USC 2010! Forum

[SanBun]

I am excited about the weather/quality of life, but not so much about the ghetto location. I don't know how fine I would be living there for 3 years. I would almost say that if the location were better, I would just pick USC with $$ (ideally) over higher ranked schools.
Do students live outside the USC area, i.e. in nicer, nearby areas?

Some do, but traffic in LA is so bad that you really can't live that far away and have a reasonable commute. I've got a couple friends at USC for grad school (not law) and they live in Westwood (where UCLA is and a MUCH nicer location), but they say that they sometimes have a 45 minute commute for what is a 10 mile drive.

thanks crackberry.. that's a really big turn-off right there. too bad, i started liking the prospect of USC

[CardinalRules]

I am excited about the weather/quality of life, but not so much about the ghetto location. I don't know how fine I would be living there for 3 years. I would almost say that if the location were better, I would just pick USC with $$ (ideally) over higher ranked schools.
Do students live outside the USC area, i.e. in nicer, nearby areas?

USC sent me a viewbook and some related information when they tried (successfully) to coax me into applying. Although they skirt the issue of their own less-than-desirable location, they emphasize that students live in many different parts of the city, even as far away as Santa Monica or Glendale. The university also has a very pleasant campus, including a few USC-sponsored housing units where some students live. A word of caution against living too far away, though: you might not want to endlessly struggle along freeways clogged with rush hour traffic (or any of LA's random jams) en route to class every day--or en route to an exam.

[CardinalRules]

Great minds think alike. At least regarding LA traffic.

Just to emphasize the point, I've driven in countries all over Europe and no traffic is as predictably horrific as the traffic in LA. Not London (well, almost), not Paris, not Berlin, not Milan, not Rome, not Madrid, not Dublin, nothing. I still haven't figured out the reason.

[SanBun]

I am excited about the weather/quality of life, but not so much about the ghetto location. I don't know how fine I would be living there for 3 years. I would almost say that if the location were better, I would just pick USC with $$ (ideally) over higher ranked schools.
Do students live outside the USC area, i.e. in nicer, nearby areas?

USC sent me a viewbook and some related information when they tried (successfully) to coax me into applying. Although they skirt the issue of their own less-than-desirable location, they emphasize that students live in many different parts of the city, even as far away as Santa Monica or Glendale. The university also has a very pleasant campus, including a few USC-sponsored housing units where some students live. A word of caution against living too far away, though: you might not want to endlessly struggle along freeways clogged with rush hour traffic (or any of LA's random jams) en route to class every day--or en route to an exam.

yeah, big big turn-off. too bad, too bad. a little disenchanted, especially after realizing their campus is GORG/ they would probably offer me good $$. blah

[CardinalRules]

I am excited about the weather/quality of life, but not so much about the ghetto location. I don't know how fine I would be living there for 3 years. I would almost say that if the location were better, I would just pick USC with $$ (ideally) over higher ranked schools.
Do students live outside the USC area, i.e. in nicer, nearby areas?

USC sent me a viewbook and some related information when they tried (successfully) to coax me into applying. Although they skirt the issue of their own less-than-desirable location, they emphasize that students live in many different parts of the city, even as far away as Santa Monica or Glendale. The university also has a very pleasant campus, including a few USC-sponsored housing units where some students live. A word of caution against living too far away, though: you might not want to endlessly struggle along freeways clogged with rush hour traffic (or any of LA's random jams) en route to class every day--or en route to an exam.

yeah, big big turn-off. too bad, too bad. a little disenchanted, especially after realizing their campus is GORG/ they would probably offer me good $$. blah

What about UCLA? It's got all of the same LA glamor, is arguably a little more beautiful, and is located in a much better area to live.

[SanBun]

What about UCLA? It's got all of the same LA glamor, is arguably a little more beautiful, and is located in a much better area to live.

yeah, UCLA would be sweet, but I yet have to hear from them, and it's not like with USC, who's already sent me the scholarship app... Getting nervous about chances at UCLA- how long do they take to get back to you normally??

[crackberry]

What about UCLA? It's got all of the same LA glamor, is arguably a little more beautiful, and is located in a much better area to live.

Yeah I was thinking the same thing.

[crackberry]

yeah, UCLA would be sweet, but I yet have to hear from them, and it's not like with USC, who's already sent me the scholarship app... Getting nervous about chances at UCLA- how long do they take to get back to you normally??

It varies. If you're RD, I wouldn't expect to hear until January. Seems like they're concentrating on ED people now. That said, a bunch of us got in in October/November.

[SanBun]

yeah, UCLA would be sweet, but I yet have to hear from them, and it's not like with USC, who's already sent me the scholarship app... Getting nervous about chances at UCLA- how long do they take to get back to you normally??

It varies. If you're RD, I wouldn't expect to hear until January. Seems like they're concentrating on ED people now. That said, a bunch of us got in in October/November.

how do they notify you? snail mail for rejection, WL and acceptance?

