<p>Hey again, everyone! I submitted my transfer application to USC, whoo! But now I'm filing the FAFSA/CSS Profile and have to make the decision about whether to apply for on-campus housing or not.</p>
<p>My dilemma:</p>
<p>1.) If I lived on campus, I'd really like to live on one of the special interest floors, but they only give full consideration to freshmen who have applied to them by May 1st, while I may not even receive an admission decision until June 3rd.
2.) Same goes for the online roommate selection. I'd -really- like to be able to utilize that because I had a bad experience with randomly selected roommates at my last college. But it doesn't appear that transfer students can even use it?
3.) Off-campus housing. I wouldn't mind this, but it's hard for me to tell (without being there yet) how close decent off-campus places are and what it's really like. I am going to be involved on campus and don't want a long (or time-consuming, with the nature of LA) commute to campus. I also obviously want to be safe. Finally, I'm not sure yet if I will be able to bring my car, so that's a factor. </p>
<p>Advice? Do transfer students often get the short end of the stick with on-campus housing? Are there plenty of reasonably inexpensive places near USC that are truly NEAR USC/walking distance? If not walking distance, only minutes of driving?</p>
<p>Thanks for any info. </p>
<p>Yes- transfer students get the short end of the stick in the sense that freshman and returning students are in line ahead of you for on campus housing. Off campus, though, is usually expensive for close and secure (safe) housing, especially within walking distance. Expect $800 (often more) and to share a bedroom. You can do better than that, but it isn’t easy. </p>
<p>If I live off-campus, I will be getting an apartment (or 2-bedroom house) with my sister, who is also planning on moving to LA (but not going to USC). But yeah, I would need it to be really close to campus but also in the safe part. So $800 for one bedroom, you say? So a 2-bedroom would be about $1600? Yeah, that is definitely more expensive…hmmm…I’m so torn and I have to decide by today. :/</p>
<p>
Please note that camomof3 said $800 or more to share a bedroom. Soooo… a two bedroom on the less-desirable area near campus would easily be $2,400/month or more (genearlly more). If 4 students shared, that would be $800/month each. The nicer non-USC housing near campus (such as Gateway) goes for about $1,100/month EACH for a shared room (which works out to $4,400/month for a two-bedroom). </p>
<p>You don’t have to decide by today. Simply put down one or the other on your financial aid forms. You can correct it later. Note that USC will award the same amount of aid for on-campus or off-campus housing (there is a downward adjustment for living off-campus with family, but that would likely not apply in you and your sister’s case).</p>
<p>Edit: Just checked Gateway - they are currently advertising $999/month for a shared room ( <a href=“Welcome to University Gateway Student Housing”>Welcome to University Gateway Student Housing; ) in a 2-bedroom, so $4,000/month. Note that is a 12-month lease which must be paid even if you do not stay on over summer and does not include parking, which would be about $100-$150/month per car.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info, alamemom! Maybe my sister and I should be thinking about sharing a bedroom or getting a studio then instead of getting a 2-bedroom. Then it would be about the same cost as living on campus but I would get to live with her instead of a random roommate. </p>