<p>how does applying to housing work? this is the one thing i unfortunately didn't get to learn much about when i visited in april!</p>
<p>With housing, you go on to VIP some time in January or February. You submit a deposit and fill out a housing form. You choose your top five residence halls, answer a survey for roommate preferences and you can even put down the emails and names of those you want to room with if you decide not to go random.</p>
<p>If you want to find a roommate, you can do so by searching on the application site.</p>
<p>Last year housing was technically assigned by “Application Date”, but people who signed up for common courses and learning communities were placed first. It was kind of a gigantic mess and I’m not really sure how they actually assigned housing. You’re supposed to find out by your Orientation, though. And if you end up somewhere you don’t like, you can move. I know a lot of people who moved.</p>
<p>Okay thanks! What dorms do you recommend for a non honor girl who plans on rushing</p>
<p>Rushing makes no difference in housing. There are girls who rush in every dorm.</p>
<p>But, for a freshman girl, it really depends on what you want. The obvious choice is Patterson, because it is the nicest hall (it literally is like a hotel in there!) and it has a very nice location, pretty dead-set in the middle of campus. The thing is, it is all-girls and so I know that’s an issue for some girls. You can’t have guys over past 2 am the first semester… and there’s no way of getting around that since it’s all girls. Patterson is actually on probation right now because so many girls were sneaking in boys, so they aren’t even allowed to vote for weekend visitation for next semester.</p>
<p>I would avoid South Tower. It’s got a good location, but it’s traditional style and I’ve heard a lot of girls complain about it. I even have a friend who’s moving out and another who hates it. (Also all girls)</p>
<p>If you’re a partier, Columbia Hall and Bates West are pretty good. They’re really not the best locations. Columbia Hall is a better location, but it’s suite style. Bates West is apartment style. They’re co-ed, so even though there’s the visitation policy, it’s really easy to get away with it.</p>
<p>The Woman’s Quad is kind of hit and miss. I’ve heard that Sims is okay, but I’ve heard Wade Hampton is the WORST for bugs and other unwanted guests. I don’t know much about McClintock. All girl’s dorms, but they’re smaller, so I’d imagine there’s more of a community there.</p>
<p>If you don’t mind having rules about having to eat a certain number of meals a week at Preston, then you really can’t beat the location. It’s a close-knit community. It’s co-ed.</p>
<p>Ummm… Also, where you want to live probably depends on your major. I had a friend who’s planning on majoring in Mech E. I told him to avoid Capstone/Columbia Hall at whatever cost, because those two are literally the two furthest dorms from the engineering building. It’d probably be a 30-45 minute walk and he’d be miserable. Even the science buildings are a good 20 minute walk from there. There are buses, but I’ve heard it’s not very reliable.</p>
<p>Personally, I live in Maxcy, and I love it very much! I really recommend it. They’re doing renovations over the summer which is going to make it really nice. If you like French or Spanish, then you can apply to live in the French or Spanish House there. (You don’t really speak the language… so don’t worry about that. I live in the “Spanish House” right now and only three people in the entire Spanish House actually chose to live there. I don’t even speak Spanish. Both me and my roommate took French in high school.) The location is really nice. We get to walk through the horseshoe every day, and it’s co-ed.</p>
<p>So… I hope that helps you out a little. There are a LOT of options and once you get to USC, if you can’t stand where you are, you definitely can move. I have a lot of friends who did. So don’t worry too much about it if you don’t get your first choice dorm.</p>
<p>AU did a great job of explaining dorms, but you might also want to consider a “living and learning” community. She brushed on it when she mentioned French and Spanish, but they have dorms for several specific majors and interests. My son lives in the “music community” which is also in the center of the campus and although the dorm is one of the older and “ratier” dorms, he loves the location and the apartment style setup. If you are going to be on campus during odd tims like Thanksgiving or winter break then you realy need to be in an apartment style dorm because they stay open during all breaks.</p>
<p>Thank you both so much! I will be studying business, I’m sure I’ll figure it out! I’ve got some time to decide!</p>
<p>The Housing Application is now open - deposit is $150, with $100 refundable if you cancel by a certain date. On-campus housing is mandatory and guaranteed for freshman, and there is an additional $200 required to hold your spot in the freshman class (the $200 is fully refundable if you tell them by May 1). Don’t confuse the two, housing deposit is separate from admission deposit…oh, and you have to pick your Top 10, not your Top 5 choices - tried only 5 and the form wouldn’t go through without 10 on the sheet.</p>
<p>^Top 10? Goodness! I guess there were too many complaints last year about people being placed in housing they didn’t ask for! Needless to say, the whole housing process can be a total headache. It was very frustrating last year for me and many other students and took much longer than anticipated. However, they are starting earlier this year than last year. I don’t think the application went live until Mid January or early February. So maybe things will work out for this year’s class better than last year’s. :)</p>
<p>The current student application isn’t even up yet and ours is due first.</p>
<p>So I’m filling out my housing application. I haven’t found a roommate yet but I hope on finding one before school! Can I go back and edit that to choose my roommate after I submit my application?</p>
<p>I’m confused! When do we need to apply for housing by? I don’t want to pay anything for housing unless i know for sure i’m going. and the only reason I would go is for the mcnairs scholarship xD</p>
<p>Neorobie, here is how it worked in 2011:</p>
<p>1) Those invited to attend USC as McNair Scholars were notified by phone calls from Harris Pastides, President of USC, during the weekend of March 5-6. A follow-up FedEx was sent the following Monday, with the three-day delivery option, that included the acceptance letter, Scholarship Agreement, etc.</p>
