
Since USC makes use of an approach that is holistic the admission procedure, we’re committed to reading and re-reading every piece for the application. You know those answer that is short you responded to? We read those. That activity summary you filled out? Yup, we read every activity, company, and experience you listed on there. I want to get to know you- your interests, your perspective, and most of all, hear your voice come through when I read an application. This method takes time and thought even as we attempt to understand exactly how your academic performance, test scores, composing, involvements, and recommendations get together to paint a fuller picture of who you really are as a pupil and an individual.
The admission office might seem like it runs like a well-oiled machine on the outside—and it is—but it just operates since smoothly as it does through the application of multiple checks and balances through the procedure. We contact pupils when a piece is being missed by us of the applying and when we need extra information such as mid-year grades. We talk to the departments that are academic USC and consider their views on applicants and listen to their recommendations. First and foremost, we rely using one another to help us see applicants in a way that is different recognise something we didn’t initially see. It’s a process that is incredibly collaborative it takes time.
This is a difficult process for our office, as well at the end of the day. There are many applicants that are qualified we don’t have room for every year. It’s never simple making these tough decisions, but I find convenience realizing that our applicants will have many college that is amazing the following year regardless.
I think We speak on behalf of our entire office when We say we are pretty excited to finally be able to shout out towards the world, here’s the amazing USC Class of 2017! And in merely a couple weeks that are short we—and numerous of you—will be able to do just that.
Grades, Guidance, and Goliath: Confessions of the Director Dad
The blog post below is from our very own Director of Admission, Kirk Brennan. He shares with us the struggles of being a parent of a college that is prospective also having a leadership role in higher education. Understandably, juggling these two roles is incredibly delicate. Thank you, Kirk, for sharing your understanding of what our moms and dads undergo with this stressful time!
This coming Monday will mark the eighteenth anniversary associated with day my wife (whom you may remember) delivered our very first kid. This particular year — the one in which that child is applying to college — feels like my first day on the job though i have worked in admission for 22 years. Just what a strange way to see my task: through the eyes, and from the house of a prospective student.
I had many disillusioning observations this year. I saw that tours of different schools sound the same, that college marketing materials look alike and even say the very same things, and what sort of number that is small of businesses vendors seem to drive this procedure for several schools. I saw that a deal that is great of pupil’s impression of my university is not controllable, and I had been specially disheartened whenever my own student, after feeling proud to get a mass-mailer from a college, quit reading any of them only days later on, and even felt anger as she sifted through them. At USC plus in the admission occupation in general, we strive to be helpful, but some full days I’m not sure how much we’re helping ( and I welcome your suggestions at admdir@usc.edu).
What strikes me more than any such thing is the psychological roller coaster of the year that is senior. We had been saddened to look at mundane events of life magnified to be critical pieces of a puzzle that lead to college; a grade on the tiniest test prompts a crisis, or an option to flake out one afternoon is observed as a possible deal breaker for college admission, therefore career, then life time pleasure. Then there’s the list; so colleges that are many consider, will she love these schools, did she miss a better fit, and that can she also get in at all? Then filling in the applications, especially the anxiety behind answering the smallest amount of questions that are important the applying (we discussed ‘What’s my therapist’s job title?’). The relief that is temporary of them was soon replaced by confusion within the lack of communication as colleges read. Now the decisions are coming out the grand finale with this ride — 1 day she gets in and seems great excitement for her future, another she actually is turned down and seems useless, as if judged harshly by strangers. Learning and growing is hard, and turns that are many life will be unpredictable, but clearly I can not be the only real one ready because of this ride to end.
From the ground i’ve watched this roller coaster often times, and such trips shmoop pro tend to end in the same manner — with our children enrolling in a college they love. Yet we riders nevertheless scream, even feel real terror going down the hill as in the event that safety bars will not help; normal responses, if utterly irrational. We nevertheless love rollercoasters (Goliath is my personal favorite), and I think I will love this particular ride. I have grown closer to my daughter, so we have all grown closer as a family. I’ve seen my younger daughter console her older sister. We all cherish the time that continues to be in this phase of our family life, although we avoid the question of how many others dishes we shall share together. There are many hugs, tears, pats on the rear, and scoops of ice cream to soothe the pain sensation, yet great hope for the near future. I look forward to this ride finishing, but I imagine when it ends, just like Goliath, I will be excited to get back in line to ride again today. I sure hope so, anyway: my youngest is counting about it.