<p>...and can tell me about it?</p>
<p>I guess not.</p>
<p>My D is a freshman.
What do you want to know, tdanielle?</p>
<p>How does she like it? How hard is it to get in? What particular things do they consider important (ie community service/involvement?)? What does she think of the campus? What is the overall general social attitude (ie very studious or heavy partying)? What would she change? Does she like her profs? </p>
<p>...sorry. I guess that was alot of questions</p>
<p>-Probably about 40% overall acceptance rate and getting tougher
-Besides SAT/GPA obviously, other things such as EC's, rec's, etc. are weighted heavier than at public schools.; they care more about the applicant as a holistic person
-Campus is awesome; one of the best that I've ever seen; 5 minutes form beach
-Not a ton of partying on campus, most usually go to the beach (where a lot of USD upperclassmen live), Tijuana, downtown, SDSU to socialize
-Professors are very friendly; definitely easily accessible and willing to help; care a lot more about you than say profs at large public schools</p>
<p>I'm terrified. I find out in a few days and it's my top choice. I'm going to be so disappointed if I don't get in.</p>
<p>just thought id drop by this thread and give my 2 cents worth.. im a current freshmen at USD and am open to questions!</p>
<p>my HS GPA was a 3.94.. my SAT was a 1790...</p>
<p>i agree with everything that westcoast101 says, but im not entirely happy with the campus (my personal opinion of course). the gardens are nice though.</p>
<p>How's the social scene?</p>
<p>ZeroNiner, tell us what it is about the campus that you do not like. Most reports are very positive about the campus, so please give us the other side! (There is always another side.)</p>
<p>dbsilverman24-
social scene is... alright. But there isnt much diversity. and by diversity, i mean the kinds of people. A good amount of people are fashion/self-image conscious, but some just dont care. Definitely upscale though. Nevertheless, I was able to find a good group of people who care about their grades. </p>
<p>Things people do for fun: Go to the beach, Sea World (you can see the place from the college! some say you can see shamu jump when he's performing), Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, and of course TJ.</p>
<p>Parties: Typically happen by the beach where the seniors live. Parties rarely take place on campus.</p>
<p>Adultparentmom!-
Well, let me just say this is my own personal opinion... you may actually like the things i describe...anyhow, here it is:</p>
<h2>At first I thought the campus was wonderful. Nice tall buildings with beautiful and elegant designs carved into it. But everything is white! or offwhite... I understand that they are keeping a theme but to me, it just made everything really plain. The only two buildings that i think the university did of making a good job of was the Peace and Justice building and the Science and Tech Building. Everything else was jus plain... I prefer the buildings of USC, heck, I even found some CSU's more college oriented. Here, i feel like im somewhere else. You should really take a tour of the campus to decide if thats what your son/daughter would prefer. School hasnt started back up just yet, but prolly by this weekend i can take pictures of the campus for you if you live out of state.</h2>
<p>Hope this is helping. Ill stop by this thread again sometime tonight.</p>
<p>Thank you ZeroNiner for your answers. I thought you were going to say that the buildings were dangerous or something! Sounds like it is just a matter of taste. Some like contemporary and some like traditional. We are in CA, but about three hours away and have not visited the campus yet. Any pics would be great. I feel the same way you feel about USD, about Pepperdine. Big, plain, stucco blocks stuck on a hill in Malibu, with a spectacular view. My daughter thinks Pepperdine is gorgeous! We will visit USD when (and if) she gets her acceptance. She applied about a week ago, I think, so, nothing yet. Let us all know what you like, why you chose USD, etc.</p>
<p>Things i like about USD:
-The teachers are very helpful. You can almost always get a hold of them and ask them whatever questions you may have.
-The campus is relatively small and its probably about a 15-20 minute walk from one end of campus to the other.
-Class sizes are really small compared to what my friends at UC's and public schools. The largest class size i had my 1st semester was about 38 people, and my smallest class size was 18 people (for my english and chem lab). From what my friends say, some of their classes are 100+.
-The Science and Tech building is just wonderful, but its a fact that the university was not expecting such a large number of science majors this year. Space is very limited when it comes to the labs.
-There are 2 Churches available, the one in Founders and the Immaculata. So you shouldnt really have a problem finding a seat for Mass.
