usc viterbi personal statement

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Graduate school statement of purpose/personal statement.

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A Statement of Purpose (or personal statement) is an essay that provides you with the opportunity to express qualities about yourself that is not apparent in the rest of your application. You should dedicate quality time to choosing a topic that is compelling and will draw the reader’s attention. 

Please u nderstand that graduate schools admissions committees are not looking for your whole life story in the Statement of Purpose .  They are looking for cues that indicate you will make great student and practitioner.

Make sure to read and fully understand each school’s Statement of Purpose requirement and follow each school’s formatting guidelines exactly.  You want to speak directly to what each school is looking for in a successful candidate. 

Please do not plan on using the same exact personal statement for each school – this approach will not benefit you in the long run.  

Writing an outline of what you would like to share in your  statement is an efficient way to ensure you are meeting all the points you want to in your statement.

• Take a step back and reflect on your life’s challenges and how these contribute to where you are today in your life.
• Explore what led to your decision to pursue an advanced degree
• Articulate how the degree will help you achieve individual or professional goals .  Reflect on why are you prepared for, passionate about, and a fit for this program/field.
• What specifically do you like about this program ? What are your future career interests/goals? How will this program help you attain your goals?

NOTE: Resist the temptation of mention your GPA or test scores – you are much more than your grades and test scores! Admissions reps can access that information elsewhere- spend the space in your Statement of Purpose sharing deeper insights regarding your personal characteristics and perspectives.

For tips on what makes a great Statement of Purpose, please review this handout and use it as a checklist to self-critique your writing.

• Start writing without worrying about page length .  You can edit down later in future drafts- it is important to get your ideas out on paper
• Be clear and vibrant
• Tailor your statement to each school’s audience
• Do not reiterate information found in other areas of your application
• Follow the graduate school’s format and page requirement(usually a 2-page max)
• Edit down.  Omit or edit content to make your statement succinct

Having a number of different people read your statement and provide constructive feedback is critical.  We suggest asking people who know you well review your statement and share their insights regarding how you portrayed yourself in relation to the graduate program you are applying to.  Ask them if they have a clear sense of why you would be a great student for the program you are applying to, ask if they see any gaps in what you shared, what could be be developed a little more, etc.

For extra writing support, the USC Writing Center is available: Taper Hall 216, 213-740-3691. 

After personally proofreading for grammar and content using the Statement of Purpose guidelines handout as a checklist, feel free to submit the final draft  for review.  The graduate school advising team will return the draft to you within 5 days with constructive feedback

USC Career Pathways General Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose Guidelines handout

Writing support for usc students: usc writing center, tips and examples through thegradcafe.com, tips and examples through gradschools.com, final personal statement/statement of purpose draft review.

How to Write a Stand-Out Personal Statement for Your Graduate School Application

While deciding to embark on the path to graduate school is an exciting first step toward advancing your career, the application process can sometimes feel daunting and confusing.

One major part of the application that most schools require is a personal statement. Writing a personal statement can be an arduous task: After all, most people don’t necessarily enjoy writing about themselves, let alone at length.

A compelling personal statement, however, can help bring your application to the top of the admissions pile. Below, we’ve outlined what you need to know about crafting a personal statement to make your application shine.

What Is a Personal Statement?

The point of a personal statement is for the admissions board to gain a deeper understanding of who you are apart from your education and work experience. It explains why you’re the right fit for the program and a worthwhile applicant. It’s also an opportunity to highlight important factors that may not be readily available in the rest of your application.

A personal statement is different from a statement of purpose (if you’re asked for that as well). A statement of purpose will touch on your academic and career goals, as well as your past credentials. While those should also be discussed in your personal statement, it’s more about your life experiences and how they’ve shaped you and your journey to graduate school.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing a Personal Statement

Before you start crafting your essay, there are a few prompts you can ask yourself to help clarify what you want to accomplish.

• What are the key points you want to communicate about yourself?
• What personal characteristics or skills do you have that make you a strong candidate for this field?
• What exactly are your career goals, and how does graduate school play into them?
• What have you learned about this field already? When did you first choose to follow this path, and what do you enjoy about it?
• What do you think is important for the admissions board to know specifically about you?
• Are there any discrepancies or causes for concern in your application you need to address? For example, is there a career and schooling gap, or a low GPA at one point? This is the time to discuss whether a personal hardship may have affected your academics or career.
• Have you dealt with any unusual obstacles or difficulties in your life? How have they affected and shaped you?
• What sets you apart and makes you unique from other graduate school applicants?
• What factors in your life have brought you to where you are today?

Top Tips for Writing a Graduate School Personal Statement

Pick a few points to emphasize about yourself . Introduce yourself to the admissions board. Select key factors about your background that you want the university to know — elements that reveal what kind of person you are and demonstrate why you’re a strong candidate for the school and field of study.

Be very specific . Again, a personal statement is all about communicating what distinguishes you from other applicants. To accomplish that, you need to share specific anecdotes that underscore your statements. If you say you’re a strong leader, present an example of a time you’ve proven that skill through work, school or your personal life. These specific, personal stories provide a deeper understanding of who you are and prove your intentions.

Do your research . Demonstrate what attracted you to the program. If there is a specific faculty member or class that caught your attention, or another aspect of the program that greatly interests you, convey it. This shows you’ve truly researched the school and have a passion for the program.

“Whatever the topic may be, I would recommend writing in a manner that reflects or parallels the institution’s and/or department’s missions, goals and values,” said Moises Cortés, a graduate/international credentials analyst for the Office of Graduate Admission at USC .

Address any gaps or discrepancies . Explain any factors that may have impacted your academic career. If you had an illness or any other personal hardships that affected your grades or work, discuss them. If there is a discrepancy between your grades and your test scores, you can also take the time to go over any extenuating circumstances.

Strike the right tone . While it’s important to give readers a glimpse of your personality, avoid oversharing or revealing intimate details of your life experiences. You should also avoid making jokes or using humorous cliches. Maintain a professional tone throughout your writing.

Start strong and finish strong . As with any piece of writing, you want to draw in your readers immediately. Make sure to start off with an interesting and captivating introduction. Similarly, your conclusion should be a well-written, engaging finish to the essay that highlights any important points.

“ For a personal statement, I think the first and last paragraphs are most important and should always relate the program they are applying to their own experiences and ideas,” Hoon H. Kang, a graduate/international credential analyst with the Office of Graduate Admission, told USC Online.

Proofread, proofread and proofread again . We can’t emphasize enough the importance of rereading your work. Your personal statement is also an analysis of your writing skills, so ensure you have proper grammar and spelling throughout. In addition, we recommend having multiple people look over your statement before submission. They can help with the proofreading (a second person always catches a mistake the writer may miss), give advice about the statement’s structure and content, and confirm it’s the proper recommended length.

Once you’ve considered all of the above and reviewed and edited your personal statement to perfection, it’s time to submit and check off any remaining application requirements, including your resume and letters of recommendation .

