<p>Yeah, so I stole this from the UCLA forum but whatever. Anyways, for all you prospectives out there, feel free to shoot questions to me and other current students on the board.</p>
<p>YAY! THANKS!!! I was waiting for the USC board to catch on!</p>
<p>Okay, so here goes.</p>
<p>--I want to live in North with sink. They received my housing application a week ago, what are my chances of getting my first choice?</p>
<p>--bikes, should I bring one with me next year, or wait and get it sometime during the school year?</p>
<p>--how safe are dorms, if I leave valuable stuff lying around, can people just walk in and steal it? Should I bring some sort of lock/safe?</p>
<p>I have many other questions, I'll ask as I remember them...</p>
<p>Is a "Spirit Activities Card" worth the money? I'll go to football games, s should i get one?</p>
<p>I can answer a couple of those.
--Housing is going to be a crapshoot. The rooms in North are hard to get in the first place so the ones with the sinks are probably harder.</p>
<p>--I would wait on the bike, a lot of people have them, but you don't need one. I don't have one and I get around just fine. I would especially wait to see where you'll be living next year. If you end up in an apartment that's off campus or in a dorm that's farther from classes I would say a bike is more worthwhile, but I would wait.</p>
<p>--Dorms are safe as long as you and your roomie lock the door. Don't be stupid about your stuff, but I haven't had a problem with theft, and I don't know anyone who has. The problem I've had is actually with water balloons, water balloons+guys+open window=bad combination. </p>
<p>--The "Spirit Activities Card" is worthwhile if you're going to use it. The football games are fun and if you're going it will save you money. </p>
<p>Hopefully that helped.</p>
<p>"Hopefully that helped."</p>
<p>--yep, it did, thanks!</p>
<p>I'm not sure if dorms for freshmen are on a first-come first-serve basis, but if thats the case have I applied early-enough in the game to have a good chance at north??</p>
<p>And would anyone know how generous thornton is w/ merit scholarships?</p>
<p>Oh, and as for meal plans, what is too much or not enough? What should I plan on signing up for? I really don't know how much I'm going to eat...</p>
<p>Do you know if it's possible for someone to do both Freshman Science Honors AND Thematic Option? Is that too much of a workload?</p>
<p>Could you offer some thoughts on the different dorms? Pluses and minuses, so to speak. We are in PA, still thinking USC might be possible (the merit aid story is not quite done), and have not sent in any forms related to housing yet.</p>
<p>If you are interested in a particular dorm take a look at the affinity groups that have floors set aside for them in that dorm. Putting down that you want to be on one of those groups could help you to get in to that dorm. </p>
<p>As for food plans, chose the cheapest one available for first semester. If you need more than you can get a different plan for second semester.</p>
<p>I know several people doing both freshman science honors and TO. It isn't impossible, but it is difficult. If you don't want a really hard first semester, choos which one you would prefer and do that. Also, it is possible to not take any FSH programs first semester and then take them second semester.</p>
<p>If you plan on going to football games (which are awesome), get the activity card. It will save you some money. </p>
<p>I believe there should somewhere be another thread on dorms. If not, I'll get back to you.</p>
<p>themegastud,</p>
<p>Why do so many Trojans hang out in Westwood? :p</p>
<p>lol... UCLAri...</p>
<p>now tell me, what brings you to the USC board?</p>
<p>I am new to CC. I have not decided on USC yet, does that mean I can't post to the USC board? I don't want to offend anyone, but I have seen USC on UCLA board. I am not sure of the protocol here. Can someone explain?</p>
<p>You can post even if you aren't going there. It's just a basic message board and anyone can post about USC stuff</p>
<p>and so how is your "Stanford Tree" recovering? Such amusement in the press.</p>
<p>Different dorms...</p>
<p>New/North are the most social - but have smallish rooms and community bathrooms. Loud, but fun.</p>
<p>Marks/Pardee Towers- Quieter than New/North, but still pretty social. Pretty much same rooms and bathroom situation. (Single sex floors)</p>
<p>Mark/Trojan Halls - Dean dorms, quiet, studious (<strong>cough</strong> boring <strong>cough</strong>)... I dont know about the room/bathroom situation, but if you like to study, than live here!</p>
<p>Parkside - New(est) dorm, suite-style living (4 rooms, with connecting hallway and 2 bathrooms - with some variance). Relatively quiet, but not completely dead. Far corner of campus (although there are Parkside Apartments, and they are building a third Parkside building, so there will be people around)... Bigger rooms, clean, individual bathrooms...</p>
<p>The Radi - Big rooms, maid service, individual bathrooms. Social within itself, but across the street from Marks ("off-campus")... Pool, workout room, hot tub... (Although this sounds GREAT, it is in a hotel, and is far from the row, etc - just letting you know that it isnt perfect)</p>
<p>Fluor - Suite-style living like parkside (4 rooms + bathroom, community room). Older than Parkside, has themed floors (Latino floors, etc). People that live there like it, but it is far from other freshman - social within itself. Next to Cafe 84 and the Lyon Center (gym)...</p>
<p>Cardinal Gardens - Apartments, across the street from Fluor... Very social (freshman football players live here, along with some other athletes)... Lots of parties - fun time! However, it is apartments - meaning you cook your own food, dont have hallmates, etc...</p>
<p>Century - Basically Cardinal, without the partying... Still some parties, but substantially quieter on the weekends. Basic apartments (two rooms, bathroom, "kitchen," living room)...</p>
<p>These are all pretty big generalizations - so dont follow this word for word... However, I have friends in every dorm, and these are the impressions that I have of each... I will answer any specific questions about the dorms (if I know the answer)...</p>
<p>hey i have a question regarding majors
is it realistically possible to double major and pursue a minor?
Im interested in so many things and I dont know if I could handle majoring in chemistry and history and doing a minor in music (performance, maybe?)</p>
<p>when i was there for the trustee interview, i noticed that a lot of people were double majoring and minoring so im not sure if its entirely impossible...
thanks a bunch!</p>
<p>Offtocollege06, I was just messing around with UCLARi. Yes, you can go to any board you'd like! :)</p>
<p>I second Guidez's question. Is the Thornton School of Music pretty generous when it comes to Merit Scholarships?!</p>
<p>I guess we'll find out pumpkinheads, it seems like we're the only musicians here! lol</p>
<p>I'm thinking of calling that donor who gave 25 million to thornton this year... maybe she can help me out! :)</p>