I have a secret I’m not supposed to tell. But I just have to. Wouldn’t you, if it was the secret to happiness? The secret to happiness is the little things: those moments you take the sum of in order to reach a greater, lovelier whole. When I think of what I’m proud of in my life, when I think of what matters most to me, what makes me smile, it’s always the little things: a...

Try and get an interview, if at all possible – either on campus or with an alumnus. Number one above all though is BE YOURSELF – your TRUE self – in your essays. The self that your friends and family see, not the stiff, robotic...

1. I'd actually study for the SAT. Every time the SAT came around, I would spend the week of trying to cram for it, and it didn't work. If I could do it over, I would definitely take some time out of each day to study for the SAT (I really didn't realize how important it was until after the fact). 2....

At the time of my decision, I narrowed down my options to my current school (USC), UCLA, and UC Berkeley. I had eliminated the other schools I was accepted into because of distance from home, cost, and opportunity/reputation. I decided...

If you actually want to go to USC, do a little bit of research...