Student Blog
International

#NoRegrets ⟩
December 28, 2020, by Calvin

Admissions Getting Involved International Life Hacks Living in LA

Since OT school wasn’t an option for me right out of undergrad, I thought, “Well, I guess it’s time for plan B: to take a gap year.” Except, as time went by, it started to feel less like a back-up plan and more like the decision I should’ve gone with all along!

My gap year happened pretty unintentionally, but I’m honestly so glad that I took that time off. After 4 years of undergrad, I felt burnt out! A change of pace was something I needed and taking a year off to rest and try new things ended up serving me really well. It was because of my gap year that I was able to pursue research in another country, visit family and friends back in Hong Kong, travel around the world, build my professional experiences, study for the GRE, and just overall, take a break from school! Even though I wasn’t on vacation 24/7, my schedule definitely allowed for a lot more flexibility. I also want to emphasize that taking time off before heading to graduate school is completely normal. I might even suggest it because it gave me the time to reflect, mature, and refocus my goals.

I know what it’s like to feel the pressure of securing something for yourself after undergrad. I also know what it’s like when that doesn’t work out. Not knowing what’s going to happen next is a scary thing, but it’s also an opportunity to challenge ourselves and grow in ways that we might not have imagined before. So, do what you need to do before starting grad school, and know that you don’t need to jump into it right away. Take the time to think about what’s best for you and your future.

My Gap Year Memories in Photos

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Start Your Applications Early! ⟩
October 16, 2020, by Yna

Admissions International

It is now mid-October and I could hardly believe that it’s already been a year since I submitted my application for the Post-Professional Master’s Program at USC! It seems like it was only yesterday that I was browsing the USC Chan admissions website for hours on end, feeling anxious about my application. Luckily for me, the whole process went by smoothly and didn’t turn out to be as stressful as I had anticipated; and I’m about to share with you some tips that made my application hassle-free:

1. Do your research. First and foremost, know what you’re getting into. The Chan Admissions page is a great resource where you can find all the information that you need. I know at first glance it could feel overwhelmingly packed with a lot of information from every tab, so what I did to help myself get organized was I created a document containing all the essential information about the program—location of the school, program duration, admission criteria, etc. Having this document handy makes it a lot easier whenever questions pop up at any time. Venturing onto something new always seems daunting at first, especially if you’ll be coming from a different country, but being informed helps you stay on top of things and consequently alleviate some anxiety you may be having about the application.
2. Develop a plan. The application process entails a lot of steps that you can’t just complete all in one sitting. Once you’ve done your research and more or less get a sense of the requirements that you need to complete, it’s now time to create a checklist that will help you better track where you are at, and what else needs to be done. It is of course vital to take note of important deadlines so you don’t miss them. Should you need to take any exams, such as English proficiency, make sure to schedule them as soon as possible to give you some leeway for any potential delays. In doing so, take into consideration not only the length of time you need to prepare for the exam, but also the amount of time it takes for the results to come back (and if the results are going to be sent to you, consider also the time it’ll take you to mail the results to the university, if need be).
3. Have your documents ready. This is particularly important if you’ll be coming from a different country—you want to make sure that you have everything that you need on hand before moving. Needless to say, it takes up more time, effort, and resources to be requesting for documents remotely; so before you go, request all the documents you think you may need, and get extra copies! Also keep in mind that for any document that is not in the English language, you may need to have them translated.
4. Take time to create your personal statement. Irrespective of how good of a writer you are, really put much thought and effort into crafting your personal statement. Read and absorb the prompt, then answer it with honesty and in a manner that reflects who you are. Don’t feel pressured trying to figure out what they’re looking to read from your essay; instead, draw on your experiences that will make your application stand out.  Last but not the least, stay within the word limit and be careful not to overlook any typographical and grammatical errors.
5. Explore financial resources. Funding for graduate school can be quite challenging, so take advantage of the many financial resources being offered at USC. Aside from scholarships and awards, there are also student worker positions that you can apply for, with work hours that can adjust to fit around your class schedule. You can find more information in the Scholarships and Financial Aid page.
6. Don’t hesitate to ask! If, at any step during the process, you find yourself in need of some clarification about anything, the student ambassadors Bethany, Calvin, Daniel, Lamoni, Liz, Savi, and myself are always willing to provide support!

