<p>I'd like to hear from current students/parents about whether Explore USC is a good way for an admitted student to visit the campus, or whether it would be just as good to visit independently. What happens at Explore when it doesn't involve the scholarship interview and all the recruiting that goes along with the scholarship-based Explore? Is there a chance to get a good sense of the dorms? (I read on last year's thread that a dorm stay was possible only if the student visited without a parent. True?) If you went to ExploreUSC, did it help you decide to attend (or not)?</p>
<p>And for those current applicants who can log into the RSVP site, but don't see scholarship info, does it offer you any ExploreUSC dates for admitted students? What are they? Thanks - we're trying to develop an action plan in case S is eventually admitted!</p>
<p>explore for people who were invited to interview for trustee/ presidential.
these explore sessions last 2 days and include an overnight dorm stay with a freshman host for all participants. the scholarship interview is only ~20 minutes of the 2 days. in addition to the interview, there are information sessions about Thematic Option and various other academic programs at usc, financial aid info session for parents, students will eat in both of the main cafeterias, there is some sort of social event in the evenings for all the students, tours of campus, the libraries, dinners for parents, etc.</p>
<p>for students who were not invited to interview for trustee/presidential, there are a number of possible explore dates in april. these are largely the same as the trustee/presidential explore sessions, except there is no interview and no overnight stay.</p>
<p>i attended explore last year and will be a host this year. in the end i didnt get the scholarship i interview for (though got a number of other scholarships), but it was still worth it. admissions puts a great deal of effort into organizing the explore sessions.
my parents did come with me- they stayed at a bed and breakfast, i stayed in a dorm. i didnt see much of them during the course of the session, but i gather that they really appreciated the visit and felt much better about my choice to go to usc after having seen the campus and met with professors, advisors, etc.</p>
<p>Explore 1 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM on Thursday, April 03, 2008
Explore 2 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM on Monday, April 07, 2008
Explore 3 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM on Thursday, April 10, 2008
Explore 4 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM on Monday, April 14, 2008
Explore 5 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM on Thursday, April 17, 2008
Explore 6 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM on Monday, April 21, 2008</p>
<p>^^ Those are the dates for the April Explore USC's. I think these are the ones that aren't for the scholarship interviewees.</p>
<p>I would highly encourage it. I was borderline about USC until I went to Explore USC and committed to the school along with many other students who I am very good friends with now. I didn't get a scholarship either.</p>
<p>I would also highly encourage it. My son was also on the fence about USC and this really helped him decide. He met some friends there and they are now friends at USC.</p>
<p>I got a letter saying that I'm in and that I'm being considered for a Presidential scholarship because I'm a semi-finalist for national merit. It Also so said that if I b/c a finalist then I will pretty much automatically get the presidential scholarship. I found I today that I am a finalist so I get 1/2 tuition for the Presidential.</p>
<p>So my question is, a couple of my friends are in the same position as I am except that they also recieved another letter later (after their acceptance letter) inviting them to interview at the Explore USC program. </p>
<p>The reason I want to go, is because I heard that if you interview, there is a chance that they'll bump you to trustee. Is this true?</p>
<p>Also, could I request for an interview? I've never been to USC so I'd really like the opportunity to go to the two day thing with my friends...but since I've yet to be invited though we all recieved the same admissions stuff....?</p>
<p>It sounds like you were not invited to compete for the Trustee or regular Presidential scholarship, so you would not be allowed to go to the Explore sessions for those dates. (Note that the dates mentioned above are from last year) If your friends were selected to interview, they'll have to go without you. No, you can't request an interview if you were not selected. But yes, you do get your half-tuition, and will most likely get another $1000 per year for NMF. Congratulations!</p>