USC 2010! Forum

[protokurios]

Oh traffic...is this the only thing we can discuss about LA? haha

FWIW, from my experience of traveling from USC to west LA, going west in the morning and east in the evening is worse than vice versa (which are your directions of travel). It's taken me 45 min and more to get from UCLA to USC at 5 pm. The only other thing I might add is that one frustration is that traffic isn't just bad mornings and evenings. Sometimes you'll hit stop and go traffic on the 101 in Hollywood or 405 in west LA at 11 at night with no accident. 110 N through downtown is slow from 3-8 pm. Random things like that.

This discussion in text can get boring. We need some color!: Every commuting Angeleno's favorite website! Just look at this page at 4-5 pm PST and you'll get a better idea of LA traffic.

[rx3r]

The conversations re the traffic situation in LA may have died down a bit, but I don't think traffic is THAT bad. I live in Westwood and drive to my internship in Koreatown [1 exit before the Vermont exit (the exit for USC) off of the I-10] and it usually takes me about 25 minutes to get there from Westwood and 35 minutes back, the majority of that time being taken up by time spent on local roads leading to the internship building, but USC isn't far from any of the major freeways at all. The only real nightmare is rush hour traffic from downtown and when idiots decide to rubberneck to see some guy changing his tires Imo the 10 isn't THAT bad...the 405 is a lot worse, so I guess the LA area itself is pretty heinous in terms of traffic, but strictly considering the commute from west LA to USC, it shouldn't be a factor that turns people off...

But perhaps my thinking that the 25-35 minute drive isn't bad is proof that I've gone insane from living here for the past three years

It takes me 45 minutes to drive 8 miles during peak traffic going with the traffic flow. It's terrible.

[DoctorNick189]

Is the consensus that public transit in LA is garbage? UCLA, USC, and Loyola are all on my list, and I won't have a car.

[jimmyd11011]

Is the consensus that public transit in LA is garbage? UCLA, USC, and Loyola are all on my list, and I won't have a car.

I've lived in LA for my entire life and have yet to take public transit...get a car

[ruleser]

Public transport mainly doesn't exist - ucla u don't need a car - westwood is beautiful n self contained - u can do usc without one if you live in that neighborhood (not like westwood but doable) - loyola you need a car I'd say

[msch0i]

The conversations re the traffic situation in LA may have died down a bit, but I don't think traffic is THAT bad. I live in Westwood and drive to my internship in Koreatown [1 exit before the Vermont exit (the exit for USC) off of the I-10] and it usually takes me about 25 minutes to get there from Westwood and 35 minutes back, the majority of that time being taken up by time spent on local roads leading to the internship building, but USC isn't far from any of the major freeways at all. The only real nightmare is rush hour traffic from downtown and when idiots decide to rubberneck to see some guy changing his tires Imo the 10 isn't THAT bad...the 405 is a lot worse, so I guess the LA area itself is pretty heinous in terms of traffic, but strictly considering the commute from west LA to USC, it shouldn't be a factor that turns people off...

But perhaps my thinking that the 25-35 minute drive isn't bad is proof that I've gone insane from living here for the past three years

It takes me 45 minutes to drive 8 miles during peak traffic going with the traffic flow. It's terrible.

I'd do it if it means going to SC all i'm saying is, with good planning, the commute isn't horrendous [I think we're smarter than to try to get home during peak traffic time] and it seemed like a couple of people were thoroughly turned off just because traffic can get bad. There's a reason why there's so many people here...LA's a great place ;D

[DoctorNick189]

Public transport mainly doesn't exist - ucla u don't need a car - westwood is beautiful n self contained - u can do usc without one if you live in that neighborhood (not like westwood but doable) - loyola you need a car I'd say

I know the metro isn't anything like you'd find in the northeast, but how's the bus service?

[ruleser]

Honestly, best idea is just to repeat the mantra, 'public transport basically doesn't exist'. Can you find a bus that will take you fromusc to the beach? Yes - more likely a multi-hour combo of a few. Are buses something normal people do (ie you'll be able to use) on a regular basis? No.

