At the age of ten, my mother and I had to move across the country to a city we knew nothing about just to survive. My grandmother had done the same for the sake of her family when she came to the United States from Haiti. Even though my grandmother did not have the privilege of a formal education, she was the brightest woman I knew. She worked multiple jobs to be able to single-handedly pay for the private education...

Every day on my trip home from school, I feel distant as I stare at surroundings that seem so surreal: graffiti-laden walls with the phrase “R.I.P.” written on them, the woman with glassy eyes walking aimlessly through the street. All that I can think of is that these people and these signs all have a story; an untold narrative of their past that has been silenced by various societal ills such as economic inequality and gender/racial prejudices ....

Acting has been an activity that has shaped who I am. Acting allows me to step outside of myself and my own problems to find a new truth. Last summer, I had the privilege of being accepted into the prestigious Geva Summer Theater Academy. There, I grew not only as an actress, but as a person. I realized how acting could bring me so close to people that seemed so different than I was. In the art of acting, there...

-Friendly As a USC admit, I was allowed to enter the official USC group for newly admitted Trojans. I had been in other admitted student groups before, but USC stood out amongst them all. In the USC group, everyone was super open and curious about one other. We have shared our favorite books, movies, love of Netflix and Chipotle, and distaste for Bruins. In all seriousness, the caliber of students in my class is amazing. Sub...

What set me apart was definitely my essay! Your essay is the only thing that will set you apart from the sea of test scores and GPA's that are VERY similar to yours. Admittedly, my ACT is below the admitted student profile (although my GPA falls towards the top). TEST SCORES ARE NOT...

The key to a great "why us" essay is specificity! If you can easily swap out one college...

Only go to teachers you adults that you know well. Do not get recommendations from those who only know you...

Do not stress about it! I doubt myself throughout the application process, but...