USC (Gould) - 2011 Forum

(housing, friendships, future exams, all things 2011)
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nobrainer

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by nobrainer » Fri Apr 18, 2008 7:17 pm

O i also see now that the preview day videos are already up on law.usc.edu. That was fast.

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overcastagain

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by overcastagain » Fri Apr 18, 2008 7:26 pm

...
Last edited by overcastagain on Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Leonidas

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by Leonidas » Fri Apr 18, 2008 7:39 pm

nobrainer wrote:Excellent, Leonidas, thanks a lot for your thoughtful and objective post.

I wish I had been at preview day today, too, especially since you mentioned both food and weather were awesome. About how many people were there today and you meet up w/ any folks going to USC?

I think you hit the pro/con analysis on the nose, I think it was very objective even though you're a UG trojan. I talked to the USC admissions office and they did highlight the "relaxed and non-competitive atmosphere of the place." I kinda discounted what they said cuz at the time i figured most schools say that anyway, but it seems the more I hear about it that it is true. And from last year's preview day videos they also mentioned how most students got along better because of the close-knit community.

Is USC really a Top 5 alumni network nationally? Huh.

Where'd u hear that out-of-staters get preference to terrace? Is that what someone said at ASD?

And finally......now that you've been there, any change in opinion about USC/ UCLA and which one you'd want to go to?
No problem nobrainer. I actually attended the ASD with two of my good friends from the USC ugrad pre-law fraternity, and they are definitely matriculating. I also met several students who decided to attend - all seemed quite enthused.

USC definitely attempts to cultivate a relaxed and non-competitive atmosphere. If there is one thing that USC believes in, it is community. They do a wonderful job of instilling Trojan pride and fellowship among their students and alumni. Most students understand that they will receive a top job offer; combine this with a 3.2 curve /Trojan brotherhood, and you get a relaxed atmosphere.

I have family and friends that attend Ugrads all over the nation (from Ivy to the smallest U you can think of). I have never experienced a more loyal alumni base. It really is akin to an elitist country club, hah.

A woman who handles the housing lottery system stated that out-of-state students will get priority in the Terrace apts. Housing is no big deal though; it's amazingly easy to find more than adequate housing several blocks from campus.

Honestly, I must say that I am torn between the two. If I had not gone to high school 7 blocks away from USC, I would easily choose to attend Gould. Is a new change of scenery really that important to me? I don't know...I'll soon decide. Trading sides and leaving the USC family is proving to be very difficult. The alumni have helped me in every way: internships, food (funny stories), football tickets, connections, advice, social events, finances, etc.

Case and point: my father discussed my situation with a stranger he met at the bank. Turns out the man was an attorney who had graduate from Gould. He is 72 years old with 50 years of legal experience (graduated from Gould at 22), is one of the nation's top criminal litigators, started and merged 2 firms, and put 6 children through law school (2 Gould, Cal, UCLA, Harvard, and Loyola). When my father told him I attend USC, he immediately asked for my number and called me on his way home. We scheduled lunch at his home in the 90210 (amazing house). We talked for 3 hours about the different law schools I was accepted to, my aspirations, and USC football. After our discussion, he offered me a an internship for my summer after 1L and gave me the number to his private line so I can call him for advice throughout my next 3 years....it's just ridiculous really, haha.

Leonidas

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by Leonidas » Fri Apr 18, 2008 7:47 pm

nobrainer wrote:O i also see now that the preview day videos are already up on law.usc.edu. That was fast.

http://law.usc.edu/admissions/admitted/ ... cfm?clip=1

First row...white shirt...I'm famous haha

jonny1031

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by jonny1031 » Fri Apr 18, 2008 7:50 pm

Thanks for covering the event. It made me wish I was there.

The story about the 72 year old Gould grad is insane--the perfect example of the Trojan family.

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tamtam

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by tamtam » Fri Apr 18, 2008 8:26 pm

I still haven't heard from USC yet.. Got into UCLA.. I already started wondering what if USC takes me.. It will be a heart torning decision to make.

