Oral BSAT 2018 Study Guide

The Oral BSAT is designed to assess your presentation skills and knowledge. Using this study guide as a
resource, prepare to answer these questions for a member of the FTS. Use the bulleted answers as
talking points. Add your own personal touches and avoid memorization! While this is not an exhaustive
list of questions, these are a great place to start in developing your question answering ability!

1. Please give your introduction and conclusion of a tour.

● Introduction Components
o Personal introduction
o Community building
o Brief overview of tour route
o Explanation of smoking and cell phone policies
● Conclusion Components
o Warm thanks to tour participants
o Meaningful conclusion leading into final statements
o Final statements about why USC was the right choice for you, or what you value
most about being a USC student. This should be a memorable statement that
connects back to your introduction.
o Invite the group inside for water, tour packets, and comment cards.

2. If a parent asks, “Is USC a party school?” how would you respond?
● Difficult to label any school a party school because of diversity
● College experience is about personal choices
● USC hosts a large number of nighttime events, providing students with great ways to
have fun on campus without the use of alcohol

3. In the Russell House, the mother of a Hispanic student remarks that she has seen very few
minority students on campus. She then asks you how diverse USC is. How do you respond? What
programs and organizations are in place for religious and minority groups?
● 23% of the student body belongs to a minority group
● International representation from approximately 100 countries
● Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, Office of International Student Services, and a
variety of student organizations celebrate diversity
● Diversity is not limited to race (religious beliefs, political beliefs, etc.)

4. You show a single room or a room “nicer” than most on your tour and a mother asks to see a
‘regular’ room, how do you address this?
● Emphasize that there is no “regular room” on campus and that every residence hall is
different
● Freshman can apply to live in any building on campus
● Explain different housing options and that one is not necessarily better than another
and it is truly dependent on personal preference
● Show them a virtual tour once back in the VC
● “This room is an example of one option on campus”
5. How safe is USC and what initiatives are in place to help ensure the safety of USC students? I
heard that (safety problem). Is USC safe?
● USCPD
● Fully accredited officers with statewide jurisdiction
● Carolina Alert System (e-mail, text, phone call, loud speaker)
● Callboxes

6. Someone from a very small high school is afraid to attend such a large university; how do you
respond?
● Student organizations
● Class size
● Living Learning Communities
● Personal stories of interactions with other students, faculty, and staff

7. Why do so few upperclassmen live on campus? What are some off campus housing options?
● Many stay in Columbia year-round
● Freshmen required to live on campus
● Off campus housing fair
● Shuttles to off campus locations and closeness in proximity

8. A mother on your tour asks if you are on any scholarships, and how much you pay in tuition,
how do you respond?
● I know that cost is an important part of the decision making process and I would highly
recommend that you all speak to an admissions counselor after the tour about
scholarships and cost.
● Give no specifics about your costs of scholarship monetary value. WHY? b/c
Scholarships change every year based on the applicant pool & your experience is not
relevant to future applicant pools.

9. Do most students go home on the weekends or are there a lot of things to do in the city/on
campus?
● 41% of USC’s student body is from out of state
● Carolina Productions, Outdoor Recreation
● Vista, Five Points, other Columbia attractions
● Athletic events

10. You’re asked by a student interested in majoring in ____________ about the program. You know
very little about this particular program. What should you say to the student?
● Okay to admit you aren’t sure
● Refer to other ambassadors
● Promise to provide website upon return to the VC