Phsychology admission essay for University of Southern California (Admission Essay Sample)

I moved to America 10 years ago from China, and completed my undergraduate degree here. I am Chinese by heart, but have gradually understood and adapted to the American way of life. My parents are Chinese immigrants and uphold Chinese culture, traditions and values dearly. Hence, I have to tread a fine line to ensure I am accepted by them and the traditional Chinese families here, as well as by my American friends and colleagues. As an individual, I am highly observant and a very good listener, and enjoy reading people’s words and actions to decipher deeper emotional and psychological traits that may be hidden underneath. My journey in Psychology started when I took some introductory courses on the subject during my undergraduate studies that really piqued my curiosity. I decided to minor in Psychology, and developed particular interest in childhood, adolescence and counseling Psychology. I realized that my personality and interests, combined with a strong education and practical training, would make me a good counselor able to positively change people’s lives. I am majoring in Communications as an undergraduate, and the fundamental theories I have learned in my major overlap many in Psychology. While research in Communications focuses on causes and means of a phenomenon, Psychology research focuses on effects on people and seeks to explain the source of the problem. Thus, I have learned that Communications and Psychology are complementary to each other, and good interpersonal and cross-cultural communication can help psychologists connect with multicultural backgrounds and treat them better. Additionally, my work as a Research Assistant at Arkin Lab has enhanced my research skills by teaching me the nuances of conducting comprehensive literature reviews to understand a topic better. It has allowed me to run experiments individually and in groups, conduct accurate and timely data collection exercises, and write detailed reaction papers and journal articles. Collectively, I believe my cultural, personal, educational and employment background will help me offer a varied yet functional ...