<p>Just checking in to say that my dear son has mailed in the "yes to USC SCA" form! I'm very happy that he has decided and feels really good about this adventure. I'm also looking forward to meeting the CC USC moms at some point, and maybe even some of the students, with any luck!</p>
<p>Now we need to figure out what happens between now and January. Suggestions are welcome! The list so far:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>be a game tester for Nintendo or Microsoft (reputed to be an awful job, but strangely appealing to a gamer like my S who is intrigued by the idea of earning a weekly paycheck)</p></li>
<li><p>go to a language school in Mexico (S studied French, but wants to learn Spanish because he's crazy about certain directors - like Alfonso Cuoron)</p></li>
<li><p>go to University of Alaska and get some GE's out of the way ("Into the Wild" is one of his fav books/movies, so he's interested in Alaska. Mom is interested in him living in a dorm instead of a bus in the wilderness, hence the U of A idea)</p></li>
<li><p>some sort of internship, but he is not ready to move to LA in order to do that, so it would have to be in Seattle. </p></li>
<li><p>maybe NOLS or some other sort of adventure travel program</p></li>
</ul>
<p>One of my kids started at a different college in February. She spent the fall on a 3 months trip to India, Nepal and Tibet (including overland travel from Nepal to Tibet). She traveled with a group called "Where There Be Dragons" and it was a superb program that I recommend most highly. She just graduated this past February and had a great college experience. </p>
<p>Incidentally, there were a few unanticipated downsides to a spring start. At her smaller school, she was unable to take the first semester of a new foreign language in the spring. And at first she had lower priority for class registration than the kids who started in the fall - then later she had senior status for a year and a half. Neither of these was a big problem for her.</p>
<p>Rainmama: I'm so happy that your son committed to USC! It's really the obvious choice, the best program. I think he has a fantastic choice of what to do before he enrolls. He will come to USC with a new experience, whether it will be an adventure, work experience, a new language, Alaska, Mexico...that says a lot!
My D also loved "Into the Wild", though for a sec there I was a bit alarmed he might want an adventure a tad too extreme.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! Raising the glass of bubbly.... :) And thanks for the chocolate cake, madbean! I think it's time to open a USC virtual lounge...</p>
<p>sequoia - I know what you mean about an adventure that's a little too extreme. I watched the movie a couple weeks ago, and had a tinge of worry. But then I asked S if he'd like to go pick fruit in Eastern Washington this summer/fall, just to get in touch with a different kind of life, and he was quick to say no. Relief!</p>
<p>puzzled - I so appreciate the recommendation for Where There Be Dragons. I'd just recently read a bit about it, and it's good to hear from someone with first-hand experience. The spring thing is definitely weird, but at least at USC my S will not be behind when he starts, thanks to their generous AP policy. He'll have 24 units if all goes well next month. His school doesn't have AP classes, but the kids self-study for the exams, and he's taking 3 in May. </p>
<p>cc411 - thank you again for all the support you've offered our little wannabe Trojan family this year. I have to say that this is the forum I've enjoyed the most - lots of incredibly nice people. It's so helpful to hear from veterans like you and Georgia Girl when we have questions.</p>
<p>Oh, and when I said I looked forward to meeting the moms, I realized I was leaving out the dads. Yikes! I don't think there are many regulars who are dads, but I do hope to meet them too, especially Groovy Geek, whose D had a similar college list to my son's. </p>
<p>Cheers, everyone - it sure feels good to finish this chapter!</p>
<p>yay, rainmama, I'm so happy. And looking at the choices of things for him to do in the fall, I'd say any of those would be great learning experience -- all our kids should do that.</p>
<p>rainmama, I actually know four kids who have gone on five different trips with the group so if you want any further information, feel free to contact me. Like you, while I was all in favor of an adventure, I was also concerned about her safety. The Dragons organization did a great job of rolling with the punches; when there was political unrest in Nepal they detoured through Thailand and then adjusted their schedule; when my daughter injured her ankle before a long trek, they set up an impromptu internship with a Thangka painting master in Sikkim - a friendship that continues to this day. This is way more than you need to know I'm sure, but it points out that your son's gap semester is an exciting opportunity.</p>
<p>Rainmama -- So glad your S is coming! And for what it's worth, when we were doing a tour of the dorms, we met a very nice freshman in a double in Birnkrant who said that he and his roommate were both spring admits, both of whom landed in a very desirable on-campus room.</p>
<p>bmom and Nester - Thank you! Nester's post about spring housing just made my day. It would be so perfect to get housing in a freshman dorm, and this is evidence that it's possible!</p>
<p>Housing has posted the dorm assignments and I was wondering where the cc SCAers were assigned? Anyone get the Cinema floor at New/North? Everyone pretty happy? And has anyone made contact with their roommates yet? </p>
<p>My S got into his top choice, (after changing that choice 3 times--heh). He's going to be in Arts & Humanities in one of their typical suites, which has 4 double rooms. Odd thing is that as of last night, while the other three rooms in the suite have 2 kids each assigned, my S is sharing his room with "Empty". So I guess that means they have yet to fill that bed. Anyone hear of this happening to anyone else? He did get an email from a guy in his suite and I'm curious to know if these are mostly SoCal kids or from all over--I kind of hope the latter so he'll get to know a diverse group of guys.</p>
<p>Hope all our SCAers got good assignments. Please share them here.</p>
<p>Madbean: My D is also in Arts and Humanities. It was her first choice(after changing from IRC). Apparently, there is a good mix of students from all over and from different disciplines, even though it's designated Arts/Hums. Even quite a few engineers given the proximity of Viterbi.
Have you done the tour? It's very nice.
(D's roommate is a girl from your parts- Pacific NW)</p>
<p>I wanted to look up the floor plan of the suites in A/H but couldn't because I don't think I have the right software. I'm pretty worthless when it comes to tech stuff so I'll have to get my savvy S to help me later. He's taking AP exams today and tomorrow so I may have to wait.</p>
<p>Madbean lol, I remember now ofcourse...sorry.</p>
<p>The layout...we saw them on the tour. The rooms are a decent size, in the 8 person suite, there are two rectangular rooms in the middle each having two windows and then the two other rooms (same size) are at the ends of the short hallway and are placed perpendicularly with one window each. Opposite to the middle room(s) are two bathrooms (with baths).
On entering the suite configuration there is a space which serves as a little lounge area, small, which fits a small table and 2 or 3 chairs.</p>
<p>Actually we saw the 6 person suite, so the 8 person may very well have a slightly larger "lounge".</p>
<p>I believe the A and C are the end bedrooms (B the middle) in 6 person, and ofcourse A and D the ends in the 8 person.</p>