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USC 2009-2010 Applicants
Started by sungieality
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does anyone know when the latest interview invitation was sent out?
I am hoping to get one still. I know regular ones were already sent out first week of march but hope they can put me in at the last minute if someone cancels.
🙁
good luck to those still waiting for acceptance.
I am hoping to get one still. I know regular ones were already sent out first week of march but hope they can put me in at the last minute if someone cancels.
🙁
good luck to those still waiting for acceptance.
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regular invitation was done first week of march and they wont send out anymore.... unless someone declines the invite at which point they will call the next candidate. sorry for the bleak news
Please note that I was very specific in the words I chose... "neighborhood around the main USC campus". I never said the main campus was unsafe.
That's another one of those myths that people make up about USC.
"The neighborhood around the main USC campus" is the main campus of USC... USC actually owns much of the land outside of the "main campus" area north of Jefferson. The neighborhood is basically comprised of mostly USC students/staff up until Adams. The North University Park West designation in the image below is almost 90% students ... North University Park East is the Row (100% students), Cardinal/Century are campus housing (students), and North of Jefferson is the Shrine and some random student housing + private complexes occoupied by students. DPS's patrol used to be around the entire red dotted line plus some streets to the west of Vermont. In the middle of the night they would park themselves on sidewalks, streets, anywhere really ... There's nothing directly south of campus ...a museum park with Natural History museum, the Coliseum, Sports Arena, Rose garden ... random stuff. Nothing East of campus, the Raddison, the Galen center, some parking structures, the 110.
You're comparing the safety of skid row to an area of mostly students and a private 24/7 police force 😕
sorry, un-truths bother me just a tad 🙄
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Interviewed feb 20.. Got an AC email today. 🙁
not looking good for the ac folks.. only 2 people (nov) and 1 (jan) have gotten off the ac list..
Are you AC too?? Do more people usually get moved of AC?? I am so bummed.
Have you gotten accepted anywhere else? I have an intrview with western next Saturday. That my last hope. So sad
Thanks so much!! yes.. I am a molecular, cell and Developmental biology major, 3.78 gpa, worked in CVS as pharmacy clerk for 2 years...other than that no research experience or anything..
Good luck to everyone waiting =)
Wow.. those are amazing stats! You totally deserve it! Keep up the good work.. any advice from your application cycle pre or post interview?
ps- where'd you go to undergrad? also- have you gotten in anywhere else?
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Oh thanks again 🙂) I went to UCLA for undergrad...no, I havent gotten anywhere else...I just interviewed at WesternU before and was put on hold...probably because I was lacking 2 pre-pharm requirements for western or may be I screwed up really bad in the interview for western lol...
As far as USC is concerned...I think they are definitely looking for quite a deal of pharmacy experience....literally, my entire interview time at USC was talking about my CVS experience...
Other than that, just relax...I know very hard 🙁.. but you can do it! best of luck to you =)
Yes!
There is no such thing as a "private police force" in this city. There are however private security companies. If you want to make the observation that private security guards are as well trained and equipped as LAPD, you're free to do so.
Personally, I'd be terrified to set foot in Skid Row if there were only private security companies watching over the place.
I recieved my acceptance in snail mail...yellow envelope. I think they are sending emails out for ACs only...so probably not getting e-mail is a good sign 🙂 And since you live on the other side of country, you might get good news in a couple of days or so=) good luck!!
Active Consideration
Hey everyone,
For anyone who is still holding out for an interview invitation for the last slot (March 20th), there's still hope. There's been some movement, and I received an email invitation to interview today.
Hope you all hear good news today as well!
For anyone who is still holding out for an interview invitation for the last slot (March 20th), there's still hope. There's been some movement, and I received an email invitation to interview today.
Hope you all hear good news today as well!
Hello! 🙂
Waiting for letters is certainly a nerve-wracking time!
Good luck everyone!
