USC Price Fall 2013

[ZacharyObama]

I'm expecting full reports muro and skemp so that I can experience such an event vicariously while waiting another week!

[spacezeppelin]

I want reports too!

I know its silly, but i'm a little bit nervous. Next week is going to be INSANE. I coincidentally have FOUR visiting days all stacked up. USC is second, so hopefully I wont be too overwhelmed by then.

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question. They were both good answers. I guess I have a lot to think about.

On the financial side of things...does anyone know what kind of financial support we might get outside of department scholarships? I'm kind of expecting just a bunch of unsubsidized loans, but maybe I’m wrong on that.

[ZacharyObama]

I just wrapped up filling out my FAFSA and other forms for the main Financial Aid office: http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/my_fa/ - I think my aid report will basically consist of: you get Unsubsidized loans + Work Study + PLUS Loan Allowance.

 

First, If you take 15 or more credits you're in flat rate zone: http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/applying_receiving/graduates1/costs.html

 

So Basically: You Can Borrow Cost of Attendance: 52k (8-14 credits - you are charged per credit which is ~$1500 per credit) - Minus Your Scholarships with the balance =  Work Study of up to ~$3500 + 20~k in Unsubsidized (@6.8%) + PLUS Loans (@7.9%) or Private Loans or Credit Cards/Cash (Lump Sum or 10 month payment plan).

 

USC for the purpose of enrollment considers 4 units to be half-time and 8 to be full time (important if you're putting loans in deferment).

 

I have a slight blemish on my credit report (like really slight), but as far as I can tell the only way you don't qualify for Stafford Loans or PLUS Loans is if you have student loans in default or are like in bankruptcy. I've been looking for and haven't been able to find many other external/outside scholarship opportunities at this point.

 

Hope that helps. I hope everyone has their logistics all squared away. Count on traffic if you're driving!

 

P.S. If you guys get to ask questions try to find out more about TA's (Price and others)/RA's.

Edited March 27, 2013 by ZacharyObama

[ZacharyObama]

Edit: I need to fix that blemish. F@#%

[muro0901]

I attended last week’s dean’s merit scholarship event at USC I have to say I was thoroughly impressed. This was my first time visiting USC (and California if I am being honest) and it was a wonderful experience. The day was spent between a number of presentations that outlined the program, career services, international labs, and financial aid. There were also two panels; one with current students and the other with recent alumni (most graduated within the last 5 or 6 years). I won’t go in depth on each presentation, but I will provide you with the big takeaways from the day in my opinion.

 

The aspect that had the largest impression on me was the Trojan Network. I am sure most have heard of the strength of the alumni network for the university, but I gained better insight into how that network is cultivated by the Price school. Something I didn’t necessary realize was the fact that Price has its own career services staff. This means that they have a group of individuals whose entire job is to help students (and alumni) in the MPA, MPP, MHA, and MPL programs. From the sounds of it they work tirelessly to find leads, connect you with the right people, assist in the writing of resumes and cover letters and much more. They also host a job listing website that should prove to be extremely useful in looking for internships, fellowships and jobs. Additionally all of these services are provided for life. As an alumnus of the Price school you will always have access to their expertise and also the job searching resources that they have available. Pretty fantastic in my opinion.

 

Everyone I met (students, faculty, staff) was extremely warm and helpful. They seemed like a great bunch of people to work with. In planning for this event I realized that I would miss the opportunity to take a campus tour. I emailed Megan Currin (who was wonderful) and she set up an alternate time with a student ambassador. I walked around with this ambassador for two hours. Besides the knowledge I gained about the school and program through this process I was struck by their willingness to assist students in any way possible.

 

After this event I went ahead and accepted my offer and I am more confident in my decision now than ever. If anyone has any specific questions about the event let me know. I am more than happy to tell you about my experience and thoughts, I just don't want to make this initial post any longer than it is now.

[ZacharyObama]

Thanks Muro! I'm going to turn in my commitment paperwork probably today. I'm doing their optional day today and then the mandatory one tomorrow. After that, I'll post my thoughts at some point soon. Excited!

 

[ZacharyObama]

So my takeaways from the admitted student event before the coffee wears off this morning...I went to the optional day on the 4th and to the regular session on the 5th (I shouldn't have put "mandatory" above - it's not accurate):

 

- I'm really glad I went to 4th - I sat in on the lecture/class from a visiting professor that MPA's were assigned to and I got to chit chat with my assigned adviser a little bit along with some other students and profs. The lecture was pretty interactive with both the students and profs in attendance asking questions, the atmosphere was very relaxed and that's a big plus in my book for any educational program. I then went on a small-group tour with a first year student that was really less of a tour per say than a chance to ask questions in a more relaxed environment. We chit-chatted for about half an hour past when it was supposed to end.

 

- I then went and visited the financial aid office which has a walk-in ticket system and tried to finalize my anticipated finances for the first year. At that point, I felt like i had done my homework on the program and how I could make attendance work both financially and in terms of time-management. I turned in my commitment form to the admissions office. I think I'm a pretty easy sell on USC given my lengthy familiarity with the school being from the area and knowing alums and a former Price Prof through work so your mileage may vary in this regard.

