Hello, I’m going to transfer in as a sophomore to USC.
What’s the best on campus housing for sophomores? Are apartments or resident halls better (space/bathroom wise, and socially)? I’m not sure if other transfers are going to apply for reshalls or apartments, so if anyone could give advice on what housing would be best for my situation, it would be great. I don’t mind living with other people, I’m currently in a triple at my current college (3 people in one room), so I would be okay with 4-6 suite/apartment mates at USC.
I know that the Village just opened, and it seems like the Village also has apartment buildings, but I’m sure that the Village will get filled up very quickly since it’s new.
I believe that USC housing is entirely full, but in terms of on campus housing, only Webb and Parkside Apartments (both apartments) are available for sophomores, though they were talking about creating a transfer community in Parkside A & H. I personally loved living in Webb my first year, so if somehow you get housing, I’d definitely recommend it.
This year Century and Car Gar had a bunch of transfers, and my floor is essentially made up of 90% transfers so yes, transfers do apply for housing.
The Village seems pretty hopeless at this point, it’s completely full.
@LayraSparks When you say that USC housing is entirely full, do you mean the housing for Fall of 2017 is full already? Because I’m starting USC in the fall.
And is Century and Car Gar only for junior transfers? Does that mean my only choices for housing is Webb and Parkside?
@kamtea the Univesity assigned housing is all assigned, I believe as they did the lottery selection a few weeks ago. Village is full for sure - they ended up only taking sophomores it turns out. There was a poster on another thread whose D did not get housing (as a Jr. I believe) but got a good nearby apartment and was looking for roommates to fill it out.
I’d contact the school but also check some of the social media sights. My D got her freshman roommates all arranged beforehand through an FB page or something. There are lots of apartments in the area, some run/owned by USC. But I would get on it asap as the better places get grabbed fairly quickly.
Submit the housing app regardless, I think they may allocate a chunk of housing for transfers and they do keep a waitlist. I would call housing office and ask them directly. What one group is told may not apply to another, but best way to be sure is to ask them. But you should be looking into other options. Gateway is apartment style dorm type housing, it is pricey but right next to campus and you rent by bed - meaning you don’t have to find all the other people to fill an apartment if that is difficult.
Yeah, housing for Fall 2017 is full and A LOT of current sophomores (rising juniors) are on the waitlist. Century and Car Gar are not just junior transfers, they have a bunch of sophomore transfers as well. The Village filled up with rising sophomores and I doubt that you could get a spot in Webb, it’s one of the most popular options. Maybe try for Parkside Apartments if you really want to be on campus, a spot might open up. But like others have said, if you can pay the housing application fee, it doesn’t hurt to try.
It was my daughter (current junior) that @CaliDad2020 referenced above.
We can echo the sentiments about Webb (her freshman apt) and Century (her sophomore and junior apts) as solid options, if available to you.
My daughter is meeting with 2 roommate prospects tomorrow at that private apt option near Troy to see if they all agree to live there. That is sort of the issue with many non-USC Housing options… the leases are joint and several, so all 4 girls/boys would be responsible for the entire lease and overall monthly commitment. Places like Gateway, Element and Lorenzo allow individual leases.
If it does not work out with them, I guess we can see by Saturday if my younger daughter (a hopeful freshman) will be accepted and in need of housing or not. She wants to live on campus but was hoping for Webb too. She prefers an apt, but now only dorms and suites are possible for freshmen. They took away Cardinal Gardens and Webb as freshmen options starting in the Fall. So she will likely aim for Parkside or Fluor, as those seem to be the better suite options for freshmen. She may even apply for the Performing and Creative Arts Floor at Parkside as a way to better her chances. We learned 3 yrs ago that the real best way for freshmen is to locate a roommate (fellow freshmen) and then request the exact same 5 choices in order. That was the advice we got from USC Housing… and it worked for us.
Or… if she does get in and wants an apt and the other 2 girls do not work out tomorrow… well then there would be one spot open for a female in need of an apt. It is a fully furnished 2 BR / 2 BA that is basically just like Gateway… only much cheaper.
Good luck in your apt hunting. In our case, it was super easy for 3 years thru USC Housing. But - the addition of the USC Village and its extra spaces apparently solved little. My rising senior daughter never even got to her lottery time for selection… as USC Housing was completely full this yr faster even than last yr. without the extra Housing. Seems like they diverted away undergrad housing to grads in the process.
@kamtea@WWWard fwiw, my D did parkside in a 4x2 suite and while she missed having a kitchen, she really liked it otherwise. Social enough that she didn’t feel isolated, but private enough she could hide out when needed. Good location for most classes too. She found her roommate group on FB and they all applied for the same housing like WWWard mentioned. USC housing helped them make sure they did it right and they got 1st or 2nd choice.
Loved Parkside and move-in/move out wasn’t so bad - still sweat like a pig, but parking wasn’t too bad - they have drop off your junk spots right out front.
@wwward to be clear - and you probably know this from the older, the rooms in Parkside are nothing to write home about - pretty standard doubles, although the bathrooms are ok and I think they have 2 for an 8 person “suite.” The “living room” is just big enough for a 4-top table and a few chairs, but they can do project work there or just hang. There are good study rooms on each floor and I think the most attractive thing for my D is these dorms tend to “self-select” so Parkside gets fairly studious kids who like to socialize in smaller groups. Lots of Friday night board games/Bull sessions/movie nights rather than running out to look for the latest party. Also they have some faculty associated with the residence and get to have a dinner or two with them while they are there. Seemed like a pretty good balance between “traditional” bedroom-off-the-hall dorm life (Like Pardee and Near North seem to be) and the more “grown up” suite/apartment of Webb. Although she is for sure looking forward to being able to do a little home cooking in the Village next year.
@CaliDad2020 Thanks. My daughter would have clearly preferred Webb or Cardinal Gardens… but you cannot have what is not being offered. I just know that she will not be happy in a dorm setting. So Parkside and Fluor seem like the only viable suite options. I have heard negative things about International… which otherwise seems like Parkside.
@wwward - no info on International. I’ll ask D. Fluor seemed nice too, but a little more “removed.” For my relatively quiet/private D Parkside was a good mix of friends available but not intrusive. She has made a really strong social group from her suite-mates, floormates and other Parkside residents.
@CaliDad2020 Thanks. Good to hear. The only relative advantage to Fluor is that it is closer to the School of Cinematic Arts… so actually less remote in my daughter’s case - if even admitted.
@wwward I found international to be like the twilight zone - no one really socializing or saying hello in the elevator kind of world. I think they house families/marrieds there too. Maybe it changed since, but mine was there for just a couple weeks - housed there temporarily as an athlete, it was bizzare-o-world.