Retreat is titled “How to Torture Applicants 101”
Morning Discussion: Delay Scholarship Notification Tactics
- Take retreat before sending scholarship acceptances
Afternoon Discussion: Using Snail Mail as effective means of torture
End of Day: Breakout sessions to determine what to say when student calls so that each department gives students different information.
@scotlandcalling i cracked up laughing so much on this one. the only post that lifted my spirits. thanks!
@scotlandcalling that’s funny
@scotlandcalling LOL perfect!
With an older daughter already at USC, I was aware that I/we had already developed a familial bias in favor of USC… but after researching the other 14 colleges that my younger daughter applied to this cycle online today… mainly in terms of the lay-out and ease of use related to their online portals and also regarding the various options for freshmen and upperclass student housing, the differential seems even greater. I have always been incredibly impressed by all the ways and means that USC communicates with its applicants and students. They are simply a very well oiled machine when it comes to admissions, financial aid, registration, advising, career/internship notifications, etc.
But - it also seems that USC is one of the few elite colleges offering significant options for freshmen living especially… with dorm style residence halls, suites and even apartments. Maybe if you are perfectly content with the idea of dorm living in a residence hall, acceptance to any elite college may be equivalent or relatively close on the freshmen housing front… but if not, USC does seem to truly stand alone. My older daughter has had an apartment all three years at USC so far… and has been very thankful for such as an option. Yale and Rice put a residential college spin on dorm living, but other than that, I could not identify much of a difference among the nation’s other top 25 universities. Only USC seems to offer variety for freshmen. If you know of other exceptions… please feel free to list them.
All of this is yet another reason why we are super eager to learn if and when daughter #2 gets to be a Trojan too…
Best of luck to all of this year’s applicants in terms of managing “the wait”…
^ Lol @WWWard was that your daughter’s why USC essay? 
@skiingislife4 No. mine.
Hers was all about film/tv production… i.e. why SCA.
@WWWard when the village opens… BOOM! It’s amazing.
Tip to applicants: if you do get in, get on the residential thing right away. There are lots of options, but if you want to choose your roommates before hand, the sign-up is a bit tricky (everyone has to be on the same page) and I’m pretty sure there it gets rolled out first-come/first-serve.
Good luck to everyone. I was a bit of an SC skeptic when D chose it last year, but I have to admit I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Lots of sizzle, but an encouraging amount of steak as well.
off topic q… but does usc let u choose ur roomate or is it random?
@wwward that’s great housing has been positive for your D. With having three at USC over the years, I think the housing has been the worst part of the school, so I guess we have different opinions. The freshman dorms are fine and were certainly fine, but a very few may get the better of those options like apartments, but beyond that it is no secret that housing at USC is been one of the biggest negatives of going there. Off campus housing can be ridiculous expensive, filthy and the rental agencies vary in the kindness and efficiency of dealing with students. But the University Village should solve part of that.
@CaliDad2020 Yes… it looks like the new USC Village will be an amazing campus extension.
@mmdins Yes… you can – and more importantly should… and then agree on all options exactly, if you want to get what you are seeking. It may be a little known approach or even trick… but if two freshmen-to-be admits request each other & also list the exact same preferences, there is a very excellent chance that you will be matched with that person and also get one of your top choices. My older daughter did exactly that… finding a roommate on CC and then they each listed the exact same room-type preferences. In the end, they became roommates and received preference #1.
@blueskies2day Sorry to hear that. I spoke with USC Housing the day my older daughter was admitted and gained the insight mentioned above. My daughter then used that method or tactic to get the freshman apt she wanted. And she has gotten the exact apt she wanted as a sophomore and junior too.
As you say, hopefully all of the new housing options within the USC Village will expand the opportunities for even more USC students to gain the housing they are seeking…
@mmdins - you have both options. My D at first was going to go “random” then at the “welcome to USC” kick-off she realized just what a wide range “random” would include at a school the size of SC so she found some students on FB or snapchat or whatever they use who were fairly “of the same mind” and met up with them (some by skype) and ended up doing a suite of 8 girls all of whom had at least “met” online (even tho 3 were from overseas.)
There is no guarantee, but if get on the sign up early and follow the complicated instructions (at least she said they were, I didn’t have any involvement.) it is possible. USC housing helped them out too, I know.
Hope this helps.
If you didn’t put USC as your first choice school on the National Merit Finalist application, can you still get the scholarship?
@y90y90 You have to list it as #1 by May 1st. You have time to do so after you know all your options.
As for Freshman Housing, Only honors students holding either the Mork Family, Stamps Leadership, Trustee or Presidential scholarships can choose new USC Village… right?
^^^Didn’t hear that freshman students are locked out - it will house 2500 undergrads, and 2016-2017 current freshman will have priority, but of the group you mentioned that is only about 300 something students who have typically been in Birkrant. While it does say those will move to UV, I think other freshman will have chance as well, just not priority, likely behind upper classmen. Non honors kids could live in Birkrant currently, but it wasn’t a strong choice for them.
@ttkk48 Correct… McCarthy Honors College is only for students holding either the Mork Family, Stamps Leadership, Trustee or Presidential scholarships. It is the only freshman option within USC Village.
Apparently, they just updated the website this week, and they also took away Webb and Cardinal Gardens as apt options for freshmen.
The options are now listed as:
FRESHMAN RESIDENCE HALLS
Birnkrant Residential College
Marks Hall
Marks Tower
New Residential College
North Residential College
Pardee Tower
Trojan Hall
FRESHMAN SUITES
Fluor Tower Residential College
McCarthy Honors Residential College
Parkside Arts & Humanities Residential College
Parkside International Residential College
Hey we’re having like a huge storm out here in socal and some streets are flooding , just a small note incase there’s a delay with the scholarship packets lol. At least we can feel a bit better
Wow, surprising that no freshman except scholy kids can live in UV with 2500 undergrads, but it is good that the uppers now have options. And no more apt options for freshman per the list it seems…
http://housing.usc.edu/index.php/buildings/fluor-tower-residential-college/
I see USC finally caught up and got into the “Residential College” craze in naming their buildings - I wonder if there is anything behind the names in terms of community. SCU started this years ago, but their residential colleges have implications beyond a well thought out theme, it affects courses and GE paths, and who is in your classes, it’s pretty cool for getting to know people for the four years there.