Reviewing the Freshman Dorms: 2016-2017 Edition
By Adriana Bernal Martinez ‘20
Next year, we’ll have McCarthy Honors College in The Village to consider as an additional option to the already present freshman dorms – but for now, I’ve taken upon the task of getting the scoop on current USC students’ reviews of their residence halls and suites for the 2016-2017 year. Here’s to hoping that this post compiling facts and feedback from the people that were in your shoes last year can help you incoming Class of 2021-ers a little bit in your housing preferences! It’s coming up a lot sooner than you think.
Originally posted by zaynispretty.
Residence Halls
- Birnkrant Residential College
Currently the Honors dormitory for freshmen, Birnkrant has been highly sought after as a housing options due to its well-known work hard, play hard culture as well as its proximity to both the convenient 24-Hour Starbucks and 24-hour library, Leavey, both seen in the picture above. It’s also conveniently close to the weekly farmer’s market and concerts at USC alike Conquest, being mere feet away from McCarthy Quad. In order to qualify for this popular and tight-knit housing option in the past years, one has to be recipient of either the Presidential (half-tuition) or Trustee/Mork/Stamps (full-tuition) scholarships. As for the upcoming year, it will no longer be a solely merit or first-year dormitory choice, but is nevertheless an available choice and in this list in lieu of McCarthy, the up-and-coming Honors dormitory choice in the village.
Facts & Figures -
Room Types Available: Single, Double, Triple
Price Range: $4610-$6520
Bathrooms: Community bathrooms
Dining Plan: Full plan required
Closest Dining Hall: Everybody’s Kitchen
Features: Gender-neutral option, music practice lounge, study room, television lounge.
Student Feedback -
“It’s a very social dorm… the amenities aren’t great but the people are.”
“The bathrooms aren’t the most convenient, but we make-do. You grow close and comfortable with people not only on your floor but from all of BK.”
“It’s like a little family! It’s great to get to make so many connections so early in your college career.”
“It’s an awesome community full of smart and determined kids who are also pretty social. The “seven floors of open doors” motto is so true. You get so close with the people on your floor and I think that being at Birnkrant is definitely one of the best parts of my freshman experience. ”
“In terms of amenities, BK isn’t that great though. We don’t have some of the nice amenities that Parkside has, but it makes up for it in its social atmosphere… it’s a pretty special community and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
- Marks Tower/Hall
If you want a solid first-year experience, South Residential College (including Marks Tower and Marks Hall) is the place to be. They pride themselves upon aiding to ease the transition from high school to college by promoting a close-knit and highly socially active environment. These two are often bunched together alike New/North below, and with good reason. They’re located right next to each other with great proximity both to the Marshall School of Business and Ground Zero (a popular coffeeshop serving fine music and entretainment). Furthermore, they have a large lawn and proximity to both Doheney and Leavey library. They’re just close enough to McCarthy Quad to take advantage of the events happening there, too.
Facts & Figures -
Room Types Available: Single, Double
Price Range: $4493-$5775
Bathrooms: Community bathrooms
Dining Plan: Full plan required
Closest Dining Hall: Everybody’s Kitchen
Features: Large lawn, piano room (Hall), television area (Tower), many study rooms, exercise area (Hall).
Student Feedback -
“Great amenities with very social people!”
“It doesn’t tend to get too loud but when it does, the study rooms are always helpful to have.”
“It’s so close to Ground Zero it’s hard not to practically live there – Freshmen 15 be warned.”
- New/North Residential College(s)
Well-known for its vibrant and perpetually fun atmosphere, New/North Residential College(s) is the place to be if you want to make close friendships due to its very long hallways that make it easy to befriend one-another. It’s well-known for attracting future members of the Greek community due to its proximity to the row. Furthermore, it’s close to the strip of shops right outside of campus, Everybody’s Kitchen, McCarthy Quad, the 24-Hour Starbucks and 24-Hour library, all of which make its location absolutely prime. The two are always bunched together, holding very little difference between the two of them.
Facts & Figures -
Room Types Available: Single, Single with Sink, Double, Double with Sink
Price Range: $4493-$6345
Bathrooms: Community bathrooms
Dining Plan: Full plan required
Closest Dining Hall: Everybody’s Kitchen
Features: Enclosed patio area, cinema floor, exercise area, study rooms, TV areas in each floor.
