Reflections of a Former Spring Admit

January at USC brings many things: colder weather, a new semester and a fresh new crop of students — in this case, the spring admit portion of the class of 2019. To some, being a spring admit is a blessing in disguise, while to others, it’s the make or break point in deciding whether or not to attend USC. As a former spring admit, I’ll be the first to admit that it was the latter for me. However, looking back on my time here since moving in that January morning nearly four years ago, I’ve come to realize that being a spring admit ultimately proved to be the catalyst I never knew I needed in helping me achieve the college experience I’d always wanted. As such, I’d like to share just a few of the biggest lessons and tips I’ve learned through being a spring admit that have shaped my college experience for the better.

1. Use that extra semester of experience as an advantage.

As spring admits we all take different routes before arriving in the spring. Some choose to knock out General Education classes at community colleges, while others choose to study new hobbies or travel the world. It may not seem like it, but each of those experiences provides a world of invaluable insight that most fall admits never have. In my gap semester, I chose to take GE classes at a local community college. As someone who wanted more than anything to go to a four-year university straight out of high school, it felt humiliating to be at community college. I felt like I couldn’t call myself a true USC student, though my admissions letter insisted otherwise. However, when I finally arrived in the spring, I realized that the experiences I had while waiting to come to USC were actually a blessing in disguise. The extra work not only cleared up my academic schedule but also provided me extra units to transfer in to get an earlier registration date, thus giving me the freedom few other freshmen possess of having some choice in what classes I wanted to take. More importantly, the practice of researching and trying different classes in the relative safety of a community college setting helped me come to USC with a clearer idea of what topics I excelled at, what classes I didn’t like and what the rigor of college coursework would be, making my transition to USC almost seamless from an academic perspective. Though my experience was just one of many possible routes, the beauty in it is that — as spring admits — the experiences we have while waiting prepares us for college in ways that most fall admits never are. So, take advantage of what you’ve accomplished while waiting in the fall, and let those newfound experiences push you forward through your time at USC.

2. Try everything.

As only a spring admit can relate to, I know exactly how hard it is to come in halfway through the year and feel like you just don’t belong, even though the red and gold admissions packet says you deserve to be here just as much as the fall admits do. It’s difficult, and it can be easy to withdraw and let that mindset get the better of you. That’s not the way to go though. As spring admits, that first semester spent waiting gives us a very real reminder that college is a lot shorter than it seems, and time is precious. With that in mind, I was determined to do anything and everything I possibly could once I arrived. There was no time to be complacent because, having already watched one semester pass me by, I wanted to ensure my remaining ones would be worth every minute of the one I had to sit out. So each semester, without fail, I’d walk through the involvement fair looking to try new things, and at one point, was in the habit of joining at least one new club a semester. Though this isn’t necessarily a model I’d advocate everyone to do, the underlying lesson I want to share is to let the “spring admit” label not become a hindrance, but a motivator that drives you to never stop exploring and really venture out of your comfort zone. College truly is short, so make each semester count.

3. Embrace it, and use it as a point of connection.

When you first arrive, it’s inevitable that you will feel alone. Walking to and from class those first few weeks as a freshman, I felt as though people could see right through me — that the fact that I was a spring admit made me look somehow different from others. However, the truth is, no one can tell. No one. I felt like I stood out because I still hadn’t accepted being a spring admit. I still felt that I was inferior to fall admits, and it wasn’t until I accepted being a spring admit that I truly felt at home. This acceptance didn’t come easily though. What really helped me is that once I started talking to other students and getting involved on campus, I realized that there were so many more spring admits on campus than I thought. Suddenly, I didn’t feel like I was alone anymore. I found that in just about every organization at USC, there were other spring admits, often occupying leadership positions that encouraged me to reach higher and try harder. Thus, being a spring admit became not a badge of shame, but a point of connection to others in this uniquely driven group of students, all brought together by the semester that was printed on our admissions letters. It took me so long to learn, but once you truly embrace being a spring admit, the negativity so often associated with it truly does fade away, and it becomes something you can ultimately take pride in.

In the end, there will always be different takes on what it means to be a spring admit. Some say to forget it as soon as possible and assimilate quickly into the student body. Others carry it semester to semester as a form of resentment and/or feeling of being somehow less. To me though, being a spring admit is neither good nor bad. It is, in a sense, a blank canvas: one with the potential to become whatever you wish it to be. Undeniably, being a spring admit does have its disadvantages, but it also offers certain benefits that fall admits never get. Often, we get caught up in the perception of spring versus fall admission, and forget that we all made it into USC through the same levels of hard work and perseverance, which by that fact alone places us all on equal ground again. The real challenge is not when you arrive, but what you do once you arrive, no matter what semester that might be.