USC Price 2017

[coffeebean13]

Anyone else waiting to hear back from USC Price MPP? From the previous years, it looks like the first notices go out around the 10th for those that applied by the scholarship deadline (12/15). So we should be hearing back this week...  

[CakeTea]

Maybe you will get a USC Valentine's Day Special. USC Price is a great program. Good luck.

[devx]

I too had applied, wasn't aware they send out decisions this early. Fingers crossed. Anybody who hears back, please do a PSA

[beefmaster]

I also applied so fingers crossed we hear something this week :). If admitted, I assume you will all be going to the admitted students day?

[devx]

Did anybody hear anything?

[emilyf413]

Nope I've been waiting on tenterhooks for Price and haven't heard anything. Guess they are late for everyone this year.

[coffeebean13]

Yeah, nothing to report yet. 

[beefmaster]

Nothing from my side either. Has anyone got any notifications to check the youSC site?

[devx]

21 minutes ago, beefmaster said:

Nothing from my side either. Has anyone got any notifications to check the youSC site?

Yes, I got that notification. It just had a letter saying that I was 'academically eligible' for an admit. I'm guessing that's because USC had a few queries about my transcripts early on.

[coffeebean13]

Got an email at 2am PST saying there was a change in my application status and to check the you.usc.edu portal. Said I was accepted (!), but no mention of funding. There's a link to a grad admit website. Not sure if that'll have information. 

I was up early to catch a flight, not a bad way to start my vacation! 

 

[beefmaster]

Congrats!! FYI, last year funding decisions came by post.

[mpa/mpa2017]

50 minutes ago, beefmaster said:

Congrats!! FYI, last year funding decisions came by post.

Thank you for the heads up! Do you know how much later the funding decision was?

[Leeannuhw]

Got an email to check my decision status and saw that I was accepted this morning (2/17).  

I later got the acceptance packet same day (I live in LA county) with funding info. Merit Scholarship half tuition paid for.

[coffeebean13]

Congrats @Leeannuhw!

Too bad I'm out of town. Maybe there's a packet waiting for me at home... 

[margota]

Same details as the others - notified via e-mail on 2/17 to check admission status online. I received a physical package with an award letter the same day. The package also had a general admissions letter and a brochure, so I imagine all accepted people will receive something. If you haven't received anything but see online that you're accepted, I imagine you might still have a letter in the mail.

Full funding with the dean's merit scholarship. Very generous, I haven't gotten a similar offer from anywhere else. Hope that bodes well for everyone.

Edited February 20, 2017 by margota
adding more details

[coffeebean13]

Congrats @margota! 

 

Just saw that I got a Dean's Merit scholarship - full tuition as well! Will you guys be going to the Merit scholars event in March? 

[beefmaster]

I am in with a 50% Deans's Merit Scholarship. Was honestly hoping for a bit more than that as the cost is still a bit high for me (not to mention that I am an international student so most decent loans are out of the question). Will most probably see you at the Merit Scholars event on the 31st if I can get the time off work. 

[liuking]

Sadly I still did not heard from them. Does that necessarily suggest a rejection or simply because I am an international student? But still finger crossed for an admission.

[mpp2017]

Also wondering if no notification at this point indicates a rejection/waitlist? Since getting into UChicago Harris I felt good about my chances with USC but now I'm not so sure .. Getting very worried and would appreciate any insight anyone has

[beefmaster]

Email admissions they are super responsive and seem happy to answer any questions. 

[emilyf413]

I got a full ride to Price for urban planning so I'm seriously considering it now. I just realllllly don't want to drive! Does anyone know how feasible it is to be there without a car? Also concerned about cost of living and finding a way to support myself. If anyone knows any current students or knows more about life on campus, that would be awesome.

[coffeebean13]

Congrats, @emilyf413! 

I have the same issue. I just don't want to be stuck in traffic in LA. I was at the convention center for a conference last October and it wasn't that bad. I took the metro down to USC, the Expo Park stop is right in front of the campus. I talked to a few students who lived near the metro line towards Santa Monica. I think their rent was about $1,600/mo for a 1 bedroom. They said that the metro made it easy to come and go from campus, but you'll need a car/taxi/uber to do anything else in the city if it's not near the metro. 

[CakeTea]

@emilyf413: I reached out to a current Price student and she does not drive in LA. She lives in Culver City near metro station. She can easily commute to USC. A room in a shared apartment/house is around $870/month.

 

[coffeewalk]

To folks worried about LA traffic: I currently live in LA and you can avoid traffic and driving in general if your life is conducive to it. Luckily USC (unlike UCLA) has a metro stop right there, so as long as you live somewhere on the metro (Hollywood, Downtown, Koreatown, Los Feliz, Culver City, even Santa Monica now) you could pretty much avoid having a car. Lyft is pretty cheap out there and it is probably a lot cheaper to use lyft the few times you need it than owning a car anyway. 

In terms of cost of living, I think LA is a lot more affordable than other major cities (boston, nyc, SF). If you're open to living with a roommate, you can definitely find a two bedroom for less than $1,000 a person depending on the neighborhood. One bedrooms are much more expensive, though. 

I'm likely going to Price for an MPP. I was shocked to find out I got a full ride! I was also accepted to Harris with $15k but am not bothering to attend admitted students day because I just don't think it will be worth the price compared to USC's offer. The other school I applied to was Berkeley's GSPP, but I doubt I will get in, let alone get any funding.

Are people here planning on attending? Why or why not?

[emilyf413]

@coffeebean13 Thank you, congrats to you as well! And that's good to know, I'd be happy to live off the metro.

@coffeewalk Do you have any experience with zipcar? I've heard of that as an option for students who want to live off the metro and just drive on occasion.

And right now, I'm weighing a MPL (urban planning) at USC vs. MPP at UW Madison (they gave me a full ride as well as a ~$10,000 yearly stipend). Madison is giving me more money and is one of the best schools for my area of interest, but USC is an amazing school for urban planning and coming from NYC I'm apprehensive about moving to a small city like Madison. Going to some admissions events first to help me decide.