Given our lack of any non loan assistance - I think this is why D will hang her acceptance letter with pride… then in 4 years hang a diploma alongside it from a wonderful non financially burdening school. 
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Ok, thank you!!
Provost Charles Zukoski sent an email saying that they were increasing tuition by 2%. 2021-22 Cost of Attendance.
It shows how quickly things are changing. On Monday, LA County moves into the orange tier.
@WWWard Do you know where Fall admits to SCA tend to choose housing? My son stayed in McCarthy Honors College when he attended summer film school and loved how close it was to SCA. Still, I’m not sure that he can be considered there if he was not accepted as honors student? The housing brochures says: “Space in McCarthy Honors College is available on a first-come, first-served basis.” Do you know or have other suggestions? Thanks!
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Question for you. My son is excited about being accepted to USC. We are still waiting to hear how much it will cost. USC’s financial aid office keeps asking for more information. They requested two more years worth of earnings information (this year and and 2020). Is this normal? Our son was admitted to several other schools and none asked for more than 2019 earnings information.
Yes it is normal. @WWWard shares being asked for the same thing more than once and we see it taking well into April for some to get the FA. They have their own construct for giving aid and as a CSS school it is certainly more complicated than some.
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me thinks it’s time for the looooong housing post, hope it helps, particularly if you can’t get to campus…ymmv, this is part fact and part opinion, garner what you like…
I’ve had one or two students consistently at USC for last 10 years and spend a lot of time on campus, so this is what I have learned/seen over my time there and gleaned from my kids and their friends. I tried to update this best I can, of course, I am not sure what will change with this covid thing or if they have done any remodeling/re-assigning of buildings. If they have to limit # of people in a room/suite to less than what they currently have, it could change availablity/options. But generally speaking…
Here’s a rundown…of course individual experiences vary and room mates can certainly impact an experience. Many love the shiny new factor of the Village and parents certainly do, but I encourage parents to let their student decide - it is where they are living. Also keep in mind housing at Village is for merit student freshman that choose it, it is very very low probablility for other freshman. Sophomores fill it up normally, and this year you will likely have less than usual number of sophomores wanting to live off campus since they didn’t get to experience dorms as freshman. We see plenty of merit choosing to live elsewhere as they prefer the more social dorm experience over a suite experience. (Future reference/mental note - if your student applies for Village at some point, keep in mind that the loft layout is beyond TINY.)
For the most part, who you live with and around (having ability to meet people) is more important than the physical aspects of building. An 18 year old is adaptable, more than us old parent types! If the student doesn’t care about AC and wants a good social aspect (not saying party dorm, just super friendly atmosphere with lots of activities and ways to meet people) then Birnkrant, Pardee, Marks Tower are all great and part of the freshman quad. New North is definitely known as the fun dorm. But keep in mind the academic level of USC nowadays, no dorm is Animal House. Birnkrant kept it’s honors reputation (it was honors dorm prior to Village) and there is a Starbucks in the bottom of it. It is known as “8 floors of open doors.” I haven’t known anyone that didn’t love living there. Not fancy and a traditional dorm set up, but its academic/social balance remains strong. All these are just across the street from the Village shops and food.
If you want AC and suite set up, then Village, Parkside or Fluor all offer that, but a suite is a different social experience than the dorms. Some prefer this, others find them limiting socially, depends on the individual. Fluor is nice apartments but more closed door, not very social. Parkside is on the far side of campus, but newer building (relative to some others) and nice suites, close to engineering. Parkside residents do a lot together because they are off to themselves. Also known to have the best food.
Do not only list all 5 choices in the Village - or you will be surprised when you are stuck “wherever” because you don’t list enough choices building wise. If not in McCarthy honors, Village is an outlier of random/leftover spots (if any) for freshman (other than honors who get McCarthy). There are other places on campus where freshman living is focused. I get AC is huge or a must for some people, but I would suggest adding additional factors to that as the highest priority of your USC living experience if you can. Although there can be a couple periods of heat, it is California, not the south, no humidity. There is a reason shacks go for millions here.
Again, do not put all five configurations in one building because if full, then they get to make your “second choice” and will put you wherever they want. Give them some choices.
From being around a lot of students over the years, what I have heard consistently is the entire freshman quad area (Birnkrant, Pardee, Marks, etc.) is one of the best places you can live, even without AC. It is where you do the most as a freshman and can meet the most freshman. USC is a HUGE school with 40,000 people, a lot of them graduate students. In the freshman quad area it is great to be grabbing coffee at that Starbucks or sitting out by the pond with other freshman. If you are throwing frisbee in the lawn, or studying at a table outside, it is freshman sitting next to you and walking by. Anyone in that area is a freshman - all those buildings might as well be considered one building, they way everyone interacts. So if you choose or end up in the freshman quad area it will be great too. It is so easy to make friends over there. Parkside has it’s own little community on it’s side (although a lot socialize over at freshman quad side too) and students are really happy there too, it’s just a bit of a haul (relatively speaking) to the other corner of campus. But it has AC and super nice 8 person suites. I think they do a great job room mate matching if student answers the questionairre honestly.
Kids that are interested in going Greek tend to live in New North. It has been known that way for years. It has a big sorority/fraternity contingency that chooses to live there.
Don’t worry about living by your “major” school, as freshman you will likely be all over campus with GEs and activities. It’s not that big a campus, everything is pretty close really and there’s plenty of great options!
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Thank you for posting this – very helpful. I shared it with my son. I agree 100% that the kids should do the “leg work” and look into the various options and decide for themselves. Your post is very timely, as we were just talking about this yesterday.
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Those admitted with Merit are given first priority for McCarthy Honors College, but some others do manage to get placed there. There is no set place where SCA majors end up living. They are generally spread out based on other personal preferences and priorities. Many do likely meet via social networking or within the USC housing portal after applying though and request each other as roommates too.
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Thank you so much for this post. It’s exactly what I was looking for, since my daughter really didn’t know how to rank her preferences. 
Can you apply for parking if you live in any of the dorms/apartments/suites?
I apologize if this is an obvious question. If we were to not return to campus in the fall, would we have to pay anything for housing? In other words, is there a baseline “fee” for housing that we have to pay regardless of whether we choose to stay at home or go on campus? Thank you!
hey ! what was youe stats and ECs? - uk students hoping to apply next year
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i was predicted A*AA and my gcses were from 7-9 (i did ten gcses)
This past year there was no fee for housing or dining. Other fees were reduced as well.
Last year’s estimated cost of attendance is here and you can see that if a student lived at home with their parents, housing was zero.
This year’s estimated cost of attendance is here.
Thanks. This makes sense. My son did love the proximity of it . . . not to mention the various food places located in the village. But @CADreamin us right, they are truly adaptable at this age and he will do okay anywhere. 
Took the words right out of my mouth. Thank you @CADREAMIN. Forwarded on to my son to figure out best options for him.
Reading this lets me know that there is no scientific pattern for the schools…from my readings, this year’s admission year was especially brutal, probably even moreso for comp sci, interactive technology, or music tech/engineering majors. Northeastern has a superb curriculum for what your D wants to study. AND, there’s a very robust job market in proximity should she choose to stay or venture elsewhere
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We were asked the same thing. I am assuming that since my husband and I are both self employed our finances are not steady at all especially with COVID. I think they want a better/truer look at our finances which I hope falls in our favor. My problem is that 2020 tax forms are still not available 