Personal statements are arguably one of the most challenging aspects of applying to graduate school, so make sure to revel in this accomplishment and acknowledge your successes.

For more information, visit the  Office of Graduate Admission at USC  and explore  USC Online ’s master’s degrees, doctoral programs and graduate certificates.

Undergrad, Master's, and PhD

• First Year Applicants

USC defines first year applicants as current high school seniors or anyone who has not attended college since finishing high school.

Get more information about how to apply, how to visit, and more at the Viterbi Admission page.

• Transfer Applicants

USC defines prospective transfer students as anyone currently enrolled in college or anyone who has attended college since finishing high school.

Get more information about which courses to take in order to be strong transfer applicant, how to visit, and more at the Viterbi Admission page.

Master's Applicants

USC defines Master's applicants as those who have completed or are in process of completing a four-year degree from a college or university.

Get more information about how to apply, how to visit, and more at the Viterbi Admissions and Student Engagement (VASE) page.

PhD Applicants

USC defines PhD applicants as those who have completed or are in the process of completing a four-year degree from a college or university.

Published on November 2nd, 2016

Last updated on June 20th, 2024

ABOUT THE SCHOOL

• 115 Year Celebration
• About Andrew Viterbi
• Diversity Equity & Inclusion
• Facts and Numbers
• Faculty Directory
• Ginsburg Hall
• USC Michelson Center

FROM THE DEAN

• Dean's Message
• Dean's Report
• Initiatives and Priorities
• Engineering +
• Strategic Plan

NEWS | MEDIA | EVENTS

• Keynote Lecture Series
• Media Contact & Press Releases
• Media Coverage
• Public Image Archive
• Publications
• Social Media
• Viterbi News Now

SCHOOL OF ADVANCED COMPUTING

• Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
• Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Division of Computing Education (DCE)
• Information Technology Program (ITP)
• Interdisciplinary Data Science (IDS)
• Information Science Institute (ISI)
• Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT)
• More to come soon

DEPARTMENTS AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

• Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
• Astronautical Engineering
• Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
• Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
• Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Engineering in Society Program
• Information Technology Program

EXECUTIVE AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

• Aviation Safety and Security Program
• Corporate and Professional Programs

ONLINE ACCESS

• Graduate Programs - DEN@Viterbi

SPECIALIZED GRADUATE PROGRAMS

• Financial Engineering Program
• Green Technologies Program
• Data Science Program
• Progressive Degree Program
• Systems Architecting and Engineering Program

RESOURCES AND INITIATIVES

• Academic Integrity
• Accreditation
• Awards Office
• John Brooks Slaughter Center for Engineering Diversity
• Division of Engineering Education
• Globalization
• K-12 Outreach
• USC Experts Directory
• Women in Science and Engineering

FIRST YEAR APPLICANTS

MASTER'S APPLICANTS

PHD APPLICANTS

TRANSFER APPLICANTS

RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT

• Search Faculty Research Areas
• Departments, Research Institutes and Centers
• Research Infrastructure
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• Research Vision
• Student Research
• Summer Undergraduate Research Experience

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

• NSF I-Corps Hub: West Region
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• USC Stevens Center for Innovation
• Viterbi News Network
• Diversity Equity Inclusion
• Dean’s Message
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• More to Come Soon
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Click here to directly access myViterbi (https://myviterbi.usc.edu)

MyViterbi is a collection of tools used by USC Viterbi School of Engineering Students, Faculty and Staff to manage many academic and support services within the school. Below is a listing of some of tools in the system:

Academic Services

• Academic Integrity Case Tracking System
• Application to Graduate for MS Degrees
• D-Clearance & Pre-Req Waiver Request Manager
• Directed Research Management
• Grader, Mentor & Course Producer Applications
• Instructional Software Distribution (ISD)
• PhD Application Viewer
• PhD Progress Review
• Teaching Assistant System

Financial Tools

• Faculty Load Profile tool
• Instructional Management Tool
• Purchase Order Request Tool
• On Demand Check Request Manager (ODCR)
• Payroll Authorization (PA-1)
• Payroll Accounting Adjustment (PAA)

Administrative Tools

• Asset Inventory Manager
• Email List Manager
• Document Repository
• Faculty Image Archive
• iVIP Manager
• Textbook & Instructional Software Installation Request Manager
• USC ViterbiAlert
• Viterbi Information System
• Visitor Request Manager
• Viterbi Service Desk
• Viterbi Space Manager
• Viterbi Space Reservation & Conference Room Search
• Web Profile and Faculty Research Information Tool

To access to myViterbi portal visit http://myviterbi.usc.edu and log in using your USC username and password. On your first log in you will want to verify the MyInfo section to make sure we have the proper departmental information for you. If you do not know your USC username/password please contact USC Information Technology Services (ITS) at (213)-740-5555 .

• Faculty Support
• Instructional Support
• Staff Support
• Classroom Support
• Direct Contacts
• Instructional Software Request (ISR)
• Viterbi MyDesktop VDI
• How to Change Your Viterbi Network Password
• Calendar Tutorial
• How to Add Your Bulletins
• Playlists and Screen Layouts
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• Image Archive
• Instructions for Space Reservation Managers
• Manage Your USC ViterbiAlert Preferences
• Update Your Mobile Phone in WorkDay
• Update Your Work Email in WorkDay
• Verify Your Contact Information in USC ViterbiAlert
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• Create a Customized Link
• Apply Aria-Labels and Roles to Buttons and Icons
• Digitally Accessible Imagery
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• How to Add a New User
• How to Change Footer Links
• How to Change Navigation Items
• How to Create a New Widget Area
• How to Manage Your Site’s Page Hierarchy
• How to Restore a Page via Revisions
• How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication
• Image Backgrounds
• Introduction to the Viterbi CampusPress
• Open Forum/Town Hall Meeting Archive
• Site Footer Social Media Links
• Using the VSOE Home Page Grid
• Viterbi Events Calendar Widget
• WordPress Posts Widget
• Syndicated Automated Listing
• Syndicated Custom Listing
• Syndicated Featured Content
• VSOE Research Faculty Shortcode
• VSOE Tag Grid
• Website Options / Support
• Viterbi IT Degausser
• Viterbi Network Storage
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• Student Laptop Loan Agreement
• Polycom VTX 1000 Wireless Microphone with Subwoofer
• Purchasing a Computer
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• Advisement Appointment
• Application to Graduate
• D-Clearance Request Manager
• Grader Applications
• Progressive Degree Program
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Access Your Forms!

Master student forms.

For an Application to Graduate, refer to: 

• Master Student Application to Graduate  

For a Committee Form for exclusively Master Students, refer to:

• Appointment or Change of MS Thesis Committee Form

Ph.D. Student Forms

Committee Forms for Ph.D. Students Only:

To ensure the timely processing of committee forms, please click here to review the Instructions for DocuSign Committee Forms.

