Hi everybody!

This week, I thought I’d share a little bit about my college decision making process with you all.  Growing up with a dad who was a professor at USC and four older siblings who went here, I had a little bit of a head start in getting to know this school.  One thing about USC that completely captured my heart was always the school spirit! I used to come to a lot of USC football games growing up, and I was always completely dazzled by the cardinal and gold and the sheer amount of people who came to campus those Saturdays in the fall to support their team.

School spirit at work!

School spirit at work!

When it came time for me to decide which college to go to, I already knew USC would be a place I would be comfortable.  I knew the campus and the traditions already, and I knew I would fit in.  However, I wanted to be sure there wasn’t some other school out there that was even better (if that was even possible).  When it came down to it during my second semester of senior year, I was deciding between USC and Caltech. I researched both places, and while Caltech had a nice campus and a great legacy for scientific achievement, I ultimately felt it wasn’t well-rounded enough for me.  It was really important to me that I be surrounded by people with diverse interests on a campus with opportunities to broaden my horizons, excuse the cliche.  With all the information I learned about USC with its student organizations both within and without engineering, recreational sports opportunities, and focus on the arts, I felt it would be a much better fit.

Another thing that really stood out to me when I was applying to USC was the true extent of the Trojan Family.  They really mean it when they say you’re a Trojan for life! The alumni network is so strong and so passionate about supporting USC and its graduates. It’s stunning how many companies (SpaceX, Activision, etc.) have said that they openly prefer hiring USC engineers!

Overall, I chose to come to USC because I knew it would be a place where I could pursue all my interests, academic and otherwise, be surrounded by people who shared those interests, and be supported by and later join a passionate alumni group!

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ellen-2017

ellen-2017

Computer Science and Physics, Class of 2017, Learn more on her profile here!