- Theres some diversity in food. There are... 6 places on campus you can eat. 1. Cafeteria, 2. Grill (here they serve sushi, burritos, burgers, pizza, salads), and the rest sell mainly sandwiches.
- Also, there are trams that run throughout the campus. its about a 15 minute wait after one leaves a stop.
-the campus is only 10 minutes away from the airport! Literally. So if you decide to take the plane, no rush. Youll use the commuter terminal (instate) thats not so jam packed like the main terminal thats used for out of state flights. </p>
<p>Why I chose USD:
Hahaha... kinda haunts me, but it was the best school (from a statistical p.o.v.) that accepted me. I was hoping to get into the University of Rochester, but that didnt happen.</p>
<p>Some thoughts:
I submitted my application to USD like the last day you could. I didnt find out until... um... maybe it was march? it was close to the end of the school year though. people that did the early action/decision should be finding out right about now. or in the next few weeks. Oh, and if your daughter likes space, definitely a good idea to get a roommate for a doubles room. And if you come here, its best if you get the lowest meal plan available, i think its 100 for freshmen. i got 150 and still had like 10 left over. They dont roll over onto the next semester so save some money and get the lowest! If she runs out, there will definitely be other people who have meal plans they can share.</p>
<p>I really dont have anything to do right now, cause ALL my friends that i went to highschool with are back in college. haha.. so, feel free to ask any more questions. Itll help me from not getting so bored.</p>
<p>How about the dorms, ZeroNiner? Best choice for a female. Communications major. She is very social, but hates the idea of the "bathroom down the hall" thing. What are the dorms like? Best location? Oh, and, how many years guaranteed housing? Where do students live when they can't live in the dorms? Car on campus? Parking and cost? Hmmm. That should keep a bored college student busy for a few minutes.</p>
<p>Um... USD provides housing for all 4 years, but im not entirely sure if its guaranteed. The dorms vary from building to building... and its easier to explain with pictures (which i will take for you). But if your daughter doesnt want to walk up 75 steps of stairs and would rather be within closer walking distance of her classes, Founders is the place for her. Also, the library is pretty much right next door so she can find an easy place to study alone if she'd like. Maher is in the middle of campus and was the place I wanted to dorm in, but i think all the students who did applied early chose that spot. Then there are the Missions which is where I live. If your daughter doesnt mind a bit of a walk to class, Missions is definitely where most of the socializing occurs. </p>
<p>If you cant live in a dorm... um... cant really answer that one.. the commuter students i know all come from home =/. But I have seen apartments down the street from USD...</p>
<p>Um, the only dorms I know that offer decent private bathrooms are in the Maher building and in Missions A. Everywhere else has bathrooms that everyone shares. The bathrooms in Maher are kind of small, only enough room for one person to move around, (and you have to share this with the 2 or 3 people that you dorm with).
As for Missions A, you can think of it as a nice hotel setting and 2 bathrooms! Lots of space for your daughter to use for whatever. 4 people share one bathroom located on each end of the hallway, but everyone respects each other's privacy. Only problem with Missions A is that its the farthest away from the campus and your daughter may have to take turns in cleaning the bathrooms (that goes for Maher also). 4 people might sound like a lot, but the the girls my friend rooms with all get along. </p>
<p>Car on campus: They dont recommend it for first years, but if she really wants to and you approve, then you can. Price tag: $250 for one year, or $125 for one semester. Im bringing mine this semester. Parking is readily available in the garage parking structures but beware, if you park in a place that you are not allowed, you will be slapped with a $50 ticket!</p>
<p>Thank you so much, ZeroNiner. When we take the tour we will be looking for all of the buildings that you have mentioned. Your viewpoint is really important, as you are an actual student there. Housing is a big issue for parents, because - "we worry!" If you are still bored, a typical "day in the life" of a USD student would be amusing.</p>
<p>It's very nice. It's located in a really good part of San Diego because it's only a hop, skip, and a jump away from all the cool parts of SD. Near Point Loma, Hillcrest, Downtown and only an hour away from TJ. Woohoo!</p>
<p>I just moved back into my dorm today and have taken pictures of Missions A. Its raining right now so maybe in a few days ill have some decent shots of the campus and what not.</p>