<p>I was assigned to Cardinal Gardens for the Sping Semester. I can have the </p>
<p>Apartment mean plan that provides $400 towards meals in the Residential Dining at a cost of $400 a semester</p>
<p>or I can have the Community Apartment plan that costs $475 which gives me 50 meals and $100 in Dining Dollars at a cost of $400 a semester.</p>
<ul>
<li> I am really confused by these. Are they only partial meal plans? Because I cannot cook or anything. I want a full mean plan. Any advice on what to do?</li>
</ul>
<p>Im pretty sure if you are willing to pay for a full meal plan than the university would be more than welcome to let you do so.</p>
<p>And I am willing to. However, it doesn't even give me the option on the forms I have to sign and turn in a week from today. I will just call them.</p>
<p>The full meal plan would be the Trojan Plan, which gives you $2700 dining dollars. The Apartment meal plans are partial meal plans (after all, you do have a kitchen!)</p>
<p>I cannot cook though! I cannot do anything in a kitchen.</p>
<p>Get a partial meal plan (I would get the second, b/c the first it just a decling balance at either Parkside/EVK which cost about $8-9/meal) and use discretionary (USCard) after you've finished your meal plan. B/c discretionary money carries over (unlike meal plans which are gone at the end of the semester even if you still have dining dollars)</p>
<p>If you have a credit card or even cash, you can buy food on campus. A meal plan is more convenient, but if it's not required for you, then using regular money is just as good. For example, the Trojan meal plan gives you $2700 to spend on food over the semester, but it costs $2700.</p>
<p>
[quote]
If you have a credit card or even cash, you can buy food on campus.
[/quote]
None of the on-campus dining facilities (except maybe Carl's Jr, not sure) accept credit cards. They all take cash, discretionary, or dining dollars.</p>
<p>If you are not required to have a meal plan, then don't. Get discretionary instead.</p>