Transfer Talk Tuesdays: Expectations vs. Reality
Transfer Talk Tuesdays are a series of personal blogs where current USC transfer students dive deeper into their real-life stories, perspectives, and experiences in transferring to USC. Note that each transfer application is unique and there are no guaranteed paths to transfer. For guidance on how to put together a competitive transfer application, please review our Transferring to USC brochure.
Hello! My name is Dalay Buenrostro, I am a junior studying Psychology and also taking the pre-dental route. I grew up in Southern California all my life and it’s been the best. Growing up here, my dream was to attend USC. From a young age, I knew it was attainable. I just didn’t know how much it would take to get here. Nonetheless, I was ready to do whatever I had to in order to get accepted. Fast forward, here I am at the best university in the world.
As we all set our goals along the way we begin to think, “What expectations do I have to meet?” Most of us have some expectations in our mind, but sometimes they are far from reality. With USC being such a prestigious university, I often found myself really questioning whether I would get in or not. I believed in myself wholeheartedly, but I always thought of the magnitude the school held. However, once I was accepted I realized that the expectations are only as real as you make them out to be.
Expectation #1: “There are too many students, I’ll never get the chance to speak with my advisor as often as I would like.”
Reality: Definitely not true! Yes, there are a lot of students, but there is a great amount of support from advisors. Personally, I like to meet with my advisor regularly to check in on my progress and it has never been a hassle to secure an appointment.
Expectation #2: “Everything is about academics, there are no interesting organizations I can possibly join.”
Reality: Of course there are plenty of great organizations one can join! There are over 1,000+ recognized student organizations open to anyone. We all get stressed out with school work, so what better way to relieve it than by making new friends and taking interest in new things! Here is a list of clubs/organizations on campus.
Expectation #3: “I’m going to get very overwhelmed and I’ll have no support.”
Reality: There are so many mental health resources available to students. We all understand that there are times where situations may become overwhelming, and there are plenty of resources to lean on. Mental health and the well-being of all students is a priority at USC. There are counseling services as well as therapy groups available. Here are Mental Health, Well-being and Support Resources for Students.
There is no step-by-step manual book to follow, and that is what makes everyone’s experience at USC unique. I had a number of expectations upon stepping foot onto campus, many of which have exceeded. My time at USC has been a rollercoaster, but knowing that there are people, support programs, and more, has allowed me to grow and not limit myself. Expectations aren’t always negative – they can be helpful too, as they can provide insight to what should be expected from an experience. In short, relish each moment and take it all in.
Written by: Dalay Buenrostro, Class of 2025