<p>I know not many upperclassmen browse the forum much, probably because they're done answering questions from incoming freshmen, but if there's any, what can you tell me about Conquest housing? Some of the buildings look pretty good from the website, but I want some personal opinions about the housing they offer. Good or bad experience overall? Reasonable or exorbitant prices? Adequate services? How does it compare to USC housing? And since the website doesn't offer pictures of the immediate surrounding neighborhood, it's impossible to tell if it's well-lit or shady, clean or trashy. Help much appreciated.</p>
<p>While this thread is active, let me run a search on the forum.</p>
<p>Most people I know don't like Conquest. Most of their buildings are nice, and some of them are in areas that are very student populated, which is good. I've just heard that they are way too expensive and that you don't feel they care about you as a person, just as dollar signs. I would recommend living in USC housing over Conquest, if you can, but that's just me. If you don't have this option, though, I would recommend Conquest over a lot of the shady apartments around. Conquest's definitely not shady or ghetto. </p>
<p>I also have never lived in Conquest, so obviously I don't know what it's really like.</p>
<p>Is it really that much more expensive than USC housing? 2 bed/2 bath (4 person occupancy) ranges from $550-690/month (not including Tuscany, the really nice apartments they're still building near Fig + Expo). The more popular (or larger) USC apartments with 2 bed/2 bath (Cardinal Gardens, Troy Hall, Troy Hall East, and Webb) are about the same price ($620-710). Even adding in things that Conquest doesn't have that USC includes in the price like furniture rent (extra $50/mo), it doesn't seem that much more expensive. There are cheaper options for USC housing, of course, like the smaller buildings. Most of the Conquest apartments, however, are larger in square feet. I checked the floor plans for the USC apartments I listed above, and the largest is Troy Hall at 993 sq. ft. The others are 770-830 sq. ft. Most Conquest apartments are 1000+ sq. ft., a few getting up to 1170. So if it were more expensive, at least part of it would be because of the larger floor space.</p>
<p>I'm just basing this on research and comparison on the Internet. I've never lived off-campus before, so I have no idea what the costs are "in the real world."</p>
<p>I am going to live in Conquest housing next year, and the leasing process has been smooth. It required being "on top of things," meeting deadlines and such, but it wasn't too hard at all. Evidently, there's another round of leasing this week, for the units that are still left. All of Tuscany and several other buildings is sold out, and I'm so glad that Tuscany opened this year, since it probably shifted a lot of the lease requests there and helped me get my and my roommates' first choice building.</p>
<p>I have talked to a good number of people in Conquest housing, and the reviews are mixed, yes, but it seems that where I'm living (The Pallazo), there are no real big problems with service or quality of living. I've talked to people in Chez Ronnee, which is close to campus (right behind Shrine Auditorium), and those building are older and further away from the Conquest office, which is really far from campus (Scarff Street), which makes for longer time for work orders. One of my friends lives in the buliding where the office is located, and he got his work orders completed in a matter of hours. Residents in farther buildings will have to harass the staff so they don't get forgotten.</p>
<p>The place I'm living in next year is pretty close to campus (30th Street between Vermont and Orchard), and it's lit at night, which makes it a lot less shady than City Park Apartments, which are located right around the area and not very well lit. Plus it comes with underground parking, so no worrying about USC parking.</p>
<p>I'm pretty glad that I don't have to worry about R3 and all that, especially since after lottery numbers of 1500 all the top options are taken and filled up. I went and looked at the list this afternoon, which was the first day of Phase 3 assignments, and there weren't that many spaces left. Redski59 further confirmed this in the R3 thread as he got his assignment later in the day.</p>
<p>I'm excited for my living situation next year. I think if one does research and gets a lot of feedback from current Conquest tenants, one can have a good experience with Conquest housing.</p>
<p>My friends and I did consider Conquest, but we decided to stick w/ USC Housing cuz we don't want to worry about paying rent 11 months of the year (cuz none of us will be here during the summer) plus the added cost of furniture. Conquest is not for everyone, but I've heard many good things about it too.</p>
<p>Proto, from what I've heard Pallazo is Conquest's next best thing after Tuscany, so you should have a grand time there next year! Good luck!</p>