Dr-To-Be said:
I've recently decided to attend USC and was hoping to get some advice from current students as to where to live. I'm originally from Ohio and now go to school in Nashville, Tennessee, so I am completely unfamiliar with the area. I was thinking Santa Monica might be great because I would love to live on the beach...however I am open to suggestions (and, if any current students know someone looking for a roommate, I'd love references). Thanks so much, everyone, for all of your help!
Most people at USC live east of the Health Sciences Campus. Common places include Monterey Hills, South Pasadena, Pasadena, and Alhambra. Monterey Hills is probably the most popular. While it's a nice neighborhood, I didn't like the idea of living so close to so many people I went to school with. I had enough of that in undergrad. Don't get me wrong--it's not like you're constantly running into people, though. I also didn't like that it's a little secluded from businesses like supermarkets, which seemed inconvenient to me. I'm sure other USC people will give you the Monterey Hills pitch, so you'll get a better idea of what it's like.
If you live in Santa Monica or anywhere on the Westside you'll have to deal with the commute. Don't let the distance on a map fool you, especially if you're not familiar with LA traffic. It can easily take you 45 minutes to 1 hour during rush hour on the 10. Some people take the trade-off of sitting in traffic for living on the Westside, but it seems like they are always preoccupied with leaving campus at certain times to avoid the traffic. Monterey Hills, South Pas, and Alhambra are 15-20 minutes away and you can get there on surface streets. Pasadena will take you around 30 minutes, depending on the traffic on the 110.
I personally live in South Pas. Nice city, very safe, conveniently close to many businesses, and I don't feel like I live in a college environment. The only thing going against it is the rent, which is considerably higher than Monterey Hills, but on par with Pasadena and Alhambra.
Good luck in your search. The Admissions Office should be sending information packets to new students soon. There's always a housing sheet listing people looking for roommates, available apartments, and such.
