a transfer student is interesting, because you have learned a lot about yourself and your preferences at your first college. This should provide you with a great perspective on what you are looking for next.

The two major things you’ll want to accomplish when answering this question are why the transfer college in question is a good fit for you and how it can help you accomplish your goals as a student.

Specificity is always more ideal here so you can show that you have spent some time thinking about what you want and also how the new college fits.

Here’s how I did this:

I plan on using the knowledge I gain in psychology, either from organizations or classes, to help people. I want to one day apply this knowledge to research, to discover possible methods to help the people suffering from the psychological problems I study. Alternatively, I hope to use this knowledge as a criminal profiler, using my understanding of psychology to narrow down pools of suspects.  To be able to accomplish either of these, I need to develop a much deeper understanding of both people’s motivations for the things they do as well as of the many psychological issues people face. For these reasons, I am very excited at the prospect of exploring and enrolling in the classes offered by USC’s Department of Psychology. In particular, Psych 360: Abnormal Psychology would be an amazing introduction to psychological disorders and their causes. Psych 314L: Research Methods would then help me put this knowledge about disorders to good use by teaching me how to properly conduct research and find possible solutions for people’s problems.

College transfer essays: an example

Here we go! Throughout this article, I’ve shown you my college essay divided into sections, and now’s time for the full thing. I can honestly say that this essay had a 100% success rate! Without further ado, here is my full college transfer essay (and prompt):

Prompt: Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve. 

I wake up from my daily after-school nap to realize that it is already dinner time. As I walk downstairs, I smell the delicious fragrance coming from my mom’s samgyetang (Korean ginseng chicken soup), one of my favorite meals. Soon enough, everyone sits down to watch the newest episode of Jeopardy , a tradition we’ve had going on for as long as I can remember. As I take that first sip of samgyetang, and miss yet another geography question on Jeopardy – and wait for my family to inevitably tease me about it – I feel at home, like I am somewhere that I belong. Wherever I go, I hope I can encounter that same warm feeling. Just like Jeopardy , Criminal Minds is also a show that I have watched from a very young age, and one that I continue to watch quite regularly. Being exposed to this interesting world of FBI profilers for so long inspired me to want to dive into the world of psychology myself. Due to this, I originally chose the University of Wisconsin, Madison for its amazing psychology program, and because I wanted to try something new. Being from California, this “something new” came in the form of watching snow fall from the sky, seeing cheese curds being sold in all the grocery stores, and simply living somewhere far away from home. Arriving in Wisconsin, I got exactly what I wanted: an amazing psychology program and the experience of being somewhere quite different from the place I called home. My classes were interesting, my professors were helpful and caring, and experiencing the first snow was quite exciting. However, as winter progressed, walking back from class everyday under the progressively gloomier sky seemed to be a cruel reminder that I was no longer in sunny Southern California. While eating dinner in our many dining halls, I always viewed the wide array of food available: quesadillas, Chinese food, burgers, even pecan pie. The food was all delicious, but going day after day without even seeing Korean food once, it made me miss those fun dinners with my family. Back at my dorm, my “home away from home,” it started to feel like anything but being at home. To feel more comfortable where I was, I decided to pursue things I liked, and that I was familiar with. My passion for psychology led me to join the university’s Psychology Club, where I was able to learn about recent revelations within the field of psychology, furthering my interest in the subject. I plan on using the knowledge I gain in psychology, either from organizations or classes, to help people. I want to one day apply this knowledge to research, to discover possible methods to help the people suffering from the psychological problems I study. Alternatively, I hope to use this knowledge as a criminal profiler, using my understanding of psychology to narrow down pools of suspects.  To be able to accomplish either of these, I need to develop a much deeper understanding of both people’s motivations for the things they do as well as of the many psychological issues people face. For these reasons, I am very excited at the prospect of exploring and enrolling in the classes offered by USC’s Department of Psychology. In particular, Psych 360: Abnormal Psychology would be an amazing introduction to psychological disorders and their causes. Psych 314L: Research Methods would then help me put this knowledge about disorders to good use by teaching me how to properly conduct research and find possible solutions for people’s problems. With so many opportunities available at USC, I hope to not only help others feel more comfortable, but to find a second home for myself after all.

And that’s it! This essay touches on all of the tips listed above, and should serve as helpful inspiration as you begin your writing. Hopefully, it gives you an idea of how to integrate everything you should mention in a cohesive essay. With that, I wish you good luck with your college transfer essays (and applications)!

Don’t miss: What looks good on a college application?

If you finish your essay and still have questions about the transfer process, consider checking out these Scholarships360 resources:

• How to transfer colleges
• How to transfer from a community college
• Top scholarships for transfer students
• How to choose a college
• What’s the difference between a private and public university?

Key Takeaways

• Explain why you want to transfer, what you need that you are not getting at your current school, and why you chose your current school to begin with
• Always present things in a positive light
• Share how the transfer school will help you achieve your goals and why you are a good fit for the school

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• Access exclusive scholarships only available to Scholarships360 members

Frequently asked questions about writing college transfer essays 

How are college transfer essays different from regular application essays, do all schools require transfer essays, can i reuse my old college essays for a transfer, what should you not say in a transfer essay, scholarships360 recommended.

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University of Southern California 2024-25 Supplemental Essay and Short Questions Guide

Early Action: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Dec 1

University of Southern California (USC) 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Guide

The Requirements: 2 or 3 essays (depending on major selection) of up to 250 words; 2 short-answer lists.

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Oddball , Short Answer , Community

USC Essay Prompts Breakdown

Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests at usc. please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. (250 word limit).

This is USC’s take on the classic Why essay. In asking how you plan to pursue your interests, admissions is really trying to suss out your core reasons for choosing USC. While college will offer you a wealth of social and professional opportunities, its primary function is academic — and your primary role is as a student. So, what kind of student do you hope to be? Where do you hope your studies will take you? What resources and opportunities does USC offer that will meet your needs and guide you towards your goals?

To answer these questions, set aside an hour or two to pore over the USC website (there’s no hack, you’ve just got to put in the time). Beyond the basic departmental listings, look up information about news and research coming out of your department, the kinds of courses available, the opportunities that other undergrads have had studying in your area of choice. Even if you have a wide array of interests, consider explaining how two to three departments might complement each other or foster your interest in a larger idea or theme. Your ultimate goal is to show that your interest in USC (just like your intellectual curiosity) runs deep!

Describe yourself in three words (25 characters).

Your answers do not need to be so outlandish that admissions needs a thesaurus to look them up, but they should avoid the generalities that so often populate these questions: loyal, kind, smart… you get the idea. We’re sure you are all of these things — and they are lovely qualities to showcase in the stories you tell elsewhere in your other written responses — but these sorts of terms can ring hollow. Think about how different people in your life would describe you. Though this assignment is short, you may need to spend some time wordsmithing different combinations. When the prescribed format is a list, order matters just as much as content, so use every element of the assignment to your advantage!

The following prompts have a 100 character limit:

What is your favorite snack, best movie of all time:, if your life had a theme song, what would it be, dream trip:, what tv show will you binge watch next, which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate, favorite book:, if you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be.

Behold! USC’s attempt at being quirky! You’ve been limited to less than the length of a tweet for each answer, so you’d better make every word (and character) count! These prompts don’t have time for generalities or gentle introductions, so you’ll have to cut straight to the point. The more specific your words are, the more memorable your answers will be. Favorite snack? Don’t just say, “popcorn and Junior Mints.” How about, “A box of junior mints melting over hot popcorn as I watch a horror movie” (72 characters). If you can paint a funny picture or display a knack for wit, take this chance, but don’t force it. You also don’t exactly have to think of this as filling in the blanks, but more as filling in any blanks in your application. Anything that doesn’t feel like it merits a full essay can go here as a tweet, hot take, punchline, or elegantly-worded sentence.

USC Dornsife Applicants: Please provide an essay of no more than 250 words on the topic below. In your response, we encourage you to write about something that you haven’t already discussed elsewhere in your application.

For more information, please click here ., many of us have at least one issue or passion that we care deeply about – a topic on which we would love to share our opinions and insights in hopes of sparking intense interest and continued conversation. if you had ten minutes and the attention of a million people, what would your talk be about (250 words).

We at CEA love this question because it’s a unique way of asking applicants: what do you care about and why? What’s important to you? What information do you wish other scholarly minds had access to? Start by making a list. Maybe you’d like to use your ten minutes to speak about media literacy and how we can and should consider what we see online through the lens of the powers that dictate how and when we receive information. Perhaps you’d want to spread the word about the dangers of climate change and the irreversible impact it will have on the planet if we don’t take action swiftly. What keeps you up at night? What kind of positive effect do you want to have on the world? These are the questions you should be asking yourself when brainstorming for this prompt. Bonus points if you can speak to how a USC Dornsife education will prepare you to address this issue head-on in the future! 

USC Viterbi Applicants:

The student body at the usc viterbi school of engineering is a diverse group of unique engineers and computer scientists who work together to engineer a better world for all humanity. describe how your contributions to the usc viterbi student body may be distinct from others. please feel free to touch on any part of your background, traits, skills, experiences, challenges, and/or personality in helping us better understand you. (250 words).

USC Viterbi School of Engineering wants to accept students who will contribute to diversity on campus. When considering an aspect of your identity or background to expand upon, we recommend choosing one that has had the biggest impact on the way you experience and interact with the world. Ideally, the unique aspect you select should come with a couple anecdotes. Maybe you want to write about your experience as a person living with a disability and how this has shaped your interest in engineering, design, and accessibility. Perhaps you embody #BlackGirlMagic and will bring a fresh perspective to a field in which women of color are underrepresented. Regardless of the part of your identity you choose to address, be specific about how it impacts your worldview and how it will add a distinct perspective to USC Viterbi.

The Engineering Grand Challenges (for USC Viterbi Applicants):

The national academy of engineering (nae) and their 14 grand challenges go hand-in-hand with our vision to engineer a better world for all humanity. engineers and computer scientists are challenged to solve these problems in order to improve life on the planet. learn more about the nae grand challenges at http://engineeringchallenges.org and tell us which challenge is most important to you, and why. (250 words).

Strong responses to this prompt will showcase self-reflection, care for the greater good, and ambition. Review the fourteen Grand Challenges and see which you connect with the most. Maybe you’re passionate about providing access to clean water, since you know firsthand what it’s like to not have that access in your hometown in Michigan. Perhaps you hope to engineer better medicines in honor of a loved one you lost to illness prematurely. Maybe you’ve always been fascinated with outer space and would jump at the opportunity to engineer new tools of scientific discovery. Make sure to relate your own life experiences and/or interests to the challenges the world is facing and emphasize how you’d like to be part of the solution.

