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I've been accepted to USC's Class of 2008 and can't decide which housing to choose. Just wondering which housing facility is best and why?

By Uschicka (Uschicka) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 02:34 am: Edit

If you look under Individual Schools' USC section, there is a lot of debate over this. I'll sum it up though:

most social/fun: new/north
best/newest: parkside
most studious atmosphere: honors halls

By Shhh (Shhh) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 03:52 pm: Edit

What dorms are the closest to the theatre building?

By Uschicka (Uschicka) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 04:13 pm: Edit

Hmm... I would say Flour, but those are suites. For regular dorms, probably Birnkrant.

By Locke459 (Locke459) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 06:49 pm: Edit

Yeah, I put Birnkrant as my first choice because it has the classic dorm feel to it, and its not as noisy as New/North (plus its bathrooms are nice than New/North). My second choice was Parkside with New/North sitting at third.

By Lilskeetums17 (Lilskeetums17) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 06:55 pm: Edit

what are the advantages/disadvantages of suites? which is best for the social atmosphere? i heard they can be less social than dorms, which confuses me because you tend to have more roommates in a suite...

By Tro348a (Tro348a) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 07:23 pm: Edit

Whether or not you are sure about going to USC, SUBMIT YOUR HOUSING FORM NOW! Take the $25.00 hit, because if you wait too long, you WILL NOT get your first, second, third, heck SEVENTH choice. That said, if you're a hardcore geek (LAN parties/1337-speak/obscure physics references), then Marks Hall will be the perfect place for you. If you like a quiet place where the kids are smart but not ultra-geeky, Trojan Hall is the place for you. If you're a hard partier or plan to frequent the frats or sororities, I'd recommend Cardinal Gardens, Century, Fluor, Webb, or New/North. I haven't really gotten a feel for Birnkrant because, well, I haven't MET many people who live there. If you like nice and new dorms, and very good, but repetitive dishes, then go for Parkside suites.

By Uschicka (Uschicka) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 07:26 pm: Edit

Lilskeetums-

You do, obviously, have more roommates in a suite, and so you will get to know those 5 or 7 roommates really well. But you won't be as close with everyone around you in other suites because you basically have most of what you need in your suite and don't need to venture out as much. A dorm you see a lot more of your hallmates.

By Usc200888 (Usc200888) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 07:38 pm: Edit

How much of an influence should my decision be made based on the special interest communities that are associated with some of the living options?

By Shhh (Shhh) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 08:57 pm: Edit

Suites are better actually. So please name suites or any apartments near the theatre building (Freshman)

By Takingiteasy (Takingiteasy) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 09:55 pm: Edit

What housing is nearest to the library? And how close to classes and stuff is Parkside?

By Uschicka (Uschicka) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 10:11 pm: Edit

Birnkrant is nearest to the library, but New/North is right next to Birnkrant, and Pardee and Marks Tower are close also.

Parkside is far away from a lot of stuff. It is close to a lot of the science classes, and obviously it's close to the Parkside dining hall, but it's far away from all the other freshmen housing.

The closest suite to the theater building is Flour, and the closest apartment is Webb.

By Dswmo456 (Dswmo456) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 11:30 pm: Edit

I heard that parkside isn't at all social. If you're fine living in a nice place but being out of the loop from the rest of the freshmen then it's a good place.

By Takingiteasy (Takingiteasy) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 11:41 pm: Edit

How are the cardinal apartments being that they are not inside the main part of the campus but rather rite outside? Is it a pain to be outside of campus?

By Uschicka (Uschicka) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 12:32 am: Edit

Yeah, Parkside is kind of out of the loop from the rest of the freshmen.

I don't know much about Cardinal Gardens, but obviously since they aren't with the rest of the freshmen dorms, it is also a little out of the loop. But I heard that it is pretty social as far as apartments go. I think it's a pain to be off campus, at least as a freshmen, but most everyone else lives off-campus.

By Gatesbill (Gatesbill) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 12:34 am: Edit

Make sure to bring the campus map to the security office and ask the officer to mark the areas that you can't go (un-safe)

By Usc200888 (Usc200888) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 01:08 am: Edit

I have New/North, Pardee, and Parkside on my list, what else should I add? Want to be in a residence hall first year, I heard that you meet more people this way.