 

- Day 2 started at 8 am with continental breakfast - I chit-chatted with more profs and with a current student MPA student who had applied and been accepted to the MPL program. The formal program started after that with introductions and talks from one of the assistant deans, from the MPA program director, with the international initiative program director, and from career services. We then had a really informal panel with current MPA students that was really forthcoming about the school and I found really useful and refreshing that confirmed why I really like what USC Price is doing and which was consistent with the message throughout the day: that Price gives you a sound academic basis but that the point of this is to allow you to maximize your career development and that the program really tries to let you balance these two things. Students at Price study hard and play hard - but that as a professional program the goal is be become working public service professionals with cross-sector skills. 

 

- We were then ushered across the street to a hotel for lunch after which Dean Knott gave a straightforward talk on why we should come to USC. I think perhaps one of the more salient points he made is that while Price does take the US News rankings at face value, it's only because they want to be #1. USC Price is raising a boatload of money for new research centers, for growing the school, for financial aid, and for faculty. I think that while I'm making an investment by going that Price is also making a massive investment in providing me with world-class education and opportunities. USC in general is in the middle of a $5 billion dollar capital campaign and Price is pretty front and center in that endeavor. This was followed by a kind of half-put together chance to get a feel for the research center in the lobby to the ballroom which kind of fell flat because of the echo from so many people talking at once in a place with poor acoustics.

 

- We then were ushered back into the ballroom and got kind of brief presentation from the general USC Financial Aid office (I felt this could have been better) and from USC Price financial aid coordinator who seems pretty fantastic. There was a pretty sincere and compelling panel with alums and then we went back to campus for a reception. The reception was fun, I had the chance to speak with a the Price financial aid coordinator about scholarships, with a couple more profs at length, with some more students and one of the alums. I ended up being one the last to leave as I wanted to wait out Friday evening rush hour a bit. I know there were a couple more chances to go out with student groups but at that point the coffee had worn off.

 

- A couple things I found out - there are no RA/TA positions assigned to admits but if you chase them down they're there - several of the student panelists had RA positions in their second semester. It seemed like many of these were decent paying hourly positions and that some might include some level of tuition remission. Another great way to knock off tuition is to become a USC employee. I've looked at University employment and that definitely seems to be a great way to go about funding your education. BTW - transit passes seem to be really well subsidized for grad students - there's a special TAP card you can get through the campus grad student gov ($$$ sounds).

 

- I would strongly second Muro that the Trojan "Network" is very strong and real with some national/global reach. USC can just be school for some people, but for a lot of people, it's a way of life - it's a real pay it forward type of deal. The Alums were helped and so they want to help students. One final cool thing is we all got business card holders and you can get 500 business cards through career services for like $15.

 

I think that's about long enough. I hope people will find this useful now and in the future - I know I read threads for preceding years and feel that the more information I can provide for people in the future the better (apologies, I was a history major)

 

Aloha!

Edited April 6, 2013 by ZacharyObama

[CharKel27]

Going to check out the school tomorrow then making my final decision between USC and UPenn...someone decide for me, please!

[ZacharyObama]

@CharKel - Hope you're having fun. You should probably decide solely on the basis of weather.

[CharKel27]

Ahhh this is so hard!  I loved the campus, the admissions/career services/student affairs people were great, and I plan on being out west in the future...but I was just eyeing UPenn's curriculum vs. USC's and I prefer UPenn's nonprofit specialization by a mile.  I emailed my potential advisor at USC asking a bit more about the curriculum and maybe she will sway me one way or the other, but I still feel stuck.  USC's nonprofit specialization seems incredibly broad/unspecific, while UPenn offers courses in marketing, grant writing, fundraising, etc. which is more appealing to me.  What to do, what to do?

[ZacharyObama]

Just gonna throw this out there - you can the syllabi for many classes on the USC Schedule of Classes: http://web-app.usc.edu/soc/ - you should also look at the course listings for the Marshall School of Business - they have a class on everything you listed:

 

BUCO 485: Business Communication Management for Nonprofits (4.0 units)

Communication environment; communication activities for fundraising and visibility; research and evaluation methods; grant proposals; strategies for communicating social mission to media, government and for-profit partners.

 

I agree though looking at the Price course listings for the non-profit track it does seem vague. I know for the MPA program our director was pretty much like if it has relevance he will approve it. I know for the sustainability track I'm looking it (which is being revamped) that there are relevant course listings in the environmental studies program as well as architecture and geography departments. The MPA/MPP Labs also have more sort of more programmatic offerings too for enrichment purposes.

 

Hope that was helpful.

[ZacharyObama]

I made a Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/283063438493234/ - it's open membership for now.

[CharKel27]

I spoke with a professor and two students about the NPO course offerings, and indeed there are courses that are 1) not listed but most likely will be offered (like fundraising) and 2) courses outside of Price that are applicable.  Sooo....I JUST COMMITTED!  USC here I come!

Edited April 12, 2013 by CharKel27

[ZacharyObama]

Woot! Congrats and Welcome to the Family!