If you do receive that big GOLD and CRIMSON envelope, then join the USC School of Pharmacy c/o 2014 facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=362479915946
Good luck to all of you who are waiting hear back, going to be interviewing next weekend, or attending another school!
Waiting for letters is certainly a nerve-wracking time!
Good luck everyone! If you do receive that big GOLD and CRIMSON envelope, then join the USC School of Pharmacy c/o 2014 facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=362479915946
Good luck to all of you who are waiting hear back, going to be interviewing next weekend, or attending another school!
Yep, got my interview invitation today apparently someone canceled the interview! YAY! I thought i was rejected
Were you put on AC last time? How often do they send update on your status?
Hello! 🙂
Waiting for letters is certainly a nerve-wracking time!
If you do receive that big GOLD and CRIMSON envelope, then join the USC School of Pharmacy c/o 2014 facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=362479915946
Good luck to all of you who are waiting hear back, going to be interviewing next weekend, or attending another school!
Remember to search first! There's already a USC SOP c/o 2014 facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=237396311660
Thanks, but no group showed up when I did a search and since there was no direct link anywhere for other students, I thought I'd post a link to a group here rather than leaving things up to apparently non-reliable facebook searches.
In addition to having useful content for incoming students, I hope that either facebook group is a great resource and will spark discussion among the incoming class! 
plan on bringing a parka with you. despite LA always being sunny and clear it can be freeeeezzing! the beach is easily around 50-60 degrees (I know East Coasters poo poo that - but it's cold for LA where we live in shorts and flip flops). Also Santa Monica is not that great of a beach (it's my hometown). I would venture a little bit north up PCH to Malibu (Carbon Canyon, Zuma, etc).
NSAID01 why do you think you haven't gotten accepted your first two times? I am on my first round of applying. In the event I have to reapply I'm wondering what one can do to be more competitive. I couldn't imagine applying three times!
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You keep believing that. 😉 A Bruin who never attended or lived at USC thinking SHADY people are everywhere and students have to be insane to walk around on campus... This is real. We're talking about DPS controlled areas where students primarily reside, not areas outside DPS control. As a student, you shouldn't be wandering around alleyways at night or heading far west past Vermont for any reason. Most USC students (along with Berkeley, Columbia, Yale, and Chicago students) have enough street smarts to avoid trouble by avoiding those dark alleys and the remote areas with no students... all while refraining from loudly gabbing on a cell phone while paying no attention to their surroundings.
USC students walk alone on campus all the time. They walk alone off campus all the time. There are DPS everywhere on and off campus. If you're honestly that afraid of the area, take the tram or use the campus cruiser. There are alternatives for people who are insecure with their surroundings. USC is a private school with private land. They can and do refuse entry to people into the campus all the time.... you're not going to find a SHADY person on campus, only students. And off campus, there are students walking all over the place all the time, SHADY students? Please. If you walk alone ... into some alley, sure... you're just looking for trouble. All the main streets along the tram routes and streets with large apartment complexes have students here and there all day and up to reasonable hours at night. The area is comprised of mostly students and the rest are generally working class Hispanics.
If you're afraid of the local homeless people and think they are shady ... You're in for a shock because you will definately run into shadier people in life. Some of the homeless around USC are a permanent part of the community and do no harm to any of the students... They're actually quite friendly and very awesome individuals.
I posted the map to outline the safe boundaries, go west of Vermont and you're going to be neck high in shady people and shady situations. Same with going north of 23rd street (personally I draw my line in the sand at Adams Blvd because that street is a pain to cross).
Your biggest risks at USC are petty theft and drunk fights between students... and getting your bike stolen by the DPS on campus 😡. It is all a matter of perspective. You have students coming from certain communities in NYC and they think it doesnt deserve the bad rap it gets. Sure, coming from your hometown, Santa Monica, where its 80% white, 7% asian, 13% other, $60k median income, everything at USC would feel shady to you. I came from an area of 60% white, 30% asian, and a median income of 115k. The first couple months was a learning experience. You learn it really isn't as bad as everyone, who base their opinions on 'I heard that ...' and not 'I experienced...', says it is. You experience it, you learn from it, you know it.
