University of Southern California (USC)

[PhDerp]

Omg PhDerp I'm so sorry, somehow I missed your last message!!! 

 

I do psycholinguistics! But I'm more into the syntax/discourse side of things... 

 

I'll be happy to see you there!!!! yay!

 

Lol NP!

So I got accepted for housing, but it's 2 person - 1 bedroom with a complete stranger. Eurgh. Not sure if I should take it...

 

Thankfully, USC lets you cancel for a full refund until June 14th. Phew!

The hunt is on for better apartments! >_<

[beccamayworth]

Yeah I'm sort of gambling on this one... I plan on just arriving there in the beginning of August and looking for a place! If I don't find anything I like, I'll just do some sort of temporary housing until I do....

[PhDerp]

Temporary housing unit? Is that a thing? :i

What bothers me is that orientation is a solid 10 days before move-in...  Why? Just, why?

[beccamayworth]

Oh I mean not a university-operated housing... If I need to, I'll just get a room somewhere around campus on a month-to-month lease until I find a nicer studio/1 bedroom  

[PhDerp]

I might do that for a two-week lease. It's $75 / night to move in early for the USC housing, so I have to find something...

[BecauseIcan]

I'll be there too! Any other MSW students starting this fall? #fighton

[kyjin]

Welcome to USC!  

 

I'd advise to stay away from university housing. I stayed in one of the apartment-style dorms last summer while doing a language program, and it was... eh. With a bit of hunting you can find some gorgeous places at reasonable prices, plus you won't be living near undergrads. A lot of grad students gravitate in the Culver City/Palms area and Koreatown. If you can, try to come out here a month in advance to apartment hunt. (If you can find someone to couch surf for a few days while you search, this is best.) 

 

If anyone has any questions about the area or whatever, feel free to shoot me a message.  

[Arcalder]

im accepted!! =D
fight on!!! , so so happy to start my new trojan life!!

now the worst part:
-find a good place to live

i want to apply to on campus housing (i will be totally alone there, then i preffer to have neighbors from USC)
any tip or advice??

 

[PhDerp]

im accepted!! =D

fight on!!! , so so happy to start my new trojan life!!

now the worst part:

-find a good place to live

i want to apply to on campus housing (i will be totally alone there, then i preffer to have neighbors from USC)

any tip or advice??

 

Applying to on-campus housing was pretty easy, there's a process you go through. Just fill out the form and good luck!

 

I know I was given a kind of housing I didn't apply for (1BR2P), so be ready to not get what you ask for.

See you in Viterbi!

[turbina]

Count me in! They kept me waiting until almost last minute, but the admission letter eventually arrived 

 

I don't care for the on-campus housing, and I'm pretty sure I'll be renting a studio or 1-bedroom and living alone (although I could be open to getting a 2-bedroom with a roommate). Maybe kyjin or somebody else could share some knowledge on how hard it is for international students to rent an apartment? I obviously don't have any credit history, and hope to find a landlord who's ok with that (I don't mind paying a bigger deposit, and the university letter shows my stipend is $30,000 for the first year, so hopefully that'll be enough). I plan on arriving about a couple weeks before school starts (can't make it earlier) to find a place and get settled. 

 

Congratulations to everyone!

[kyjin]

Hey turbina-

Most independent apartments will want to check your credit, so your lack of credit history could prove to be a problem. It might be best to look at bigger complexes close to campus that are familiar with international students- they are more likely to consider without credit. The stipend letter should be fine for proving income. There was a bit of confusion when I used that as proof of income when I got my apartment last year since my landlord wasn't familiar with renting to grad students, but it shouldn't be any problem again with those close to campus. The Office of International Services may also be able to provide you with some better advice. Good luck!

[turbina]

Thanks a lot for the heads up kyjin! It's good to know beforehand that it might pose some problems... I'll check with the Office of International Services to see if they can provide some guidance, and maybe I'll also consider finding a roommate who's already renting so I don't have to deal with all the paperwork... If anybody has some experience renting as an international I'd like to hear it too!

[PhDerp]

Does anyone here work with professors at ISI? If so, I'd like to PM you a few questions! My advisor-to-be works between the main campus and ISI, and I'd like to know more about what it's like being split between the two (though I'm sure I'll stay on the main campus for at least my first year).

[beccamayworth]

Hi everyone - I'll be looking for a studio/one bedroom close to the USC campus in a couple of months, but I've been doing some research and I'd love to get your input regarding prices. What would you say would be the average price for a studio/1 bedroom on the west or north side of campus? 

[_intrigue_]

So, who else is starting at USC this fall? I'm pretty excited!

[1Q84]

Me me me! I'm super, super excited. Haven't had a chance to look around campus fully yet.