USC References Question

[Subliminalz]

I just stumbled onto this forum and have been reading through the posts for the last hour or so. This site is very informative and I've been able to get most of my questions answered on here. I was just wondering, I am getting ready to submit my application for the Stark Program at USC. I am kind of stuck on the references part of the application. They want 3 references...How do you distinguish between which ones to provide? It says on the applications guidelines not to provide more than one College Professor...I am debating whether or not I should provide 3 previous employees, and exclude any professors completely. What kind of references are most effective?

Also, does anybody know if USC actually checks references through phone calls/emails? Any experience with this? Any advice is helpful.

 

[Jayimess]

Recommendations are challenging!

One thing that you should keep in mind is that you want to make sure every part of your application should add another layer to the picture you're painting of yourself. So you don't want three employers saying the same thing, or three professors saying the same thing.

I personally used a film professor (academics and screenwriting), the reporter I worked under in an internship (professionalism and creativity), and my boss at the sales job I left to return to undergrad (work ethic and lapse in education).

However, consistency is also crucial.

I've since seen the letters. Each of them spoke to different aspects of my ability to succeed, but each of them also spoke of the same character traits that led them to write the letter. This painted a picture of who I was, and showed that I was that person in all aspects of my life. Luckily, that person was someone USC liked, lol.

While I don't recommend it, some people write the letters themselves. I don't think this is a good idea, but that's up to you.

I did, however, write personal letters to my recommenders, explaining why I chose them and hoped they could help me demonstrate, vague talking points.

Best of luck.

 

[pleiades]

I'm also curious whether or not reference letters are checked.

 

[Subliminalz]

Thanks for the great advice guys. I think I will try to include one professor...and two employers of mine. I did spend a semester as an intern at a small production company and I would definitely like to use my employer for that internship as a reference. The problem is that he is currently in Europe, promoting a documentary that he just finished producing. I know that he would agree to to be used as a reference, however there is no way for me to get in touch with him right now and I don't know when he will be back. I am almost tempted to just write the recommendation myself and submit it but I don't want to risk the admissions office calling him up and finding out. I think its too good of a reference for me not to use, but ethically I just can't see myself doing this. What do you guys think?

 

[Jayimess]

Wow. Don't do that.

I don't know if they follow up with recommenders, pleiades...