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nobrainer

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by nobrainer » Fri Apr 18, 2008 9:14 pm

Leonidas, so he's offering you an internship regardless of whether you go to USC law or not? I'd think his opinion of you might change if you benedict arnolded and went to UCLA ( haha, j/k, prolly not).

And dude, spread the wealth on that internship. At the very least, introduce me to this guy. Sounds like a real piece of work. ( Love the part of him putting his 6 kids thru law school too and their respective institutions. )

Ah the power of alumni networks.

rabidapplicant

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by rabidapplicant » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:38 pm

I talked to a 1L at USC (a person I got connected with by family, not school) and he stated that the Terrace apartments were overpriced and that you could find better housing around the campus for cheaper. FYI for anyone considering Terrace. I looked around on the different apartment websites and depending on the neighborhood, there is some merit to that.

Has anyone received their housing booklet, or know about the roommate referral service?

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by spruance » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:14 pm

I already live in LA, but I caught word about their housing booklet and they said it would be May or so.
If you are looking at LA, decide where you'd like to live and check craigslist. If you want to live close check Koreatown, Downtown and immediately north of USC. If you want to live westside check out Palms, though not as cheap as it used to be. Also, I used to live in Inglewood and it was awesome and easy to take surface streets to the USC area.

And props on the review of the ASD. I had a good time - met some interesting prospective students, some cool current students, professors, and the dean, who was very friendly. I was impressed with the people I met and I look forward to spending 3 years there.

And Leonidas, where did you go to HS? I I went to Loyola, which is more than 7 blocks, but isn't too far from SC.

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rabidapplicant

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by rabidapplicant » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:23 pm

What do you would be the best area to live for a Law student? Is koreatown appropriate? I heard Culver City is where a bunch of law students live...I'm coming from the East Coast so I really don't know much about the different areas of LA.

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spruance

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by spruance » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:43 pm

I live in Palms which is right next to Culver City. A little less expensive and I can literally walk accross Venice Blvd. and be in downtown Culver City. It is a convenient and cool area.

Koreatown is appropriate. Tons of people have moved there because it is relatively affordable and convenient. Lots of small shops and restaurants.

It just depends what you are comfortable with and want to live. I like the westside, especially palms/mar vista/venice area.

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nobrainer

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by nobrainer » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:48 pm

I think ur prolly right about terrace, it is rather expensive especially for a 9-month lease where u'll have to find somewhere else to live the other 3 months too, but for just living there the 1st year i think it's alright. I personally don't know many people in LA and as wimpy as it sounds, would like to make and live around some new friends my first year, then move out to wherever. I think finding a place on your own is fine but you might not be living near any other law students.

Leonidas

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by Leonidas » Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:04 pm

spruance wrote:I already live in LA, but I caught word about their housing booklet and they said it would be May or so.
If you are looking at LA, decide where you'd like to live and check craigslist. If you want to live close check Koreatown, Downtown and immediately north of USC. If you want to live westside check out Palms, though not as cheap as it used to be. Also, I used to live in Inglewood and it was awesome and easy to take surface streets to the USC area.

And props on the review of the ASD. I had a good time - met some interesting prospective students, some cool current students, professors, and the dean, who was very friendly. I was impressed with the people I met and I look forward to spending 3 years there.

And Leonidas, where did you go to HS? I I went to Loyola, which is more than 7 blocks, but isn't too far from SC.
Loyola High School as well...class of '04...just a guesstimate on the blocks hah...what year did you grad?

BTW, there are plenty of apartments around SC that are easily available to rent...they range anywhere from $450 to $1200...this is for a 1-6 block radius...check facebook, craigslist, and the advertisements on the USC newspaper online (http://www.dailytrojan.com/)...you'll find something good - just ask for pictures if you are out-of-state

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rabidapplicant

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by rabidapplicant » Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:11 pm

I have thought about this a bunch too and talked to a couple 1Ls, so I'll bounce this off you. You will be with a section of the same 70 people for 6 hours of classtime and additional study time depending on the time of year. You will have ample opportunity to be with, and make friends with law students. Do you really want to go home to more law students (other than a roommate) and be surrounded by the same atmosphere? I don't know the answer to this, but I've been thinking that I might need a break from that in order to maintain some independence and not be completely institutionalized. I talked to a couple 1L's and they said most of their closer friends at USC Law actually lived off-campus in places like Culver City or La brea, koreatown, while they were in Terrace etc.