By Usc200888 (Usc200888) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 06:32 pm: Edit

bump

By Usc200888 (Usc200888) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 07:36 pm: Edit

bump

By Bart_Simpson22 (Bart_Simpson22) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 09:06 pm: Edit

add Birnkrant

By Usc200888 (Usc200888) on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 03:01 am: Edit

bump

By Uschicka (Uschicka) on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 03:46 am: Edit

Usc200888- there aren't really any other options besides Marks Tower. New/North, Pardee, Marks Tower, Marks/Trojan Hall (honors), and Birnkrant are the only regular freshmen dorms.

By Gatesbill (Gatesbill) on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 11:23 pm: Edit

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/news/040804_nw_usc_student.html

USC Student Found Murdered

LOS ANGELES — Police asked for the public's help today in finding whoever killed a USC sophomore near his downtown apartment over the weekend.

By Yomanwatsup (Yomanwatsup) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 11:41 am: Edit

hi can we opt 4 mealplans if we live in apartments ...nd also im an australian so i wud like 2 live in an international atmosphere..uschika u gotta help me out mate.

By Uschicka (Uschicka) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 02:42 pm: Edit

If you're a freshmen and living in apartments I think you are still supposed to have meal plans. If you're not a freshmen, you can still get various meal plans if you want to. Check out www.hospitality.usc.edu for the specifics on meal plans.

I believe that Parkside has international floors or wings, so that would be a good way to interact with other international students. If you go to www.housing.usc.edu I believe you can find out where the special interest areas are in different buildings.

By Brentlomas (Brentlomas) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 04:08 pm: Edit

Can you submit your housing form even before you submit your acceptance thingy?

Anyway, I thought PArkside was the nicest by far, but I'm a presidential scholar and they are supposed to get special housing, I think. Does that just mean they can be in the honors building? Is that nice? (I didn't really see at my visit)

By Floppydisk2 (Floppydisk2) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 04:17 pm: Edit

hi guys,

i'm going to be attending usc next fall, and i am in the presidential scholars program; i was wondering if any of you knew which dorm 1) marks hall or 2) trojan hall.

basically i'm looking for a quiet place where kids are intelligent, but still very cool and chill.

also where do most of the bac/md or pre-med kids stay.

thanks

By Locke459 (Locke459) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 04:58 pm: Edit

literally everyone says to stay away from the dean's halls, but i think the better of the two is trojan hall. the dean's halls are supposedly very unsocial.

By Shmem (Shmem) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 07:09 pm: Edit

I requested a spot in Parkside suites about a month ago, and today I got an e-mail asking for the "international residential college" supplimental application. I know I'd like to live in parkside suites, but I'm not sure if I'd qualify to be a part of this special-interest community (It's not like I'm fluent in another language or anything..). Is is possible that I can still live in parkside and not be a part of the IRC? Please help!!
thanks!

By Shhh (Shhh) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 08:44 pm: Edit

*note to self* deans hall- thumbs up!

im afraid of the hispanic floor in flour.. I'm hispanic and hate being emerged in my culture. I hate culture, period. Im just not interested in it, and its rubbed in my face one too many times. What problems will i run across in flour?

By Thebarnrat (Thebarnrat) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 10:58 pm: Edit

About sending housing before sending in SIR...if you turned in housing pretty early, but haven't sent in your SIR yet, will they still take into consideration your top choices? Or will they just guarantee you some sort of housing, but wont look at your preferences until you turn in your SIR ???

By Usc200888 (Usc200888) on Wednesday, April 14, 2004 - 12:19 am: Edit

They only consider you for housing once you send in the 300 to reserve ur spot for the class of 2008 at usc.

By Takingiteasy (Takingiteasy) on Wednesday, April 14, 2004 - 12:55 am: Edit

Can u send in ur SIR and then decide not to go to the school? One of my friends wants to know since I will be going for sure and i really don't know wat college's policies are.

By Usc200888 (Usc200888) on Wednesday, April 14, 2004 - 01:14 am: Edit

Yes, you just dont get the 300 bones back.

By Socalstudent (Socalstudent) on Wednesday, April 14, 2004 - 02:32 am: Edit

PARKSIDE!

By Califdreaming (Califdreaming) on Monday, April 19, 2004 - 04:41 pm: Edit

Question - what is the furniture situation in the dorms? Are the beds lofted?