<p>I warn you this is the parent speaking! But here are some thoughts from Explore USC:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>USC is cool, even when the weather is also cool!</p></li>
<li><p>Overheard from another family sitting nearby, after the day had ended: "We just did the admitted students' thing at UCLA. At UCLA they kept telling us that you're not a number at UCLA, but they treated us like we were. Not once did USC mention that, and we felt it was personal all the way - they don't talk about personal attention, they just give it."</p></li>
<li><p>Having lunch in the big room, when the band suddenly comes in playing the USC fight song - Now, that was fantastic. Wow, what an experience. For someone who had never experienced the Trojan thing, even I was blown away.</p></li>
<li><p>The campus is 1 mile from the center of downtown LA, but you'd never know it. The campus is compact, self-contained, beautiful. Loved the architecture. It was like Boston College, only with a southern california flair.</p></li>
<li><p>Why the heck do they have a statue to a dog eating a tire?</p></li>
<li><p>USC appears (to someone who has seen many, many colleges now) to steer away from emphasizing any one school. For example, unlike NYU, where CAS and Steinhardt are clearly not at the level of Tisch and Stern, so they spend a lot of time simply referring to Stern and Tisch; or Michigan, where the campus is completed divided (Fine Arts, Music & Engineering are practically in a different state); USC has different schools. But they don't speak 90% of the time about CNTV or Marshall. They talk about "USC". We liked that.</p></li>
<li><p>The only place you can buy a more expensive sweatshirt is if it were sold in Tiffany's, and came with a diamond necklace.</p></li>
<li><p>People were all very friendly and nice. The clerk in the bookstore went out of his way to help us hide the USC stuff we bought, with D standing nearby. Everyone seemed very personal. Probably our biggest and nicest surprise.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Anyway, just some random thoughts and take-away's from our visit. Good luck, everyone.</p>
<p>Thank you for taking the time to post this! We did Preview USC so I enjoyed reading about the more detailed program. I'll be sharing this with my daughter, who is still deciding. We were impressed with our visit. :)</p>
<p>Hayden - You were right on point. I am a parent as well, but my son walked away from Explore boasting about the lunch and the Marching Band. It was so impressive. I felt like all the staff and students were so excited about being a part of this University. The experience definitely solidified our opinion of USC. We did visit UCSD two days after our experience at USC and within an hour, my son was chanting the USC fight song. I knew we were done deciding at that moment. Hallelujah!</p>
<p>I'm a parent & enjoyed the admitted students reception they had in HI. My son was bemused but unconvinced about the strength/value of the "Trojan family," but I was impressed that the USC folks who came down & the alumni who also attended the event seemed to really care about the school & potential students.
Actually they seemed a lot more caring than a smaller school who admitted my son & offered him merit scholarships. I get the impression that they really work with the students & families. I have e-mailed USC personnel I met at the reception & have received an e-mail response, addressing my question.
So far, all the contacts I have had with USC have been positive.</p>
<p>Another parent here -
Hayden, you got it right with your impressions. I don't know what it is about USC but the type of student (and their parents) who they either select or who accept admission there are positive, upbeat and friendly. Though they may seem to over do the talk of the "Trojan Family" at the receptions you really do feel the caring undercurrent once you are there.
As far as the dog statue, according the the USC history, " Rescued from Santa Monica beach in 1946, a feisty stray dog nicknamed George Tirebiter is elected as USCs student body mascot" He liked to bite tires, hence the name
. The told the story to us during parents weekend. Now how many universities have a statue honoring a fiesty pooch???</p>
<p>ebay - I had to laugh at that one. I have also heard from someone else who told me more about that dog. It appears that he was the school mascot for over 10 years, and at one of the football games, ran over and bit the UCLA mascot, earning the undying love of all the Trojans. Don't know if this is true, but worth a smile.</p>
<p>The mascot is now a white horse, that gallops around the field after every touchdown, I've read (at least at home games & some away games as well).
Most of the folks I know who attend or have attended USC have been very happy. My son is happy he will be matriculating there this fall & we are satisfied (tho would have been happier if he wanted the full-ride at AzSU, but hey 1/2 tuition is nicer than mom & dad paying 100%). Hoping he will get some career guidance & good internship so he doesn't graduate & then flounder as happens, especially after such a substantial investment. There are also some scholarships available for continuing students, so who knows?</p>
<p>George!!!! That is actually a brand new statue... and yeah, as people have previously stated, George was the "unofficial" student body mascot for about a decade (Traveler has been the official USC mascot since 1961)...</p>
<p>The Marching Band playing at Explore was one of my favorite parts of the program last year... it just gives you chills.</p>
<p>AH HA! SO that's what that statue is! I watched them install it a few months ago; it's at the end of Trousdale Parkway facing Exposition Blvd, right in front of Mudd, Bridge, and Zumberge Halls.</p>
<p>Wow, that's pretty neat, this is the first time I've ever heard of George.</p>
<p>redski are u a skins fan? anyways Im from Maryland (I go to Gonzaga High School in DC) Im going to USC next year and I was wondering what the transition was like what we both being from the same area and all! are there many DC area people there AND WHERE CAN I WATCH MY SKINS PLAY?</p>