BUT the upside is beacause there is no weather here, cars don't rust/wear out, so used cars are awesome, plentiful, cheap - really, for 3k you can get a used carolla that will do everything you need and make life liveable - and it will run well, be rust free, etc. As for traffic - hell, its not 1/10th as big a deal as dealing with rain, snow, cold, winds, etc

[DoctorNick189]

Honestly, best idea is just to repeat the mantra, 'public transport basically doesn't exist'. Can you find a bus that will take you fromusc to the beach? Yes - more likely a multi-hour combo of a few. Are buses something normal people do (ie you'll be able to use) on a regular basis? No.

BUT the upside is beacause there is no weather here, cars don't rust/wear out, so used cars are awesome, plentiful, cheap - really, for 3k you can get a used carolla that will do everything you need and make life liveable - and it will run well, be rust free, etc. As for traffic - hell, its not 1/10th as big a deal as dealing with rain, snow, cold, winds, etc

I had no idea I'd be able to easily find a cheap used car -- that's what was worrying me. Out of curiosity, could I purchase one with some of my student loan money?

[Slansky]

BUT the upside is beacause there is no weather here, cars don't rust/wear out, so used cars are awesome, plentiful, cheap - really, for 3k you can get a used carolla that will do everything you need and make life liveable - and it will run well, be rust free, etc. As for traffic - hell, its not 1/10th as big a deal as dealing with rain, snow, cold, winds, etc

I just went through buying a used car this summer and this was not the case, at least down in SD. The original plan was to get me a $2-4k car to replace the 11-year-old beast I inherited from my dad, but everything we found in that price range was worse than the car we were replacing. We would have had to up our budget to at least $8k to get a Corolla or Camry--old Toyotas are apparently golden because they never seem to go bad. I guess if you're willing to drive a 20-year-old Camry, it gets down into that range, but at that point it will probably start needing expensive repairs.

Just saying. I'll be getting back into the used car market next year (for reasons we're discussing in this thread, haha) and I wish I could get a Corolla for $3k.

[ruleser]

La is very different (car market-wise) than sd - just a lot more people/cars. I tried to sell my geo prism last year (same car as a carolla) - yes, it was a 95, but it was in great shape, ready for another 100k niles, took forever to sell, got 2750. Don't go to a dealer, do craigslist, recycler, autotrader (all are online with photos so you can browse now). For 8kish, I could get a nice 2002ish used Jaguar x-type or mercedes roadster - a flood of luxury models here so low used value if old at all - carolla's (or prisms) can be found for more like 2k - just don't fear that they are 15 years old, they'll run forever

Yes, if you have enough loan $ u can use it for a car.

[imisscollege]

i haven't even gone under review yet at usc and i applied in mid october

[jgulia45]

to those waiting who have been complete longer than some of the rest of us who are "in review." my thought process on this is that since the Rothman Scholarship deadline is towards the end of January, they would like to get decisions to those of us who were invited to apply so we know whether or not we are "wasting time."

i am sure they are concurrently reviewing people who also were not invited to apply however probably not as many.

edit: as i read that it sounds really uppity and rude but it was just meant as an explanation and i'm actually really nice, i promise!

[Faesha]

BUT the upside is beacause there is no weather here, cars don't rust/wear out, so used cars are awesome, plentiful, cheap - really, for 3k you can get a used carolla that will do everything you need and make life liveable - and it will run well, be rust free, etc. As for traffic - hell, its not 1/10th as big a deal as dealing with rain, snow, cold, winds, etc

I just went through buying a used car this summer and this was not the case, at least down in SD. The original plan was to get me a $2-4k car to replace the 11-year-old beast I inherited from my dad, but everything we found in that price range was worse than the car we were replacing. We would have had to up our budget to at least $8k to get a Corolla or Camry--old Toyotas are apparently golden because they never seem to go bad. I guess if you're willing to drive a 20-year-old Camry, it gets down into that range, but at that point it will probably start needing expensive repairs.