Why Choose College Essay Advisors for USC Essays

College Essay Advisors has over twenty years of experience guiding students one-on-one through the essay writing process for the University of Southern California. We take a holistic approach to these essays and short answers, considering each student’s application package as a whole. It’s incredibly important to us that each student’s voice is preserved, and we pride ourselves in helping students to write successful USC supplemental essays that differentiate them from similarly qualified applicants.

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Frequently Asked Questions

USC asks applicants to write two (2) or three (3) essays, depending on their major selection, and two (2) short answer lists.

The limit is 250 words.

The USC supplemental essays are very important in the admissions process. Admissions officers at USC seek to “enroll a diverse group of students who represent a vast array of perspectives and passions, who will enrich each other’s education by challenging each other, inside the classroom and out.” These essays offer admissions the opportunity to get to know your values and better understand how you will contribute to the diversity of voices in their campus community. In short, they enable admissions to get to know the person behind the application (a.k.a. you!).

Absolutely not. Please do not reuse content from your Common App essay in your USC supplements. Although it’s possible for you to expand upon an idea, activity, or community that you mention in your Common App essay in your supplements, you should never recycle content or any phrasing word for word. Each written response is an opportunity for you to share more information about yourself and your candidacy, so you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not taking advantage. 

Applicants will want to avoid silly grammar mistakes , repeating the prompt in their response, and telling rather than showing (e.g., saying you are determined without giving an example of a time you displayed determination).

When you don’t have a lot of words (or characters) at your disposal, ideas reign supreme. Instead of dedicating time to crafting beautiful transitions, like you would for a 500-word essay, most of your time here should be allotted to brainstorming and finding instances where one word can substitute for two. It’s also wise to think about your application as a whole (imagine the same person reading all of your documents in one sitting!), and offer answers that provide new layers to your submission. 

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How to Answer USC Viterbi’s Supplemental Questions on the Common App

The supplemental questions help us get to know you.

When you select an engineering or computer science major inside the USC Supplement, the Common App will automatically populate with the supplemental questions you need to answer to apply to the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. If any of this is unfamiliar to you, that’s okay! Just check out our video on how to apply to USC Viterbi as a First-Year applicant . This short video (6.5 min) will help you navigate the Common App so you’ll be confident when you apply. We also created one for Transfer applicants. Make sure to check out our How to Apply for Transfer Admission for USC Viterbi video .

Once you master the basics of the Common App, you’ll be ready for this blog post. The purpose of this post is to help you better understand USC Viterbi’s two supplemental questions (short-answer questions) on the Common App. The supplemental questions are nothing to fear; they’re not trick questions; they’re not designed to trip you up. Their whole purpose is to help us get to know you a little better.

How to Better Understand the USC Viterbi Supplemental Questions

As long as you select an engineering or computer science major (any major starting with the prefix ‘VSE’) as your first-choice major, the following two questions should appear near the end of the ‘Questions’ tab underneath the header ‘Writing Supplement.’  If you’re having any trouble, you may want to revisit the video linked at the beginning of this blog post. Feel free to reach out to us if you have questions.

Without further ado, here are the USC Viterbi supplemental questions and what they mean…

1. Your Unique Contributions to USC Viterbi

The student body at the usc viterbi school of engineering is a diverse group of unique engineers and computer scientists who work together to engineer a better world for all humanity. describe how your contributions to the usc viterbi student body may be distinct from others. please feel free to touch on any part of your background, traits, skills, experiences, challenges, and/or personality in helping us better understand you..

Explanation:  To sum up this question another way: “How will you make a unique contribution to the USC Viterbi student body?” Every year, we get around 14,000 applications for first-year admission and about 1,200 applications for transfer admission. It’s an incredibly difficult process to make admission decisions with such a large pool of talented applicants. To help us out a bit, we want to ask you to tell us, in your own words, what you think makes you a stand-out applicant. Notice that in the last sentence of this question, we really leave the door wide open for you to choose from a wide variety of different things to talk about. You can focus in on one topic or weave together an answer that discusses a combination of elements that make you different from every other applicant. As we read your application, we’ll notice aspects of it that are unique. But this question is your chance to give us your own perspective on what you believe your unique contribution to USC Viterbi will be.

2. The Engineering Grand Challenges

The national academy of engineering (nae) and their 14 grand challenges go hand-in-hand with our vision to engineer a better world for all humanity. engineers and computer scientists are challenged to solve these problems in order to improve life on the planet. learn more about the nae grand challenges at http://engineeringchallenges.org and tell us which challenge is most important to you, and why..

Explanation: The first thing you want to do is visit the link above and read about the NAE’s Grand Challenges. Then, reflect on which one you think is most important, and tell us why it’s the most important one to you. That’s it. The most common email we get about this question is if it’s okay to discuss a Grand Challenge that isn’t related to your major. The answer is yes. The question is asking you which Grand Challenge is most important to you and why–not which Grand Challenge is related to your major. The truth is that there is no Grand Challenge that is solvable by one engineering discipline alone. These are interdisciplinary problems that will require people coming together from a wide variety of backgrounds, so you don’t have to discuss the problem through the lens of your major (although you can do that if you want). The second-most common email we get about this question is if you need to tell us how you would solve the problem. Don’t worry, we’re not expecting any solutions here. These challenges are very complex, and solving them is beyond the scope of a 250-word response. Another common question we get is if there is a correct answer to the question. There is no ‘right’ answer that we’re looking for, and there is no one Grand Challenge that is objectively more important than another. All we want to know is which one you care about the most, and why. There are countless reasons why a Grand Challenge might be the most important one to you, and we’re hoping that your answer to this question reveals more about yourself and your perspective on a big engineering-related problem.

Hopefully, this blog post helped you better understand our supplemental questions. The common thread between the explanations above is that the purpose of every question is to get to know you a little better. While you’re writing your responses, you may want to ask yourself the following:

• Am I writing in my authentic voice?
• Is this an accurate representation of who I am and what I’m interested in?
• Is my writing clear, concise, and concrete? Or is it vague, wordy, and abstract?

You are the only person who knows who you truly are, and what you are genuinely interested in. Overthinking what the admission committee wants to read will lead you astray from what we actually want to read: clear writing that helps us get to know the real you.

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Planning Your Transfer to USC

This is a long read, but our hope is it will leave you feeling empowered and ready to navigate the USC transfer process! The key to a successful transfer to USC is good planning. This guide will provide a breakdown of how to plan your course of study and prepare a strong transfer application to USC.  We also highly recommend attending a Transfer Information Session which are available in-person or online.  

While there are no guarantees in the USC admission process, we would like to share what is typical of our successful transfer applicants. This is by no means prescriptive as we review our applicants holistically. However, planning a course of study that mirrors the academic experience and rigor of a USC student as closely as possible will help you stay on track and maximize your chances of admission. 

There are three primary elements of preparing a strong course of study:  

Priority #1: Maintain full-time enrollment in academic, transferable coursework  

USC students typically enroll in 16 units of academic work per semester, which is usually 4 classes. A significant aspect of showing preparation for USC is demonstrated ability to be successful in full-time academic coursework. 

Competitive candidates typically complete 14-16 transferable units per term, typically four classes per term.   

We understand that some students are unable to maintain consistent full-time enrollment due to obligations at work or home. If this applies, you should explain your part-time status (along with any other necessary context, such as gaps in enrollment) in your application.  

Priority #2: Degree Progress: Planning your Course of Study  

There are a few resources that you should utilize to identify and select the courses that you should take at your current school. 

Transferring to USC Brochure : A detailed overview of the process of transferring to USC, particularly useful for its list of recommended and required courses by major on pages 12-15 and explanation of USC’s transfer credit policies on page 16. 

Articulation agreement : Agreements provide lists of courses from most California community colleges that will be accepted for transfer credit. These lists indicate what courses that fulfill General Education, as well as equivalents to lower-division courses.  

Articulation history : Histories list courses previously evaluated and accepted for transfer credit from schools without official agreements . However, we cannot guarantee courses will transfer the same way again. If courses are not listed on the history, this means they have not yet been reviewed and may or may not transfer.  

When selecting courses to take prior to transferring to USC, here’s what your course priorities should be (in order of importance): 

Complete minimum requirements for transfer:   

The first order of business is to make sure to successfully complete our minimum requirements. We have two requirements you must satisfy by the conclusion of the spring in which you apply in order to receive admission consideration.  

A. Complete a course equivalent to the lower-division writing requirement at USC: WRIT 130 (also known as WRIT 150 when taken at USC). 

If there is a course equivalent at your school, it will be found under Part I of your school’s Articulation document (example shown below). If your school does not offer a course equivalent to USC’s lower-division Writing course, this requirement can be waived for admission purposes. 

*The example shown above indicates there are two possible courses available at this school that are likely to fulfill the writing requirement: ENGLISH 2 or ENGLISH 31.   

B. Mastery of Algebra II in high school, or Intermediate Algebra in college with a grade of C or better. This is a minimum math requirement; many majors will require higher level math. 

Courses for your major:   

After ensuring you’ve met our minimum admission requirements, your next priority should be completing equivalent courses at your current institution that are required and/or recommended for your intended major at USC. The Transferring to USC brochure lists these courses on pages 12-15.  

You should cross-reference the Additional Coursework by Major section with Part II: Course-to-Course Equivalencies of your institution’s articulation document 

 For example, the equivalent of USC’s Math 118 or Math 125 are required for admission consideration for the Marshall School of Business. A Business Administration applicant may find the course(s) at their institution that are granted equivalency to USC’s calculus courses under Part II of their school’s Articulation document.  

If your institution does not offer an equivalent course, you should take the course that most closely aligns with the recommendation or requirement described in the brochure. 

USC’s General Education (GE) Curriculum   

Next up, you should prioritize the completion of courses that satisfy USC’s GE requirements. All USC students are required to complete the GE curriculum in order to graduate from USC. There are TEN courses across EIGHT different categories. The maximum number you can complete prior to transferring is EIGHT as TWO courses must be completed at USC. You are not required to complete all eight; however, you should be making strong progress.  

California community college: Part I of your Articulation agreement will provide a clear list of the various courses available at your school that fulfill GE categories at USC  

If you don’t attend a college with an articulation agreement or comprehensive articulation history, use the Transferring to USC brochure examples of acceptable courses by name for USC’s GE categories. Do your best to select courses that mirror those listed as acceptable in the brochure. 

*Make sure you’re looking at the right GE requirements, as students who began college prior to fall 2015 have a link at the top of the articulation document to view their GE courses). 

Foreign language and Electives  

Certain majors at USC require a third level of a foreign language for graduation . This will be indicated by a red checkmark in the Transferring to USC Brochure. By starting your foreign language progression early in college, you will be in a better position to graduate on time from USC.  