• Appointment of Dissertation Committee Form
• Change of Dissertation Committee Form
• Change of Dissertation NEW COMMITTEE CHAIR Form
• Appointment of Qualifying Exam Committee Form
• Change of Qualifying Exam Committee Form
• Change of Qualifying Exam NEW COMMITTEE CHAIR Form

 Student forms

If you are looking for a Leave of Absence (LOA) Form, please select the form that best describes your status: 

• Login to myViterbi.
• Click on “Leave of Absence Requests”
• Select  “Submit New Leave of Absence Request - Domestic”
• Fill out the form.
• International Students

Below are Petitions and Graduation-Related Forms for Graduate Students:

• Graduate School Travel/Research Award Coversheet
• VASE Petition to Count Out of Sequence Course
• VASE Petition to Exceed 25% Waiver/Substitution Limit
• Graduate Transfer Credit
• DEN Petition for on-campus students

For your ease of use, please review these Instructions  to access the DocuSign Committee forms.

• Curricular Practical Training
• Program Extension Form
• Reduced Course Load Form for International Students
• Leave of Absence (LOA) form for Domestic Students can be accessed on myViterbi
• Leave of Absence (LOA) form for International Students

In addition, the Graduate and International Admissions Office reviews coursework taken at international institutions. Students must complete the International Graduate Transfer Credit Request Form and submit it to the Registrar One Stop Center located in the John Hubbard Hall lobby (JHH). Official transcripts are required to complete an evaluation.

• Other Helpful Forms from the Office for International Services (OIS)

Calling all Engineers, check out these forms you will need to start at USC Viterbi!

• Engineer Degree Committee Form
• Engineer Degree Candidacy Form
• New Student Information
• Academic Advisement
• DEN@Viterbi Student Services
• International Student Services
• Commencement Information
• Academic Policies and Support
• Academic Progress and Success Support
• Tuition and Funding
• Career Development
• Student Engagement
• Viterbi Mentorship
• Safety Resources
• Student Wellness
• Transportation Options

USC Viterbi School of Engineering

Campus access update - august 7, 2024, from the ground up, new nsf-funded center established to lead geologic co2 storage innovation, forging research partnerships for future medical breakthroughs, the 2024 election integrity initiative: safeguarding online political discourse, california dreams takes a community-first approach to making math meaningful, usc launches school of advanced computing, usc and capital one establish new center for responsible ai in finance, the circuit: national engineering news from usc viterbi and the nae, viterbi news network: the bi-weekly usc viterbi news show, dr. allen and charlotte ginsburg human-centered computation hall, upcoming events.

There are currently no upcoming featured events. Please check the full calendar for more information.

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Shana Douglas B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 2018

"My passion is volunteering and inspiring the future generation to go into STEM fields. I'm so happy to be apart of a school that shares those values."

Keyue Shen Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering

“I think the exciting part for me, as an engineer, is that we’re making something possible that was impossible in the past to help patients.”

Arynn O. Gallegos B.S. Electrical Engineering, 2020

"Working in my research lab has provided me with mentorship that has profoundly shaped my career and professional goals and to find opportunities I couldn't even dream of before starting college."

A.C. Mike Markkula B.S. ’64; M.S. ’66 Co-founder, Apple Inc.

"There is no way a student can graduate from the engineering school at USC without learning how to think through a problem and come to a correct and proper answer. That has served me well in everything I've done."

Jose Juan Ruiz B.S. Electrical Engineering, 2019

"Coming from community college, I was worried about transferring into a major university, but once I got to USC all my doubts were put to rest. From the professors, career opportunities, organizations, events, and friends I made here, I know I made the right choice in choosing USC"

Academic Departments

Aerospace & mechanical engineering.

• Astronautical Engineering

• Biomedical Engineering

The Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science

Sonny Astani Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Computer Science

Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering

New research from USC Kanso Bioinspired Motion Lab proposes a radical new perspective on the cilia-powered fluid pumps that keep us alive.

José P. Ferreira, a doctoral candidate in astronautical engineering, has received the prestigious Space for Sustainability Award from the European Space Agency (ESA).

• Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering

USC Viterbi biomedical engineers have designed a new protein that targets and disables tumor cells’ defenses while marking cancer cells for death.

How a Ph.D. student at USC Viterbi changes lives inside and outside the lab and inspires others to do the same

Assistant Professor Jiachen Zhang brings her expertise in computational modeling and science-based public policy to her new role at Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

• Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science

USC computer science researchers developed a new AI system to accurately detect epileptic seizure types, improving the diagnosis of rare and complex cases, even in young children

Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

USC, UPenn, Texas A&M, Oregon State, Georgia Tech, Temple University, and NASA Johnson Space Center are teaching dog-like robots to navigate craters of the moon and other challenging planetary surfaces in research funded by NASA.

Johannes Royset joins USC Viterbi, bringing expertise in operations and optimization and a background in naval applications.

Year in Review

Related Stories

Published on October 11th, 2016

Last updated on August 14th, 2024

ABOUT THE SCHOOL

• 115 Year Celebration
• About Andrew Viterbi
• Diversity Equity & Inclusion
• Facts and Numbers
• Faculty Directory
• Ginsburg Hall
• USC Michelson Center

FROM THE DEAN

• Dean's Message
• Dean's Report
• Initiatives and Priorities
• Engineering +
• Strategic Plan

NEWS | MEDIA | EVENTS

• Keynote Lecture Series
• Media Contact & Press Releases
• Media Coverage
• Public Image Archive
• Publications
• Social Media
• Viterbi News Now

SCHOOL OF ADVANCED COMPUTING

• Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Division of Computing Education (DCE)
• Information Technology Program (ITP)
• Interdisciplinary Data Science (IDS)
• Information Science Institute (ISI)
• Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT)
• More to come soon

DEPARTMENTS AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

• Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
• Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
• Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Engineering in Society Program
• Information Technology Program

EXECUTIVE AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

• Aviation Safety and Security Program
• Corporate and Professional Programs

ONLINE ACCESS

• Graduate Programs - DEN@Viterbi

SPECIALIZED GRADUATE PROGRAMS

• Financial Engineering Program
• Green Technologies Program
• Data Science Program
• Progressive Degree Program
• Systems Architecting and Engineering Program

RESOURCES AND INITIATIVES

• Academic Integrity
• Accreditation
• Awards Office
• John Brooks Slaughter Center for Engineering Diversity
• Division of Engineering Education
• Globalization
• K-12 Outreach
• USC Experts Directory
• Women in Science and Engineering

FIRST YEAR APPLICANTS

MASTER'S APPLICANTS

PHD APPLICANTS

TRANSFER APPLICANTS

RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT

• Search Faculty Research Areas
• Departments, Research Institutes and Centers
• Research Infrastructure
• Research Initiatives
• Research Vision
• Student Research
• Summer Undergraduate Research Experience

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

• NSF I-Corps Hub: West Region
• Office of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• USC Stevens Center for Innovation
• Viterbi News Network
• Diversity Equity Inclusion
• Dean’s Message
• Dean’s Report
• Media Contact & Press Releases
• More to Come Soon
• Informatics Program
• Graduate Programs – DEN@Viterbi
• First Year Applicants
• Master’s Applicants
• PHD Applicants
• Transfer Applicants
• Competitions
• Entrepreneurship
• I-Corps Node
• Viterbi Startup Garage
• Viterbi Student Innovation Institute (VSI2)
• Viterbi Venture Fund

Viterbi Graduate STEP Workshop

S tep t owards e ngineering p rograms, no longer accepting applications for 2024, about the workshop.

