This was posted a couple of days ago but here is the link to Trojan Check again.
https://trojancheck.usc.edu/consent
There are a couple of webcams on campus if you want to peek in
3 Likes
What have parents and/or students of existing students or expected students do in between semesters (move out 
process and storage) for OOSers ?
Suggestions please
1 Like
Curious of your comparison of USC and BU? My son got in to both. He was able to visit BU, but not sure we’ll make it to USC. George Washington Univ. is also an option.
There are several businesses that will pick up and store packed boxes and small furniture. They deliver to the new housing location in the fall. USC Housing offers this service. Also, a private company: Campus Storage. I’m sure there are more. Much easier than finding a storage unit (but that’s an option too).
1 Like
Hello. In terms of the physical campus itself, the USC campus is one of the nicest I have ever seen, and we have visited a ton of schools over the past 5 years. It was almost like being on a movie set – it seemed that “perfect”. When we visited USC, it was pre-COVID. The campus was bustling with students – walking, biking, skateboarding to/from classes; there were flowers, fountains, statues; kids playing soccer, frisbee, reading, or chatting in small groups in the green spaces. I would describe the USC campus as pristine, clean, and well-organized, with architecture that seems to flow together (as opposed to lots of random buildings in different styles). And the students seemed “happy” (I won’t name them, but this is in comparison to a few other schools we visited where the campus was eerily quiet and the students seemed depressed [not BU]).
While both USC and BU are in a city setting, the USC campus is self-contained and you know when you are on vs. off campus, whereas the BU campus is more “blurred” into the city itself. What the BU campus lacks, it does have the advantage of being in Boston – in my opinion, you cannot beat Boston as a place to live and be a student [I grew up in Massachusetts and lived in Boston as an adult]. The city itself is the “campus” – you can walk to Fenway Park, sail on the Charles River, see the Boston Pops on the Esplanade, and be on the beach in Maine or downtown New York City in 3 hours by Amtrak. You do not need a car and can get anywhere you need to go easily on foot or on the “T” (get a Charlie Card.) Biking in Boston would be a little dicey due to Boston drivers not being the most deferential.
Academically, USC is much stronger than BU for what my son is interested in. We live in the Midwest right now and while he always had a vision of himself being in Boston for college, he has chosen USC due to its academic strengths. I have no concerns about the USC campus itself, but the “getting beyond” the campus may be more challenging at USC than it is in Boston.
Good luck to your son as he makes his selection.
2 Likes
I agree with foxmom111. We visited USC in Feb 2020. It was truly amazing. Being accepted there was like a dream, and here we are!!!
2 Likes
Jumping in on this conversation, as well as making a mention to an above comment about the allure of USC. The admissions/marketing team is doing a phenomenal job wooing accepted students…massive opportunities for engagement before committing. Live panels from current students, deans of the schools, faculty, emails from current students and AOs. My D21 is deciding between USC and U of Michigan and USC is really selling themselves well. We can’t get there to visit before May, but have visited Michigan. No financial aid… looking for some outside opinions. I know the same schools have been compared in previous posts, but the pro/con list is just so similar (aside from weather).
The calculator projected amounts from USC ranging from 20-30K, and she didn’t get any scholarship awards.
Looked at the calculator for all the CSS profile schools on D21’s list she’s been accepted to, and awards from other schools (NYU, American, Drexel, Northeastern) were in the projected ranges, maybe off by $1500-2000 or so. Those seem reachable because she got merit scholarships on top of grants.
Aside from appeals, I think we’ll do a visit to Drexel and her 2 New York schools next week to round things out.
Anybody have experience with the deferral process to any of these schools, as a way of relieving some of the 4-year cost? For example, deferring a Fall to a Spring admit and knocking off a few general ed courses (English, Foreign Language, Science reqs) so that money spent is for the actual major program.
@Bethsecond I just replied on U Mich chat too
S has visited USC campus 2x in the last few days. It is absolutely beautiful and massive.
We keep hearing that there is so much available for them here on campus, and there appears to be, but the concerning part is where they go off campus and the surrounding areas which are unfortunately plagued with homeless encampments (a very sad reality). I’ve seen a lot on the East Coast, but absolutely nothing like this. (Downtown LA, Sunset & Hollywood Blvds, etc).
We don’t want S limited to life on campus. There are some amazing places, a short 20 min. drive away, but IMO not walkable or easily assessable places off campus. Maybe the students share an Uber, take the tram, have a car on campus, etc??
… but the unfortunate souls living in those tents and on the streets are a real concern. By no means am I exaggerating, it’s a huge problem here and concerning.