If you’ve completed all the available courses at your institution to meet our requirements and the recommended courses for your major, you should make sure your remaining courses are transferable for elective credit. These can be found under Part III of your articulation document (example below).  

Priority #3: Strong Academic Performance :   

In 2022, the average college GPA of admitted transfer students to USC was a 3.83. Keep in mind, this is an average. We take other factors into account when reviewing a transcript, such as academic trajectory and trend in grades. Many transfer students with a positive grade trend are admitted to USC who fall under that average. Please be aware we do not honor other schools’ academic “renewal” or “forgiveness” programs that permit students to improve a substandard grade. Outside of COVID grading policies, you should also avoid pass/no pass grades. It is recommended to take a course for a letter grade if that is an option. Finally, make sure to avoid course withdrawals resulting in Ws. 

The Application Process  

Our application review process at USC is holistic. Evaluation of transfer applications is based on different factors, including progress toward intended degree, academic performance, and the non-academic components of a transfer application – especially the supplemental auditions or portfolios required by some majors . 

The Common Application: All Transfer applicants to USC must apply using the Common Application. Once in USC’s application, click Program Materials > Questions, and then indicate which is your first and your second choice major, if you have a second choice.  You must apply directly to a major at USC.  

Application Deadlines: Most transfer applicants have until February 15 to submit their application to USC. If you are applying to the Iovine and Young Academy; Kaufman School of Dance; Thornton School of Music; or to BFA programs in either the School of Cinematic Arts or School of Dramatic Arts you must submit your application by December 1. All transfer applicants who have a complete application submitted by their intended program’s deadline will be considered for the Transfer Merit Scholarship.  

Official final high school transcript: Submit an official final high school transcript showing graduation date. If you did not finish high school, you should submit transcripts showing any grades received before leaving, as well as a copy of completion certificate (such as a GED).  

Official college transcripts: Submit official transcripts from any and all colleges you have attended (regardless of whether coursework or degree requirements were completed). To be considered official, transcripts must be sent to USC directly from your school. Self-uploaded copies are not considered official.  

Application Fee Waivers: If the application fee is a financial burden, you can select the fee waiver option in the My Application section of Common App. USC school-specific fee waiver options can be found in the Program Materials section of the Common Application. 

Scholarships and Financial Aid: All transfer applicants submitting their application by February 15 will be considered for the Transfer Merit Scholarship. Other scholarships are also available but may require a separate application. Visit our website for more details. We also offer need-based financial aid at USC. To be considered for need-based financial aid, prospective transfer students must submit FAFSA* and the CSS Profile by March 2. California residents should also apply for Cal Grants by March 2.  

* Undocumented or DACA students should submit their 2022 tax return and third-party letter confirming undocumented status instead of the FAFSA.  

Additional Materials: A portfolio, audition, and/or additional writing samples may be required by some majors . When you select your major(s) on the common application, any additional requirements for your major will also populate.  

International Applicants: All international transfer applicants must submit a Financial Statement of Personal or Family Support.   International students whose native language is not English must also demonstrate English-language proficiency . 

Application Timeline: Transfer candidates will receive either an admission decision or a request for spring grades by May 31. If you receive a request for spring grades, you will be notified of an admission decision by mid-July. 

We hope this guide has been helpful. For further guidance, you should check out this the USC Office of Admission – Transfer Applicants page or attend a transfer information session either in-person or online. You may also reach out to your admission counselor for additional questions.  We wish you the very best of luck and look forward to reading your application!  

Looking for more transfer-related blogs? Check out these blogs posts Tips For Your USC Transfer Application , USC’s Glossary of Transfer Applicant Terms , and Will My Courses Transfer?  

Written by: Chelsea Kaufman, Associate Director - USC Office of Admission

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, usc transfer essay tips.

Hey y'all! I'm planning to transfer to USC and am currently working on my application. Any advice or examples of successful transfer essays that you guys could share? I'm a bit lost and could use some help. Thanks in advance!

Hi there! Congrats on considering a transfer to USC. When working on your transfer essay, the main thing to keep in mind is the 'why.' Make sure to explain why you're choosing to transfer to USC specifically - what does the school offer that aligns with your academic and personal goals? For example, you could talk about a particular program, research opportunities, or campus resources that are unique to USC.

Additionally, it's important to share a bit about your past experiences and personal growth since starting college. Reflect on what you've learned and how those experiences have shaped your decision to transfer. Don't forget to be genuine and show your personality in your essay!

Lastly, avoid negative language about your current institution. The focus should be on what USC has to offer that will help you grow and achieve your goals, not on the shortcomings of your current school.

While I can't share specific examples, I hope these tips help you as you craft your transfer essay. Best of luck with your application!

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USC transfers— how long did it take you to complete the essays with all your college work and life going on?

title. I want to transfer but I have so much going on rn it seems like I barely have time to write the essay. How long did it take you guys ?

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Common Data Set 2023-2024

A. general information, a1. address information.

Name of College/University: University of Southern California Mailing Address: University Park Campus City/State/Zip/Country: Los Angeles, CA. 90089 Street Address (if different): 3551 Trousdale Pkwy City/State/Zip/Country: Main Phone Number: 213-740-2311 WWW Home Page Address: https://www.usc.edu/ Admissions Phone Number: 213-740-1111 Admissions Toll-Free Phone Number: Admissions Office Mailing Address: USC Office of Admission City/State/Zip/Country: Los Angeles, CA. 90089 Admissions Fax Number: 213-821-0200 Admissions E-mail Address: If there is a separate URL for your school’s online application, please specify: http://admit.usc.edu/ If you have a mailing address other than the above to which applications should be sent, please provide:

A2. Source of institutional control (check one only)

___ Public _X_ Private (nonprofit) ___ Proprietary

A3. Classify your undergraduate institution:

___ Coeducational college ___ Men’s college ___ Women’s college

A4. Academic year calendar:

If your academic year has changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, please indicate as other below.

A5. Degrees offered by your institution:

A6. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

If you have a diversity, equity, and inclusion office or department, please provide the URL of the corresponding Web page:

B. Enrollment and Persistence

B1. institutional enrollment – men and women.

Provide numbers of students for each of the following categories as of the institution’s official fall reporting date or as of October 15,2023

• Note: Report students formerly designated as “first professional” in the graduate cells.
• For information on reporting study abroad students please see: This Document at NCES.GOV
• If your institution collects and reports non-binary gender data, please use the “Another Gender” category.
• In cases where gender information is not provided, please distribute across the two-binary categories.

Total all undergraduates: 21,023

Total all graduate: 26,124

GRAND TOTAL ALL STUDENTS: 47,147

Note: Below is the same enrollment table without “Another Gender” parsed out in the counts.

B2.  Enrollment by Racial/Ethnic Category.

Provide numbers of undergraduate students for each of the following categories as of the institution’s official fall reporting date or as of October 15, 2023 .

• Include international students only in the category “Nonresidents.”
• Complete the “Total Undergraduates” column only if you cannot provide data for the first two columns.
• Report as your institution reports to IPEDS: persons who are Hispanic should be reported only on the Hispanic line, not under any race, and persons who are non-Hispanic multi-racial should be reported only under “Two or more races.”
• New guidance from IPEDS for reporting aggregate data:

Racial/ethnic designations are requested only for United States citizens, residents, and other eligible non-citizens. Eligible non-citizens include all students who completed high school or a GED equivalency within the United States (including DACA and undocumented students) and who were not on an F-1 non-immigrant student visa at the time of high school graduation.

More information about other eligible (for financial aid purposes) non-citizens is available at https://studentaid.gov/understandaid/eligibility/requirements/non-us-citizens.

Nonresident – A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a student visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. Do not include DACA, undocumented, or other eligible noncitizens in this category.

NOTE – Nonresidents are to be reported separately, in the boxes provided, rather than included in any of the seven racial/ethnic categories or in race/ethnicity unknown.

Persistence

B3. Number of degrees awarded by your institution from [insert date range].

B4-B21: Graduation Rates The items in this section correspond to data elements collected by the IPEDS Web-based Data Collection System’s Graduation Rate Survey (GRS). 

• For complete instructions and definitions of data elements, see the IPEDS GRS Forms and Instructions for the 2023-2024 Survey. https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/use-the-data/survey-components/9/graduation-rates

In the following section for bachelor’s or equivalent programs, please disaggregate the Fall 2016 and Fall 2017 cohorts (formerly CDS B4-B11) into four groups:

• Students who received a Federal Pell Grant*
• Recipients of a subsidized Stafford Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
• Students who did not receive either a Pell Grant or a subsidized Stafford Loan
• Total (all students, regardless of Pell Grant or subsidized loan status)

*Students who received both a Federal Pell Grant and a subsidized Stafford Loan should be reported in the “Recipients of a Federal Pell Grant” column. For each graduation rate grid below, the numbers in the first three columns for Questions A-G should sum to the cohort total in the fourth column (formerly CDS B4-B11).

For Bachelor’s or Equivalent Programs

Please provide data for the  Fall 2017  cohort if available. If  Fall 2017  cohort data are not available, provide data for the  Fall 2016  cohort.

Fall 2017 Cohort

Fall 2016 Cohort

Note: Questions B12 – B21 have been omitted. They apply to Two-Year Institutions only.

B22. Retention Rates

Report for the cohort of all full-time, first-time bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduate students who entered in Fall 2022 (or the preceding summer term).

• The initial cohort may be adjusted for students who departed for the following reasons:
• Permanent Disability
• Service in the armed forces
• Foreign aid service of the federal government
• Official church missions
• No other adjustments to the initial cohort should be made.

For the cohort of all full-time bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduate students who entered your institution as freshmen in Fall 2022 (or the preceding summer term), what percentage was enrolled at your institution as of the date your institution calculates its official enrollment in Fall 2023 96%.   

C. FIRST-TIME, FIRST-YEAR (FRESHMAN) ADMISSION

C1-c2: applications.

C1.  First-time, first-year (freshman) students:  Provide the number of degree-seeking, first-time, first-year students who applied, were admitted, and enrolled (full- or part-time) in Fall 2023 .

• Include early decision, early action, and students who began studies during summer in this cohort.
• Applicants should include only those students who fulfilled the requirements for consideration for admission (i.e., who completed actionable applications) and who have been notified of one of the following actions: admission, non-admission, placement on waiting list, or application withdrawn (by applicant or institution).
• Admitted applicants should include wait-listed students who were subsequently offered admission.
• Since the total may include students who did not provide gender data, the detail need not sum to the total.
• If your institution collects and reports non-binary gender data, please use the “Another Gender” category.
• Note that recent high school graduates and other students without prior postsecondary experience will still be considered “first-time students” for fall enrollment reporting purposes even if they enrolled in the summer prior to fall enrollment.