As a side note, I checked out the Terrace apartments, and they are pretty standard university apartments, at least comparing to my undergraduate experience aka. small kitchen, institution white walls, crappy carpets- the usual. Although they do have gated garage parking, which is pretty sweet.

Edit: I do have your same worries, nobrainer, as I will be coming from the East Coast

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spruance

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by spruance » Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:31 pm

loyola class of '00. i have a love/hate with that place. mostly hate. probably because of the massive amounts of jug.

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by Leonidas » Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:36 pm

spruance wrote:loyola class of '00. i have a love/hate with that place. mostly hate. probably because of the massive amounts of jug.

Don't have anything bad to say about it...JUG was super easy to get out of...I had Wells hook it up, and then I'd run off to track practice haha

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spruance

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by spruance » Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:55 pm

Mr Wells rocked, but Thomason was the dean while I was there and he wouldn't let me out to do work with anyone, even if Diaz, Wells or someone else that was cool swung by.
I didn't play sports so no coach could just get me out, and Thomason was pretty tough and wouldn't allow that stuff in likelihood. I think you had Wazcak as dean and he was much mellower. Strangely, Thomason became much cooler after he became Principal.

I got good at writing and could finish those standards really fast, but it sucked. My freshman year I had something like 40 days, easily.

I definitely do not miss Loyola at all, except falling asleep in Wanland's class when she played movies.
Oh hey, were you a freshman in '00? Were you there when they threw out the fliers and mice and stuff during the pep rally? OK, that was my other favorite part of Loyola until my friends were kicked out.

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by tamtam » Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:27 am

anyone here anything heard from USC?? Coming five months now.. Even Yale gave me a decision already.. I guess an auto-reject doesn't count.. But even Berkeley gave me a decision already (LONG TIME AGO). I was pretty much torn between the two.. But now my passion for USC is fading away..

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by Leonidas » Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:34 am

spruance wrote:Mr Wells rocked, but Thomason was the dean while I was there and he wouldn't let me out to do work with anyone, even if Diaz, Wells or someone else that was cool swung by.
I didn't play sports so no coach could just get me out, and Thomason was pretty tough and wouldn't allow that stuff in likelihood. I think you had Wazcak as dean and he was much mellower. Strangely, Thomason became much cooler after he became Principal.

I got good at writing and could finish those standards really fast, but it sucked. My freshman year I had something like 40 days, easily.

I definitely do not miss Loyola at all, except falling asleep in Wanland's class when she played movies.
Oh hey, were you a freshman in '00? Were you there when they threw out the fliers and mice and stuff during the pep rally? OK, that was my other favorite part of Loyola until my friends were kicked out.
ahah, yeah I had the Wazzzz and Pedrorias at the end...they weren't tough, and it was quite easy to finagle your way out of JUG...one of my friends actually wrapped four pens together and gave me one of his inventions - we would finish so fast, it was ridiculous.

Wanland was pretty chill - she never made us do anything, and she would play some pretty cool movies....Yeah, I was there for the fliers and mice ahaha; I never got to see any of the fliers, but the faculty just told us they were "horrid"...I'm sure they were quite funny...I don't think anyone did anything like that after (except for posting up porn around campus/taking craps in random places).

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by rabidapplicant » Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:09 am

tamtam wrote:anyone here anything heard from USC?? Coming five months now.. Even Yale gave me a decision already.. I guess an auto-reject doesn't count.. But even Berkeley gave me a decision already (LONG TIME AGO). I was pretty much torn between the two.. But now my passion for USC is fading away..
Don't give up hope! I applied in December and heard back (accept) in January. Maybe they think you are using them as a safety school? Did you call them and ask whats going on? The director of admissions is friggin awesome so don't be afraid to give em a ring.

