How important is it to join a learning community?
If you had to choose between Capstone and Engineering LC, which one and why?
My son (incoming freshman) just decided to live in Capstone. So, while I don’t have experience at USC, I can tell you what he’s decided and his rationale if that helps.
The Engineering LC is in Bates West; I think they said engineering majors take up about 5 of the 17(?) floors. Neither dorm was super nice and new by any means. Bates West is apartment style, so a little bigger, but it’s fairly far off the main part of campus and my son thought he’d feel disconnected from campus if he lived there. Sounds like most kids only live on campus one year, and during his first year only 2 of his classes each semester will be in the engineering buildings.
He liked the advantages of Capstone (study abroad opportunities and potential scholarships for study abroad, ENG 102 in the building, advisors, etc) and it seems to have a great sense of community. It’s actually closer to the academic buildings than we originally thought and there is a shuttle that goes to the engineering building.
On the other hand, my older daughter goes to a different university and did not live in a LC. She made great friends in her hall freshman year; she’s now a junior and her freshman friends are still her core group.