C2. Freshman wait-listed students (students who met admission requirements but whose final admission was contingent on space availability)

School counselors?

Do you have a policy of placing students on a waiting list? ___Yes     _X_No

        If yes, please answer the questions below for  Fall 2023  admissions:

Is your waiting list ranked? __ If yes, do you release that information to students? ___ Do you release that information to school counselors? ___

C3-C5: Admission Requirements

C3. High school completion requirement Check the appropriate box to identify your high school completion requirement for degree-seeking entering students:

C4. Does your institution require or recommend a general college-preparatory program for degree-seeking students?

C5. Distribution of high school units required and/or recommended.  Specify the distribution of academic high school course units required and/or recommended of all or most degree-seeking students using Carnegie units (one unit equals one year of study or its equivalent). If you use a different system for calculating units, please convert.

C6-C7: Basis for Selection

C6.  Do you have an open admission policy, under which virtually all secondary school graduates or students with GED equivalency diplomas are admitted without regard to academic record, test scores, or other qualifications? No If so, check which applies:

Open admission policy as described above for all students ___

Open admission policy as described above for most students, but selective admission for out-of-state students ___ selective admission to some programs ___ other (explain) ___

C7. Relative importance of each of the following academic and nonacademic factors in your first-time, first-year, degree-seeking (freshman) admission decisions.

C8: SAT and ACT Policies

C8. Entrance exams

A.  Does your institution make use of SAT, ACT, or SAT Subject Test scores in  admission  decisions for first-time, first-year, degree-seeking applicants?  _X_Yes     ___No If yes, place check marks in the appropriate boxes below to reflect your institution’s policies for use in admission for  Fall [insert year] .

C8B. Has been removed from the CDS.

C8C. Has been removed from the CDS.

D.  In addition , does your institution use applicants’ test scores for academic advising? __Yes     _X_No

E. Latest date by which SAT or ACT scores must be received for fall-term admission:  Feb 1, 2025 Latest date by which SAT Subject Test scores must be received for fall-term admission: 

F. If necessary, use this space to clarify your test policies (e.g., if tests are recommended for some students, or if tests are not required of some students): 

G. Please indicate which tests your institution uses for  placement  (e.g., state tests):

C9-C12: Freshman Profile

Provide information for  ALL enrolled, degree-seeking, full-time and part-time, first-time, first-year (freshman)   students  enrolled in  Fall 2023 , including students who began studies during summer, international students/nonresident aliens, and students admitted under special arrangements.

C9.   Percent and number of first-time, first-year (freshman) students enrolled in Fall 2023 who submitted national standardized (SAT/ACT) test scores.

• Include information for  ALL enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first-year (freshman) students who submitted test scores .
• Do not include partial test scores (e.g., mathematics scores but not critical reading for a category of students) or combine other standardized test results (such as TOEFL) in this item.
• Do not convert SAT scores to ACT scores and vice versa.
• If a student submitted multiple sets of scores for a single test, report this information according to how you use the data. For example:
• If you consider the highest scores from either submission, use the highest combination of scores (e.g., verbal from one submission, math from the other).
• If you average the scores, use the average to report the scores.

For each assessment listed below, report the score that represents the 25th percentile (the score that 25 percent of the freshman population scored at or below) and the 75th percentile score (the score that 25 percent scored at or above).

Percent of first-time, first-year (freshman) students with scores in each range:

C10.       Percent of all degree-seeking, first-time, first-year (freshman) students who had high school class rank within each of the following ranges (report information for those students from whom you collected high school rank information)

C11.  Percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first-year (freshman) students who had high school grade-point averages within each of the following ranges (using 4.0 scale).

• Report information only for those students from whom you collected high school GPA.

C13-C20: Admission Policies

C13. Application fee

• If your institution has waived its application fee for the Fall [insert year] admission cycle please select no.

Does your institution have an application fee?  _X_Yes   ___No Amount of application fee:  $85 Can it be waived for applicants with financial need?  _X_Yes   ___No

If you have an application fee and an on-line application option, please indicate policy for students who apply on-line: Same fee: _X_ Free: ___ Reduced: ___

Can on-line application fee be waived for applicants with financial need?   _X_Yes   ___No

C14. Application closing date Does your institution have an application closing date?  _X_Yes   ___No Application closing date (fall): Jan 15 Priority date:  Dec 1

C15. Are first-time, first-year students accepted for terms other than the fall?   _X_Yes   ___No

C16. Notification to applicants of admission decision sent  (fill in one only) On a rolling basis beginning (date):  ___ By (date): 1-April Other:  ___

C17. Reply policy for admitted applicants  (fill in one only) Must reply by (date):  1-May No set date:  ___ Must reply by set date Other:  ___

Deadline for housing deposit (MMDD): __________ Amount of housing deposit: $800 Refundable if student does not enroll? _X_ Yes, in full ___ Yes, in part ___ No

C18. Deferred admission:  Does your institution allow students to postpone enrollment after admission?   _X_Yes   ___No If yes, maximum period of postponement:  1 year

C19. Early admission of high school students:  Does your institution allow high school students to enroll as full-time, first-time, first-year (freshman) students one year or more before high school graduation?  ___Yes   _X_No

C20. Common application:  Question removed from CDS. (Initiated during 2006-2007 cycle)

C21-C22: Early Decision and Early Action Plans

C21. Early decision:  Does your institution offer an early decision plan (an admission plan that permits students to apply and be notified of an admission decision well in advance of the regular notification date and that asks students to commit to attending if accepted) for first-time, first-year (freshman) applicants for fall enrollment?   ___Yes   _X_No

If “yes,” please complete the following: 

First or only early decision plan closing date:  ___ First or only early decision plan notification date:  ___

Other early decision plan closing date:  ___ Other early decision plan notification date:  ___

For the Fall [insert year] entering class:

Number of early decision applications received by your institution:  ___ Number of applicants admitted under early decision plan:  ___ Please provide significant details about your early decision plan:  ___

C22. Early action:  Do you have a nonbinding early action plan whereby students are notified of an admission decision well in advance of the regular notification date but do not have to commit to attending your college?  _X__Yes   __No

If “yes,” please complete the following:

Early action closing date: Nov 1 Early action notification date: Jan 19

Is your early action plan a “restrictive” plan under which you limit students from applying to other early plans?   ___Yes   _X__No

D. TRANSFER ADMISSION

D1-d2: fall applicants.

D1.  Does your institution enroll transfer students?  _X_Yes   ___No (If no, please skip to Section E) If yes, may transfer students earn advanced standing credit by transferring credits earned from course work completed at other colleges/universities?   _X_Yes   ___No

D2.  Provide the number of students who applied, were admitted, and enrolled as degree-seeking transfer students in Fall [insert year].

D3-D11 Application for Admission

D3.  Indicate terms for which transfers may enroll:

_X_Fall   ___Winter   _X_Spring   ___Summer

D4.  Must a transfer applicant have a minimum number of credits completed or else must apply as an entering freshman? __Yes   _X_No If yes, what is the minimum number of credits and the unit of measure? __

D5.  Indicate all items required of transfer students to apply for admission:

D6.  If a minimum high school grade point average is required of transfer applicants, specify (on a 4.0 scale):  n/a

D7.  If a minimum college grade point average is required of transfer applicants, specify (on a 4.0 scale):  n/a

D8.  List any other application requirements specific to transfer applicants:

D9.  List application priority, closing, notification, and candidate reply dates for transfer students. If applications are reviewed on a continuous or rolling basis, place a check mark in the “Rolling admission”column.

D10.  Does an open admission policy, if reported, apply to transfer students? ___Yes   _X_No

D11.  Describe additional requirements for transfer admission, if applicable:

D12-D17: Transfer Credit Policies

D12.  Report the lowest grade earned for any course that may be transferred for credit:  C-

D13.  Maximum number of credits or courses that may be transferred from a two-year institution: n/a   Number: 64   Unit type: semester credits

D14.  Maximum number of credits or courses that may be transferred from a four-year institution: n/a   Number: 64   Unit type: semester credits

D15.  Minimum number of credits that transfers must complete at your institution to earn an associate degree:  n/a  

D16.  Minimum number of credits that transfers must complete at your institution to earn a bachelor’s degree:  64.00

D17.  Describe other transfer credit policies:

D18.  Does your institution accept the following military/veteran transfer credits:  

D19.  Maximum number of credits or courses that may be transferred based on military education evaluated by the American Council on Education (ACE): n/ap Number: 64   Unit type: semester credits

D20.  Maximum number of credits or courses that may be transferred based on Department of Defense supported prior learning assessments (College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST)):n/ap Number:___   Unit type:  ___

D21.  Are the military/veteran credit transfer policies published on your website?:   n/ap   _X_Yes   ___No If yes, please provide the URL where the policy can be located:

https://arr.usc.edu/students/transfer-credit-services

D22.  Describe other military/veteran transfer credit policies unique to your institution: Credit policies are for all students. Military/verteran credit transfer policies are the same.

E. ACADEMIC OFFERINGS AND POLICIE S

E1. Special study options:  Identify those programs available at your institution. Refer to the glossary for definitions.

E2. Has been removed from the CDS.

E3. Areas in which all or most students are required to complete some course work prior to graduation:

F. STUDENT LIFE

F1. Percentages of first-time, first-year (freshman) degree-seeking students and degree-seeking undergraduates enrolled in Fall [insert year] who fit the following categories:

F2. Activities offered  Identify those programs available at your institution.

F3. ROTC  (program offered in cooperation with Reserve Officers’ Training Corps)

F4. Housing:  Check all types of college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing available for undergraduates at your institution.

G. ANNUAL EXPENSES

G0. Please provide the URL of your institution’s net price calculator:  

Provide 2024- 2025 academic year costs of attendance for the following categories that are applicable to your institution.

_X_ Check here if your institution’s 2024-2025 academic year costs of attendance are not available at this time and provide an approximate date (i.e., month/day) when your institution’s final 2024-2025 academic year costs of attendance will be available:

G1. Undergraduate full-time tuition, required fees, room and board         List the typical tuition, required fees, and room and board for a full-time undergraduate student for the  FULL 2024-2025  academic year. (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours for institutions that derive annual tuition by multiplying credit hour cost by number of credits).

• A full academic year refers to the period of time generally extending from September to June; usually equated to two semesters, two trimesters, three quarters, or the period covered by a four-one-four plan.
• Room and board is defined as double occupancy and 19 meals per week or the maximum meal plan.
• Required fees  include only charges that all full-time students must pay that are  not  included in tuition (e.g., registration, health, or activity fees.)
• Do  not  include optional fees (e.g., parking, laboratory use).

