<p>My son has been admitted, and plans on attending USC. I have been hearing mixed messages regarding safety issues. Can anyone tell me the real story about safety on campus, and what you have to know going into this?</p>
<p>Cavmom,
Please look down the posts about this subject. It has been discussed endlessly. The search function will help you.</p>
<pre><code> Also read the recent thread about USC and Univ. of Miami. Parents have written their opinion of the surrounding areas. I know that parents who attend Explore are taken on tours of the neighborhoods. They are also encouraged to drive around and look for themselves.
USC is considered an urban university. Other urban universities are Univ. of Chicago, Univ. of Pennsylvania, Georgia Tech, Loyola of Chicago, Fordham, Univ. of SF, NYU, Columbia and Georgia State.
In today’s world there is no campus that is completely safe. Even campuses in rural areas are not immune from crime. Last year a female freshmen in little Auburn, AL was killed walking back from the library on campus. Auburn has one stoplight. Students anywhere should take precautions.
SC has elaborate safety measures which can accessed on their website.
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<p>A problem can arise off campus when students walk alone late at night wearing an expensive watch, listening to an I-Pod and carrying a laptop. </p>
<p>Recently there have been a series of attempted rapes on the UCLA campus which have been reported by the LA Times. Campus crime is all across the U.S.</p>
<p>Students need to use common sense, follow campus safety suggestions and be aware of their surroundings.</p>
<p>Some of the most prominent people in California and abroad send their children to SC, including the governor of California.</p>
<p>Cav Mom,
I used Google Search using campus crime as a subject. There are many stories about crime from all across the country…sad to say.</p>
<pre><code>The Daily Beast had an article about the 25 Colleges with the Worst Crime Ranking. SC was NOT on the list!
Another Daily Beast article listed the colleges with the happiest students out of hundreds of colleges. SC was #31.
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<p>Hi Cavmom,</p>
<p>Just wanted to say that the USC campus and surrounding North Campus area has really great security. With many universities, just like with many small, medium and large cities, trouble can occur and kids need to be alert and aware of their surroundings. Sadly, when students are out late at night, partying, they may not be completely “aware” and may make dangerous choices–like walking alone and impaired. Even so, considering the over 16,000 undergrads and even more grad students, there is almost no trouble at USC. As a parent, you can sign up for campus security alerts and you’ll get emails for any time there is even a crime on or around campus. You’ll also receive an email when the situation is resolved.</p>
<p>USC is in an urban area. 10 or 20 years ago it was a bit rough, now however it’s gotten much better. The Downtown LA renaissance has certainly helped, but also USC has really been proactive in making things safer for the students.</p>
<p>Most students, undergraduate and graduate alike live within walking distance to the campus. USC’s Department of Public Safety therefore patrols those areas along with LAPD. There are also trams and escorts that can take students to off campus housing.</p>
<p>I never felt unsafe on campus. I never felt unsafe off campus because I always travelled with others and stayed on main streets. Do crimes happen, yes, but they can happen everywhere and USC really has worked hard to ensure the safety of its students.</p>
<p>Lastly, check out DPS’s website as they have crime statistics, which you can compare to other urban schools.</p>
<p>USC’s students are very nocturnal 
I often walk around campus at 10 pm, 11 pm and after midnight with no fear. The Trojan Grounds coffee shop is open 24-7 along with the library. Never felt unsafe anywhere on campus.</p>
<p>As long as your son doesn’t go looking for trouble, he will be perfectly safe. I feel very safe on campus, even late at night (early in the morning) when there’s pretty much nobody around. Outside of campus is similarly very safe, especially north of campus where most of the off-campus housing is. There are SC students going around all the time, and most of the people who live in the neighborhood love us.</p>
<p>The University Park campus itself is very safe. The school’s gated, and there are always DPS (Department of Public Safety, or basically the campus police) officers patrolling.</p>
<p>The area North of campus is also very safe, since that’s where most of the off-campus housing is. I live there right now, and I sometimes bike home at 1 or 2 am in the morning without having to worry much about my safety. Many of these streets still have groups of students walking/biking as late as 12:30 - 1:00 in the morning. There are also security personnels who stand guard at regular intervals along some of the streets north of University Park, and they’re often out until late, late at night.</p>