For USC, I was so lucky enough to interview 2 amazing and kind people who reached out to me and offered to help, Enzo and Ava!!!
ENZO
Enzo reached out to me and offered to help other high school students learn more about USC! His responses are so helpful if you want to learn more about college! Thank you so much Enzo for your generosity in helping others!
How would you describe the weather at USC? Does it frequently snow? What would advise students to bring when coming to USC?
"The weather at USC is nothing short of amazing. You can go to the beach in to late November and you can start going to the beach in early March. It rains maybe 10 days a semester max and the rest are beautiful sunny clear days. I would recommend bringing a good mix of short sleeves for August and September because it gets a little hot in a little bit more long sleeves for December and January. USC’s weather is definitely one of its strong points though."
what makes USC? So special to you? Was it your first choice and your dream school?
"What makes usc special to me is the sense of family and community that It has. Both my parents went to UCLA and I grew up thinking that I was going to go to UCLA my whole life. But once I was in high school and experienced tours of both colleges something just drew me to USC. It became my first choice when I was a junior and I did everything that I could to make sure I ended up here. You can get virtually any class that you want. You can make amazing friends from all aspects in all walks of life. And you have so many people trying to help you with your career it’s almost insane. You definitely leave the school ready to take on the world."
Were you awarded financial aid? If yes, did it lift off some pressure?
"I’m not on financial aid but I know a lot of my friends are and we recently just instituted a new policy where if you make under 75K year for your family you’re on a full ride no questions asked."
what is one thing you wished you did more research on before applying to colleges?
"One thing I wished I researched more was the type of community that I’m going in to for work. Really try and identify where you wanna go with your life and what you wanna do for your work and try and find schools that have not only student run organizations but also school side organizations that help with that. For example USC has a great space program and if you want to do space we have also the first student run organization that sent a rocket past the atmosphere."
what is one tip you would give to high school students, especially juniors who are currently searching for college to apply? Should they research how good the food is, the weather, or how prestigious the college is?
"Weather is a big one. Don’t worry about food or prestige because both get old and don’t matter when you’re at the school. Also look at their schools GE systems. You don’t want to go to a school where your interest or hampered by taking the classes that you don’t want to because you have to take those to graduate. Try and learn as much as you can in college because these are the last four years you get before you start work, unless you go to grad school."
AVA
Ava is an AMAZING person and gives great advice if you're interested in USC! She was introduced to me by Katelyn and both of them are so sweet and offered me to help in reaching college students from other schools frequently requested! Thank you so much Ava! If you still have questions about USC, feel free to contact her at:
Email: aesanche@usc.edu
Instagram: @av.emily
how would you describe the weather at USC? Does it frequently snow? What would advise students to bring when coming to USC?
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"Weather at USC changes slightly with the seasons; summer/fall tends to be very warm/hot (capping at about 100), winter is between 50 and 70, spring gets back up to 75-85. No snow, some rain during winter!"
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"Bring: sunglasses, sweater, shorts, umbrella...I recommend packing a wardrobe of basics that you can layer to accommodate changes in weather."
what makes USC so special to you? Was it your first choice and your dream school?
"The spirit and comaraderie at USC makes it an ideal place to study. There's always at least one activity, there are tons of places to eat, the students are friendly, the classrooms are safe spaces for discussion. I grew up in LA and I've loved the Trojan culture since I was young, so I was excited to officially join the Trojan Family."
what was your reaction when you opened your acceptance letter?
"I had applied for a merit scholarship (applying by Dec 1), so I got my decision in late January. I was home alone and opened the email without realizing it had my decision. I cried because it was my first decision! Immediately, I FaceTimed my parents and we celebrated. It wasn't until I was notified about my scholarship that I realized I would actually get to go."
Personally, would you recommend morning or night classes?
"I prefer morning classes (I block my classes 8/9:30-1) because I like to work in the afternoon. I'm also in the Trojan Marching Band (the greatest band in the history of the universe EVER!), so that works for my schedule. In the 8/9 hours, foot traffic is very very light, but be warned: campus gets packed starting at 10!"
what kind of classes would you highly recommend students to take in high school before going off to college?
"My recommendation is to cover your college art/math requirements if you can. A score of 4 or 5 on AP exams will be honored at USC (of course, which classes you earn credit for is partially dependent on your major/college). Please read about concurrent enrollment, AP, and IB policies for any university that you are considering. It'll help you come into college with an idea of what you need to take!"