Katie Yale

Class of 2012, B.A. in Social Science, Psychology.

Where have you worked and/or studied since you graduated from USC?

After graduation, I took the LSAT and applied to law school. I worked for a year in a law firm as a research assistant while awaiting decisions from schools. My role was mainly to manage the firm’s mass tort cases; I also served as first contact for clients. I am currently attending the Wake Forest University School of Law.

What was the most beneficial thing you did as a student at USC to prepare you for post-graduation?

Honestly, the most beneficial thing that I did at USC was studying abroad. I spent the Fall 2011 semester in Brisbane, Australia and it really helped me to get out of my comfort zone and feel more comfortable approaching people that I did not know. This has really helped my law school experience in regard to networking and forming new professional relationships.

What course did you enjoy the most?

One of my favorite courses was Origins of the Mind with Professor Wood. It was fascinating learning about the evolution and emergence of cognition. I highly recommend it.

If you were an undergraduate again, is there anything that you would do differently?

I think that if I could do it all over again, I would make more of an effort to get to know professors. I was intimidated by some of the large classes I took and didn’t want to be one of the students competing for attention of the professor in office hours. Looking back, I wish I would have approached more professors. They are just people, are more approachable than you think, and can be valuable allies.