<p>Bmom, your son will probably have some local friend invite him over for Thanksgiving dinner. Alternatively, one thing he might consider is to participate on a charity event serving dinner to the elderly or homeless folks. If other students participate with him, they will have fun and will give them a nice sense of purpose and community service.</p>
<p>I suggest that you pose this question on a new thread called "Thanksgiving plans" and find out what has happened with current USC students. Since around 40-50% of the students are from California, the possibility exists that your child could find local friend(s) who may extend an invitation for Thanksgiving. However, I would not count on it. This might also be a topic of conversation at home after orientation to find out how strongly your child feels one way or the other about staying vs. coming home for Thanksgiving.
You might also want to contact one of the religious organizations, if any are relevant to you, to see if they have a student's Thanksgiving dinner.</p>
<p>This is so helpful. </p>
<p>So another thought---For those who live within driving distance, do the kids come home a lot? Because I went away to school, I think it's better for them to stay on campus, but my friend (a great USC alum) says she was happy to get home and study in quiet for a day or two. Any guidance on this topic?</p>
<p>thanks, I like the suggestion of him participating on a charity event, Tuitionsaver, especially since I doubt that he'll get invited home for dinner just 2 months into school. </p>
<p>and mdcissp, good suggestion on starting a new thread. I think a lot of the current students aren't on the forum anymore since they've finished school already. maybe wait till Aug to start that thread.</p>
<p>madbean, it is my understanding that during the fall semester football season even local kids tend to stay on campus during the weekends and that they go home more during spring semester.</p>
<p>bmom, it would really surprise me if your son doesn't get invited somewhere for Thanksgiving. That will be three months after he arrives on campus - and kid months are somewhat like dog years.</p>
<p>You might want to ask at Orientation if USC has anything planned for students Thanksgiving or if the dorms close. I would just not count on a prospective friend you know for a few months to invite you for Thanksgiving which is really a big family week-end. However, since around half the incoming freshmen are out of state, it is possible that something will be going on at USC for Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>i feel like i should be taking notes to remember all the things i need to ask and do and then i remember also that i need to leave things up to s to deal with on his own. oh well, i'll still take notes for myself and casually make suggestions to him when the time comes.</p>
<p>About locals coming home on the weekends- </p>
<p>We have found that this really varies based on the student. S has a car and we see him about once a month or every other month because of holidays or birthdays (about a 45 min drive). A couple who live in our neighborhood don't have cars, but come home almost every weekend (parents pick them up.) For those who do come home often, it tends to taper off after the first semester or after the first year.</p>
<p>mdcissp: re Physics, you are right AP Physics doesn't count for anything for engineering majors, at least. However a good AP score may qualify your student for Honors Physics 161, 162, 163, which is as my son said, "slacker" Physics, because the best prof teaches it and spices it up with speakers, field trips, and other special stuff on the assumption that the basics have already been mastered. He really enjoyed it.</p>
<p>to dt123: What score do you need on the AP Physics to get into Physics 161-163? May I ask do most of the kids get a grade of A or B in the 160 series? Just wondering since it is supposed to be hard. Thank you for the insight. Also, do you take Physics your freshman year at Viterbi? Is your son at Viterbi? if yes, how does he like it?</p>
<p>We're about a 40-minute drive each direction. Our daughter left her car home due to the parking expense. She's come home fairly infrequently. Last fall, for example, she came home for a weekend to celebrate her b'day and at Thanksgiving. This spring she came home when we had theater tickets and when she had a summer job interview, along with spring break. She is so busy at school, between football, her church youth group and Sunday night church service, etc., that she doesn't like to miss things. And it's actually much easier for her to find a quiet place to study at school than at home with three younger siblings (grin). </p>
<p>Although we don't see her often, we speak via cell phone probably once a day, and use email. It's been really nice because she just enjoys sharing what she's doing, telling us about her classes, activities, etc., but at the same time she's handling everything very independently -- much more independently than I expected, especially at first. So I think it's been a good mix of independence and communication. </p>