Comprehensive tuition and room and board fee (if your college cannot provide separate tuition and room and board fees): ___

G2. Number of credits per term a student can take for the stated full-time tuition: 12 minimum     18 maximum

G3. Do tuition and fees vary by year of study (e.g., sophomore, junior, senior)?  No

G4. Do tuition and fees vary by undergraduate instructional program?  No If yes, what percentage of full-time undergraduates pay more than the tuition and fees reported in G1? ___

G5. Provide the estimated expenses for a typical full-time undergraduate student:

G6. Undergraduate per-credit-hour charges (tuition only):

H. FINANCIAL AID

Aid Awarded to Enrolled Undergraduates

H1.  Enter total dollar amounts  awarded  to enrolled full-time and less than full-time degree-seeking undergraduates  (using the   same cohort reported in CDS Question B1, “total degree-seeking” undergraduates)  in the following categories.

• If the data being reported are final figures for the 2022-2023 academic year (see the next item below), use the 2022-2023 academic year’s CDS Question B1 cohort.
• Include aid awarded to international students (i.e., those not qualifying for federal aid).
• Aid that is non-need-based but that was used to meet need should be reported in the need-based aid column.
• For a suggested order of precedence in assigning categories of aid to cover need, see the entry for “non-need-based scholarship or grant aid” on the last page of the definitions section.
• Do NOT include any aid related to the CARES Act or unique to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indicate the academic year for which data are reported for  items H1 ,  H2 ,  H2A , and  H6  below: 2022-2023 final

Which needs-analysis methodology does your institution use in awarding institutional aid?

H2. Number of Enrolled Students Awarded Aid:  List the number of degree-seeking full-time and less-than-full-time undergraduates who applied for and were awarded financial aid from any source.

• Aid that is non-need-based but that was used to meet need should be counted as need-based aid.
• Numbers should reflect the cohort awarded the dollars reported in H1.
• In the chart below, students may be counted in more than one row, and full-time freshmen should also be counted as full-time undergraduates.

H2A. Number of Enrolled Students Awarded Non-need-based Scholarships and Grants:  List the number of degree-seeking full-time and less-than-full-time undergraduates who had no financial need and who were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid.

Note : These are the graduates and loan types to include and exclude in order to fill out CDS H4 and H5. 

• [insert year] undergraduate class: all students who started at your institution as first-time students  and received a bachelor’s degree between [insert date] and [insert date].
• only loans made to students who borrowed while enrolled at your institution.
• co-signed loans.
• students who transferred in.
• money borrowed at other institutions.
• parent loans
• students who did not graduate or who graduated with another degree or certificate (but no bachelor’s degree.
• Any aid related to the CARE Act or unique the COVID-19 pandemic.

H4.  Provide the number of students in the [insert year] undergraduate class who started at your institution as first-time students and received a bachelor’s degree between [insert date] and [insert date]. Exclude students who transferred into your institution.   3,056

H5.  Number and percent of students in class (defined in H4 above) borrowing from federal, nonfederal, and any loan sources, and the average (or mean) amount borrowed. NOTE: The “Average per-undergraduate-borrower cumulative principal borrowed,” is designed to provide better information about student borrowing from federal and nonfederal (institutional, state, commercial) sources. The numbers, percentages, and averages for each row should be based only on the loan source specified for the particular row. For example, the federal loans average (row b) should only be the cumulative average of federal loans and the private loans average (row e) should only be the cumulative average of private loans.

Aid to Undergraduate Degree-seeking Nonresident Aliens  (Note: Report numbers and dollar amounts for the same academic year checked in item H1.)

H6.  Indicate your institution’s policy regarding institutional scholarship or grant aid for undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens:

If institutional financial aid is available for undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens, provide the number of undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens who were awarded need-based or non-need-based aid: 889

Average dollar amount of institutional financial aid awarded to undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens:  $25,588.00

Total dollar amount of institutional financial aid awarded to undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens:  $22,747,641.00

H7.  Check off all financial aid forms nonresident alien first-year financial aid applicants must submit:

Process for First-Year/Freshman Students

H8.  Check off all financial aid forms domestic first-year (freshman) financial aid applicants must submit:

H9.  Indicate filing dates for first-year (freshman) students:

Priority date for filing required financial aid forms: Feb 17 Deadline for filing required financial aid forms:  No deadline for filing required forms (applications processed on a rolling basis): ___

H10.  Indicate notification dates for first-year (freshman) students (answer a or b): a) Students notified on or about (date):  April 1 b) Students notified on a rolling basis:  ___Yes   ___No     If yes, starting date: ___

H11.  Indicate reply dates: Students must reply by (date): May 1 or within ___ weeks of notification.

Types of Aid Available

Please check off all types of aid available to undergraduates at your institution:

H12.  Loans

FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM (DIRECT LOAN)

H13.  Scholarships and Grants

H14.  Check off criteria used in awarding institutional aid. Check all that apply.

H15.  If your institution has recently implemented any major financial aid policy, program, or initiative to make your institution more affordable to incoming students such as replacing loans with grants, or waiving costs for families below a certain income level please provide details below:

For students entering USC in Fall 2020: Students from U.S. families with an annual income of $80,000 or less with typical assets will attend USC tuition free. Owning a home will not be counted in the calculation used to determine a student’s financial need. Ensures total university need-based grant funding will continue to outpace annual tuition growth – promising more available grants and scholarships for USC’s talented student body.

Are these policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic?

I. INSTRUCTIONAL FACULTY AND CLASS SIZE

I-1. Please report the number of instructional faculty members in each category for Fall [insert year]. Include faculty who are on your institution’s payroll on the census date your institution uses for IPEDS/AAUP.

The following definition of full-time instructional faculty is used by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) in its annual Faculty Compensation Survey (the part time definitions are not used by AAUP). Instructional Faculty is defined as those members of the instructional-research staff whose major regular assignment is instruction, including those with released time for research. Use the chart below to determine inclusions and exclusions:

Full-time instructional faculty:  faculty employed on a full-time basis for instruction (including those with released time for research)

Part-time instructional faculty:  Adjuncts and other instructors being paid solely for part-time classroom instruction. Also includes full-time faculty teaching less than two semesters, three quarters, two trimesters, or two four-month sessions. Employees who are not considered full-time instructional faculty but who teach one or more non-clinical credit courses may be counted as part-time faculty.

Minority faculty : includes faculty who designate themselves as Black, non-Hispanic; American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or Hispanic.

Doctorate : includes such degrees as Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Education, Doctor of Juridical Science, and Doctor of Public Health in any field such as arts, sciences, education, engineering, business, and public administration. Also includes terminal degrees formerly designated as “first professional,” including dentistry (DDS or DMD), medicine (MD), optometry (OD), osteopathic medicine (DO), pharmacy (DPharm or BPharm), podiatric medicine (DPM), veterinary medicine (DVM), chiropractic (DC or DCM), or law (JD).

Terminal master’s degree : a master’s degree that is considered the highest degree in a field: example, M. Arch (in architecture) and MFA (master of fine arts in art or theater).

I-2.  Student to Faculty Ratio

Report the Fall [insert year] ratio of full-time equivalent students (full-time plus 1/3 part time) to full-time equivalent instructional faculty (full time plus 1/3 part time). In the ratio calculations, exclude both faculty and students in stand-alone graduate or professional programs such as medicine, law, veterinary, dentistry, social work, business, or public health in which faculty teach virtually only graduate level students.

• Do not count undergraduate or graduate student teaching assistants as faculty.

Fall [insert year] Student to Faculty ratio:  9 to 1 (based on  20530 students and 2386 faculty).

I-3.  Undergraduate Class Size

In the table below, please use the following definitions to report information about the size of classes and class sections offered in the Fall 2023 term.

• Please include classes that have been moved online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Class Sections:   A class section is an organized course offered for credit, identified by discipline and number, meeting at a stated time or times in a classroom or similar setting, and not a subsection such as a laboratory or discussion session. Undergraduate class sections are defined as any sections in which at least one degree-seeking undergraduate student is enrolled for credit. Exclude   distance learning classes and noncredit classes and individual instruction such as dissertation or thesis research, music instruction, or one-to-one readings. Exclude students in independent study, co-operative programs, internships, foreign language taped tutor sessions, practicums, and all students in one-on-one classes. Each class section should be counted only once and should not be duplicated because of course catalog cross-listings.

Class Subsections:   A class subsection includes any subsection of a course, such as laboratory, recitation, and discussion subsections that are supplementary in nature and are scheduled to meet separately from the lecture portion of the course. Undergraduate subsections are defined as any subsections of courses in which degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled for credit. As above, exclude noncredit classes and individual instruction such as dissertation or thesis research, music instruction, or one-to-one readings. Each class subsection should be counted only once and should not be duplicated because of cross-listings.

Using the above definitions, please report for each of the following class-size intervals the number of  class sections  and  class subsections  offered in Fall [insert year]. For example, a lecture class with 800 students who met at another time in 40 separate labs with 20 students should be counted once in the “100+” column in the class section column and 40 times under the “20-29” column of the class subsections table.

Number of Class Sections with Undergraduates Enrolled

Undergraduate Class Size (provide numbers)

J. Disciplinary areas of DEGREES CONFERRED

Degrees conferred between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023

For each of the following discipline areas, provide the percentage of diplomas/certificates, associate, and bachelor’s degrees awarded. To determine the percentage, use majors, not headcount (e.g., students with one degree but a double major will be represented twice). Calculate the percentage from your institution’s IPEDS Completions by using the sum of 1st and 2nd majors for each CIP code as the numerator and the sum of the Grand Total by 1st Majors and the Grand Total by 2nd major as the denominator. If you prefer, you can compute the percentages using 1st majors only.

4 University of Southern California (USC) EssaysThatWorked

Applying to USC in 2024 means that you are facing a lot of competition.

Luckily, one of the most effective tools you have to stand out from the crowd is your essays and responses to USC's writing supplement.

In this article, I've gathered 4 of the best essays from students admitted into the University of Southern California so that you can get inspired and improve your own USC essays.

What is University of Southern California's Acceptance Rate?

This past year, a record 70,971 students applied to USC and only 8,804 students were offered admission. That means USC had an overall acceptance rate of only 12.4%.

If you're trying to maximize your shot of getting into USC, writing essays that show why you should be accepted is one of your best strategies.

USC Acceptance Scattergram

The more competitive a school admissions is, the more heavily your essays are weighed. Let's check out the USC prompts for this year.

What are the University of Southern California Supplemental Prompts for 2022-23?

For its application this year, USC requires students to respond to three short essay questions and ten short answer questions.

