Student Perspectives: How to Connect with Current USC Students - What to Do, Be Mindful Of, and Avoid

Hi there! My name is Tucker, and I’m a current Junior majoring in Chemical Engineering. I’m also pursuing a Master’s in Materials Engineering through USC’s Progressive Degree Program (PDP). I’m here to share tips on how to connect with current USC students as a high school applicant. Connecting with current students can give you insights into campus life, academics, and the application process, in the hopes of helping you make more informed decisions about your next chapter after high school!

This article compiles the best advice for high schoolers, some from my own experience and some from my friends at USC. To make it easy to follow, I’ve structured it like a stoplight, inspired by USC’s beloved village stoplight that connects students from the USC Village to the University Park Campus. Like a stoplight, some ways to connect are a clear green light (good to go), others are a yellow light (proceed with caution), and some are a red light (stop and reconsider).

Green Light: Advice You Can Follow Confidently

Connect with USC Ambassadors

One of the best ways to connect with USC students is through our USC Ambassadors, who represent the university and individual schools within USC. Ambassadors can answer specific questions about program offerings, student life and more. When I applied to USC, I learned a lot about the Viterbi School of Engineering by connecting with Viterbi Ambassadors. There’s a student ambassador program for many schools, including USC Dornsife and USC Marhsall, which both have chat features to directly ask questions to ambassadors.

Research via Outreach Channels

USC Ambassador programs also have several outreach channels, including Instagram, YouTube, and Student Blogs. These channels can provide invaluable insights into the program and campus culture through short form content and personal narratives. During my college search, I especially appreciated exploring the engineering ambassador blogs on the ViterbiVoices website to better understand why USC Viterbi was a great fit for me.

Attend Visit Events

Events like DiscoverUSC are a one-stop shop for answering all your USC-related questions. You can speak with financial aid officers, attend school-specific sessions and take student-led campus tours. DiscoverUSC is held in October, just before Early Action (EA) applications are due, making it the perfect opportunity to get your questions answered and get a feel for campus life. Your tour guide is a great resource for learning more about campus life.

Yellow Light: Proceed with Caution

Cold Messaging Current Students

While reaching out to current students via social media can be helpful, keep in mind that many students have busy schedules and may not have the time to respond. If you do reach out, be polite, concise and mindful of their time. For a more reliable connection, consider reaching out to student ambassadors from the different schools at USC via their Instagram accounts (@marshallstudents or @usc_admcenter). (See the Green Light section for more details.)

Red Light: Stop and Reconsider

Using Anonymous Forums

Online forums like Reddit and College Confidential can be a pitfall for students navigating the college application process. While they may create a sense of community, there’s no way to verify the accuracy of the information shared. From my own experience, I fell into the trap of endlessly scrolling through these forums, comparing stats and overthinking the process.

Here’s some advice from a former anonymous forum doomscroller: the time you invest in forming real connections will pay off more than anything you’ll find in the depths of an anonymous forum. By reaching out to real people, you’ll gain invaluable networking skills that will support you long after you hit “submit” on your application.

As a high schooler, remember that connecting with current USC students is about gaining insights that will help you navigate your college journey. Use this guide as your roadmap, and don’t hesitate to reach out because USC students are here to help!