The Viterbi Graduate Step Toward Engineering Programs (STEP) Workshop invites students to explore master’s and doctoral degree programs during a 2-day workshop at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering in Los Angeles, CA.  During the Viterbi Graduate STEP Workshop, students from across the country can explore our rich academic programs, exciting research opportunities, world-class faculty,  stellar student services, and valuable mentoring resources.

In fulfilling our mission, the Viterbi Graduate STEP Workshop actively seeks engineering achievers from diverse backgrounds, particularly students who have been historically underrepresented in the field of engineering, including African Americans, Native Americans, and the Latinx community.

Viterbi Graduate STEP Workshop Details

Dates : April 25 - 26, 2025 (Friday - Saturday)

Location : University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Housing accommodations will be at the USC Hotel.

Who should apply : Current undergraduate sophomores, juniors, seniors, or 1st year master's students with a strong background in engineering, computer science, math, or a hard science.

Application materials :

• Complete the online application
• Attach a personal statement describing your goals
• Attach your academic transcript
• Attach your resume

Program participants will have the opportunity to:

• Learn about 13 Doctoral programs and over 70 Master's programs in engineering & computer science 
• Gain insight on the graduate application, admission, and fellowship processes 
• Interact with current graduate students, faculty, and staff
• Find out about summer research opportunities
• Build your personal STEP roadmap
• Attend free of charge. Flights and ground transportation to and from campus as well as hotel accommodations and meals will be hosted by USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

Selections will be announced on April 1, 2024 by email

DIVERSITY AT THE VITERBI SCHOOL

As a premier engineering institution, the USC Viterbi School of Engineering takes pride in its shared responsibility for developing high-achieving, diverse graduates who are fully representative of our pluralistic society and can tackle the ever-evolving needs of the global community. With our world-class professors, rich academic programs, and stellar student services, we are dedicated to supporting and mentoring this next generation of exceptional engineers. We believe that engineers, as multicultural and diverse as the world they design for, who are lifelong learners, and with a bounty of talent are best prepared to advance technology with social and environmental responsibility. Therefore, the USC Viterbi School of Engineering strives to be a leader in this pursuit to engineer a better world for all humanity.

Questions? Contact Juli Legat at [email protected] .

• Master’s Programs
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• Application Information & Steps
• Tuition & Funding
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• Academic Disciplines
• Faculty/ Research Topic Search
• Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)
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• Getting Started
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• Next Steps for Newly Admitted Master’s Students
• Next Steps for Newly Admitted Doctoral Students
• Alternatives to Visiting Campus
• Become a Partner
• Certificate Options
• U.S. Active Duty Military & Veterans
• The Boeing Company
• General Motors – Technical Education Program
• Kuwait Oil Company
• Raytheon Technologies
• Saudi Aramco

• University of Southern California
• Viterbi School of Engineering
• Career Advising

Summer 2024  Hours:

Monday - Friday | 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM (PST)

To schedule an appointment : Go to Handshake > Select Career Center > Appointments > Schedule a new appointment > USC Viterbi Career Connections > Choose your appointment type

VIRTUAL:  Schedule an appointment on Handshake starting June 3rd. Select "Zoom Meeting" for Appointment Method. Receive a calendar invitation.

IN-PERSON: Schedule an appointment on Handshake starting June 3rd. Select "In-Person" for Appointment Method.   Check-in at Ronald Tutor Hall (RTH) 218 .  

PLEASE BRING YOUR LAPTOP FOR IN-PERSON ADVISING 

Internship Course/D-Clearance Questions Drop-Ins

For more information please go to our Internship Course Webpage

Please keep in mind that our regular drop-in career advising hours and appointments can not provide answers or assistance with questions about internship course or d-clearance questions.  Please attend Drop-in options listed on the Internship Course Webpage or email your questions to Patty Wiesbach-Leach who is the course administrator and course coordinator of all the internship courses at [email protected]

Summer 2024 Hours Monday- Friday | 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (PST) --> Extended Hours: Monday & Thursday 5-6 pm -->

PLEASE NOTE: We are currently closed for drop in appointments

VIRTUAL:  Add yourself to the waitlist and receive a text when we're ready for you to log in. When it is your turn you will receive a text with the zoom link.

IN-PERSON: Add yourself to the waitlist and receive a text when we're ready for you.   Check-in at Ronald Tutor Hall (RTH) 218 .

PLEASE BRING YOUR LAPTOP FOR IN-PERSON ADVISING

Before attending drop-in hours for a resume review, please complete the following: 

• Review the Toolkit resume and cover letter webpage   
• USC students receive 10 free "scans" per academic year. Please be mindful of your usage; once you have used your 10 scans, you will not receive any additional.

Drop-in Advising will be available starting on August 26th, 2024  

• Waitlist requests may be limited based on the number of slots available each day. The waitlist may close prior to the end time and will be unavailable if we reach capacity.
• You will receive a text message when it is your turn. Please arrive at check-in within 5 minutes to avoid being removed from the waitlist.
• Drop-ins are first-come, first-served.
• If you are unable to attend a drop-in session, please remove yourself from the waitlist.
• If you want to join virtually, you will be provided a zoom link by text when it is your turn
• The waitlist will open every day at 1:55 p.m. The widget is not active until this time.
• We encourage students who want a resume review to complete VMock before coming in for a drop-in session
• We are unable to answer questions related to Internship courses or D-Clearance, please visit the Internship Course Webpage for support or information.
• What is Career Advising?
• What to Expect
• Make an Appointment

Viterbi Career Connections encourages all students to make career advising appointments or stop by our drop-in hours! Our Career Advisors provide advising sessions tailored to meet individual student needs and goals.

Common topics can include:

• On-Campus Recruitment Agreement
• Your internship or job search  search
• Career exploration
• Informational interviewing
• Developing professional goals
• Building and maintaining a professional network
• Building your LinkedIn
• Interviewing
• How to communicate with a supervisors at an internship
• Negotiating and evaluating job or internship offers
• Managing multiple offers
• Resume and cover letter review (only available during drop-in hours or in advising appointments during the summer semester).

