<p>Thanks for all the replies. I had seen the statistics about usc, but I was really looking for the student's perception of how much crime there really is. On that note, an extra thank you to sirwatson, nikara, yayaya, and cubsrule for your replies. Like I said in my original post, I didn't think it could be that bad if 30,000 students went there.</p>
<p>My niece attends USC, I don't have a college age daughter. My son has applied to 6 UC's and been accepted to 5 so far. He is anxiously waiting for UCB's decision on 3/30. He has no desire to attend the others. His goal is to get in a top 20 school. Unfortunately USC is not his 1st choice either right now. He has apps out for 2 other privates that are and they look likely.
I never said USC is in the worst neighborhood in LA. It is wise though for students to use caution when they are out.</p>
<p>Since you wanted student feelings about the area, I will add my thoughts. The area is definitely overrated for its danger. I do not feel unsafe here, and in my three years here, I have to sheepishly admit that I've walked alone at night by myself many times, and nothing has happened to me. I'm not saying that it couldn't (and I know I shouldn't walk by myself at night; sometimes it just happens), but it's not like every time you step outside you will be mugged. If I felt that unsafe, I wouldn't have walked. Overall, the area is not the prettiest or indeed the safest area in the world, but it's not as bad as people try to make it. Stuff can happen, but if you walk with a group at night and are aware of your surroundings, you will be fine.</p>
<p>I'm so tired of people saying that the USC neighborhood is so horrible. I live 5 minutes away from USC and will be going there in the fall. I don't feel like my life is in danger. I have many friends who attend USC, they sometimes give my flyers of crimes that were reported, and it always involves somebody walking down a dark alley at 3am alone. I mean if you're stupid enough to do something like that, then you're kinda asking for it.</p>
<p>A lot of people say University of Maryland College Park is in a dangerous, terrible ghetto and that it is 'infamous' for its crime. Quite honestly I grew up around the area and instead of finding it 'dangerous', I see it as a diverse, working-class neighborhood where the people don't have the time or the money to turn it into the picture of suburban paradise. I walk around there a lot, and eat in the restaurants there, and I never feel unsafe. But it's also not a place where you'd walk around at three in the morning. Mot because it's a ghetto. Just simply because it's more urban. </p>
<p>So I wonder if USC is similar...</p>
<p>I've always felt safe walking around USC.</p>
<p>There's much, much worser parts of LA...just go south on Figueroa for a few miles and you'll notice the change.</p>
<p>I think that just the look of the surrounding area sort've contributes to the generalization that USC is unsafe. It's not the best, but it's home to lots of low-income residents who, if it weren't for USC owning the area, would probably be kicked out by wealthy developers or in some cases, the city of L.A. The area around USC not only provides housing and jobs for the low-earning people, but it also creates a vast number of service opportunities for the USC students and faculty. That's why we were called "a college with a conscience" by the Princeton Review.</p>
<p>So yeah, while on one hand we wish the area surrounding campus looked more like Westwood, it's not entirely a bad thing.</p>
<p>In regards to safety, as mentioned, DPS takes their work very seriously, so safety is definitely a concern. As with any college, if you think wisely when you're walking around campus, USC is no more dangerous than any other university. On a positive note, the crime rate is decreasing every year I hear.</p>
<p>I hear the neighborhood around Yale isn't that great either. But who's complaining?</p>
<p>Can someone tell me what kids do who don't have cars that want to go to other parts of LA? Is there a campus shuttle? How do you get around to do errands or other things off campus? Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I don't think the neighborhood is that terrible. My mom went to USC and I'm deciding between USC and Berkeley right now. And the neighborhood was a lot worse when my Mom went there, but nothing bad ever happened. USC knows that ppl have this image of a bad neighborhood, so they basically tear the bad stuff down. I visited about 2 weeks ago... I'll try to rememeber... on one side of the campus there are a bunch of museums across the street... on one side they are building a new baseketball stadium... very nice... on the other side there are a bunch of cheap eat out places, taco bell, etc, the students sometimes like to go to, and a car dealership, which is going to be torn down so dorms can be built. The only "bad" part is the "ghetto" neighborhood on one side of the campus, where a lot of poor, black families live. But a lot of people in those neighborhoods are USC fans and send their elementary school kids to summer camps at USC, etc. Sure, you see homeless people now and then, but you get that at any urban school... i actually saw more homeless and "weirdos" outside the berkeley campus</p>
<p>When I visited USC, I stayed with a student in one of the Radisson dorms... she told me a lot of people use that campus escort service, but not for the reasons you would think... she explained that kids who don't have cars or who don't feel like walking somehwhere will use the campus escort service. she doesn't know anyone who's used it because they are scared to walk around at night at USC.</p>
