<p>What dorms do you suggest on campus? </p>
<p>Is sharing a bathroom with the whole floor too terrible?</p>
<p>Do you suggest suite style dorms such as Fluor tower? I heard that Fluor is pretty far from everything else... Is that something to seriously consider?</p>
<p>I'm looking for a dorm that has a nice balance between social and study.</p>
<p>A brief rating of the dorms would be great if possible with a few reasons why! Thank you!</p>
<p>I believe suit style dorms are not really known as freshmen dorms, unless you’re on a specific floor like the Latino floor. It is pretty isolated from the other dorms but it’s conveniently located near a gym. </p>
<p>I’ve heard that a good balance is Birnkrant, where they place scholarship students. Marks Tower and Pardee are good too. </p>
<p>New/North have a strong party reputation.</p>
<p>Anyone feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.</p>
<p>I know that suite style dorms are available for freshman in Fluor</p>
<p>Live in Parkside A&H! Trust me. Nicest, cleanest suites with A/C.</p>
<p>I’m in Birnkrant this year, and I’d definitely recommend it. Not sure if you’re a scholarship student or not, but if you are, you’d definitely like it there. The scholarship kids are among the most diverse on campus and the dorm itself is really nice. I’m in a triple and it’s incredibly spacious. There are some drawbacks, like the really small lobby and the lack of AC, but there are small study rooms on each floor (which I personally like a lot, because they’re away from the rooms and the people) and the AC won’t be a problem unless you have a fan. </p>
<p>I’m not too sure about the other dorms, but Parkside is very nice, as I have a good friend living there and I’ve visited him a lot. It almost has a hotel feel, and it’s also pretty quiet compared to the others.</p>
<p>*Forgot to add that Parkside is on the expensive side. Don’t know anything about most of the other dorms, but I’ve been inside Trojan Hall and it’s really not that great (it’s not terrible, but it’s quite old and really plain and all). New/North isn’t bad but it’s the party dorm, not sure if you’re into that.</p>
<p>My cousin (sophomore) made up a list of the dorms:</p>
<p>Century- one of my friends lived here his freshman year also. It’s nicer than dorms (get your own bathroom, kitchen) but if you are looking to meet new people in your first year it is more anti-social compared to the residence halls. </p>
<p>Birnkrant- I lived here my freshman year. The rooms are kinda small, but if you applied for a triple you get a double room with only one extra person. It’s the scholarship dorm so the students are social but not too crazy.</p>
<p>Pardee- comparable to birnkrant, floors are single-sex though. birnkrant, pardee and new/north have the best location on campus. Most buildings are 5-10 minute walk away. </p>
<p>New/North- this is the crazy/party dorm. It’s definitely the most social but it can get rowdy and trashed regularly on the weekends. Rooms are bigger though.</p>
<p>Trojan Hall/Marks tower/marks hall- these are the ****tier dorms. I wouldn’t put these down if I were you…</p>
<p>Parkside/ International Residence College- These apartment-style dorms are newly built and really nice. They have a better location than century, and are the closest housing to the engineering buildings. downside is that they are more anti-social, and it is very possible you could be placed with international students who don’t speak much english. </p>
<p>Fluor Tower- Suite style living- 8 person per suite. Similar to Parkside but older and not as nice. You get a large living room, kitchen, and multiple stalled bathroom per suite, however. Location isn’t as good as newnorth/birnkrant/pardee.</p>
<p>Never seen this questioned asked, which is better, New or North? Or are they so similiar/right next to each other there’s no difference?</p>
<p>I’m in between Parkside and Fluor. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?</p>
<p>New/North is the same building. One half of the building is New and one half is North. Not sure which is which, honestly, and it doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>Parkside is newer and is right above the Parkside dining hall. Fluor is near Cafe 84 and the Lyon Center (gym) and has a little kitchen in each suite. Fluor has a bigger common area. Parkside has more people and is livelier. Though neither of them really compare to traditional dorms for social interaction.</p>
<p>I live in Arts and Humanities currently and I can vouch that it’s reputation has changed a bit. I don’t know if its due to Birnkrant being an honors dorm or not but the floors are much livelier than IRC and years past of the “darkside” reputation. I would say most people have a positive experience, like 80%. I think its the best of both worlds where you can be social or studious depending on what you need to do that night. It is slightly more expensive but you get A/C and more private bathrooms which seriously pay off for the extra money. It also feels like you’re living in a dorm (a really nice, hotel styled dorm) if you’re worried about not having that “typical” college experience of dorm rooms.</p>
<p>I’m aware Birnkrant is one of the dorms that fills up the quickest.
Am I too late if I applied today?</p>
<p>Is Birnkrant still social now that it’s a scholarship only dorm?</p>
<p>What does it mean when someone says with sink or without sink when referring to dorms such as new or north?</p>
<p>Never mind I figured it out. I didn’t realize there were closets with sinks in them. Are they worth the extra money?</p>
<p>
Another question on top of this, are the rooms with sinks in different separate floors or are they on the same floor as everybody else?</p>
<p>@josephsmith-- If you are a T/Pres scholarship recipient and eligible for Birnkrant, then signing up now for housing should be ok. Last year D decided on USC in mid April and didn’t sign up for housing until then. She got Birnkrant-- although she wanted a triple, and got a double instead. It ended up fine.</p>
<p>About the sinks— depends on whether being able to brush your teeth, wash hands/face, wet hair, etc… is worth the extra money to you. Not having to trek down the hallway to the shared bathroom just to brush your teeth might be convenient. Of if you are feeling sick— at least you’d have a sink to use instead of trying to make it down the hallway.</p>
<p>I am indeed a presidential scholar. So Trustee and Presidential scholars have priority over other students?</p>
<p>^ I think the “priority” is in that you can sign up now and essentially get one of the first slots, before everyone else accepted in the regular wave signs up as well.</p>
<p>How do we sign up, exactly? I’ve gone [url=<a href=“http://housing.usc.edu/Portal]here[/url”>http://housing.usc.edu/Portal]here[/url</a>] and started the application for Academic Year 2012/2013. Does that put me in line already? Or do I have to complete the entire application?</p>