Average crime statistics within DPS patrolled areas for the 2000's are below the national average and their response time is top notch. There are over 200 DPS officers + the local LAPD patrols in an area (including on and off campus) of less than 1 square mile. Bottomline is... if you don't go looking for trouble, you're not going to find trouble at USC. People come and go from the gym and libraries to their apartments all night with no issues at all. Just be smart, use that big brain on your shoulders, and recognize when to walk/bike the other way 😀.
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what were the stats on the email?
Interviewed on Feb,20 and got AC email. Any suggestion on what to improve and make myself more competitive if the worst possible thing happens.
40 were accepted and the rest were put on AC
Hello fellow USC interviewees!
My wife's interview is coming up on March 20. She's a non-native english speaker, and as such we're concerned about focus of the essay... whether the focus of the essay is more on following directions (the 5 words per line thing) or whether it's more about structure and syntax.
(By comparison, UCSF's essay was more about displaying critical thinking... since USC is asking for a summary and is specifically not asking for analysis, we're led to believe that the content may not be quite as important as the ability to follow directions).
So, with that in mind:
-- What was the length of the articles that interviewees are asked to summarize? The research we've done on SDN suggests one paragraph, though other things seem to imply several.
- In evaluating the quality of the written essay, is the focus more on following directions/student comprehension or is there a serious emphasis on structure and syntax? (As a non-native speaker, my wife is at a distinct disadvantage in this regard). Though she has a great academic and professional history, we're understandably concerned that if USC puts too much emphasis on the syntax and grammar, it really could hurt her chances.
- What sorts of articles did they give you to read? What were the topics?
Anyway, thanks everyone in advance for your advice. Looking forward to hopefully meeting you in Fall, 2010!
My wife's interview is coming up on March 20. She's a non-native english speaker, and as such we're concerned about focus of the essay... whether the focus of the essay is more on following directions (the 5 words per line thing) or whether it's more about structure and syntax.
(By comparison, UCSF's essay was more about displaying critical thinking... since USC is asking for a summary and is specifically not asking for analysis, we're led to believe that the content may not be quite as important as the ability to follow directions).
So, with that in mind:
-- What was the length of the articles that interviewees are asked to summarize? The research we've done on SDN suggests one paragraph, though other things seem to imply several.
- In evaluating the quality of the written essay, is the focus more on following directions/student comprehension or is there a serious emphasis on structure and syntax? (As a non-native speaker, my wife is at a distinct disadvantage in this regard). Though she has a great academic and professional history, we're understandably concerned that if USC puts too much emphasis on the syntax and grammar, it really could hurt her chances.
- What sorts of articles did they give you to read? What were the topics?
Anyway, thanks everyone in advance for your advice. Looking forward to hopefully meeting you in Fall, 2010!
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Where I went to for undergrad, I wouLd always walking to my car and suh by myself in the dark. But my friends would always walk me there if they knee I was alone even though i always did it myself before. It's not safe there. But I haven't been to USC and all this talk is scaring me a bit. I didn't think it would be bad. I guess I will find out soon. But either way, I still want to go to USC no matter what.
I do have a question though, would it be safe to take the bus at night?
I do have a question though, would it be safe to take the bus at night?
I want to know about the writing portion too.
Me three. I actually would LOVE to know everything about that day if there's anyone out there that knows... and has already interviewed... please provide some detail from start to finish... How did the day start? What was the order of things to do? How did the day end?