As mentioned above… the easiest solution is USC Housing’s own storage service. They will bring you the boxes, come back on a scheduled pick-up day in May, store the items for the summer and bring the boxes back on a scheduled move-in day in August. It’s super easy. I assume Campus Storage is similar, but we never used them. I highly recommend USC Housing’s option. But some student go in together for a storage unit. My older daughter did that once… but that was enough. Way too much work for the potential slight savings in money… at least in my opinion. I had two daughters attend from Florida, and the simplest option turned out to be the best.
1 Like
To me, as an OOS parent, the element of being “happy” that you mentioned was critically important when deciding where to send my two daughters. It is why they and I really looked into the Niche rankings for every college and university that they were comparing.
For those curious… the last time I checked, USC was ranked #19 overall on the Niche College Rankings and its grades are: A+ for its Overall Niche Grade… and then by category: Academics A+, Value A+, Diversity A+, Campus A+, Athletics A+, Party Scene A+, Professors A+, Location B+, Dorms A-, Campus Food A-, Student Life A+, Safety B.
But here is likely the best indicator… and it ties into your “happy” quotient… USC was ranked #1 out of 1579 colleges and universities surveyed in terms of “Best Student Life” overall. The college experience is four years after all. If affordable and admitted, why not strongly consider the option of enjoying the best student life possible?
And do not worry about escaping the USC area. There are free Lyft rides within the set USC zone… plus there is a campus station for a train that you can take to Santa Monica and elsewhere. Zip cars used to be available on and near campus to rent by the hour too. And Uber and Lyft rides can basically take students anywhere quickly. Downtown is a short Uber ride away. Exposition Park and all that it offers is just a short walk away. My girls saw plenty of other stuff over time in the general L.A. area… Hollywood, Venice Beach, The Getty Museum, The Grove and Farmer’s Market, other malls and shopping areas, Manhattan Beach, Long Beach, downtown L.A. and especially LA Live, Malibu, Disneyland and California Adventure, Universal Studios, Beverly Hills, most of the major studios in the area, hiking in the Hollywood Hills, the Griffith Observatory, the Greek Theatre, etc., etc. The best advice… make friends with a student or students with their own car… then there are no real obstacles to exploring. But even without such, getting around is not that difficult, and there is plenty to do beyond campus. During orientation, they have planned trips for groups to help show you some of the options.
3 Likes
We are a Socal Family… and sadly the homelessness problem is a familiar sight and quite shocking to the first, second and umpteenth time visitor. Especially since many have a “vision” of what Downtown LA, Sunset & Hollywood Blvd. should be thanks to TV shows and postcards. Locals know that many of these areas are troublesome and completely over rated on the “to do” list. There are some wonderful areas… just not necessarily the ones that first come to mind for many. As an OOS I can understand wanting to take it all in. Know that most areas are good but like any town have areas to avoid… given how huge Los Angeles is the “bad” parts are on a larger scale too. This can really be a culture shock. I did not grow up here… but even to this day the population size boggles me. Eveything is on a larger scale - the wealth as well as the destitution.
My H and parents are very very concerned about the location of USC. I too am concerned but I believe I need to trust that when they say it is safe it is on campus. Extended perimeter patrols ease the mind but like you the thought of my D heading off campus worries me however I do not wish for her to feel “confined/bored” on campus. As I learn more and more each day I understand there to be so many friends to be made and 100’s of clubs etc. to be involved in that any desire to venture off campus would be done as part of a group. With my D I think she will be so overwhelmed with the new college life that this wouldn’t even appeal to her for some time. I am telling myself that the schools biggest asset is the brand name of USC and will do all they can to keep the kids safe in and around the school. I totally understand your concerns and wish it were not the reality of being in a large city. Much of the homeless population are not necessarily “local” either… like many they too are drawn by the almost constant perfect weather. It is a very contentious leadership topic and issue - sadly with no simple resolve 
I can’t see kids wanting to explore in the direct neighborhood and I am certain it is discouraged repeatedly. There is no chance I would let me D commute as that stresses me out but I think I will be ok with her living on campus with more than enough there to keep her busy and happy :))) Besides… I told her we planted a tracking device on her, if she roams off campus without prior consent there will be repercussions! 
5 Likes
USC publishes all incident/resolution reports. While the encampments are unsightly, the vast majority of crimes are not committed by people experiencing homelessness. In fact, those people are often the victims. Crime is a real concern at USC. Just last week two people (including a student) were robbed at gunpoint at the USC Metro platform. But the university is transparent about the problem and is very responsive. I suspect these problems persist at all urban universities, but I don’t have any specific information about other schools.
