USC Housing

[DRfej]

any suggestions from current sc students on where to live in los angeles? is santa monica too far away from campus?

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[Hysteria24]

I have a few classmates who line in Santa Monica. Nice area (especially compared to nearby campus, although I happily live here). You'll be commuting, but those that do don't seem to mind all that much.

You can go to google maps and look at traffic conditions at specific times to see what the roads will look like on the way to and from campus.

A large percentage of us live just north of campus (walk or ride bike), or downtown only a handful of miles away.

 

[USCDDS123]

near campus is ok if you wanna live with roommates (more times than others with more than one)... but its close.
santa monica is a little cheaper if you look, but then you gottta go on the 10freeway to get to school most of the time, it's hell. if you come to school early and leave a little later, you'll be fine.
don't go ANYWHERE past santa monica or anywhere past pasadena on the north side or you will regret the commute...

 

[drsomeday1]

I'm doing the same research for USC. Pretty much what I've heard from most students (I'm coming with a wife) is Culver City and South Pasadena.

 

[xhamburgersamx]

I'm doing the same research for USC. Pretty much what I've heard from most students (I'm coming with a wife) is Culver City and South Pasadena.

look into downtown and koreatown. Downtown is expensive but nice and relatively safe if u're in a high rise. K-town is less safe but its way cheaper and affordable.

 

[camouflage831]

How about graduate housing options? Are they not safe?
Isn't University Regent graduate student only housing?
Any opinions on graduate apartments managed by USC?

Also... do you think it's possible to survive without a car, and just live where tram stops by? any opinions??

 

[lphiewok]

How about graduate housing options? Are they not safe?
Isn't University Regent graduate student only housing?
Any opinions on graduate apartments managed by USC?

Also... do you think it's possible to survive without a car, and just live where tram stops by? any opinions??

Are there such options available?
I would be very interested in them.

 

[maro3]

hi
i am not USC student and i am preparing for NBDE part I , i found on the usc site a study Q for NBDE part I but i cant access without a password ,so if anyone please put his password and download it for me and i can take them from him i will be gratful ,i know this is a big help

 

[doctorducks]

If you are coming with wife and kids I would go to Culver or South Pasadena LA school districts are bad.

 

[aries12r40]

How about graduate housing options? Are they not safe?
Isn't University Regent graduate student only housing?
Any opinions on graduate apartments managed by USC?

Also... do you think it's possible to survive without a car, and just live where tram stops by? any opinions??

You can apply for graduate housing but it is not a guarantee. Most of the grad houses locate off campus, disperse among other private apartments and houses. They are all about 10-15min walking distance to dental school building. In terms of safety, you really need to go check out the neighborhood yourself. Lots students live at the North end of campus neighborhood where many of the grad houses locate. You see new apartment complexes and old apartment complexes standing next to each other on the street. I personally didn't see any homeless on the street at the North campus region (but I saw them walking out of the supermarket just right next to dental school). By the way, the school has guards patrolling within like 5 blocks proximity of campus (I think it's 5 blocks, you can double check on USC off-campus housing map).

If you are just gonna stay in LA downtown area and not going anywhere, I think you can survive without a car. You can find housing that is 10-15min walking to dental school and grocery stores. But whether you dare to walk alone at early morning, late evening or night to do your grocery shopping or get your laundry done, that is a different story. FYI, it's hard to survive in S. Cal without a car. S. Cal public transportation just sucks. But again, if you are just talking about USC community, I think it is manageable without a car.

There are also USC trams that take you from the blocks around campus to school and they are available every 30min during the day time and every 15 min during the night time. But I am not sure whether these trams will also take you to shopping centers nearby.

Hope these info help. Best of luck!

 

[drsomeday1]

Just heard from a friend that the Torrance or South Bay area is really nice in addition to Culver City and South Pas. Sounds like South Pas has the worst traffic problems of the three though.

 

[Hysteria24]

Just heard from a friend that the Torrance or South Bay area is really nice in addition to Culver City and South Pas. Sounds like South Pas has the worst traffic problems of the three though.

The South Bay is paradise (Manhattan/Hermosa areas)! I would live there in a heartbeat if it weren't for the increased rents and 45-60min commute. It has to be a longer commute than South Pas.

 

[drsomeday1]

The South Bay is paradise (Manhattan/Hermosa areas)! I would live there in a heartbeat if it weren't for the increased rents and 45-60min commute. It has to be a longer commute than South Pas.

They said they travel 20-30 minutes per commute. I think they live in North Torrance.

 

[doctorducks]

I rode into school today with a buddy from south pas it took 20 mins, and I took the train home it took 35, and I studied almost the whole way. It is not a bad commute, but then I cannot look out the window at the beach everyday, but my rent is cheap.

 

[Hysteria24]

I rode into school today with a buddy from south pas it took 20 mins, and I took the train home it took 35, and I studied almost the whole way. It is not a bad commute, but then I cannot look out the window at the beach everyday, but my rent is cheap.

Haha... I rode my bike to school and it took me 90 seconds, then rode my bike back after school which took 60 seconds (pedaled faster cause I was hungry👍). Now that's what I call a commute! I have a nice view of the Hollywood sign from my window, but yes, I am still in the "ghetto."

 

[tlynguyen]

Does anyone know how well the rail system works in LA and if there is any stops close to the dental school?

 

[jazane08]

Hysteria 24, do you live on campus in the seaver residence hall? I am looking for a place as close as possible to USC Dental for this summer. I won't be bringing a car.

 

[Hysteria24]

Hysteria 24, do you live on campus in the seaver residence hall? I am looking for a place as close as possible to USC Dental for this summer. I won't be bringing a car.

Nope... much closer than that 😀

I don't know any students in school affiliated housing. It is very limited for us grad students. Most of the apartments are privately owned.

Here are a few places you can check out (although you can probably find more by googling "usc housing" or "usc apartments":

http://www.cityparkusc.com/citypark/index.asp
http://housing.usc.edu/HousingOptions/BuildingSearch.aspx
http://www.uscspots.com/
http://www.livegw.com/

You can also look through the classifieds in our school paper which have advertisements and web links for local and downtown apartments:
http://dailytrojan.com/category/classifieds/

 

[hilltenhadden]

My sister has some questions about USC housing. She will be a freshman when she applies for it. She is majoring in Business Administration.

 

[drsomeday1]

Does anyone know anything about El Segundo or Westchester? Someone was talking about those to me today and both are pretty close to school.

 

[DRfej]

Does anyone know anything about El Segundo or Westchester? Someone was talking about those to me today and both are pretty close to school.

Westchester is a nice area, i lived there for 4 years. pretty safe and a lot of options for living. you should look into a part of downtown called South park. a lil pricey but a really nice area of downtown i just got a place this weekend!

 

[KlingonDentist]

Get an apartment just north of campus where there are security patrolling night and day. All you have to do is walk to school. You'll be grateful you did this for there are days that you'll need to be in the lab at night.

do not go further than that.

I hate where USC is located, I was miserable living in LA. I hate LA. I hate LA traffic. I hated living in K-town.

 

[toothfixeralex]

Just a quick bump on this forum. I currently live in Culver City and it's a great area. If you're getting on the 10 in the morning east of the 405 (i.e. from Palms/Culver City and east) the commute is around 15 minutes (my fastest was 12 minutes). At night it's a bit worse so I either leave before 4:30 or after 6:00, otherwise I'll just take the surface streets and it's about 25 minutes.

The area is quite safe and downtown Culver is quite awesome.

In fact, if there are any guys that are looking to rent half of a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom send me a PM, I'm in need of a roommate 🙂