[CardinalRules]

yeah, UCLA would be sweet, but I yet have to hear from them, and it's not like with USC, who's already sent me the scholarship app... Getting nervous about chances at UCLA- how long do they take to get back to you normally??

It varies. If you're RD, I wouldn't expect to hear until January. Seems like they're concentrating on ED people now. That said, a bunch of us got in in October/November.

how do they notify you? snail mail for rejection, WL and acceptance?

Phone call for acceptance and scholarship award, although I'm not sure if they were calling only in the early stages.

One last note on LA. Despite all of the traffic, it's still the place where I want to spend my career. Crazy, huh? Just shows you how much I love Socal, I guess.

[crackberry]

yeah, UCLA would be sweet, but I yet have to hear from them, and it's not like with USC, who's already sent me the scholarship app... Getting nervous about chances at UCLA- how long do they take to get back to you normally??

It varies. If you're RD, I wouldn't expect to hear until January. Seems like they're concentrating on ED people now. That said, a bunch of us got in in October/November.

how do they notify you? snail mail for rejection, WL and acceptance?

It also varies. I received a snail mail acceptance packet but a lot of admits have gotten calls. I think WL and rejections all come via snail mail.

[ViP]

yeah, UCLA would be sweet, but I yet have to hear from them, and it's not like with USC, who's already sent me the scholarship app... Getting nervous about chances at UCLA- how long do they take to get back to you normally??

It varies. If you're RD, I wouldn't expect to hear until January. Seems like they're concentrating on ED people now. That said, a bunch of us got in in October/November.

how do they notify you? snail mail for rejection, WL and acceptance?

It also varies. I received a snail mail acceptance packet but a lot of admits have gotten calls. I think WL and rejections all come via snail mail.

My WL arrived via email.

[Jacques]

.

[finalaspects]

My WL arrived via email.

when did you go complete?

[crackberry]

My WL arrived via email.

when did you go complete?

He/she is talking about UCLA.

[ruleser]

Phone call for acceptance and scholarship award, although I'm not sure if they were calling only in the early stages.

One last note on LA. Despite all of the traffic, it's still the place where I want to spend my career. Crazy, huh? Just shows you how much I love Socal, I guess.

I saw that USC viewbook - had a student that lives over in Culver City I think - man, that is the complete other side of town and a place there is zero reason to live if you are a USC student. Seeing students scattered all over town was a real - , nice to have a community.

BUT for those of you worried about finding a cool place to live close enough to campus, I'd just do somewhere around West Hollywood, Melrose, Beverly Hills. You have a nice area with lots of stuff, pretty darn safe, can have lots of fun, you'll be styling with a pool/hot tub near the center of everything, hills to hike up (year round in the great weather), the Sunset Strip, all the shopping you can want, the Grove, not so far a ride to the beach or the valley. You can miss a lot of the traffic to school by doing side streets. It'll be maybe 1/2 hour ride, but in my book worth it. Other neighborhoods would be Silverlake - even a little cheaper, not as interesting to me but some like it, or Los Feliz. I think if you're coming to LA, get the LA experience and live in WeHo/BevHills/Melrose areas. Westwood is great but not only too far, the traffic in that area is absurd - it can take 45 mins to just get on the freeway. Around WeHo/Melrose, not even remotely as bad.

I'm with you Managamy, I think LA is one of the top places to have a legal career at the moment - I think the NE/East is getting hit the most, as is the Midwest... and more than other places, the lawyers I talk to here, for the most part, even if they went to Southwestern or Chapman, are happy with their careers (the exceptions to this went to school out of the area at places like Hofstra or USD)

[CardinalRules]

Oops, I guess that I'm partly responsible for starting the UCLA conversation on the USC thread! Sorry for getting off topic...

Great to hear from you again, Rulesy, but I still miss your old avatar and am looking forward to the time when "Batman Returns." My own fondness for LA has nothing to do with the recession, although I think that you have a great point there, and everything to do with the region itself. As soon as I first traveled there, I felt that it was the perfect fit for my personality and interests.

Jacques, I finally responded to your PM. Sorry for the delay, but I wanted to respond with the same thoughtfulness as your initial message.

[ruleser]

Oops, I guess that I'm partly responsible for starting the UCLA conversation on the USC thread! Sorry for getting off topic...

Great to hear from you again, Rulesy, but I still miss your old avatar and am looking forward to the time when "Batman Returns." My own fondness for LA has nothing to do with the recession, although I think that you have a great point there, and everything to do with the region itself. As soon as I first traveled there, I felt that it was the perfect fit for my personality and interests.

Jacques, I finally responded to your PM. Sorry for the delay, but I wanted to respond with the same thoughtfulness as your initial message.

Well why not, I think Rulesy deserves to come home for the holidays...

Doesn't it look like he's saying a big, "I'm Baaaaack" just for you?

[Jacques]

Edit.

[deem]

So, when do you guys and gals think we are going to get word of the first response from USC? Based on what I've read here, it should be any day now (NOTE: this could be slightly wishful thinking haha)

[CardinalRules]

Oops, I guess that I'm partly responsible for starting the UCLA conversation on the USC thread! Sorry for getting off topic...