That would be much appreciated. Thanks!~
I would say that the interview day is rather short. The director of admissions talks with the group of interviewees for approximately half and hour and then each interviewee is sent off with a student for their twenty minute student/faculty interview. The "essay" part is really not an essay at all. Rather, you are given a passage several paragraphs long and a sheet of paper to take notes on. I believe you were only allowed to write five words per line for 10 lines. The passage is then taken away and you must summarize it using the notes you took. After the essay, students were brought in to answer questions to end the interview session.
Interview day is actually a really short day. It really does take only 2 hours (but you should probably have some buffer maybe like 30 minutes give or take). There are about 100 people interviewing but everyone is split up into about 4 groups (the times are staggered) - people who interview early morning are from the LA area, and people who interview later in the day are from out of state. There is a welcome speech (30 minutes), then the students will call your name out and take you to have your interview (20minutes), then the student interviewer will lead you to the room to write your essay. The essay that I read had multiple mini-paragraphs (1 page long) - it was something related to health care. You get about 15 minutes to read AND take notes, and then 20 minutes to write a summary. Read the instructions on the board! You are to summarize, not write your opinions on the article. I'm not really sure what the admission committee is looking for. I am thinking it's the ability to read and comprehend what the article is saying, and the ability to paraphrase this material on paper in a timely manner. I hope this helps!
THANK YOU! This helped BIG-TIME!.. Although, I must admit I am a little worried/confused about the whole five words per line for 10 lines thing... not sure what they are actually evaluating us on... can you please go more in depth as to exactly what thats all about... and the best way we can prepare for it? THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
WoW... this was an AMAZING summary. Thank you so much for taking the time to help us all out. I know I truly appreciate it. Really, thank you!
In terms of preparation, what do you recommend we do for this section? Also - for the entire interview day... any do's and dont's? What was your experience like? Anything you would have done if you can go back in time? Anything you wish you hadn't done? Let us know! Thanks!~
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This is a great description-- thank you for this. Did the article contain a lot of unusual/industry specific vocabulary, or was it written like a standard college/professional essay?
I don't think you can prepare much for the essay portion. I mean you could brush up on your paraphrasing skills, but the article is not testing you on your academic knowledge whatsoever. The terms they use are not advanced nor health-care jargon. My best recommendation would be to remember to watch the clock, and get through the entire article, reading and taking notes. Pace yourself. Time moves rather quickly, so get to work quickly. You do not want time to run out before you finish reading the last couple of paragraphs. I would take notes on specific big names/concepts in the article that you won't be able to remember, but I think the main point is understanding the article. So don't get too caught up in interesting or random facts. As for the entire interview day, it was pretty relaxed. Everyone is friendly, and they have USC students there in the beginning if you have any questions. Always be professional, but also remember to relax and have fun. Your academics and extra-curriculars have gotten you the interview, so they now want to see someone who is able to communicate. Someone with a personality (that's what the admission director even said). Good luck!
Got it! Thank you so much for continuing to provide amazing information. I appreciate it. So wait.. you already interviewed and were accepted? When and how did you ask the admission director? Are you talking about Mr. Granderson? Is he the one who interviewed you?
Maybe it would be easier to communicate with you if I sent you a private message. Sending one now.
Mr Granderson does not interview. He oversees the days event. I just wanted to add a little advice. Make sure you watch the clock as fluze already stated. I interviewed on 11/21 and during the essay I thought I had time only to realize that they were asking for the article back whiles I was barely in the middle. I still got in but please make sure you don't make my mistake and think you have too much time as I had to rush through the last half.
OK, we've been practicing the essay/notetaking exercise using your helpful guidelines, and a few questions have cropped up.
1. Are students allowed to use their own watches/pda phones, etc to keep track of time? Is there a clock on the wall? Is there a "five minute warning" for the note taking part and then the summary part?
2. On the note taking part of the essay exercise, are students requires to fill ALL of the 10 lines with 5 words? Or are the directions to fill out only what you need? For example, on one practice run, my wife filled out only 5 out of the 10 lines, and then on the 6th line she only needed to fill out 3 words.
Thanks!