Advising Appointments vs. Drop-In Hours

• Advising Appointments: Appointments scheduled in advance with a Viterbi career advisor, You meet on your scheduled date and time for 30 minutes to discuss your career questions. You can make as many appointments as you like, but can only make one at a time. Times are subject to advisor availability.
• Drop-In Hours: A set period of time each day that VCC has "open" time for students to drop in and ask any questions they have. These sessions are first-come, first-served and are shorter, so they are reserved for quick questions or resume and cover letter review. Students can drop-in as often as they want, and come back to have new questions answered!
• Sessions are meant to open a dialogue about the steps you can take to find professional success during and after college.
• Advisors may ask for information about your major, class standing, and what you are most interested in discussing during your session.
• You can expect to explore professional career, internship or graduate school opportunities, create action items regarding your career and internship process, or have your career-related questions answered.
• Make sure to come prepared with questions or printed materials such as resumes, cover letters, or personal statements for review.

To schedule an advising appointment : Go to Handshake > Select Career Center > Appointments > Schedule a new appointment > USC Viterbi Career Connections > Choose your appointment type

• Students can book appointment's up to 2 weeks in advance (subject to advisor availability).
• Add a note to let us know what you would like to discuss!
• Once your appointment is approved by the advisor you'll receive location details (On-Campus or Zoom link).
• If your request is urgent and you don't see an appointment time, email us at [email protected] 

Resume review appointments are available throughout the summer semester.

Meet Your Viterbi Career Advising Team!

M. Lilian Barajas

Senior Director [email protected]

Maggie Cutler Young Assistant Director, Employer Relations [email protected]

Patty Wiesbach-Leach Assistant Director [email protected]

Selina DerSarkissian

  Assistant Director        [email protected]

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What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

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How to Write the USC Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

The University of Southern California has a few supplemental essays and creative short answers that students must complete. Your essays are one of the only opportunities you’ll have to show an admissions officer who you are beyond the numbers, and with USC’s many different prompts, it’s clear this school wants you to seize that opportunity.

Here are our tips for responding to the USC essays in a way that will help your application stand out!

Read these USC essay examples written by real students to inspire your own writing. 

USC Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt 1: Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections (250 words).

Prompt 2 (optional): Starting with the beginning of high school/secondary school, if you have had a gap where you were not enrolled in school during a fall or spring term, please address this gap in your educational history. You do not need to address a summer break (250 words).

Short Answer Prompts: Respond to all the prompts below (100 characters unless otherwise specified)

• Describe yourself in three words (25 characters each)
• What is your favorite snack?
• Best movie of all time
• If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
• What TV show will you binge watch next?
• Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?
• Favorite Book
• If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?

Viterbi School of Engineering Applicants

Prompt: The student body at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering is a diverse group of unique engineers and computer scientists who work together to engineer a better world for all humanity. Describe how your contributions to the USC Viterbi student body may be distinct from others. Please feel free to touch on any part of your background, traits, skills, experiences, challenges, and/or personality in helping us better understand you. (250 words)

Engineering and Computer Science Applicants

Prompt: The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and their 14 Grand Challenges go hand-in-hand with our vision to engineer a better world for all humanity. Engineers and computer scientists are challenged to solve these problems in order to improve life on the planet. Learn more about the NAE Grand Challenges at http://engineeringchallenges.org and tell us which challenge is most important to you, and why. (250 words)

Dornsife Applicants

Prompt: Many of us have at least one issue or passion that we care deeply about — a topic on which we would love to share our opinions and insights in hopes of sparking intense interest and continued conversation. If you had ten minutes and the attention of a million people, what would your talk be about? (250 words)

All Applicants, Prompt 1

Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at usc specifically. please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections (250 words)..

The tricky bit about this prompt is that it essentially combines the “ Why This Major ” and “ Why This College ” essay archetypes into one essay with a strict cap of 250 words. That’s a lot of information in not a whole lot of space, which might feel overwhelming. The first thing you should do is figure out the content of your essay.

Step One: Think about your academic interests (i.e. your majors). 

• How did your interests develop? 
• Why are you passionate about your interests? 
• What are your goals within your interests?
• How will pursuing your major help you achieve your goals in life? 

Step Two: Think about the answers to those questions in relation to USC. 

• How will USC help you to further develop your interests? 
• What resources does the university have that will help you achieve your goals? 

While your essay should explore resources that will aid in your academic pursuits, you should also keep it as specific to USC as possible—this essay should not be able to be copied and pasted for any other university! Here’s an example of how to achieve the specificity you need:

Bad: USC is a great school, located in the beautiful city of Los Angeles, with unparalleled academics and renowned instructors.

Why is this bad? This sentence could just as easily apply to UCLA. Without the bit about Los Angeles, the reasoning could even apply to any decent school in existence.

Good: At USC, I plan to participate in the Joint Educational Project (JEP) to find a community of students who, like me, are passionate about the intersections of teaching and social justice. Through JEP, I will be able to actively use the teaching principles I learn in my classes about the Dynamics of Early Childhood.

Why is this good? It references a unique resource at USC and relates to the student’s academic interests.

The Final Step: Write a cohesive essay that tells admissions officers why you are pursuing your field and why USC is the right place for you to pursue it. Some examples could include:

• An Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering student who was obsessed with the launching of the Antares rocket, movies like Gattaca and The Martian , and their physics summer camp as a middle schooler. They could describe their goal of working for NASA, then discussing their interest in the USC Rocket Propulsion Laboratory (RPL).
• An English student who ultimately wants to write romance novels discussing the Creative Writing Hour series that is hosted by English faculty. They might want to reference some of the big-name professors at USC—like Maggie Nelson, Aimee Bender, Dana Johnson, and T.C. Boyle—who have inspired their love of writing.
• A Fine Arts applicant mentioning the Fisher Museum of Art that is on USC’s campus. It was after a school field trip to the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) that they first tried working with graphite and learned of their life goals. They know the power of art museums for inspiration and are excited to have a constant source of inspiration just minutes away.

If you are worried about the word count, one way to maximize the little space you have is to find a way to relate your first- and second-choice majors. This way, your explanations of each wouldn’t read like separate essays; rather, they would be telling different parts of the same story. A student with a first-choice major in Physics and a second-choice major in English might want to write about their ultimate goal of writing Science Fiction novels. A student with a first-choice major in History and a second-choice major in East Asian Languages and Culture might write about their goal of curating Asian American history museums.

Make sure you focus on your academic interests/goals and tell admissions officers the ways that USC will help your academic dreams come true, and you will be set!

All Applicants, Prompt 2 (optional)

Starting with the beginning of high school/secondary school, if you have had a gap where you were not enrolled in school during a fall or spring term, please address this gap in your educational history. you do not need to address a summer break (250 words). .

USC’s second prompt is optional and won’t apply to most students. However, if you do have a gap in your educational history, then be sure to use this space to address it. Give a brief explanation of the reasoning for the gap—be it illness, a move, etc.—as well as an overview of how you spent this time outside of school. 

For example, let’s say your family moved across the country and you took a term off during the transfer. You can describe your role in the move (perhaps you were in charge of organizing a yard sale), why the circumstances warranted an educational gap (maybe the new school doesn’t allow mid-term transfers), and any other projects or commitments to which you dedicated your time. 

