<p>Hello all! So I was planning to visit USC this Thursday with my friend (spring admit) to help me decide between it and UCLA. However, seeing the $50 fee is a little off putting, especially when UCLA's College Day is only $10. Does anyone know what it's covering? This isn't the 2-day, scholarship one, just the normal full day admitted student program.</p>
<p>I went to the explore session on the 8th and it was most definitely worth the $50. I’d say im 98% committed to USC now because of the Explore session. Basically you start off the day with a few choices of events including campus tours and neighborhood bus tours. Then you may attend some information sessions that will go over housing/security, financial aid or a student panel. Following this there is about 30 minutes of free time before lunch and the welcome session. The welcome session at the lunch is incredible, they bring you into a grand dining hall type room and give a little congratulations speech as you eat. Also during the reception admission counselors will personally congratulate you by name and then a small contingent of the USC marching band probably about 30 members will play like 4-5 songs for you as you finish up lunch. After this there is an academic information session where you are broken down into your major for a while. Following this you meet up with a student host who will take you around campus for a little while and take you to dinner. (Each host only takes about 1-3 students) Last you will go to a little evening activity which was like a little performance by a couple student groups such as an improv comedy group. I believe that if you are traveling without parents you will probably stay the night with your student host.</p>
<p>I also went to the UCLA college day and while it was nice it couldn’t compare with how great USC’s program was. Hope this info helps you.</p>
<p>I attended the scholarship one, but it pretty much made up my mind for me (and this was before I got most of my decisions back). I think you should definitely go. Especially if you haven’t already visited. And Explore will be better than just a regular visit-tour; you’ll meet future SC students and the school will make sure you see the best they have to offer :)</p>
<p>Hmmmm so I think I’d definitely wanna go now. 
I’ve been there once before but I walked around myself, not as part of the tour. However, I want to bring a guest who was admitted to spring. Is this okay?</p>
<p>^ I don’t see why it wouldn’t be, but call them and ask to be sure. Be aware that your friend may have to pay the $50 fee as well.</p>
<p>:) I sure hope not! He wants to go there so badly, he was willing to accept spring admit in lieu of Cal and UCLA w/ almost all the cost paid. Yeahh I’m pretty sure he’ll have to pay. 
But he’s down. The guest adding is pretty general so hm…
Thanks though! 
Whether or not I attend USC, I hope you have a great time!</p>
<p>If it’s where you get to register for classes, it is definitely worthwhile. I went with our S & he registered, we opened a joint USC credit union account, & he took placement tests & met with advisors. The hype & rest of it wasn’t so helpufl, but the registration to get the courses & times he wanted was invaluable. He also got to chat with the other kids who were going to start there, so that was another plus. We sent our D for transfer orientation so she could get situated/settled as well & it was worth it for her too.</p>
<p>Jay,
I do not know the policy for paying fees. If you are one who has a very low EFC perhaps you could call the admissions office for your major and see if the $50 fee could be waived. It is worth a try if that amount is a barrier to your attendance.</p>
<p>Just remember when SC puts on an event it is not paid for with taxpayer dollars. My guess is to put on such an event,provide a sit down meal, mailings, decoratons, pay servers, etc. costs far more than $50.00.</p>
<p>The staff time & personnel alone that is devoted to the events USC costs considerably more than the fees they assess. I agree that you can ask the FAid/admissions about a possible waiver if the fee is a financial hardship for you.</p>
<p>It was very worthwhile for our family to attend & I would recommend that students seriously interested in USC try to attend.</p>
<p>@HImom @Georgia Girl
Thanks for the advice! I don’t think financially it’s really an issue, my family can spend that amount, it’s just if it’s worth it (and the time) to me. But based on everyone’s replies, I should definitely go! So I think I will if I’m able to bring a spring admit who really would like to attend this. I’ll check on that tomorrow, definitely call the office to ask.
I’ll also post later on in the week (if I go) to let you guys know the results! :)</p>
<p>Oh yea, we were also able to talk with the admissions people & ask FAid/Merit Aid questions, as appropriate. There was even time so that folks could talk one-to-one with the staff they needed to speak with (I spoke individually with the USC admissions advisor for HI, the dean of engineering & someone from USC credit union). They gave us the printouts as to the total project cost of attendance as well as all funds awarded. This helped us make our budgets.</p>
<p>When we signed up for our credit union accounts, they waived the fee for new accounts, since it was orientation. They also had a few free gifts & drawings. They did a presentation about financial planning and making good financial choices as well.</p>
<p>It was worthwhile for me to attend with my S, so we could set up a joint account & have it functioning by the time he got to campus in August. Not sure if that’s an issue for your family, but it made us happy to have this set up. To economize, neither H nor D attended, just S (incoming student) & I attended. Some other families just had the incoming student attend, while others had the entire family–both parents and other sibs of incoming student.</p>
<p>For HI, USC came down and held the event at one of the private HSs that had a lot of incoming USC students.</p>
<p>@HImom it was definitely worth the $50!!! enjoyed myself tons haha I stopped by the FA office and felt like I was at the DMV… didn’t have enough time to wait though, so left after 5-10 minutes because I didn’t want to miss lunch! But they sound very helpful, and I’ve called a couple of times too.
I hope you enjoyed it here in SoCal! Hawaii’s beautiful. I think I heard about that HI reception, not sure from where, but I hope it was as wonderful as Explore here (though you wouldn’t get the campus feel :().
I’m really stuck right now, and got an okay amount of financial aid from them. Still thinking!!</p>