USC has an intensive writing section, which means its even more important for you to make your responses the best they can be.

Here are the University of Southern California prompts for 2024:

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) (1-250 words)

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. (0-250 words)

Describe yourself in three words.

What is your favorite snack?

Best movie of all time:

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

Dream trip:

What TV show will you binge watch next?

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

Favorite book:

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

4 University of Southern California EssaysThatWorked

Here are 4 of the best USC essays that worked for this years writing supplement.

Below you can read how admitted USC students answered the short essay and short answer questions. In addition, I've included some Common App personal statements examples recently accepted students.

See exactly how students got into USC and get inspired:

USC Essay Example #1

Usc essay example #2, usc essay example #3, usc essay example #4.

Prompt: What is something about yourself that is essential to understanding you? (250 words max)

If I had a fatal flaw it would be loyalty. Of all the things I value, the one thing I value the most is my family. Coming after family is my friends; I consider my friends to be an extended branch of family. My close friends know that I value my friendship and that I would do almost anything for them if they asked me. I am very trusting with my friends, because I know that if I am there to support them, they will be there to support me. Without my friends, I would not be who and where I am now, as they have helped me through my years and shaped me to be the trusting and loyal person I am.

Very often, I put my friends before me, and this is because I know that if I were in the same situation as them, they would opt to help me. My loyalty to my friends helps them understand why I do what I do, and it helps me make even more friends. Wherever I go, I want to go with friends, because I believe that I can go farther when I have others with me rather than going fast and alone, but not as far.

The sounds of my knife striking kale unnerves my cat asleep in the corner. He quickly runs over to examine the situation but becomes instantly uninterested when he sees green and smells bitterness. Unfortunately, my family has this same reaction every day of every week.

They question, “It’s bad enough that you’re going to eat kale, but do you really have to massage it?” I respond with a deep breath, during which I recall information from nutritionfacts.org. I begin to explain, “Well you see, it takes away the bitterness, because kale is composed of cellulose, so when you massage it with a strong acid–”but as I continue to delve into my rather scientific and oftentimes molecular rationale behind transforming myself into a masseuse to make a salad, everyone begins snoring. I guess no one has ever understood my immense love for the science behind cooking (and probably never will).

Sure, my family, friends, small, undiverse and traditional high school all look at me like I am crazy, but I guess that is because I am. I do not look at kale and think “dark green, bitter, disgusting plant.” Instead, I see proteins and anticarcinogenic properties--analyzing the anatomy of food seems to occupy my mind.

Cooking is an art, visual, creative and instinctive. My favorite nights are spent with knife in hand and sweet potatoes in the oven. Food is my artist outlet, and one of the few things to feed my soul (and my stomach, too).

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Prompt: 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. (250 words max)

All throughout my life, I always loved doing math no matter what the concept. My love for math led to me taking advanced math classes for my grade. I even had to take a bus to a high school when I was in middle school to take an advanced math class. I always knew that I would want to pursue a career dealing with mathematics, but I was not really sure until my junior year. I had not decided what I wanted to be in the future, so my uncle suggested being a CPA, and I looked into it. When I did my research, it interested me as they made a decent amount of money and they worked with numbers.

At USC, I would like to major in accounting and gain the opportunity to possibly receive an internship at one of the big accounting firms in Los Angeles through the networking of USC. If I were able to get an internship, I would be able to gain experience for when I graduate and search for a job. I would also consider going for a Masters of Business Administration as I know that USC has one of the best business programs in the country.

I had never considered traveling across the country to pursue an education. In fact, living in Pittsburgh all of my life and growing up with people who are so adamant about staying put, forced me to believe that I too had to box myself into this small, yet evolving city. However, now I can confidently tell my friends and family that I want to travel to California for college (and ignore their odd looks).

What strikes me most about USC is its ability to maintain uniformity despite its diverse student body--in interests, ethnicity, and opinion. There are not many schools where I could be best friends with filmmakers, artists, photographers, chemists, potential CEOs, and writers. Although all of these people are spread across different schools, they still seem to maintain a cultural unity. Being surrounded by such a distinct trojan pride combined with the ambitious atmosphere would be both inspiring and propulsive.

At USC, I would not have to confine to merely one of my interests. I have always had aspirations of becoming a doctor and pursuing neuroscience, but have never felt comfortable ignoring the humanities. As a Trojan, I could pursue research at the Dana and David Dornsife Cognitive Neuroscience Imaging Center or even take part in PIBBS, while also honing my writing skills through the intricate Writing Program.

Much like the students, my interests could somehow be molded into a diverse uniformity, and I could prove my fellow Pittsburghers that perhaps they need to move around more.

What Can You Learn From These USC Essays?

If you want to get into the University of Southern California, you'll need to answer the USC writing supplement questions as best you can. To help improve your essays, you can read these 6 essays that worked for USC and see how students got accepted.

Let me know, what did you think about these USC essays?

Ryan Chiang , Founder of EssaysThatWorked.com

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Princeton Admitted Essay

People love to ask why. Why do you wear a turban? Why do you have long hair? Why are you playing a guitar with only 3 strings and watching TV at 3 A.M.—where did you get that cat? Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist? My answer is... uncomfortable. Many truths of the world are uncomfortable...

MIT Admitted Essay

Her baking is not confined to an amalgamation of sugar, butter, and flour. It's an outstretched hand, an open invitation, a makeshift bridge thrown across the divides of age and culture. Thanks to Buni, the reason I bake has evolved. What started as stress relief is now a lifeline to my heritage, a language that allows me to communicate with my family in ways my tongue cannot. By rolling dough for saratele and crushing walnuts for cornulete, my baking speaks more fluently to my Romanian heritage than my broken Romanian ever could....

UPenn Admitted Essay

A cow gave birth and I watched. Staring from the window of our stopped car, I experienced two beginnings that day: the small bovine life and my future. Both emerged when I was only 10 years old and cruising along the twisting roads of rural Maryland...

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USC Essay Examples

Usc essay examples – introduction .

If you’ve been searching for USC Essay Examples, you’re in the right place. The University of Southern California is a private university located in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1880, USC has 21,000 undergraduates and is a premier research university in the United States. So, it’s no surprise that the USC admissions is very competitive. The most recent USC acceptance rate was under 12% , lower than the average USC acceptance rate of 16%. 

USC has a total undergraduate enrollment of 20,790 students, as of Fall 2021. It is ranked #25 in the U.S. News College Rankings. Its ranking, paired with the low USC acceptance rate, qualifies USC as a very competitive university. According to their website , most first-year students were in the top 10% of their high school class.

An Overview of USC Application Requirements

To understand how to get into USC, you must thoroughly examine the USC application requirements. This includes the USC supplemental essays. In this article about USC essay examples, we’ll look at USC essays that worked. We’ll also provide a breakdown of why these USC supplemental essay examples were effective. That way, you can learn how to write the best USC essay.

Let’s take a closer look at the USC application requirements. When you apply, you’ll submit several USC supplemental essays in addition to your Common App or Coalition App personal statement . Below, we will go through each of the USC essay prompts for the 2022-2023 admissions cycle. We’ll also provide USC essay examples and USC supplemental essays examples. 

How many supplemental essays does USC have?

Technically there are 12-13 USC supplemental essays. However, don’t let that number scare you. Most of these are short answer essays, which are much easier to write than the typical supplemental essay.

The USC application only requires you to write one or two 250-word supplemental essays depending on your choice of major. You’ll also complete 10 short answer essays and one optional 250-word essay.

You should mostly focus on the required USC essay (or essays). Most students will only complete the required USC essay prompts. We’ll explore some USC supplemental essays examples—or USC essays that worked—later on in this article. That way, you can understand how to craft a successful USC essay.

Essays are a key part of the USC application requirements. So, use these USC essay examples as a blueprint. Then, model your USC essays after our USC supplemental essays examples. Remember, the USC essays are a way for USC admissions to learn more about your unique experiences. By reading your USC essays, USC learns who you are beyond the numbers and why you belong on campus. 

As of this year, USC admissions is test-optional . This means that the SAT/ACT is not part of the USC application requirements. If you don’t submit test scores, writing strong USC supplemental essays is even more important. So, make sure you understand why these USC supplemental essays examples stood out. Read these USC essay examples of USC essays that worked to learn what will make your USC essay shine.

What are the USC essay prompts?

Usc supplemental essay requirements for 2022-2023.

• 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) (REQUIRED)
• 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. (OPTIONAL)

The second USC essay prompt listed above is optional and is not included in the USC application requirements. So, we have not included it in our USC supplemental essays examples. If this prompt applies to your experience, you should answer it. Try to be straightforward and honest about your personal reasons for having a gap in your educational history. 

USC Short Answer Essays

For the USC application requirements, applicants are also asked to complete 10 short-answer questions. These are not the same length as the USC supplemental essays or the other USC supplemental essays examples. They have a 25-100 character limit. 

The short answer USC supplemental essays are:

• Describe yourself in three words. 
• What is your favorite snack?
• Best movie of all time:

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

Dream trip:, what tv show will you binge watch next, which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate, favorite book:, if you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be.

These short answer USC supplemental essays, or “ short takes ,” are designed to help USC get to know you personally. These are more straightforward than the longer “Why USC” essay examples that we’ll look at. So, don’t stress yourself out trying to choose the perfect answer! This could be a chance to showcase parts of your personality that aren’t clear from the rest of your USC application. 

When reading this article on USC essay examples, keep in mind that the USC essay prompts are subject to change. That means the USC essay examples below will not match perfectly to the USC essay prompts above. They also might not match USC essay examples from other previous years.

However, these USC essay examples that worked can still provide insight into what makes USC supplemental essays successful. This can help you learn how to make your USC essay stand out to the USC admissions committee.

Before diving into the USC essay examples, take a short break with our college admissions quiz! 

USC essay examples

First, we’ll go over the two longer USC essay prompts. Then, we’ll analyze some USC essay examples—not just any examples, but specifically USC essays that worked. 

The first of our USC essay examples answers a USC essay prompt from a previous year. Though this question is not available this year, it can still be helpful. Remember, the USC supplemental essays give you the chance to highlight aspects of your identity and beliefs. As these USC supplemental essays examples demonstrate, when writing your USC supplemental essay, you should reveal something unique about your experiences. 

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 view. (250 words)

Usc essay examples #1.

“Maybe I’m playing the devil’s advocate here, but rural white Americans have been marginalized by our economy. Think about coal-miners whose livelihoods depend on this job. Imagine how threatening global warming policies would be.” Silence. Shock was discernible in the sideways glances of my peers, who like me, were processing this statement.

