Student Perspectives: Why I Chose USC, from a Transfer Ambassador
Posing in front of Tommy Trojan at Transfer Orientation 07/18/25
Hi! My name is Nora Rakoci and I am a 23-year-old rising senior studying journalism at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
In 2022, I was rejected from the University of Southern California.
USC was my dream school from the moment I saw Trojan volleyball player Victoria Garrick-Browne’s TedX talk on athlete mental health. At the time, I too was a dedicated athlete struggling with my mental health. I wanted to talk about it. I wanted to be like Victoria.
But I didn’t do well in high school. Sophomore year, I suffered a concussion that knocked me off my feet for basically the whole second semester. Junior year, I struggled with depression and anxiety and went on medical leave for school anxiety/school refusal. Although I got straight As doing online school during COVID my senior year, I barely passed junior year and racked up a hefty number of absences. All that to say: my transcript sucked.
After high school I took a gap year to recuperate and take care of my mental health. I dreamed of LA. I dreamed of the sunshine and the palm trees (I’m from Chicago and even after a year in LA, the novelty of palm trees, the mountains and the ocean is yet to wear off for me). I always loved storytelling, and USC has a unique major called narrative studies that seemed perfect for me.
Taken 4/16/26 during one of my visits to Venice Beach. Still insane to me that you can see the mountains and the ocean at the same time.
So as my gap year came to a close, I decided to apply.
A few months later the decision email came in: “I am sorry to say that we are unable to offer you a space in this year’s incoming class.”
I wasn’t too surprised. I knew my dream school was a bit of a long shot when life had hit me so hard during high school.
Still, I was determined to go to USC. So, I made a plan.
I enrolled at my local community college in Palatine, Illinois. Over the next three years, I worked towards my associate’s degree, frequently consulting USC’s transfer requirements to make sure I was on the right track and using my time and money efficiently.
“Successful applicants present at least one year of rigorous, full-time academic coursework, with strong grades” –straight from the transfer website– became my mantra. Life didn’t slow down just because I had a plan, so I ended up having to drop out for a semester. I even had a couple of Ws on my transcript. But I was going to get that one year no matter what it took!
Finally, from fall 2024 to spring 2025, I was a full-time student taking “rigorous coursework” for two semesters straight. I graduated in May 2025 from Harper College with my associates in arts.
Just a few months earlier I re-applied to USC, this time as a journalism major– I had taken an Intro to Journalism course with adjunct professor Maham Khan at Harper and fell in love with reporting.
On May 23rd, I received the long-awaited decision email!
Sike. It was a request for Spring Grades from the admissions office.
I submitted my spring transcript momentarily and awaited the final decision with bated breath.
On June 5, 2025, I got into my dream school. I was so excited; I cried. I called my mom into my room to share the news (I wanted to be rejected in private if things turned out that way) and she cried too.
My cat, Saint, reppin’ the SC merch
Now I work as a Transfer Ambassador, meeting with prospective transfer students to help them follow their dreams of becoming a Trojan! Here are the three main things I learned in my first year as a transfer student at USC:
Don’t let anyone else write your application for you. Not AI, not your mom, no one. Proofreading is fine, but your story is yours to tell. That’s why it’s so special! I truly believe my application stood out because I was honest about my struggles and reflected my personality as best as I could in my answers.
Life is not a race. As a transfer student, you may feel like you’re the odd one out. If you’re like me, you might be older than most of your classmates (I turned 23 my junior year when most of my classmates were turning 20!). None of that matters! In fact, this might be the very reason you were accepted! I frequently meet with “unconventional” prospective transfer students– parents, veterans, even grandparents. Accept that you are living your life for you, at your own pace, and there is no right or wrong timeline.
Get involved! You won’t make any friends sitting in your apartment all day. I felt kind of silly going to all of the welcome week activities basically surrounded by freshmen– but it was a fun way to kickstart the year and get to know the campus. Squeeze USC of all the resources it has to offer. There is a club for everyone. If you can’t find one you like, start it!
Me and a new friend during a back-to-school event in Alumni Park, 9/9/25
Galen Center 08/29/25. Going to volleyball games (and eventually reporting on them) was a great way to get involved early in the school year.
Bonus knowledge: I cannot recommend enough going in-person to the summer transfer orientation. You will be surrounded by other transfer students just like you, and it’s a great initiation to your new life as a Trojan!
Most of all, don’t be afraid to ask questions. You can find your Admission Counselor’s contact info on our website here. They’d be happy to help answer any questions!