It is Spring Break, and I have finally had time to slow down and relax. I got to some thinking about how I am basically at the exact middle of my undergraduate career here at USC. It was exactly 2 years ago around this time that I had chosen to come to USC. Today, I was thinking about whether I am satisfied about being here and whether the decision I made 2 years ago panned out the way I had seen it. And the answer is: YES. I am more than satisfied with the experience I have had so far here at ‘SC. The one thing that allows me to say this is, every turn I take , I have been given an opportunity. It is not to say that these opportunities have been handed to me, I have definitely had to work to be where I am, but there are nevertheless endless opportunities. I have done everything from research to seeing open heart surgeries to travelling to Honduras to receiving an internship at a BME company all through programs organized by USC.
Two years ago, when I was at the position that most of you may be at right now, here is why I chose to USC.
Me during senior year wearing my Explore USC shirt to our High School’s “WEAR YOUR COLLEGE T-SHIRT” day.
I chose USC mostly because I wanted to pursue an engineering degree in a school where engineering was not the only thing I would be doing. I was definitely a Pre-med student before I was an engineer, meaning that I knew the school of engineering wherever I ended up going would not be the center of my life. I wanted to go somewhere that gave me the chance to explore in the health sciences field doing research or clinical work with my time. In other words, I wanted a program whose rigorous and competitive engineering curriculum would be so that I could still explore my other interests and goals.
In addition, I wanted to stay in California. I used to think location did not matter as much because I would adjust wherever I go. But, in retrospect, thank god that I stayed in California because it matters more than you think. You should give serious consideration to how close you want to be at home and what the weather and community is like at the city you are heading to. It really matters whether you would like to move to a suburb or rural area. I personally wanted to move to a big city where life was fast paced and job opportunities were high. Los Angeles was perfect because besides the booming industry, I could get to the beach and see the snow in the same day. Also, I had visited USC my sophomore year and had fallen in love with it. I remember leaving campus telling my parents that of all campuses I had visited during that trip, USC was the one that had made an impression. And during my sophomore year of high school, I was not focusing on the academics yet. So, when I said USC made an impression, I was speaking about the community that USC showcased during my visit felt just right for me. It has a friendly, fresh and vibrant feel to it where all the students are up and running, the energy is high and everyone just seems to want to be there on the beautiful campus, in the beautiful weather. I think this impression really stuck with me during my decisions.
Also, another reason that played a factor was that I wanted to go to a private school because of the focused attention I would get. There was never any problems registering for classes, graduating in 4 years was guaranteed, etc. These perks were not presented in my other options at the time. Additionally, the financial aid situation worked out favorably at USC for me. It is definitely a big factor in college decisions and is something you will have to focus on!
These were the 2-3 main reasons I chose to came here. USC’s vibrant feel, focused attention on every student and strong network were really the components that attracted me to this school. I don’t have any second thoughts or doubts. My first two years have been amazing here and I am excited to see what is coming for me in the last couple.
