@lkbux64 My daughter goes to target or trader joes when she needs money - pays for something she needs anyway (even if it is like $2) and gets cash out with paying with her debit card. No fees and doesn’t matter which bank.
Thanks @Marcie123 @WWWard, @JohnGaltIII, and @TreeAlum!
Is it worth going to explore USC? We have already been to discover USC and my daughter will definitely be attending USC in the fall.
@sonsav It depends on how close you are and how convenient it is to do so. Just attending orientation is sufficient for most and especially for anyone who lives a distance away from USC & who has already visited and is committing.
@sonsav Agree with @WWWard. I will add, that even though my youngest had been to USC probably 30 times (no kidding), I did take her to admitted Explore. To be on campus after you are admitted is a whole different feeling than when you are just a “shopping applicant.” It was a super special day for us. I had that “Hallmark moment” there, where she was standing in front of me talking and the campus behind her just looked magical and that feeling washed over me that said, “she belongs here, this is THE school for her.” Sorry if that is mushy dramatic… you would think I would have already known that, having kids there already, but it really was an emotional moment, I just I realized it was truly right for her and remember it like it was yesterday. I found peace in the decision, even though I already had it, if that makes sense. 
So I guess that will always endear me to Explore.
When we first got to Explore and were meandering around Bovard Auditorium, we met her advisor and even though she hadn’t physically met him before, he saw her name tag and was like, “oh hey, your from xyz high school,” then specifically referenced parts of her bio and essay…so he really knew her which made her feel great. Sitting in Bovard with the other admits, hearing Brennan’s talk (amazing public speaker) and the band playing - it is super fun and also a pride filled moment for all, and makes parents feel less bad about the tuition bills coming over the next four years.
Gosh, don’t want to make anyone feel bad about not going, it is certainly not necessary, but if going isn’t too big a stretch financially and time-wise, it can be really cool and another adventure with them before they go off to college.
@CADREAMIN you really paint an emotion filled picture. ? Thank you.
Huge difference! This the main reason why my son wants to step back on campus, even if it’s not an official event 
@WWWard @CADREAMIN Thank you both for all your advice during this whole process. We have been following pretty much everything you two have been saying- even the box moment! So we will be taking our D to Explore. Thank you @romns116. Love this group!!
@sonsav Happy to hear that! It’s where it all becomes real for them and you will get to share in that - even the air feels different as they realize they really do get to go there, while feeling the possibilities and opportunities that await them.
tbh, move in and graduation can be stressful trying to get things done, be on time, get a good seat, etc., this is one of the few non-stress events! Enjoy!
@sonsav you’re welcome. And yes… enjoy. Make those memories!
@CADREAMIN @WWWard Our daughter can’t attend Explore, but she signed up for Admitted Student’s Day on the 27th. Can you share your thoughts on the differences between these two events? Thanks.
Admitted Student’s Day is virtually the same as Explore, just on a weekend. It’s so close to May 1, that Explore is just better if student needs more time, say if they still have a couple schools to decide between. You are able to see some of the residence halls on admitted student’s day, but otherwise the same and both are each rah rah in their own way. Either one is great and you get lots of questions answered by picking the things you want to do.
If you do the bus tour of the neighborhood at these events, be sure to see how long the wait is…you can burn an hour waiting (if they get behind), so ask the student ambassador working the line what the wait is before you just get in the back of it.
Quick housing question – my son put in his housing application within the first hour that the housing portal opened. He is now having second thoughts about his dorm/room type selections. If he goes into the portal and switches things up will that negate his place in line based on the time of his original submission?
@ikbux64 Not at all. Can change anything up to time app closes on May 1st (or whatever date it is this year). You will not lose your time stamp - place in the queue. We even tested it and it worked! We literally changed preference to a single just two minutes before app closed (after being one of first to submit 2 minutes after portal opened). Did not have that as a choice at all and I texted her at school the morning the app was closing and said, “hey, would you want to go for a single?” It was a totally impulsive last minute move. If she didn’t get it, we figured she would get her second choice. There were only 4 singles in the building she wanted and she got it, so while we knew you were supposed to be able to change without issue, this is one thing I can say with 100% confidence - changing at even last second doesn’t change original time stamp.
@CADREAMIN you are amazing – thank you!
@ikbux64 Thank you, just been there done that - many times! Parents learn so much going through this once…then imagine doing it four times at the same school over a decade, I couldn’t help but pick up some tricks. I sometimes think I have seen about all there is to see - but I still learn from a lot from posters that share their experiences on here or with me in PMs.
Hi @CADREAMIN and @WWWard, or anyone else who knows the answer to this time-sensitive question. S19 was going to attend the Admitted Students event in Chicago at 3pm today. Does anyone know if this event is geared towards admitted students having the opportunity to get to meet and mingle, or is it mostly presentations and Q & A, which we would not be interested in. We attended a similar event sponsored by BU last weekend, and it was more of an Info Session, but for admitted students, which we don’t need. By contrast, Grinnell is sponsoring a gathering at a restaurant later this evening, that does seem much more social. USC is still S19’s probable choice, but it is down to USC, Northwestern and Grinnell, and trying to ascertain how the social fit will be for my S19 who has a long vetting process for making friends! Many thanks in advance to any replies in the next hour. It is also lousy weather today, with wet snow!!!
@CollegeOdyssey2001 We are going as well. We were at Berkeley Chicago Event last week, and it was mix of both. Short Presentation and Q&A followed by meet and mingle with Alumni over some refreshment. Expect similar. Deciding over USC, NW, UBC and UIUC. Wow. What a weather in Chicago!
@CollegeOdyssey2001 We went to one of these in Norcal with one of mine…I actually called them afterward and suggested they do more to help students mingle and get to know each other at the event. Initially there is some mingling (if the kid is social enough), with just a brief chance to talk to others before things start. But once the presentations/talk began, for the most part, kids sat at tables with their parents through the presentation and rah rah stuff. So you meet the people at your table, but it’s a mix of parents/students, so parents tend to do the talking. When done, you head out. So at least at ours, it was not particularly social in terms of kids meeting a lot more students. Still glad we went.
Maybe some operate differently, of all the things we have attended this was the least impactful. In USC’s defense, we found these the same for most schools we attended. The UCLA one had us in rows of seats with no chance to meet anyone, so I just don’t think these come close to on campus events.
But had we not gone, I would have wondered if we missed a chance to bond in some way or learn something and at this point we knew USC was it, so it was a chance to maybe even meet one person from the area… I always think if we learn one thing or meet one person it’s worth it, so it’s a tough call given your situation - weather, already not feeling it, other choices, etc.
Thanks for your comments, @bds61821 and @CADREAMIN. Leaning toward skipping now, given the ugly weather. Big question mark is the social aspect, and these events are not aimed at that it seems.