<p>There have been a couple upset phone calls, but for the most part her transition and continued happiness have been far beyond our initial expectations. I give a lot of credit to USC and programs like Learning Communities (highly recommended -- free theater and sports events!) and Visions and Voices (more free theater, ballet, and concerts!). Her RA in Marks Tower last year did an excellent "community building" job with the girls on their floor eating Sunday night dinner together and other activities. Welcome Week is good, too. </p>
<p>If your child is religiously inclined, USC is very faith-friendly and there are many active religious groups which can be a good way to make new friends. There are all sorts of other groups, too, including various sports leagues (ultimate Frisbee and so on). Encourage your student to try to join at least one group of some sort, as that makes a good starting place to get to know people along with the dorms and classes. Many of the groups have information tables in the quad early in the school year, and some things (like sports leagues between dorms) are advertised inside the dorms.</p>
<p>Freshman year my daughter invited a girl on her dorm floor who was from out of state home for Thanksgiving, and the girl had already accepted an invitation from another girl on the floor. So an invitation is very possible. But researching alternative plans will provide peace of mind.</p>
<p>mdcissp: I don't know what the treshold qualifications are or the grade distributions. The classes are intended for those that did very well in high school physics and do not want a do-over of the basics in college. For this much $$ per unit, who wants to waste money on do-overs? The sequence has been around a while now and it is popular, so they must have the qualifications, hardness and grading just about right.</p>
<p>S graduates next week after 4 years in Viterbi. He liked it, but really, what's not to like? I have found everything about USC to be exceptional. Completely satisfied customer here.</p>
<p>USC</a> President - Speeches and Articles - 2008 - Faculty Address</p>
<p>I don't think that this has already been cited. If so I apologize. Otherwise this should be of interest to understand where USC has come from and where it intends to go.</p>
<p>To dt123: Congratulations on your son's upcoming graduation. Is he going for the masters or is he working? Did he find a lot of companies coming to campus looking to hire the Viterbi students? Like yourself, my son likes everything about USC and really looks forward to going to Viterbi Engineering in the fall.</p>
<p>It's just wonderful to hear about all your happy/successful kids who have made it through USC, each with such a different path. Congrats to each parent--you are my role models. LOL.</p>
<p>The stories about how your s or d has separated from home, kept in touch with moms and dads by cell or IM, are so instructive. I hope more posters will join in and tell their adventures, as each anecdote adds a new layer. PBK Mom's report on her D's activities illustrated how involved a student can get within her new chosen community of friends, which is what we hope will happen to our new freshmen. Also, as each of our kids is so different, I like knowing there's a variety of ways for kids to "fit" into the college life at USC.</p>
<p>New question: for those whose kids didn't know their roommate in advance, any stories how this turned out? What dorm? Where was the roommate from? Did they get in contact before move-in day? Any disasters? Friends for life?</p>
<p>Thanks, thanks thanks.</p>
<p>Thanks PBKMom, that's good info there. Could you comment a little bit more on the programs Learning Communities and Visions and Voices? Are these special programs they sign up for as extra curricular activities?</p>
<p>Mine had different results on roommates. S1 did it all by chance. Roommate could not have been better. He lived about an hour from us so they got together before they moved in and saw it would be a good match. S1 is an idea guy who was happy to have an engineering major roommate who loved to build his "ideas" around their room!</p>
<p>D had a bad experience. She met someone at orientation and thought she'd met her soul-roommate. Roommate said she was easy-going, loved music, agreed with D on everything. They signed up and on move-in day, D realized that it was a big mistake (roommate yelled at her mom the whole time.) Roommate had not been truthful about her habits (wishful thinking on her part?) She didn't like music playing- ever. She was judgmental, uptight, worried all the time, mean, vindictive, jealous, and loved to sabotage (think Mean Girls.) (OK, yeah, I only heard one side of it...)</p>
<p>S2 is rooming with someone he knew in PRESCHOOL, but had moved away. It has been perfect. They will room together next year as well. I guess those early impressions we get as toddlers can be insightful and correct.</p>
<p>It really takes much patience, tolerance, and compromise to have a good roommate experience. I don't think it is as important to find someone who has much in common with you as it is to find a kind, easy-going, flexible roommate (and be one.)</p>
<p>Re: President Sample's address--this really important for us newbie parents. Any idea when we get on the mailing list for these sorts of things?</p>
<p>If you google for "Renaissance Scholar", you'll find the article.</p>
<p>USC</a> President - Speeches and Articles - 2007 - Phi Beta Kappa</p>
<p>What is the GPA requirement?</p>