Ideally, you want to demonstrate how you made the most of this time off and why the time off was necessary.

All Applicants, Short Answer Prompts

Respond to all the prompts below (100 characters unless otherwise specified), 1. describe yourself in three words (25 characters each), 2. what is your favorite snack, 3. best movie of all time, 4. dream job, 5. if your life had a theme song, what would it be, 6. dream trip, 7. what tv show will you binge watch next, 8. which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate, 9. favorite book, 10. if you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be.

In this section, USC lets you have a little fun. The questions ask for short, rapid-fire responses that give you the opportunity to let your individuality shine.

The most important thing to keep in mind with the short answer supplements is that USC is asking you to provide new information that sheds light on different aspects of your personality. 

Don’t repeat tidbits you’ve already mentioned, although you can and should develop new angles of themes you’ve already established. Most importantly, have fun in this section! If you’re having fun writing it, chances are your admissions officer will have fun reading it.

You can leave descriptions or notes in your responses, though remember that you have 100 characters max. If your choices are more offbeat, we recommend giving a brief description, as your admissions officer certainly won’t have the time to look things up. If your choices are pretty well-known, you can still leave a note about why you chose them (as in the sample response to #8). It’s another opportunity to share your personality, which is valuable!

• Describe yourself in three words (25 characters max each).

Example: Cinephile. Cynophile. Logophile. 

Tip: Be creative!

Example: My Gram’s Lebuchken, tiny gingerbread-esque German cakes that my family devours each holiday season.

Tip: This is an opportunity to show your roots or quirky favorites. Make your response more interactive by including descriptive words that appeal to the senses, especially taste and smell. Also, if you’re using another language or describing a less common food, feel free to provide a short description or explanation so that someone who’s never heard of it before can still imagine it. 

Example: October Sky; Homer’s rockets remind me of my own homemade science creations, like my DIY lava lamp.

Tip: A lot of applicants will write Harry Potter . Be genuine in your response, but take this opportunity to stand out rather than providing a generic answer. 

Example: A math professor; sharing my love of topology to positively shape students’ view of the subject. 

Example: Crossword Puzzle Writer; my mornings aren’t complete without a cup of OJ and my daily brain teaser.

Tip: If you go with a serious answer, make a clear connection to your major to show that you’re focused on your academic path. Don’t give a generic answer like “doctor” or “lawyer;” talk about what specialty or subfield interests you most. That said, you could also go for a more lighthearted answer, like a crossword puzzle writer, to use the space to show personality.

Example: The [TV show] Intro; I’d like to think of myself as a [character], but I have to admit I’m more of an [character]. 

Example: Happy Birthday by AJR – a catchy tune with funny/sarcastic lyrics about the reality of modern life.

Tip: Just as with the best movie prompt, you may want to avoid mainstream selections and instead put forward a title that says something about you. What song would you want the admissions officer to play while reading your application? Make sure the song you choose is appropriate. 

Example: Road trip around Iceland’s perimeter; stops include Thingvellir National Park and the Geysir Springs.

Tip: Be more specific than simply “Hawaii” or “Europe.” Also, just as with all the prompts, you want to convey something about yourself in your response, so avoid mainstream or overly luxurious answers.

Example: Aggretsuko (anime about a red panda who relieves job stress by singing death metal at karaoke bars)

Tip: Follow similar guidelines to the theme song prompt—mainstream selections are fine and are potentially relatable to the reader, but that quirkier show you have your eye on might make for a more fun response. If your selection is lesser-known, consider adding a brief description.

Example: Rory Gilmore – there definitely won’t be a shortage of coffee or good conversation.

Tip: It’s okay to go with a more well-known character here, since that will allow the reader to relate. It’s just important to use that extra space to elaborate on why you’d want to live with this person.

• Favorite book

Example: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight – I read the entire book in my favorite pair of Air Max 97s.

Tip: Follow the same advice for best movie of all time.

Example: SETI: Using the Drake Equation to Find E.T., complete with a field trip to outer space!

Tip: You can have some fun with this prompt; try thinking outside the box of the generic “Intro to Calculus.” You can also have the class relate back to your intended major, though that’s not absolutely necessary.

The student body at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering is a diverse group of unique engineers and computer scientists who work together to engineer a better world for all humanity. Describe how your contributions to the USC Viterbi student body may be distinct from others. Please feel free to touch on any part of your background, traits, skills, experiences, challenges, and/or personality in helping us better understand you. (250 words)

USC’s engineering school is extremely competitive to get into, forcing admissions officers to choose between many qualified applicants who look relatively similar on paper. This essay wants to get down to the heart of why they should pick you over others. 

The most important word in this prompt that should job out to you is “contributions”. In this essay, you need to convey what you will bring to the engineering community that is unique. You might be saying to yourself “what can I contribute to an established university?”, but there’s actually a lot to work with here. The prompt gives suggestions of sources that could contribute to your uniqueness so let’s look at some examples of traits and how they relate to contribution to USC.

Trait: You’re from a coastal town in Florida that is experiencing flooding.

Contribution: You plan to join the Structures and Material Lab in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to discover which materials are erosion-resistant.

Trait: You’re the only daughter among four brothers.

Contribution: Since you’re no stranger to asserting your voice as a woman in a male-dominated setting, you want to become a mentor through the Women in Science and Engineering’s Young Researchers Program and encourage female high schoolers to pursue STEM.

Trait: You have OCD.

Contribution: Rather than being a hindrance, you channel your obsessive tendencies into meticulously completing complex calculations which you are excited to do as an Aerospace Engineering major.

Trait: You started an iPhone repair business out of your garage in high school.

Contribution: Your experience working with technology has given you insight into specific aspects of hardware design that could be improved that you plan to experiment with under the supervision of X professor.

As you can see from these examples, there are many ways to approach what you can contribute to the Viterbi community. When it comes to actually writing this in your essay, you should start by highlighting the unique aspect of yourself that you are choosing to focus on with a short anecdote. For example, the student writing about being from a coastal town might open with a vivid description of the damage caused by erosion from the most recent flood.

Once you’ve caught the reader’s attention and communicated what your unique background is, explain how that has positioned you to bring something special to the USC community. It’s important to be as detailed as possible by including specific programs or institutes, professors, classes, or research projects you are interested in. You can also mention more than one way that you will contribute—just ensure that each one is fully fleshed out.

Finally, end your essay with a concise conclusion. This might look like returning back to your anecdote from the beginning, talking about your future plans and how USC will get you there, or something else entirely. 

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and their 14 Grand Challenges go hand-in-hand with our vision to engineer a better world for all humanity. Engineers and computer scientists are challenged to solve these problems in order to improve life on the planet. Learn more about the NAE Grand Challenges at http://engineeringchallenges.org and tell us which challenge is most important to you, and why. (250 words)

Before you can start answering this prompt, you need to do a little research! Once you go to the website linked above, click on the Challenges button at the top of the page and it will take you to the 14 Grand Challenges that engineers across the globe are committed to addressing. These challenges are broken up into four categorical themes (Sustainability, Health, Security, and Joy of Living) and they range from providing access to clean water to improving urban infrastructure to engineering better medicines to preventing nuclear terror attacks.

