If someone were to write a really deep and meaningful essay about their life, would they get accepted, even though their GPA isn’t that great?
It really depends on how you present yourself. You could write a meaningful essay about your life, sure—but keep in mind that you definitely should STAY AWAY from sounding like a sob story! USC is a bit more lenient about your GPA than, say, and Ivy League, so I wouldn’t worry too much.