Admitted Students Day

My daughter has been accepted and enrolled at USC. We are out of state and not close by. Is there really any benefit to the Admitted Students Day or is it designed to turn a maybe into a yes. She will attend the Orientation in the Spring. We have visited USC twice and gone through all of the information sessions. She has been meeting other students in the GROUP Meet and trying to identify potential roommates through conversations on Snapchat and Instagram. I don’t want her to miss out on Admitted Students day if there is a benefit, but I anticipating there would not be one since she has already enrolled.

Hi Icedlatte2,

My son is a freshman at USC this year and we, like you, are from out of state and just couldn’t make the admitted students day. I think you are correct that it is designed to turn a maybe into a yes by showcasing the university and letting the kids and parents get a sense of the school spirit, and build a sense of belonging. Since you plan to attend the orientation (where she will be advised and register for classes - tip- more class availability with earlier dates), it sounds like she has decided on USC. I don’t think the admitted student days are a necessity. Congrats on your daughter’s acceptance!

For what its worth, we are very happy with my son’s choice of USC and he has met all of our goals for his first semester.

I don’t think my DD will go to Admitted Students day, either. She’s done the campus visit, and loves the school–I do think it’s likely more beneficial for kids who are still deciding between two or more schools. She is also on the social sites and meeting some kids–seems like there is already some craziness going on so she’s taken herself out of some of the group chats though! She has not enrolled. Still waiting to hear about Honors, etc. but I think that there’s a 95% chance she’ll go to USC.

@icedlatte2 My oldest son attended Admitted Students Day last year in March. It was our first visit to the school, and was certainly designed to "tip the scales’ to a yes. It worked. He fell in love with USC and is very happy with his choice. He learned a lot of specific info about the College he applied to (the Arnold School of Public Health,) which was the best thing about the weekend. If you already have enough info to make the decision to attend, I would wait until actual Orientation which occurs beginning in June. Go to an early Orientation session to increase availability of classes for registration. Orientation includes an overnight in the dorm for the kids

My younger son has applied to HC. If he gets in, we will travel (from OOS) for the March admitted students day because he has received the unofficial tour from his brother on move in day (when it was 100 degrees) and the info will be useful in deciding whether to attend, and I can visit my other son. Otherwise, I would honestly wait too. Lots of repetition at these events, including orientation, move in day and parent’s weekend.

For those that decide to attend the info sessions, make hotel reservations early. They book up fast, and can get ridiculously expensive.

@VAMom23 How long is the day? We will come in Friday night and I am trying to figure out if we need to book a room for Saturday night too. Thanks.

@laston03 we arrived on Friday afternoon for Scholars social. Finished up Saturday around 3. We live in Northern VA and the drive takes 6-10 hrs depending on the time of year. I would book the extra night. They will publish an agenda before hand and you can trim back one night .

@VAMom23 Thanks. I booked for one night because I figured, at worst, we could start the trek back to Central VA on Saturday night and stop if we needed to. Any Hilton I find enroute home will certainly be cheaper than the $400+ the Hampton Inn is charging in Columbia (4/6). Thank goodness I could use points for our stay.

@lastone03 the prices can get outrageous. We have done the same thing as you are suggesting. Also, I have no problem staying just a few miles outside Columbia and reducing the rate in half, if not more.

For anyone who knows they are going to enroll at U S.C start planning NOW for travel if you are OOS, or plan to attend parents weekend. USC publishes calendars in advance. If you have a dau., Rush week for sororities occurs in early August. Unless your student is reporting early for ROTC or sports, they will get move in dates the Monday or Tuesday before classes start. This past year was odd because of the eclipse. Move in was Tuesday. The exact dates aren’t announced until Juneish, but make hotel reservations now. Same for Parents Weekend. The dates are published (Oct 5-7) and hotels are booked solid already. You will wind up in the outer parts of Columbia, which is fine, and closer than your options if you wait too long. Orientation dates are spread across June and July and we had no trouble getting rooms

@lastone03 Wow the Vista is expensive. There are definitely cheaper places to stay in town that are only 10-15 minutes to campus - you just don’t get the feeling of what is walkable from campus. The ones marketed as Fort Jackson/Garners Ferry are close to the closest Target to campus and Garners Ferry becomes Devine St which runs into 5-Pts. If on the way out of town toward Charlotte there are some cheaper options around I-77 around Farrow Road and Blythewood. Harbison is nice area in terms of restaurants but only stay if you don’t need to come in or out with rush hour. You will sit! I’m intown so anyone who wants more specific info about parts of town can pm me.

@VAMom23 Thanks for the heads up! My daughter will rush, but I guess we won’t know those dates until later. Booked my parents weekend hotel! My son goes to GMU in Fairfax, VA. Hotels are plentiful and cheap there.

@icedlatte2. i live less than a mile from GMU.

So I thought the rates @lastone03 mentioned were extreme when couldn’t find a big Columbia event - then today I remembered. The Masters. That is Masters week in Augusta and that causes hotels to be booked all the way to Columbia - it’s only about an hour and a half drive. Good news for all of you that are sports management majors, this is one of the events they send students to for work experience.

Anyway, thought y’all might want to know the reason for high rates at seemingly weird time. I’m sure rates go up for ballgame weekends, graduation, move-in etc but most normal times are not that bad.