Your job is to pick one of these challenges that speaks the most to you. Keep in mind, we didn’t say pick the challenge you think is the “trendiest” or the admissions officers would be most impressed by; in order to write a successful and engaging essay your genuine passion and fascination with the issue has to come through. 

Once you have a challenge in mind, now you have to connect it to you. This is where you will bring in your previous experiences, your academic interests, and personal anecdotes to demonstrate why that particular issue resonates with you. For example, maybe you picked Manage the Nitrogen Cycle because your favorite memories from when you were little were gardening with your grandma which started your fascination with how plants sustain themselves and interact with the environment.

It’s important to connect to the challenge with both past experiences and future goals. So, continuing the nitrogen cycle example, maybe your dream one day is to own your own farm that is pesticide-free, so you are passionate about engineering nitrogen-free fertilizers. They don’t all have to be this personal—it’s just as valid to say you are committed to providing clean water because you dream of a world where no one is denied basic human rights like water—but you should have some explanation of the impact overcoming one of these challenges would have on you and the broader community. This helps demonstrate to the admissions officers that you appreciate the weight of these issues.

One thing to remember that trips up some students: you aren’t asked to solve the challenge in this essay. Although you can definitely contribute ideas you have, especially if you have previous experiences that relate to addressing the issue, it’s not required. The major point of this essay is to learn more about global issues you care about and why you are choosing to address them through an engineering perspective.

Many of us have at least one issue or passion that we care deeply about — a topic on which we would love to share our opinions and insights in hopes of sparking intense interest and continued conversation. If you had ten minutes and the attention of a million people, what would your talk be about? (250 words)

This prompt requires less deep thought than the former. The “education” prompt asks students to think deeply about a question they have probably never thought about before, while this prompt asks you “what are you thinking about all the time?”  

If an idea comes to mind when you first read this prompt, that’s probably where you should start. USC is not looking for wild answers where students turn the holes in swiss cheese into a complex metaphor—they really just want to hear what you care about. That being said, what you care about can totally be weird or nuanced, as long as your interest in the subject tells admissions officers something about you.

Some examples of how you could work this prompt:

• Writing about a social justice issue. Introducing a specific anecdote (that you would introduce during your hypothetical talk). Providing insightful and unique commentary on the issue—whether that be how we got here or where we should go from here.
• Writing about a school of thought in science or philosophy. Explaining the importance of certain types of questions. Giving specific examples (historical, fictional, and anecdotal) that show that you have thought through the importance of rationalism, taoism, sensationalism, or any other school.
• Writing about a lecture on a specific book. Discussing how White Teeth, Giovanni’s Room, or Moby Dick tells multiple important life lessons in one pretty package. Drawing connections between the fictional world and the real world.
• Writing about the valuable lessons that can be learned from another culture. Introducing stories from your past that show the value of Japanese respect, Persian hospitality, or Indian selflessness. Recognizing negative aspects of cultures, but recognizing the lessons that can be learned when you take the time to learn them.

While these are just some examples, this prompt leaves the door open for you to explore whatever you care about. Because this essay is the simpler option, make sure that your writing is impeccable if you choose this second prompt. Engage with anecdotes and a unique personal voice to keep your essay engaging. Don’t give the reader the option to stop reading!

Where to Get Your USC Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your USC essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

International Applicants – Financial Statement of Personal or Family Support

International transfer applicants please be sure to submit Financial Statement of Personal or Family Support ( Form 8 ) . Students can submit this form one of two ways:

1) Mail the form to: USC Office of Admission Undergraduate University Park Campus Los Angeles, CA 90089–0911

2) You can fax this document directly to your file after submitting your application. For detailed faxing instructions, please visit www.usc.edu/admissionfax .

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Important Information

Click here for the Application Checklist of materials necessary for completing the online application.

• Plan ahead - applications with all required materials that are complete by 2/16/2024 will have an advantage; this includes the application itself and the application fee of $50. We must receive at least two letters of recommendation from STEM teachers before or no later than 2/28/2024 . We recommend that your letter of recommendations arrive on 2/26/2024 . See our Application Checklist for tips on how to ensure your teacher letters come in by the deadline.
• February 16, 2024, is also the deadline for scholarship consideration. See more information about scholarships in the FAQ’s General Questions section and here .
• SHINE 2024 will be on the USC campus; all SHINE students, staff, mentors, faculty, and visitors must fully comply with LA County requirements . SHINE students will conduct research on campus and should already live within commuting distance of campus or have the ability to stay in the region with a relative. SHINE does not provide housing ; we cannot help families find housing within commuting distance, and we cannot be responsible for minors who live in the region without their guardian/parent or relative. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Program fee: $6,330

The application and fee must be received by the February 16, 2024 application deadline. Submitting the application triggers an email request to your teachers to send in a letter of recommendation, so those who apply before or by the February 16, 2024, deadline should also plan ahead and inform their recommenders to expect the request. (Teacher recommendations usually slow down the admission process, so consult with teachers ASAP to meet the 2/28/2024 deadline.)

General Questions

The SHINE Application deadline is February 16, 2024. The letter of recommendation deadline is February 28, 2024. Please review the  SHINE Checklist  for more information!

USC Viterbi is committed to diversity and inclusion . A range of scholarship levels, from full to partial, is available to applicants who demonstrate both income eligibility and academic merit. On the SHINE application, there is a place to request scholarship consideration and to upload documentation demonstrating that the applicant meets income eligibility (it can be a letter confirming federal and reduced meal assistance for public school students or a principal's letter confirming scholarship status for private school students).

Please review your Income Eligibility Chart .

The admissions process for USC Viterbi SHINE is completely separate from the admissions process for the University, where decisions are made by the Office of Admissions. However, there are SHINE students each year accepted to USC Viterbi School of Engineering, as well as other top schools, including MIT, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, UC San Diego, and more. The SHINE program allows students to experience university-level research, which is useful for all college applications, especially personal statements, and interviews. SHINE now offers SHINE Alumni (seniors) college support within their senior year such as workshops, office hours, and monthly support emails. 

For more information about USC admissions criteria, please visit the USC Admissions page or the USC Viterbi School of Engineering Admissions page .

SHINE students become part of the research team of the sponsoring faculty member and learn specific lab skills from their Ph.D. student mentors. Each student will have specific and varied tasks that contribute to their team's research project under their mentor's one-on-one direction for 20 hours/week. Additionally, SHINE students are likely to interact with the professor running the lab, graduate students in the lab, undergraduate students, or visiting educators or researchers, depending on the lab.

Over the seven weeks, students will be exposed to top-quality research practices. They will receive an overview of the process of how researchers plan and/or implement an intervention and then analyze and disseminate the results. SHINE students will gain research-specific skills, people skills, content knowledge, confidence, and perspective about how their current STEM courses are precursors to a future of real-world problem-solving through research.

