First Year: Explore & Discover

Focus this year

Build a strong foundation by exploring your interests, getting involved in your campus community, and developing relationships with faculty, mentors, and peers. Take time to reflect on the experiences, issues, and ideas that resonate with you. The goal isn’t to have a perfect plan, it’s to begin discovering the passions, skills, and connections that will guide your journey and open doors to future opportunities.

Tips to Keep in Mind

  • Use your first year to try new things and say “yes”
  • Prioritize your academics; attend classes and start with a strong GPA
  • Find a mentor or peer who can help guide you
  • Add events and deadlines to your calendar and review them weekly
  • Visit the Writing Center to help with essay drafts
  • Connect with the Career Center for resume/CV coaching
  • Step outside of your comfort zone – growth happens there!

How to Prepare

Remember: There is no rush. Your first year is about learning, trying, and laying the groundwork for your journey. The following are suggestions for building a portfolio in your first year:

Explore academic interests

Take a variety of courses. Attend guest lectures. Explore topics that spark your curiosity, even if they’re outside your major. Keep a running list of topics that excite you.

Take new skills and languages

Consider taking a language course. Explore tools and resources to build skills you’re curious about.

Get involved on campus

Join one or two organizations or programs that interest you. Attend events. Be intentional: you don’t need to sign up for everything, just the ones you most resonate with. Don’t worry about titles; focus on making an impact.

Start a portfolio of experiences

Keep track of classes, projects, leadership, service, presentations, awards, work experience, language learning, challenges and achievements. Create a document where you save your resumes, personal statements, reflection notes.

Build relationships with faculty

Go to office hours, even if you don’t have questions about grades. Introduce yourself. Ask questions about their research or classes. Stay connected, even after the semester ends. Take another class with the same professor.

Attend our USC Signature Events

Attend our Undergraduate Symposium and Writers’ Conference to explore new ideas, opportunities, and career paths. Reflect on what issues, communities or topics sparked your curiosity and keep a list of topics you might want to explore further.

Applications to Consider

First-year applicants may be eligible for the following opportunities:

USC Africa Student Fund

Funding to support USC undergraduate student traveling to African countries for study, research, internships, or service-based learning.

first-year – senior

Learn more

Boren Scholarship

Up to one year of study abroad, with focus on language study and future career paths in national security or the federal government.

first-year – senior

Learn more

Critical Language Scholarship

8-10 week summer overseas intensive language and cultural immersion program to learn one of 15 critical-need languages.

first-year – graduate student

Learn more

Fulbright UK Summer Institutes

3-4 week summer academic and cultural immersion programs at universities in the United Kingdom.

first-year – sophomore

Learn more

Gilman International Scholarship

Year-round study abroad funding for Federal Pell Grant recipients.

first-year – senior

Learn more