2 Likes
Unbelievably thoughtful of you to share you insight and perspective…
We are from NYC, born and raised, and we have seen a lot over the years, and started to see a resurgence of crime and unfortunate despair too.
Obviously, we all want our Ss and / or Ds to have to the opportunity to attend such a prestigious school (which has a national academic reputation, alumni base, etc), especially after all the hard work and dedication it took them to get accepted.
Decision time soon awaits…
Did you get free shipping on the tracking device on Amazon Prime ? 
Best to all !! Best to us too 
1 Like
To the parents of prospective students, I would look through the info available through the following link about all measures that USC performs to keep its students safe…
These service include a # of things… free Lyft rides at night within the USC safety zone, after hours heightened security on campus, airport shuttles, emergency blue light phones, map showing the area patrolled by security around campus, self defense classes, the TrojansAlert network, etc.
Here is a map of the DPS patrolled area…
As a parent of daughters travelling from Florida to L.A., believe me I was initially concerned too. But over time, safety has lessened dramatically as a potential concern. Of course, common sense is an important aspect to any student’s transition to college… as is the buddy system, etc. Students though quickly learn where it is safe and which neighborhoods near campus to avoid. The DPS patrolled area is fairly large though… and includes The ROW… so there is no real reason to roam beyond its boundaries on foot or by bike. And if you venture further, simple take an Uber or Lyft or public transportation.
1 Like
Update: My friend in SDA asked someone in their department, and they told them that scholarships should come out within the next week. Another friend in Kaufman received a scholarship a week or two ago. I recommend contacting someone in your department and asking; it can go a long way! Good luck 
1 Like
Thank you for this information. I did send an email to the department and did not receive a response. I’m going to follow up. Has anyone received a departmental scholarship from Marshall? Does anyone know how much the scholarships typically are that are awarded now?
Do you know if these kids were already committed or not when they received the scholarship?
@Azzurri2006 I will just add a a couple things that haven’t been mentioned.
In terms of the area - yes, surrounding USC is definitely, for lack of better term, urban grime mixed in with some working class neighborhoods. I definitely have a love hate thing going with the area.
First, there is also Campus Cruiser run by USC and employing USC students that provides free rides throughout the campus zone and surrounding neighborhood. So they actually have a USC student driving them or escorting them from library back home at 1am if they need it. Free Lyft rides go further outside that zone as well.
https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/campus-cruiser-program/
People definitely go outside of campus! Keep in mind you are seeing it now in absence of 40,000 students. Imagine those few blocks full of tens of thousands of USC kids. So what stands out now is an area overrun by some really big issues, and they are there. But during “normal times” the area is also overrun with students. When the campus and surrounding neigborhood are full of students, you see them. They are up and down Figeuroa at all the eatieries, walking in the neighborhoods and shopping at Ralphs. Patrol is everywhere. Doesn’t mean one shouldn’t be careful and remain situational aware, but the concern, as @wwward mentions, lessons over time from the first impression. The students quickly learn what is safe and what is safer.
Not trying to paint anything pollyanna, but I remember my first solo business trip to NYC at 24 (before cell phones of course) and getting into a cab from JFK with my tidy business suit on, thinking this cab driver could dump me in the river on the way to my hotel and no one would know. So I got chummy with the cab stand guy while waiting, so when my picture showed up in the paper, maybe he would rememeber me. lol. Point is, these kids are likely going to have to navigate urban areas in their life, and sometimes alone like I was. I honestly believe the time at USC made all my kids sharper about life in general and I am more confident when they drive across country for fun with friends or other random things. It’s not all a Hallmark movie town out there. They know what is out there. They are always situationally aware. Literally the first weekend one of mine was at USC as a freshman, him and a new friend took a combination of buses and trains and any other public transportation to get to Disneyland. Took them 5 hours, they still had to walk 2 miles, but they figured it out. Since it was his first weekend there, I was glad I found out afterwards, but it was a great adventure and learning experience for them.
As mentioned, there is so much to do down there around town, but there is actually a lot they do in and all around campus.
4 Likes
This is an exceptional piece of information 
. Thanks for your personal account too (hysterical NYC 
story) … Yes, you make many valid points about a true student body. God willing our S/D get to enjoy the “norm” again.
Our kids really do need to navigate and utilize all that is available / afforded to them, especially their instincts, rational and to buddy up while stepping away from campus.
Going to take some time to get into a comfort zone, knowing S/D are a plane ride (not car ride) away
Thanks again to you and to all on the USC forum!
3 Likes