My son was also choosing between USC and UMich. We are only getting $3k/year discount each. That’s it. In the end, he chose USC because of the weather, one of the desired schools in Silicon Valley with USC in the top 5 and, believe it or not, the admission scandal made everyone aware how difficult it is to get into USC and he love that.
@bob53765 congrats to your son! My daughter just finished her freshman year. She also liked the scandal and the fact that she got into a school that people would pay that much money to attend!
@Safalm2019 @bob53765 Congrats on the decisions! Fight On!
My son is thrilled! I have never, ever seen him so happy! He can’t wait to get started. Can anyone give advice on moving them across the country? Pick up everything at Bed, Bath and Beyond? Where? @WWWard @CADREAMIN
@dorothyday Congrats! My daughters’ move was from Florida to L.A., so they just brought clothes and their other essentials. Both ordered a linen package that included a comforter, sheets, towels, pillow, etc. from Our Campus Market who delivered it to them on Move In Day. Once in L.A., I also took them to the downtown L.A. Target to get whatever else they needed. Amazon Prime (which offers discounts for students) is also super helpful, as they can order almost anything and get it the next day.
@DorothyDay Welcome to the Trojan Family! If there are two or three of you flying, and you happen to fly Southwest, that is 4 or 6 free suitcases that can hold a lot of stuff. (Or you just pay for bags depending on who you fly.) My kids are picky about their bedding and sheets, so I would bring those if he is as well, otherwise, like @WWWard says, you can order them from the school service or get them from a store around town. Twin XL aren’t that big to pack. Are you renting a car and staying for awhile or just dropping in and out pretty quickly? Shopping around town can be a challenge, but if you are there for a few days, then it can be something to do and let you explore. If I needed to shop, rather than look for the closest place, I would just head to Manhattan Beach area to shop and grab some lunch, take a picture on the pier, etc. Better stores, nicer area, 20-25 minute drive in middle of the day or Saturday. Commute time more like 40-50 minutes.
Good news is now there is that Target right there on campus in the Village and while not a full size Target, it is amazing what they actually have in there. The bookstore also has a lot of things and there is a CVS just off campus. So laundry stuff, toiletries or anything potentially messy to pack, he can get there.
He can bring a basic amount of clothes to get started and you can always ship him other things later…and yes, Amazon Prime is the only way to go. We just share it and I have my credit card on there for them to get what they want when they need it. Package delivery is very good there - they pick up at their building or at a center at the Village.
If I think of anything else, I will come back around.
@DorothyDay
Here’s a thread that probably explores different stuff in getting things here or there - there are usually a couple of these threads each year. Hopefully he is not an engineer that wants 3 monitors on his desk :). Many of those types just get them at school or on Amazon unless driving them in. I had one of those, but we are a 5-6 hour drive away and always drive rather than fly…many many times over last 9 years.
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/2142980-shipping-sons-stuff-to-college-p1.html
does anyone know if the students admitted from appeals will receive the boxes that everyone else got in March?
@jakeehansenn what boxes are you talking of. Can you please clarify?
Accepted applicants for fall enrollment receive a white box sent via U.S. mail containing a formal acceptance letter and information about the school. Most boxes were received in the mail March 22-23 this year.
what is the address that incoming freshman should use for package delivery (like via Amazon)?
Amazon has a pick up location in the Village. It the easiest way for them to get their packages. Once housing is confirmed each building has an address.
@jakeehansenn Yes you should expect a box in the mail soon with your USC acceptance stuff. 
It depends. Once freshmen are assigned an housing assignment, you will be able to look up the customer service / mail stop address for that dorm or suite. Delivery should of course be delayed until Move-In Day or possibly just before then.
Basically, go to https://housing.usc.edu/ and then “Housing Options” and then find the building. From there, you will see the mailing address. For example, the first listed is BIRNKRANT RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE. Its address is: 642 WEST 34TH STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90089. Just add the students name. You do not really need the unit #, but you could add it once you know it. Its customer service center or mail stop is: New Residential College. It serves Birnkrant and New North. So anyone getting mail or packages would pick it or them up there. When packages arrive that do not simply fit in your mailbox, they email you at your usc.edu email address and let you know that they are holding it for you.
Here’s a link to all customer service centers and which buildings they serve: https://housing.usc.edu/index.php/csc/#new-residential-college
I am an international student from Singapore who has decided to attend USC this fall. I plan to arrive in LA on 16th August. According to the USC website, exams end on 18th December and winter break starts on the 19th December. So would it be advisable for me to book my return ticket to Singapore for the 19th of December??
Hey all spring admits. I just checked with the dean of undergraduate admissions and he said that the fall term is completely full, and that 350 students currently have admission to the spring term, and out of those 300 students he anticipates that 275-300 of them will end up enrolling. Which means that we will not end up being moved to fall admission at all, it’s just not possible.
@futurestudent66 It’s probably safe to make your reservation for the 19th, but you may be done with finals earlier. Once you register for classes you should have a better idea when you will be done. So it might be better to wait.
Has anyone received their housing assignment yet?
@futurestudent66 Agree with Tucker, you should wait. They put out the finals schedule the same time you are registering for classes and it is strongly adhered to, so you should have plenty of time to make plans. Last fall, my D had the last final on the last day in December. As a side note, she also had to be out of her dorm at 5pm that day when taking a final from 4-6. (I guess you could get a work around, but still, you don’t want to have to deal with that or staying an extra day if not necessary, because most head out when done so there aren’t that many around.) For this past semester all her finals were on day one, so she could come home on May 2 rather than having to be there until May 8th (last day). So you could get more days or even close to a week longer at home depending on how your class finals are scheduled. Once you register for classes, search 2019 USC finals schedule and you will see your day/times.
The good news is USC finals usually end early enough to not be near the high prices of holiday travel, so you should be ok to wait a bit.
@safalm2019 That makes a lot more sense. The figure 1500 was posted earlier, which was way too big a number for spring admits. 300-400 has been the norm.