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by tamtam » Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:14 am

do i just call admission and ask for the director? Or should I just ask the person who answer the phone?
They can't be thinking I'm using them as a safety.. I have crappy number--at least my LSAT--and I'm actually very shock with my application cycle. I actually wonder did all the schools mixed up my name and thought I'm from an important family or something (j/k).. I hope they will give me an answer by this week, because next week I'm visiting both UCLA and USC, and I will make my choice of all the schools by next week (except waitlist).

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spruance

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by spruance » Tue Apr 22, 2008 11:25 am

Just go for it and ask for the director or ask the reception person to forward you to the correct person.

It seems kind of ridiculous that you have heard from and presumably been accepted at UCLA and or Boalt but not USC. I've had interactions with them and everyone has been nice. Worst case, it doesn't accelerate anything. Best case, you are accepted quickly. Personally, I think it is lame that you haven't heard a word yet.

And, oh loyola. some things don't change: kids taking a crap in random places, the drug dealers hanging in the library, white heights, the row, the pit.....oh well.

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by tamtam » Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:59 pm

spruance wrote:Just go for it and ask for the director or ask the reception person to forward you to the correct person.

It seems kind of ridiculous that you have heard from and presumably been accepted at UCLA and or Boalt but not USC. I've had interactions with them and everyone has been nice. Worst case, it doesn't accelerate anything. Best case, you are accepted quickly. Personally, I think it is lame that you haven't heard a word yet.

And, oh loyola. some things don't change: kids taking a crap in random places, the drug dealers hanging in the library, white heights, the row, the pit.....oh well.
I just called.. Basically no decision has been made on my file yet.. The guy said sometimes in early May.. Well, UCLA intention to attend dateline is May 1st. Once I sign that thing, I'll probably stick with it (except two wait lists that can sway me). I seriously thought about UCLA and USC, and is 50/50.. However, given their coming six months oblivion on me, my heart is broken.

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tipher

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by tipher » Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:36 am

There seems to be admittance cycles. From the random bits of info I'm getting from people I'm estimating that each school has approx 2 monthly deadlines for admitted students to declare their intention to accept or decline. One at the beginning of each month, and one in the middle. If a seat is declined then it seems they'll offer the seat to other students that they haven't gotten back to. Which means if you haven't heard anything then the schools are waiting on other admitted student decisions before knowing if there's a space for you. If you call and they say that they'll respond to you early May - then they're waiting on student responses which are prob due May 1st for that particular round of students.

How do waitlisted people fit into this theory? People are getting waitlisted letters throughout the whole application period. I've seen people get them almost immediately . . . and then throughout the following months of the reply period. I'm assuming that when they get to your application, they can immediately tell if you fall into a tertiary category of their preferred student profiles - which is the waitlisted category. Obviously there might be a gradated scale of qualities that fit this tertiary level (some of which may partly rely upon admittance acceptance rates), which is maybe why sometimes it takes some time for them to finally decide if you're in that category.

The primary profile level is obviously their top student preferences who get immediate acceptance letters. Secondary students fall into the admittance cycles that are based on the primary student responses. And whoever is left over from the secondary category at the end of the reply period get thrown into the tertiary waitlisted category.

There it is! My little theory that makes me feel better for not having heard back from USC yet :D nor UCLA, UC Hastings, and UCD . .. but I did get immediate acceptance letters from USD and SCU (with big $$$$ offers). And I've been skimmering through forums and talking with other applicants piecing together dates and such. Anyway, thanks for reading. If you have any thoughts I'm receptive. :)

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Re: USC (Gould) - 2011

Post by Leonidas » Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:01 am

To all I have conversed with on this thread:

I have pretty much made my final decision: UCLA. Please know that this was one of the single, most difficult decisions that I have ever made. A combination of factors played in to my decision: location, finances, clerkship opportunities, and the aesthetics of the libraries. My decision to attend UCLA in no way shape or form is meant to cast a dim light on USC; frankly, I may have very well chosen to attend USC if I had not already spent my high school years near the area and my 4 years of Ugrad there. Gould is a wonderful school with amazing resources, professors, students, and alumni. I wish everyone attending much luck and an enjoyable 3 years. I shall be withdrawing shortly - hopefully that helps someone on this forum.

Best,
Leo

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