<p>Has anyone returned home from their interviews yet? if so, how was it? Is USC what you thought it was? How was the weather? The area? the interview? How was the overnight stay? </p>
<p>Any word from anyone out there would be greatly appreciated!! I am going tomorrow and am a bit nervous. Thanks everyone</p>
<p>yeah some more info would really be helpful!</p>
<p>Good luck to all of you! You're so lucky to have this opportunity.</p>
<p>thanks gotrojans! Best of luck with you as well. I saw your other post. Hang in there! you are very lucky to have supportive parents. They just want the best for you.</p>
<p>Just spoke with my S who is in his 2nd year there. He says it's "cold," so he had to purchase some jeans and a jacket (had been wearing only t-shirts & cargo shorts 1st year, with rare sweatshirt).</p>
<p>It's a beautiful campus and the area where the campus is located is OK. They have an international food court across the street from campus with a B of Am located there. The food there is pretty tasty and reasonably-priced.</p>
<p>Don't stress--just be yourself. If you've been invited, you are probably at least going to get a partial tuition merit scholarship and can only increase it by making a better impression.</p>
<p>chilly. dont sweat it. be yourself.</p>
<p>For all who are invited to ExploreUSC, congratulations, relax and enjoy! Consider this a great adventure. It's a chance to leave your high school self behind for two days and to "try on" the new independent college you, so try to keep an open mind, accept your host's hospitality, and welcome new experiences, even those that may feel like a little bit of a stretch--like the overnight at the residence hall. You can do it and most of you will find it is really enjoyable to get to talk to someone with the inside scoop on your prospective major.</p>
<p>The best part is USC is very welcoming and puts on many interesting programs and panels for you and your parents. And you will really love the campus, the kids, and the feeling you are among a group of very accomplished newly admitted students. One real highlight--the USC Trojan band played "Tusk" for us! If you don't know that song, ask your parents. lol. The band is awesome</p>
<p>Regarding the interview. You will get your assigned time when you check in, but the interview will take place on the second day. Have any of you read "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? Then you'll recognize my advice: "Don't panic!" The interviewers really want to like you and, in fact, already do. Remember to smile. Have fun. And best of luck to all.</p>
<p>are there some kids that go without their parents?</p>
<p>I noticed several, molliemeow.</p>
<p>For those who will go to the Explore USC, you will have a great time! USC is VERY welcoming, and the activities for both students and parents are extremely well organized and a lot of fun. As a parent I was very impressed, as is my D who is still there for the overnight. USC really takes care of every detail, so for those of you going without parents, you'll be fine. We met several students who were there alone, with lots of opportunity to meet other students and to feel comfortable. Since I live fairly close by I came home but will return tomorrow on interview day. As far as the interview is concerned, you will be fine too...we were told that it won't be intimidating or stressful and that the interviewers just want to get to know the students better face to face as they are already impressed with what you have offered in the applications. Good luck!</p>
<p>We just returned home from my sons vistit with the Explore USC program. It was very interesting and informative. I wish we would have been able to get a tour of the dorms. The weather was beautiful.</p>
<p>How did everyone else feel about their visits?</p>
<p>Leaving Sunday for the Monday-Tuesday session! Is your son more excited about and interested in USC after the program? Or less?</p>
<p>He is about the same. He's waiting to hear back from all the other colleges that he applied to. They put on a very wonderful presentation. They are always telling you how wonderful your students are. They offer a lot of very good information about the school and the programs.</p>
<p>What school was your child accepted to? What is their major? </p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>My D was accepted to Letters, Arts & Sciences - Anthropology. She is waiting until she hears from all the colleges as well. It will be a hard decision - she has some wonderful choices. Congratulations & good luck to your son, too!</p>
<p>guitars101,
I remember feeling just the same way about not touring the dorms. Here is an idea: go to the webiste for USC housing and click on a building that houses freshmen, for example New or North. Then under the heading "Tours" click on "View" and you can see the dorms rooms. If you look at some of the upperclass buildings you can even click on individual rooms in the apartment floor plan and then do the virtual tour. My third child is a student at USC so I've seen a whole lot of dorm rooms. I'd say housing at USC is better than most other schools. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>puzzled88,</p>
<p>Thank you so much! I will look into this. Having a child at USC, what is your feeling about the school and the safety issue? I felt the campus was very safe and comforting. My worries are in the evenings and on the weekends. The area right around the campus seemed very safe. Many many people walking around, business people as well as students. I also saw many joggers so this made me feel good about it.</p>
<p>I have mixed feelings to tell you the truth. I will say that I am much less concerned now than I was before she started there. Since she is a freshman, she is living on campus, and I get the sense that it is very safe. We talked about the safety issue when she started in the fall and I lectured her about not walking alone at night and so forth. When she ventures outside the campus, she generally goes with friends and I don't think they walk around the neighborhood much at night. My general sense, based on her experience, my numerous visits and having a relative who lives near the campus is that the school and surrounding area are okay if you use common sense. I confess that I am a little more concerned about next year when she plans to live off campus. Oh, and another website I can point you to is LAPD crime maps and e-policing. Type in any address in LA and you can track crime statistics. You'll see that the USC area is thankfully pretty uneventful most weeks.</p>
<p>LAPD</a> | crimestats and epolice</p>
<p>I should add that my daughter has not had any negative experiences regarding safety on campus or in the vicinity and that she loves the school.</p>
<p>guitars: I felt the same way regarding safety. Did you take the neighborhood tour? I didn't realize USC owned or managed so many buildings in the north end area, and that it was quite residential in character, nor that there is a shopping center nearby. I also learned that USC is very respected around the surrounding community, that the school partakes in a lot of community outreach programs. Also, since my D stayed in Radisson across the street, that security is present 24/7 for those students who live there and walk back at night (if you consider it as an option for housing). I also liked the presentation given by the security personnel. Honestly I have no qualms about safety issues. My D knows a number of students at USC, and all are very happy there for many reasons.</p>
<p>Thank you both very much! I do feel better since visiting the campus and yes, I did go on the neighborhood tour. Sequoia, we must have been at the session at the same time. I wonder if we met?? How did your dtr feel she did on the interview? My son said they asked very easy questions and it was difficult to figure out how they would make such a decision on such basic questions. My son stayed at the Pardee dorm. He said his host was very nice and seemed to really love USC and his decision to attend. My son also enjoyed the comedy night. Does anyone know how long until we find out about decisions or how we will be notified? Best of luck to you Puzzled on your dtrs living arrangements next year, I bet she will pick a great place. Best of luck to you Sequoia on your dtr's interview yesterday!</p>
<p>guitars101:</p>
<p>You put my haphazard filing system to the test and I am astonished to tell you that I actually found the letter telling my D that she had received the Pres. scholarship. It was dated March 27, 2007 and she had until May 1, 2007 to accept.</p>
<p>I think you brought up an interesting point about how they could make decisions based on such basic interviews. I felt like the Explore session was as much (or more) about selling the school to the top accepted students as it was about weeding them out. Is it perhaps possible that almost all the students who are interviewed are offered scholarships but, since they are so accomplished, a great many decline them simply because they end up attending other schools? I really have no idea if this is the case but it is an encouraging idea if your child truly wants to attend USC as mine did.</p>