<p>Ok, so USC isn't surrounded by beautiful suburban houses with manicured lawns, but neither are most urban campuses. besides, the actualy USC campus is beautiful with lots of east-coast-looking brick architecture.</p>
<p>My visit last week to USC put all my fears to rest. The neighborhood around the school looks poor, (the houses look very old), but it is not anything like the rumors make it out to be. We did notice bars on some of the lower floor windows, but we could tell most of the neighborhood was occupied by students.</p>
<p>After reading much of all the posts, I can get the feeling of it. About the Escort service and security system, that sounds very very safe and good. i'll give it a Wow!</p>
<p>I had heard several times that USC was relatively unscathed during the LA riots in 1992. I found an article</a>written by President Sample regarding USC during the riots:
[quote]
USC came through the crisis essentially unscathed--we did not suffer even one case of spray painting during the riots. There were no reported injuries on campus, except for one student who was beaten in a campus parking lot, and no reported damage to off-campus and Greek housing.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And this was also interesting:
[quote]
the riots underscored the need for us to continue to address the issue of safety on two fronts: reality and perception. The reality is that USC is a much safer place to live than most universities, and far safer than most U.S. cities. But the perception of safety must also be prevalent to enable us to recruit and retain the best students, faculty, and staff.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If USC can get through one of the worst riots in US history virtually unscathed, then it can provide adequate security for its students.</p>
<p>It's also a function of how well USC builds relations with the community around it- they encourage and support community programs, development, education, etc, and provide lots of good jobs. So USC is well-thought of with people in the surrounding neighborhood - which leads to lower crime and better safety for students.</p>
<p>If USC can get through one of the worst riots in US history virtually unscathed, then it can provide adequate security for its students.</p>
<p>I was only 5 yrs old in 1992 when the Rodney King riots took place. I live about 1 1/2 hr south of where they were centralized (they took place over 5 miles away from USC campus in South Central LA) and according to most native Californian's the Watt's riots in the 60's were far worse than the King riots of 92.
Neither of those major riots had much to do with the area USC is located in.
I agree with what jbusc has said about the relationship USC has with the surrounding communities. But, with the immigration bills on the table and the protesting taking place right now more than likely to come closer to USC campus than either of those riots did. Do you think USC police will be able to handle this and do you think the students and faculty will be safe from the surrounding community in the next few months?</p>
<p>Yes, we will be safe. Note that all of thev protesting thus far has been incredibly peaceful. Compare to the french protests. We have had many thousands of people out on the streets and everything has turned out fine.</p>
<p>Good point CA2006. I was a bit younger than 5 when the riots took place. I lived 45 minutes south of where it happened. If you weren't actually able to see the fires and stuff, I'm guessing "native Californian" in the sense you use it doesn't apply to you or me.</p>
<p>In terms of damage, the King riots were worse, but who am I to compare the two? Weren't the Watts riots much more localized? Sorry if this is going off-topic. I'm curious.</p>
<p>Yes, these immigration protests have been very peaceful.</p>
<p>I think USC campus will be okay IF the immigration protests get out of hand. Personally I am afraid they might get worse in So Cal. Hopefully I am wrong.</p>
<p>namaste. "You dont walk alone at night anywhere in LA"?. I'm afraid that's quite misleading. You DO walk alone at night in West Hollywood's Sunset Strip, in Santa Monica's 3rd St Promenade, and Main St areas, in Hollywood & Highland Area...</p>
<p>I agree that the neighborhood west of USC is a very wealthy one, but, come on, USC really IS in South Central, not west of South Central. It's maybe west of what was originally considered South Central, but that area, these days, is within the boundaries of what we call South Central (or call it South L.A, if you want, given the euphemism we have this day to name the area): South (and VERY, or quite, south) of the 10 Freeway, and east of the place you were referring to. What strikes me kinda funny is how some people try to "sell" the area as being part of Downtown L.A. Wow, Downtown L.A is some 1.5 miles northeast, so come on...</p>
<p>I'm not quite sure why you are reviving a two year old thread to argue with a person who generally posts on UCLA threads. While USC may be technically in South Central, that doesn't really mean anything. The name of an area doesn't define anything much about the area. It has been called South LA since 2003, but I don't really care what you call it. I'm not quite sure why the name means everything. It is nice how we are so close to Downtown Los Angeles- it takes about 5 minutes to drive there (on a bad day), so I consider that to be relatively close. It is certainly close enough to take USC shuttles to explore all of the different cultural areas of LA. </p>
<p>This is a rather odd post. Why?</p>