I attend a private Christian high school. Located in the heart of Hollywood, it has exposed me to diversity of many kinds: religious, racial, and socioeconomic. However, the majority of us hold the same political views, hence our aforementioned reaction. Here he was– teaching at a liberal L.A. high school– asking us to consider the opposing perspective. In this climate of increasing political polarization, his proposition was refreshing. I found solace in this newfound ability to analyze current issues through an academic lens and explore different perspectives in the safety of our classroom. These discussions helped me recognize and overcome my own unconscious bias for the sake of learning, which ultimately expanded my worldview.

At a crossroads to either remain happily entrapped in the bubble of my beliefs, or expose myself to new perspectives, I chose the path of most resistance, bursting the bubble of political ignorance that threatens to divide people. Rather than delegitimizing different outlooks, I will embrace diversity at USC, listening to every perspective with an open mind. Though I initially misunderstood him, I realize now that my teacher had the right mentality; we could all stand to play the devil’s advocate once in a while.

Why did this USC essay work?

To write one of the many USC essays that worked, you must tell a concise and thoughtful story. Your essay should highlight aspects of your personality not seen elsewhere in your application.

As the first of our USC supplemental essays examples demonstrates, many successful USC supplemental essays also describe a personal change. This USC essay example shows the admissions committee that this applicant is a critical thinker with the ability to self-reflect. 

Of course, we don’t know who the writers of these USC supplemental essays examples are. Still, this essay discusses a piece of the writer’s experience likely not clear from their extracurriculars or intended major . Successful USC essay examples, however, should highlight a student’s character. Whether the author is a pre-med student or a history buff, their understanding of political polarization adds depth and to their profile. In this USC essay example, we don’t just learn who the author is. We also learn how they think and how they would operate on USC’s campus.

Growth narrative

Crucially, this USC essay example does not just describe an experience. It also focuses on the personal growth the student underwent. When thinking about what experiences to write about for your USC supplementals, ask yourself: how did this experience change me? What were my views on myself and the world before this experience, and what were my views after? As shown in the best of our USC supplemental essays examples, this essay demonstrates that the student has undergone a change in perspective. 

Additionally, our USC supplemental essays examples are well-structured and concise. This essay is no exception. When you only have 250 words to tell a story, a clear structure is paramount. By choosing to start with a quote from a teacher and moving into an anecdote, the writer immediately puts us, the readers, in their place. In this USC essay example, an anecdote serves as the “hook” for the essay. It engages the reader and makes them listen to what the author has to say.

As the author of these USC supplemental essays examples demonstrates, you should “hook” your reader with an attention-grabbing statement. Then, use the rest of your essay to tell your story. The writer’s use of an anecdote in their USC essay example grabs our attention. It makes us want to finish reading their USC supplemental essay—and offer them a spot at USC.

Why USC Essay Examples

The next two USC supplemental essays examples are examples of the “Why USC?” essay. The “Why USC” essay serves to convey to the USC admissions committee why you belong at USC. It does so through two “whys”: first, why you would like to go to USC, and second, why USC admissions should accept you.

In these USC supplemental essays examples, the writers detail their academic plans. They also highlight why USC is the best place for them to pursue those plans. Read these two USC essay examples to see how these students used their USC supplemental essays to enhance their USC applications. 

Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests at USC. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. (Max 250 words)

Why usc essay examples #1.

Eleven years of dancing have given me a unique fascination for human biology. With each grand jeté and every pirouette, the biological systems in my body—circulatory, respiratory, nervous, and skeletal—operate together in their own constant dance, their harmonious movement choreographed by the brain. I am amazed by our bodies’ complexity, present even in the simplest of acts (it takes just eight muscles to point my toes). I’ve chosen to major in Human Biology, confident it will satisfy the insatiable curiosity I developed in dance class. Not only would its core requirements build upon what I’ve already explored in high school, it would allow me to delve into topics that pique my interest: genetics, evolutionary medicine, and neurobiology. 

While Human Biology would stimulate my intellect, my second choice major—Global Health— would challenge me to apply biology to the real world. Through this interdisciplinary major, I would be expanding various science-based courses to the humanities through electives like AIDS in Society and Cultural Competence in Medicine. Both of these majors are career-oriented and excite me to be a Trojan.

Although my ultimate goal is to become a doctor (possibly a neurologist), I am very passionate about doing missionary work in Peru after I finish pre-med. Applying my medical studies to serving impoverished Peruvian communities would give purpose to my family’s sacrifices for my education, and it would answer the question I have always asked myself: How can I make the greatest change in the world?

Let’s take a closer look at the second of our USC supplemental essays examples. As one of our “Why USC” essay examples, it focuses on specific majors and courses that will help the applicant achieve their career goals. When writing a “why USC” essay, or any “Why this college” essay, consider specificity . This student could study biology anywhere, so why should they study it at USC?

Their answer in this USC supplemental is clear, thoughtful, and well-explained. In the first of our Why USC essay examples, the student highlights USC’s majors of Human Biology and Global Health . It shows how these programs would provide the interdisciplinary education that this student is looking for. The unique electives will not only help the student on their way to becoming a doctor; they would also contribute to their humanitarian passions. 

A great hook

The “hook” of this why USC essays examples also makes it special. The student weaves dance,  one of their extracurriculars, into why they want to study human biology . In number two of our USC supplemental essays examples, this student employs a creative tactic to uniting two seemingly disparate interests: dance and a career in medicine. If the USC admissions committee were just reading this student’s resume and intended major without their USC supplemental, they would have no idea how this students’ hours of dance practice related to their dreams of becoming a doctor . Compared to other Why USC essay examples, this essay adds crucial information to the student’s USC application. 

Why USC Essay Examples #2

Captivated by connections between biology, public policy, and the social sciences, I hope to pursue a career in healthcare leadership that, uniting these fields, enables me to enhance the health and wellbeing of broad populations. USC’s strong focus on interdisciplinary exploration within and outside the classroom would encourage me to develop the necessary capacity to collaborate across multiple pathways, while building a deep understanding of the systems and complexities underlying the challenges of managing population health.

The Global Health and Health Promotion & Disease Prevention majors would allow me to explore these complexities through courses such as Case Studies in Global Health, which surveys different international responses to healthcare crises. Through Behavioral Medicine and Biological & Behavioral Basis of Disease, I could pursue my interests in psychology and study with faculty who focus on systemic connections, like one professor’s investigations into the overlap between behavioral health and biological stress responses. 

USC’s interconnectedness extends beyond pure academics—working with the Institute on Inequalities in Global Health, particularly the Ensuring Human Rights in Family Planning & Contraceptive Programs initiative, could provide valuable hands-on experience navigating social issues in a medical context. Similarly, the USC Inter-Health Council would provide unique opportunities to interact with diverse groups within a healthcare framework.

Increasingly, healthcare advances come with pressing questions about how to most efficiently and equitably manage them for the greatest public impact. USC’s emphasis on interdisciplinary learning offers the perfect environment to develop the multifaceted knowledge and creativity needed to successfully address these challenges.

Similar to the previous example, the third of our three USC supplemental essays examples shines in its specificity. The student who wrote the second one of these Why USC essay examples clearly has done their research. They list multiple unique opportunities that only USC could offer. They have gone further than only looking at class listings and professors. In fact, they specifically address the organizations that they could only access at USC. 

Moreover, the third of these USC supplemental essays examples strikes a great balance . First, it shows that the student has done research about USC for their USC application. However, it does so while showcasing the student’s personal passions and goals.

In this USC essay, the student first details their own desire to “pursue a career in healthcare leadership” that would affect broad change. They also explain their need for an interdisciplinary course to achieve this goal. Then, finally, they explain how USC offered the best possible education for their personal purposes. 

How do I write a USC supplemental essay?

Now that you’ve read some USC essay examples that worked, you might wonder about your own USC essay. So, how can you write a USC essay that is as successful as these USC supplemental essays examples?

The key to supplemental essays is in the name: they should supplement your application materials. Your USC supplemental essays should add depth to your USC application. In doing so, they should help the USC admissions committee understand who you are. We can assume that our USC essay examples each added a piece to the puzzle of the writer’s identity. For example, the student who wrote about how dance inspired their interest in Human Biology. 

Three key criteria to keep in mind while considering how to write your USC supplemental essays are:

• Personality

In the USC example essay about different perspectives, we see how structure plays a role in how we read an essay. The essay had a clear beginning, middle, and end. It started with a particular experience, told us how that experience changed the student, and ended with how the student would act at USC given the lesson they had learned. 

When writing a USC supplemental, content means: what is this essay about? No topic is off-limits (though we would discourage you from choosing overly-done topics like winning the big game, overcoming a sports injury, going on a mission trip, or dealing with a loss). Overall, whatever you choose should be meaningful to you. Writing about something that matters to you will automatically make your essay stronger. It will also demonstrate that you are a passionate individual. In the third USC essay example, you can tell that the writer cares deeply about pursuing a career in health leadership. The USC essay is focused and clear. 

Personality in your essays

When thinking about how personality factors into your supplemental, think about authenticity. What are the things that make you, you? Think of the author of the second USC essay example. In their USC essay, they combine their dance extracurricular with their desire to study medicine. Then, they close the essay with a statement of their desire to make a positive impact on the world.

At first glance, these are all unrelated ideas. However, by using a comprehensive structure, the writer showcases many aspects of their personality in only 250 words. As long as you steer clear of anything too personal (ask yourself: would you discuss this at the dinner table?), you are free to highlight your unique strengths and traits in your supplemental.

USC states on their website that they look for “a diverse group of students who represent a vast array of perspectives and passions, who will enrich each other’s education by challenging each other, inside the classroom and out.” They expect your essay and short answer responses to help them “get to know your personality and your voice.” So, use your USC essays to showcase your unique perspective. Throughout your USC application, try to show USC admissions how you would contribute to the community. 

Additional Tips to Write the USC Supplemental Essays

Let’s break down this USC supplemental essay. This USC essay prompt asks you to explain your academic interests and how you plan to pursue them at USC. The USC essay can include your first and second choice major selections. Though this is seemingly optional, it is recommended. In fact, both of the USC essay examples detailed in this article list multiple major choices. 

Of course, a plan to pursue your academic interests must involve choosing a major. So, you should first reflect on what major you want to pursue at USC. If you’re not sure how to choose, USC has its own suggestions on how to select a major . Remember, whatever major you choose, you can always change it once you are admitted to the school. The USC admissions team just wants to understand how your academic interests will manifest at USC. So, you need to detail specific programs and majors that you are interested in. Look at our Why USC Essay examples above if you need inspiration for your USC supplemental.