Just saying. I'll be getting back into the used car market next year (for reasons we're discussing in this thread, haha) and I wish I could get a Corolla for $3k.

This is funny because this past summer I sold my used Corolla for 3,500 and I lived an hour outside of LA. It was 9 years old but it ran like a champ and it still had many healthy years ahead of it. So yes, if you look on autotrader or craigs you can absolutely find a decent car for under $4k.

In more USC related talk... I'm still at complete. Have any of the Roth scholarship people been accepted yet?

[msch0i]

BUT the upside is beacause there is no weather here, cars don't rust/wear out, so used cars are awesome, plentiful, cheap - really, for 3k you can get a used carolla that will do everything you need and make life liveable - and it will run well, be rust free, etc. As for traffic - hell, its not 1/10th as big a deal as dealing with rain, snow, cold, winds, etc

I just went through buying a used car this summer and this was not the case, at least down in SD. The original plan was to get me a $2-4k car to replace the 11-year-old beast I inherited from my dad, but everything we found in that price range was worse than the car we were replacing. We would have had to up our budget to at least $8k to get a Corolla or Camry--old Toyotas are apparently golden because they never seem to go bad. I guess if you're willing to drive a 20-year-old Camry, it gets down into that range, but at that point it will probably start needing expensive repairs.

Just saying. I'll be getting back into the used car market next year (for reasons we're discussing in this thread, haha) and I wish I could get a Corolla for $3k.

This is funny because this past summer I sold my used Corolla for 3,500 and I lived an hour outside of LA. It was 9 years old but it ran like a champ and it still had many healthy years ahead of it. So yes, if you look on autotrader or craigs you can absolutely find a decent car for under $4k.

In more USC related talk... I'm still at complete. Have any of the Roth scholarship people been accepted yet?

has ANYONE been accepted yet?

[StrawberryRed89]

I finally went in review today after being complete for a while. Received the Rothman scholarship invitation about a week ago.

[ruleser]

i haven't even gone under review yet at usc and i applied in mid october

+1

[Mosca]

Also under review today and I did not receive the Rothman invite

[ruleser]

Also under review today and I did not receive the Rothman invite

What are you numbers/complete date?

[finalaspects]

Also under review today and I did not receive the Rothman invite

i think they're reviewing all the acceptances first...

[CardinalRules]

Also under review today and I did not receive the Rothman invite

i think they're reviewing all the acceptances first...

+1. I have very good feelings about everyone who is under review right now.

[ruleser]

Also under review today and I did not receive the Rothman invite

i think they're reviewing all the acceptances first...

Save it for the USS: BP

Um, spoken as someone still not under review who submitted a while back...

[finalaspects]

Also under review today and I did not receive the Rothman invite

i think they're reviewing all the acceptances first...

Save it for the USS: BP

Um, spoken as someone still not under review who submitted a while back...

I'm not under review either... but USC loves GPA and im a splitter so yea... there goes that

been complete since late Oct.

[jmhendri]

Also under review today and I did not receive the Rothman invite

i think they're reviewing all the acceptances first...

+1. I have very good feelings about everyone who is under review right now.

That's nice, but I'm under review right now and it would be a small miracle if UCS even wait lists me. 3.12(3.83)/162 and the only things I have to distinguish myself are a tiny bit of URM in my background and a dad who went to USC medicine (not quite legacy material).

I'll take your good feeling and run with it though!

[ruleser]

Also under review today and I did not receive the Rothman invite

i think they're reviewing all the acceptances first...

Save it for the USS: BP

Um, spoken as someone still not under review who submitted a while back...

I'm not under review either... but USC loves GPA and im a splitter so yea... there goes that

been complete since late Oct.

Seems like everyone loves GPA this cycle, LSAT splitters are getting deferred, at best...

JMH, when did you go complete?