It’s daunting. There’s no way around it. Everyone will build up the decision of where you go to college as one of the biggest decisions of your life.
Don’t get me wrong, it is. But the most important part of the process is still you. It’s very cliche, but a common adage “you’ll end up where you’re supposed to” is actually true. It’s true for me and it’s true for all of my friends at numerous schools across the country. So first, take a load off! And now, let’s figure out how to make this decision. Since the only decision I completely made on schools was my own, I’ll take you all through how I decided to come to (ok, a little bias here) The Best university in the country.
People are important, and relationships even more so. A college decision should be personal, not a single applicant choosing an entire school. You should be choosing to become a Trojan, a member of the Trojan Family, along with all the other potential Freshman making the same choice as you. This aspect of choosing a school really pulled me towards USC. Not only did I have personal contact with numerous admissions personnel at the school, but also students who personally took their time to ensure I had my questions answered and who were genuinely interested if they could make the picture that USC paints of what going to school is like here any clearer. While some other schools sent me a single mailing, I received stacks upon stacks of mail from USC; the engineering school’s magazine, what’s happening with sports, housing info, etc… The stacks of mail from each school in my room where extremely lopsided, and, you guessed it, USC was towering (literally) over all of the other schools.
I was really happy with USC’s interest in me as a student, and also that that interest was mirrored by my own excitement. When I was applying to schools, I wanted the sports, the “big school” feel, a really cool locale, and best of all, people who loved to excel in life, not just academics. I found home with USC from my first visit on campus. I boarded a plane in Colorado at 5:30AM, and by 7:45AM Pacific, was transported from wearing flip-flops and shorts in a blizzard to sunny Southern California and 75 degree weather. Not bad for a February day. Even better than location for me is that USC walks the boundary between stereotypical “big” and “small” school atmospheres. The big sports, resources, and influence are all there, but small classes, personalized learning, and communal emphasis on growing together – not trying to best the person sitting next to you – fosters a learning and living environment that is truly unparalleled. (And, I’m the least bit proud to be a member!)
That was a little more of the deep down thought process going through my head. The normal location, sports, ranking, extracurriculars, student quality of life, the food…they all went through my head. But, most importantly, USC checks all of those boxes and then goes farther…much farther. We want to know your name, your story, and why You chose to come here. That curiosity in meeting so many others from so many different backgrounds is integral to defining the dynamic student body here, and the biggest reason why I choose to become a Trojan.
No two students will choose USC for the same reason. I just hope that I could help you find your reason, and that I’ll be able to see each and every one of you in the fall!
Choose on, and most importantly, Fight On!
-Naish
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