Brainstorming

Once you have decided on your intended USC major, you can begin brainstorming for your USC essay. Think long term—what do you hope to achieve with your USC education? How can USC help you not only follow your academic interests but, more importantly, achieve your larger goals? Remember the second of our “Why USC” essay examples: without knowing the author’s goal of becoming a leader in healthcare leadership, we wouldn’t understand the importance of pursuing an interdisciplinary education. 

Also, always remember to highlight your personality. If you don’t share your unique story in your USC supplemental, your essay won’t enrich your USC application. If the USC admissions committee comes away from your USC essay learning more about USC than they do about you, then you haven’t done a thorough job with your USC supplemental essays.

USC Short Answer Essay Examples

When writing your short USC supplemental essays, don’t overthink it! Have fun with these ones. As long as you don’t say anything offensive or inappropriate, you can answer honestly. 

Remember that even though these questions are short and fun, you’re not answering them in a vacuum. Each of these questions still contributes to the story your USC application tells. For example, if you have a long list of TV shows to binge-watch, pick the one that best adds to your application– someone interested in animation might pick Bojack Horseman instead of Grey’s Anatomy .

If you need more prompting to spark your creativity, check out our more detailed review of these short USC supplemental essays from a previous year’s guide . 

University of Southern California (USC) Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

How to craft original short answer responses

We’ve gone over some USC essay examples and what made them shine. Now, you might be wondering how to write unique, original short answer responses with only 100 characters. These short answer questions aren’t unlike the other USC supplementals. All USC essays that worked will highlight what makes a certain student unique. For these particularly short USC essays—as with the longer USC essay examples—the most important aspect is that you are true to yourself. 

The second piece of advice to consider when crafting these short answer USC supplemental essays is to pick the most creative choice. As long as you’re answering honestly, you have a lot of room to pick the answer that you think is the most fun or tells the most about how you view the world. But remember: the goal is to create the best possible depiction of yourself, not to be the “perfect” applicant. 

Here are some short USC essay examples to get the brain juices flowing. 

Let’s say I’m a student who is passionate about theater and want to go into K-12 education:

“Don’t Rain on My Parade” from Funny Girl

Watching an original production of Shakespeare in the Globe Theater

Abbott Elementary

Mrs. Frizzle

The BFG by Roald Dahl

“‘Vocal Adrenaline’? The Science of Singing as Depicted in 21st Century Popular Media”

So, why did these essays work?

As this hypothetical student, I’ve:

• Listed things that I genuinely care about 
• Tied my answers into the story of my application ( Abbot Elementary is a show about teaching, The BFG is a well-known children’s book, “Don’t Rain on My Parade” is a musical theater song where the character won’t be stopped from achieving her dreams)
• Showed creativity and personality in my answers (traveling back in time to see Shakespeare, using the show choir team from Glee as the title of my class on vocal science). 

USC Supplemental Essay Top 5 Tips

With such a low USC acceptance rate, your supplemental essays are crucial to impress the admissions committee. Now that you have read and analyzed these USC essay examples, you are far better prepared to write your USC supplementals. That way, you can create the strongest possible USC application. 

Top 5 Tips for crafting your USC essay prompts:

✔️three key facets.

Remember the three key facets of a good supplemental essay: structure, content, and personality. In USC essays that worked, you’ll find that the author uses a strong structure to convey their ideas. They also make sure their character shines through. Strong USC essay examples paint a vivid picture of who the writer is and how they’d contribute to campus life.

✔️Focus on what matters to you

If you write passionately about something that matters to you, the essay will automatically be more effective. All of the USC essays that worked embody this perspective. So, use our USC essay examples as inspiration. Then, apply what you’ve learned from our Why USC essay examples (and other USC essay examples) to your own writing.

✔️Be detailed and specific

Be specific and do your research—take points from the Why USC essay examples. The more specific you are in your USC essays, the stronger they’ll be. The USC application process is competitive, so you should do all you can to stand out.

✔️Authenticity is key

Be vulnerable —let the USC admissions committee get to know you. As with all aspects of the college admissions process, authenticity is key. Be yourself in your USC supplementals.

✔️ Fill in the gaps

Use your essays to cover any gaps in knowledge that USC might have from the rest of your USC application. 

USC Essay Examples – Final Thoughts and Tips

The best way to become a writer of one of the few “USC essays that worked” is to study USC essay examples. The USC essay prompts change over the years. Still, how to get into USC despite the low USC acceptance rate always depends on the same factors.

Those factors are:

• Meeting the USC application requirements
• Crafting strong essays
• Doing all you can to help the admissions committee paint a comprehensive, compelling picture of who you are

So, use our USC essay examples to jump start your writing process. We hope they help you write clear and compelling USC essays. Finally, for more advice on how to write the best supplemental essays for USC, check out our blogs from previous years.

This article was written by Rachel Kahn . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Sample College Transfer Essay

A Sample Essay by a Student Transferring From Amherst to Penn

Jacob Wackerhausen / Getty Images

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• Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania
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The following sample essay was written by a student named David. He wrote the transfer essay below for the Common Transfer Application in response to the prompt, "Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve" (250 to 650 words). David is attempting to transfer from Amherst College to the University of Pennsylvania . As far as admissions standards go, this is a lateral move—both schools are extremely selective. His letter will need to be extremely strong for his transfer application to be successful.

Key Takeaways: A Winning Transfer Essay

• Have a clear academic reason for your transfer. Personal reasons are fine, but academics need to come first.
• Stay positive. Don't speak badly of your current school. Emphasize what you like about your target school, not what you dislike about your current school.
• Be meticulous. Grammar, punctuation, and style matter. Show that you put time and care into your writing.

David's Transfer Application Essay

During the summer after my first year of college, I spent six weeks volunteering at an archaeological excavation in Hazor, site of the largest tel (mound) in Israel. My time in Hazor was not easy—wake-up came at 4:00 a.m., and by noontime temperatures were often in the 90s. The dig was sweaty, dusty, back-breaking work. I wore out two pairs of gloves and the knees in several pairs of khakis. Nevertheless, I loved every minute of my time in Israel. I met interesting people from around the world, worked with amazing students and faculty from Hebrew University, and became fascinated with the current efforts to create a portrait of life in the Canaanite period.

Upon my return to Amherst College for my sophomore year, I soon came to realize that the school does not offer the exact major I now hope to pursue. I'm majoring in anthropology, but the program at Amherst is almost entirely contemporary and sociological in its focus. More and more my interests are becoming archaeological and historical. When I visited Penn this fall, I was impressed by the breadth of offerings in anthropology and archaeology, and I absolutely loved your Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Your broad approach to the field with emphases on understanding both the past and present has great appeal to me. By attending Penn, I hope to broaden and deepen my knowledge in anthropology, participate in more summer field work, volunteer at the museum, and eventually, go on to graduate school in archaeology.

My reasons for transferring are almost entirely academic. I have made many good friends at Amherst, and I have studied with some wonderful professors. However, I do have one non-academic reason for being interested in Penn. I originally applied to Amherst because it was comfortable—I come from a small town in Wisconsin, and Amherst felt like home. I'm now looking forward to pushing myself to experience places that aren't quite so familiar. The kibbutz at Kfar HaNassi was one such environment, and the urban environment of Philadelphia would be another.

As my transcript shows, I have done well at Amherst and I am convinced I can meet the academic challenges of Penn. I know I would grow at Penn, and your program in anthropology perfectly matches my academic interests and professional goals.

Before we even get to the critique of David's essay, it's important to put his transfer into context. David is attempting to transfer into an  Ivy League  school. Penn is not the most selective of the country's top universities, but the transfer acceptance rate is still around 6% (at Harvard and Stanford, that number is closer to 1%). David needs to approach this effort at transfer realistically — even with excellent grades and a stellar essay, his chances of success are far from guaranteed.

That said, he has many things going for him — he is coming from an equally demanding college where he has earned good grades, and he seems like the type of student who will certainly succeed at Penn. He will need strong  letters of recommendation  to round out his application.

Analysis of David's Transfer Essay

Now on to the essay... Let's break down the discussion of David's transfer essay into several categories.

The Reasons for Transfer

The strongest feature of David's essay is the focus. David is pleasingly specific in presenting his reasons for transferring. He knows exactly what he wants to study, and he has a clear understanding of what both Penn and Amherst have to offer him. David's description of his experience in Israel defines the focus of his essay, and he then connects that experience to his reasons for wanting to transfer. There are lots of bad reasons to transfer, but David's clear interest in studying anthropology and archaeology makes his motives seem both well thought-out and reasonable.

Many transfer applicants are trying to move to a new college because they are running away from some kind of bad experience, sometimes something academic, sometimes something more personal. David, however, clearly likes Amherst and is running towards something—an opportunity at Penn that better matches his newly discovered professional goals. This is a big positive factor for his application.

The Common Transfer Application instructions state that the essay needs to be at least 250 words. The maximum length is 650 words. David's essay comes in at around 380 words. It is tight and concise. He doesn't waste time talking about his disappointments with Amherst, nor does he put much effort into explaining the things that other parts of his application will cover such as grades and extracurricular involvement. He does have a lot more space left to elaborate, but in this case the letter gets the job done well with few words.

David gets the tone perfect, something that is difficult to do in a transfer essay. Let's face it—if you are transferring it is because there is something about your current school that you don't like. It's easy to be negative and critical of your classes, your professors, your college environment, and so on. It's also easy to come across as a whiner or an ungenerous and angry person who doesn't have the inner resources to make the most of one's circumstances. David avoids these pitfalls. His representation of Amherst is extremely positive. He praises the school while noting that the curricular offerings do not match his professional goals.

The Personality

Partly because of the tone discussed above, David comes across as a pleasant person, someone who the admissions folks are likely to want to have as part of their campus community. Moreover, David presents himself as someone who likes to push himself to grow. He is honest in his reasons for going to Amherst—the school seemed like a good "fit" given his small-town upbringing. It is, therefore, impressive to see him so actively working to expand his experiences beyond his provincial roots. David has clearly grown at Amherst, and he is looking forward to growing more at Penn.

The Writing

When applying to a place like Penn, the technical aspects of the writing need to be flawless. David's prose is clear, engaging and free of errors. If you struggle on this front, be sure to check out these  tips for improving your essay's style . And if grammar isn't your greatest strength, be sure to work through your essay with someone who does have strong grammar skills.

A Final Word on David's Transfer Essay

David's college transfer essay does exactly what an essay needs to do, and he includes the features of a strong transfer essay . He clearly articulates his reasons for transferring, and he does so in a positive and specific way. David presents himself as a serious student with clear academic and professional goals. We have little doubt that he has the skills and intellectual curiosity to succeed at Penn, and he has made a strong argument about why this particular transfer makes a lot of sense.

Odds are still against David's success given the competitive nature of Ivy League transfers, but he has strengthened his application with his essay.

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