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GI’s IG takeover! ⟩
April 14, 2020, by Japeth

Diversity International

First and foremost, I want to say that this blog post is dedicated to Global Initiatives, headed by Dr. Danny Park together with his team members James, Mariah, LiShan, Maggie, Katie, and Prutha. They have been doing a wonderful job in making the international students at USC Chan feel at home by organizing different activities (not to mention the free food that they always prepare!!!).

Some of the activities that we all enjoyed were:

1. Global Corner (Meet and greet with local and international Chan students)
2. Beach bonfire (I remember this happened around November and it was one of the best activities for me!)
3. Thanksgiving dinner (It was their way of letting us feel the American culture during this occasion. I actually made a blog post about this!)
4. Chinese New Year dinner (We had dinner in Chinatown together with faculty and staff; they also prepared games and activities)
5. International Alumni Panel: Life after Graduation (This was supposed to be an in-person event, but due to the work-from-home set up, we had this online. It was an informative session where current international students like me, learn from alumni from different batches about tips on finding jobs, OPT processing, visa sponsorship, and many more!)

Sharing with you some snaps of the Life after Graduation event:

Actually, below is the highlight of this blog post — their latest Instagram Takeover where each of the team member has a day to show what their life is like! Being far from them and not having the usual bonding time that we used to enjoy makes me (and I’m sure the other students as well) really sad; but this takeover project made a way for us to know each other more despite the distance!! The photos below were just screen-captured from their official Instagram account. You may follow them on instagram (@uscchanosotglobal).

And that’s just the first wave of their Instagram activities. Rumor has it that they will do another takeover where they will share their travel pictures — exciting!! I hope they have pictures where they do a Fight On pose!! LOL

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Throwback Thursday ⟩
February 20, 2020, by Kaho

Admissions Externships Housing and Transportation International Life Hacks Living in LA What are OS/OT?

As I was brainstorming what to write for my upcoming blog posts, I found myself at a complete blank. Nothing came to mind. I thought, what unique information can I provide as a student? As an ambassador? Social media chair? Then, a lightbulb switched on. Why don’t I take advantage of the data I’ve learned to analyze this year and make a compilation of other amazing blog posts? So, here we are. Here are the top 10 most popular blog posts from past and current student ambassadors (from Jan 1, 2015 through today), according to page views by you all! There are some oldies but goodies and they’re all definitely worth a read, so check them out.

1. How to write a personal statement
2. How to explain what occupational therapy is
3. A Leadership Externship experience in South Korea
4. A breakdown of the workload/life of an OT student
5. Pros and cons of living at Currie Hall
6. Pros of living in OT House vs. Pros of living somewhere else
7. A different Leadership Externship experience in South Korea
8. Pros and Cons of living in OT House
9. Incorporating yoga into occupational therapy
10. The role of occupational therapy in oncology

Hope you find these helpful!

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The Building Blocks of the Pre-Master’s Program ⟩
February 14, 2020, by Japeth

Admissions Diversity International Videos

Coming from a country where English language is not the official language may be difficult for some students who intend to go abroad for continuing education. This is what I also felt when I was still applying to the program. Questions such as “Will I be able to speak confidently?” or “Can I express myself and my thoughts properly?” were always on my mind. International students also need to take an English Proficiency Exam (IELTS or TOEFL) and must reach a score that is accepted by the department. This requirement is difficult, to be honest! Aside from this, students who are planning to enter graduate school must also take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), which includes questions about analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning. This exam is just equally difficult, if not more, as the IELTS or TOEFL.

For interested international students who might be worried on their performance on these tests, don’t fret! I am happy to share about USC’s Pre-Master’s Program, which aims to help students improve their performance and scores!

Below is a video featuring Yen Ting Ni and Yi Fan Lin, both went through the Pre-Master’s program before joining this year’s Post-Professional MA in OT cohort.

I hope this video is helpful to future applicants and students! Also, I would like to share with you about what changes the Admissions Team has been doing! The admissions team headed by Dr. Arameh Anvarizadeh, together with Dr. Kristin Nxumalo and Dr. Amber Bennett, has changed how admissions look like! USC Chan has moved towards what we call the “new admission holistic process”, where all components of the admission criteria are given equal importance and value.

Fight On!

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