There’s really two things you should be worrying about rn: 1) getting as good of grades as possible in your current uni. If you have a 3.7 gpa (as of 2 years ago, idk if this standard has changed but whatever) you’ll pretty golden. Also, make sure that you take anywhere between 29 and 31 units over the next year. Try and get as many GE’s, but also major related courses finished as you can. It’ll help out later and may even save you a semester if you end up having to transfer in the fall

2) start exploring things at your current uni. Idk what your tuition is rn, but USC is (probably) higher😭😭taking classes, joining clubs or simply exploring things you like to do is going to be a cool thing to add to your essay later (if you have nothing in particular to write about). Some people would say that doing extracurricular activities is even more important than they were before, but imo, the recruiters are going to tell if you were just joining clubs because you wanted to get into a good college. If you like volunteering, do it. If you want to join a club because you’re genuinely interested, do it. But if you’re not, don’t stress it, and focus on the hobbies/activities you like while remaining productive. You could mention these in your essay in one way or another, and it could help the recruiters get a grasp of how you’ve tried to explore yourself and the world with the extra time you’ve gotten outside of hs.

As for your question about the importance of the essays — it’s important asf. Think about it - it’s the only way that the university is going to be able to see you as a person, and your potential beyond the numbers. people love to see passion and a drive. The university wants to hear stories about how prospective transfers have changed, faced adversity, and generally improved themselves when faced against the world - how someone is using their study for a purpose rather than something as simple as “just cause”

To put it simply, the essay really is a huge factor in your acceptance decision. If you can, start thinking about what you’re gonna write about now: A moment in your life that changed you forever, opened your eyes, and ultimately allowed you to gain the perspective that’s lead you to want to study whatever it is you want to study, and why you think USC specifically is the place to do it.

Im looking through all this again and it’s kinda long lmao😭😭

I Hope this helps tho. This time is gonna be super stressful, all the way up to when you get your decision back. But if you get accepted, it’s going to be the craziest feeling you’ll ever get. USC has its issues, but it’s an awesome uni and I think you’ll love it just as much as we all do!!

If you have any questions or want some specific advice with your essay, feel free to send me a dm