<p>2) Those who decided to accept the McNair Scholarship offer had to sign and return the Scholarship Agreement by May 1. By signing, it was NOT necessary to submit the ENROLLMENT deposit that other entering freshmen were required to do by May 1. However… </p>
<p>3) It WAS necessary to submit the HOUSING deposit by May 1. Failure to do so would result in a McNair Scholar not residing in the Honors Residence, which many would agree is central to the freshman Honors College experience.</p>
<p>So, the bottom line is that, if you only want to attend USC as McNair Scholar, and 2012 works the same way as 2011, then you do not have to do anything until after you are named a McNair Scholar in early March. At that point, you will have about over six weeks to sign and return the Scholarship Agreement and pay your housing deposit. P.S…</p>
<p>You might want to consider how your comment, “the only reason I would go is for the mcnairs scholarship xD” sounds to those who are interested in attending USC. I suspect from the “xD” that you did not intend to sound arrogant, but…</p>
<p>Does anyone know how the Capstone Scholars works with housing? I’m hoping to get in there, but they don’t let you know until March I read. But if people are filling out applications already, I’d want to so I don’t end up in crummy housing. </p>
<p>Also, does anyone know anything about the pre-med learning community? It sounded good until I saw it was in upperclassmen housing, I think the East Quad. I feel like part of the college experience would be living in the dorms with all of the freshmen and I wouldn’t want to miss out. </p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>MeadowbrookCourt: I didn’t mean it in a way that USC is so bad that only a fullride would convince me to go there although I can see how it can be taken that way now that you’ve pointed it out. =(</p>
<p>I meant: College is expensive(especially since I’m a twin) that in order for my parents to even consider letting me go out of state, I need some decent financial aid. :/</p>
<p>Thank you for your thorough response! =D</p>
<p>Should’ve said “the only reason I <em>would be able to</em> go is for the mcnairs scholarship xD”</p>
<p>Actually, I have to say that USC is one of the best in terms of their financial deposit policies, at least compared to the Florida universities we are also dealing with. I can’t speak for any scholarship or special programs, but in general here is the way I understand it. For Fall 2012 freshman enrollment, the $200 admissions deposit is 100% refundable if you let them know by May 1 - this “holds” your spot in the Freshman class which supposedly filled up early last year (i.e., had more students who waited and decided to enroll late, then couldn’t get in because they hit their admission totals prior to May 1). The Freshman Housing deposit of $150, which is separate, is refundable except for $50 as long as you again let them know by May 1. Out of the total of $350, you’re only at risk of losing $50 if you decide USC is not for you - I think that’s really fair. Provided my son gets in the music program with some level of scholarship, he’s going - so I went ahead with both deposits, knowing it’s only $50 if it doesn’t work out…</p>
<p>I thought I’d make some additional comments on housing that I’ve noticed/learned recently.</p>
<p>A lot of people here talk about being in the Honors College and living in their dorms. You actually aren’t guaranteed housing in the Honors College even if you are an HC student. There’s a guy in my dorm who was complaining about not being put there and how when he went to Orientation, he met all of these people who were not HC students, but they were living in the HC, yet he actually was an HC student and got placed in just regular housing. </p>
<p>Housing is an annoying mess that you unfortunately have to deal with, but they apparently will place HC students in non Honors dorms.</p>
<p>On top of that, both the Roost and South Tower are going co-ed this year.</p>
<p>Do you know the reason your friend couldn’t live in the honors college dorm even though he was in the honors college?</p>
<p>Two words: Housing sucks.</p>
<p>USC Housing is probably my biggest and really only complaint about USC. The dorms themselves aren’t bad by any means, but the Housing Administration is a complete nightmare. They do a terrible job at assigning dorms.</p>
<p>I remember they put two students together, one of which had asthma and the other smoked.</p>
<p>They said last year they’d have all assignments made by “Day A”, then when I called, they were like “Oh, it’ll be by early next week”, and then they said it’d be “Day C”, then I called again, and they’re like “You’ll have it by the day before your orientation.” Then it came to the day before my orientation and I still didn’t have my housing assignment and they finally gave it to me. My roommate didn’t even get hers until the day of orientation.</p>
<p>On top of that, they were already allowing other students to move dorms who got placed in dorms they didn’t like. I knew this through facebook, but when I called and asked them why they were allowing other students to change housing when I still didn’t even have my housing assignment, they said they were not and lied about it.</p>
<p>Is anyone able to answer this?? I don’t want to send in my housing application and later be accepted into Capstone scholars and not be able to live in those dorms…</p>
<p>"Does anyone know how the Capstone Scholars works with housing? I’m hoping to get in there, but they don’t let you know until March I read. But if people are filling out applications already, I’d want to so I don’t end up in crummy housing.</p>
<p>Also, does anyone know anything about the pre-med learning community? It sounded good until I saw it was in upperclassmen housing, I think the East Quad. I feel like part of the college experience would be living in the dorms with all of the freshmen and I wouldn’t want to miss out.</p>
<p>Thanks "</p>
<p>It would probably be best to ask on the official FB page, to gt a clear answer (<a href=“https://www.facebook.com/UniversityofSouthCarolinaHousing[/url]”>https://www.facebook.com/UniversityofSouthCarolinaHousing</a>). However, room assignment goes by when you applied to the university, not when you applied for housing. And you can always go back and edit your application once it’s submitted.</p>
<p>Your housing application isn’t due until May 1. You can change it anytime until then. So if you think you’ll get Capstone Scholars, you can go ahead and put that as your first choice and more than likely get that as your housing assignment.</p>
<p>Sometimes you have no choice but to get crummy housing, but if you aren’t super attached to a roommate, you can usually get it changed fairly easily. I know of a lot of people who moved dorms.</p>