Expectations for SHINE participants:

• Students accepted to SHINE need to be prepared to contribute at least 20 hours per week throughout the weekdays between the 6/10/24 – 7/26/24 period (except the July 4th and Juneteenth holidays) for the entire seven weeks. (No weekend or evening work is required.)
• All students must complete the Lab Safety Training and Orientation on the first day, June 10, 2024; the SHINE students must strictly adhere to all safety rules at all times or face dismissal from the program.
• Students will participate in the culminating Poster Session and contribute a poster with a short research summary to the SHINE Website ( see examples ).

Program Overview

Each team sets its own hours and work schedule so that each SHINE student will set hours with their Ph.D. student mentor. SHINE students learn under the direct supervision of their lab/research mentor for 20 hours/week; there are an additional seven hours per week of optional workshops on related research skills. SHINE students should count on a schedule of 20 - 27 hours per week, which allows some time for a part-time job or a summer school course.

SHINE will be on campus in Summer 2024. Each research team will set a schedule of both synchronous collaboration and asynchronous independent work, concentrated on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays . The whole cohort of students always gets together on Friday mornings for training and fun sessions.

SHINE students and USC undergraduates usually get together for networking opportunities, games, a talent show, or other forms of getting to know one another. All staff, from the Director to the undergraduate student employees, provide extensive office hours for students.

Application Process

The online application asks applicants to state a first, second, and third preference for the general field of engineering (e.g., aerospace, biomed, electrical), described here .

Applicants are encouraged to include in their personal statement reasons for their interest in the particular SHINE projects or engineering fields as well as qualifications for working in a particular lab when a professor has listed prerequisites (for instance, if you've never coded before, you will not be eligible for that lab, but if you have experience in C++ and Java, chances are you can learn Python over the summer, so that means you fill the prerequisites). We do our best to match the applicant to their preferences, but we do not guarantee placement in the applicant's top choices; placement depends on the number of applicants seeking to join a particular lab, that lab's capabilities during Summer 2024, as well as the applicant's fit with the professor's team. When we inform applicants of their acceptance, we will inform them of the lab to which they have been accepted; at that time, the applicant can decline or accept. SHINE students cannot change labs once the assigned lab has been accepted, nor will there be any lab changes permitted once the SHINE program begins.

SHINE is a competitive program, so we ask for a number of categories of information on the application form. Most important will be the student's enthusiasm for hands-on participation in an ongoing research project, a solid track record in STEM courses, and the willingness to become part of a team. Applications must have all the required components for consideration. Review the checklist of materials to have ready before beginning the online application.

Additionally, a $50 application fee is required when you submit your application.

Letters of recommendation from the applicants’ teachers are an essential component of the SHINE application process. Two letters of recommendation are required . Both of these letters must come from teachers who discuss the student’s academic qualifications in science, technology, engineering and/or math, as well as their readiness to participate in a research lab for seven weeks over the summer. Applicants should begin talking now with teachers about their intention to apply to SHINE and review with their teachers the students’ STEM coursework, GPA, plus any test scores in order to assess the student’s readiness to participate in an ambitious research program at USC Viterbi School of Engineering. This conversation will help illuminate the applicants’ strengths and weaknesses, which can be addressed in the personal statement or letter of recommendation.

Please arrange for your recommenders to submit their letters of recommendation to us via email link. They can only submit a letter after you have successfully submitted your SHINE application . Your completed application will trigger an email to your recommender, where they will have access to a letter submission link. Please contact your recommender to ensure they received the email within 10 minutes after you submitted your SHINE application. If they have yet to receive the email with a submission link, please contact us at [email protected] before the February 28th deadline .

Please inform your writers to save the letter as: “SHINE24 recommendation LAST NAME_FIRST NAME” (for example, “SHINE24 recommendation SMITH_JANE”). We do not require teachers to use a specific form; we are looking for a typed letter on letterhead in a PDF file.

We cannot guarantee that we will consider any applications without the minimum of two teacher recommendation letters after the February 28th deadline.

Program Fees

Admitted students will need to submit the following non-refundable payments:

• By date specified in offer letter: $1,330 deposit
• By date specified in offer letter: $5,000 remaining balance for admission.

Alternatively, admitted students can pay the full amount $6,330 when accepting their offer letter.

You can pay by credit card. To view more details and submit program fees, please visit our payments page .

You can also pay by mail. Mail a check made out to the University of Southern California (not SHINE) – applications will not be processed until the fee & all materials are in:

USC Viterbi School of Engineering K-12 STEM Center Attn: Lauren Guzman / SHINE Kerckhoff Hall (KER/KCH) 734 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90089

Pay using our secure link via email.

Because all staff are working hybrid, we prefer electronic payment of fees; however, if you need to pay by check, please contact us at [email protected] to proceed.

Health and Safety

The USC Department of Public Safety patrols the campus and surrounding student neighborhoods. During orientation, a DPS officer will brief students on local safety, emergency procedures, and reducing risks. There has never been a safety problem with SHINE students.

For emergency situations, more than 400 emergency "blue light" phones have been strategically placed in many buildings, each parking structure (on every level), and across the campus grounds. Many of these emergency phones are easily identified by the blue emergency lights on top of the phone booth. They provide a direct line to the Public Safety office and should be used only under emergency conditions. To report an emergency from a regular telephone, call (213) 740-4321.

The USC Health Center is open during the business hours that SHINE students will be conducting their lab research on the University Park Campus. Any students needing immediate emergency medical assistance will be seen at the USC Health Center. SHINE students will be required to demonstrate proof of insurance and medical emergency information to the USC Health Center in case medical attention is required.

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Questions about Viterbi MS Applied Data Science

Hi all, I was accepted into the applied data science graduate program and was wondering if anybody who is currently in the program or has already gone through it would be kind enough to provide me with some insights about the program. Most of the mega threads are tailored to undergrads and I couldn’t really find any useful information there. Thanks in advance. Fight on✌🏼

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Computer Science Master's Student Honors Program

The CS_MS_Honors Program provides our exceptional students the opportunity to enhance their graduate experience and allows them to distinguish themselves in the future whether applying for a job or a PhD. Upon graduation members of CS_MS_Honors will receive a digital Certificate of Merit from the Computer Science department and the Viterbi School of Engineering attesting to their outstanding accomplishments.

The program is not currently accepting students.

Qualifications

To qualify for the CS_MS_Honors Program students must:

• Earn a 3.9 GPA for their first 8 units
• Continue to maintain a 3.9 GPA throughout the remainder of their courses
• Be recommended by one faculty member. The application will require the recommendation letter to be uploaded in the form. 
• Provide a personal statement

How to Apply

Students will be notified via email when the application process for Fall is open . Eligible students may apply via an online application for the program using their USC E-mail to sign-in.

The Application is currently closed.

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