Great to hear from you again, Rulesy, but I still miss your old avatar and am looking forward to the time when "Batman Returns." My own fondness for LA has nothing to do with the recession, although I think that you have a great point there, and everything to do with the region itself. As soon as I first traveled there, I felt that it was the perfect fit for my personality and interests.

Jacques, I finally responded to your PM. Sorry for the delay, but I wanted to respond with the same thoughtfulness as your initial message.

Well why not, I think Rulesy deserves to come home for the holidays...

Doesn't it look like he's saying a big, "I'm Baaaaack" just for you?

Hurray for the BAT!!!!

[protokurios]

I am excited about the weather/quality of life, but not so much about the ghetto location. I don't know how fine I would be living there for 3 years. I would almost say that if the location were better, I would just pick USC with $$ (ideally) over higher ranked schools.
Do students live outside the USC area, i.e. in nicer, nearby areas?

USC sent me a viewbook and some related information when they tried (successfully) to coax me into applying. Although they skirt the issue of their own less-than-desirable location, they emphasize that students live in many different parts of the city, even as far away as Santa Monica or Glendale. The university also has a very pleasant campus, including a few USC-sponsored housing units where some students live. A word of caution against living too far away, though: you might not want to endlessly struggle along freeways clogged with rush hour traffic (or any of LA's random jams) en route to class every day--or en route to an exam.

yeah, big big turn-off. too bad, too bad. a little disenchanted, especially after realizing their campus is GORG/ they would probably offer me good $$. blah

For what it's worth, I don't think the area is as bad as people make it out to be. I lived just off campus in North University Park for 3 years while in undergrad, and I think I've learned some valuable things living in a mostly working-class, Latino neighborhood. If you live in the North University Park area, the Department of Public Safety constantly patrols the area and their response time is great. Just common-sense, don't walk by yourself late at night listening to an iPod sort of thing. Bike theft is about the worst that the majority of students face.

I can understand why people want to live in the nicer parts of LA, especially if they've never been here before, but I would never live all the way in Westwood or Santa Monica to go to USC. The more west you go, the nicer it gets, but the worse the traffic gets. Traffic is RIDICULOUS at rush hour on the 10 and 405. I think some good places to balance quality of life and commute are downtown LA and Culver City. Culver City is close to the freeways and not too far from most of the popular spots in LA: Miracle Mile, Santa Monica, Westwood, Venice, Beverly Hills. It's pretty quiet and it also has its own downtown when you don't feel like driving too far. Downtown LA is getting to be a popular place to live as well, as there's been a lot of revitalization in the past 5 years. The new LA Live entertainment complex (LinkRemoved) is pretty nice, and having the Ralph's grocery store on 9th street definitely makes residential living more practical. USC is only about 3 miles down the street (take Fig all the way down) from downtown.

With the Fall 2010 completion of the University Gateway project (apartments + retail) just next to campus, there should be a lot more housing available near USC. Rent is ridiculously expensive (you'll be lucky to get your own 1 bedroom at $800/mo), and I'm not sure if the completion of University Gateway will lower prices at all. But it might be worth getting a place a 5-minute bike ride away from campus if you don't want to deal with the twice-daily grind of a commute.

I'll be more than happy to answer more questions. I can also comment on the law school, since I worked in the library for 2 years.

[danidancer]

With the Fall 2010 completion of the University Gateway project (apartments + retail) just next to campus, there should be a lot more housing available near USC. Rent is ridiculously expensive (you'll be lucky to get your own 1 bedroom at $800/mo), and I'm not sure if the completion of University Gateway will lower prices at all. But it might be worth getting a place a 5-minute bike ride away from campus if you don't want to deal with the twice-daily grind of a commute.

I live in NYC now. This does not sound at all "ridiculously expensive" to me at all. Downright cheap, actually.

[protokurios]

With the Fall 2010 completion of the University Gateway project (apartments + retail) just next to campus, there should be a lot more housing available near USC. Rent is ridiculously expensive (you'll be lucky to get your own 1 bedroom at $800/mo), and I'm not sure if the completion of University Gateway will lower prices at all. But it might be worth getting a place a 5-minute bike ride away from campus if you don't want to deal with the twice-daily grind of a commute.

I live in NYC now. This does not sound at all "ridiculously expensive" to me at all. Downright cheap, actually.

Haha, well I've never lived in a 1 BR, so I wouldn't know too well the prices now, but Craigslist shows a lot of them are closer to $1200-1600 (Example (LinkRemoved)). I just said $800 because I know some people who looked hard/got really lucky and got their own rooms for that cheap. I lived with 4 other guys in a 2 BR sophomore year and the rent was $2900. When we left, the landlord jacked it to $3600. O.o

[billyez]

I got the viewbook that some of ya'll are mentioning too. Gold-colored with a number of student profiles and other information? Honestly, I don't know why USC and Cornell insisted on getting my hopes up in such a manner.