Student Feedback -
“Beyond the norovirus earlier in the year, I love New/North. We live in close proximity and it’s easy to find friends. It’s easily the most social dorm regardless of official organized activities.”
"New/North is definitely more of an intense social experience in comparison to other dorms, but as a person who tends toward introvert, I truly had no problem living there.”
“The amenities definitely need updates. We discovered a cockroach in our dorm room, and I’ve seen them in the hallways and bathrooms as well (yuck). The bathrooms and showers are not the nicest, my room faces the courtyard that contains all of the dumpsters and garbage from EVK, and some of these smells waft into our room, which is not pleasant. There is not great ventilation either. The hallways always have a foul odor of some sort. However, I truly wouldn’t change my living experience, as the social benefits and social comfort outweigh the unpleasant smells and sights.”
“At first living without A/C was hard but it’s been pretty cold so it hasn’t been that big of an issue lately. People brought a lot of fans anyway… I like New/North in general, but watch out for the puke stalls.”
- Pardee Tower
It’s right in the middle of everything and thus in perfect location for those that want to catch those last ten minutes of sleep! Pardee Tower is located close to Doheney and Leavey Library, McCarthy Quad, and the 24 Hour Starbucks. Furthermore, it’s right by several other residential colleges, making it easier to have friends beyond your dorm. Within the dorm, however, a highly sociable atmosphere is present. People keep their doors open and engage with most people on their floor. It’s also awfully close to Marshall School of Business, so, if taking any classes there, it’s just a short a hike as it is to get to the popular class hub of Von Kleinsmid Center.
Facts & Figures -
Room Types Available: Double
Price Range: $4493
Bathrooms: Community bathrooms
Dining Plan: Full plan required.
Closest Dining Hall: Everybody’s Kitchen
Features: TV area, community kitchenette, music practice lounges and Marks Hall exercise area is available.
Student Feedback -
“You can always hear everything going on at McCarthy which helps you never stay in. People are super great so it’s not hard to make friends if you keep your door open.”
"It’s a social dorm but there’s not a lot of parties. It’s good because it’s quiet when it’s night but you also have to go somewhere else if you want to party.”
“I can’t sleep sometimes because the walls are pretty thin. Plus, the Quad is right outside and it’s hard to get over the constant noise going on there. I would invest in some good ear plugs if you plan to live here.”
“Everything is pretty great! I wish we didn’t have community bathrooms but they tend to be available so it’s not too bad.”
“The dorms are so tiny but it’s totally worth it because it’s so close to everything that you never stay in the dorm anyway! I have a lot of GE’s in VKC and I can wake up five minutes before class and get there early.”
- Trojan Hall
Tucked into a corner near to Ground Zero and Marshall School of Business, Trojan Hall is in a prime location. It’s also close to both Leavey and Doheney Library, and is known for having a smaller size and encouraging its students to become friendly with one-another due to it. Due to it being a part of South Residential College, a big part of its mission statement is to ease the transition from high school to college, so, if wanting to make close friendships and wanting a community that fosters them whilst attending to individual needs, the smaller Trojan Hall might be a good fit.
Facts & Figures -
Room Types Available: Double
Price Range: $4493
Bathrooms: Community
Dining Plan: Full plan required.
Closest Dining Hall: Everybody’s Kitchen
Features: TV area, lounge, welcome to use exercise area in Marks Hall
Student Feedback -
“The dorms are spacious and clean… it’s a nice social atmosphere like half people who like to party and half who don’t.”
"I’ve had a pretty great experience living in Trojan hall so far. The floor is social at times but it rarely gets too loud. The overall experience is that the dorms are comfortable and the people are nice. The only thing that sometimes bothers me are the communal bathrooms. People tend to not clean up after themselves and it gets dirty.”
“Bathrooms are big enough that even with so many of us sharing I almost never have to wait to use the toilet or the shower. Our building itself doesn’t have many amenities except for the study room at the end of the hall, which is quite possibly the most depressing place I’ve ever been. It’s a plain white room, like a dorm but smaller, with no windows. The acoustics in there are also ridiculous and hearing your voice echo around makes it feel that much more unsettling.”
“Several of the girls nearby are good friends and on the one hand, good for them, but on the other hand, they talk obnoxiously loudly in the hallway…”
“It’s not a bad atmosphere I guess, if I were friends with my neighbors rather than just not knowing them but being occasionally irritated with them I’m sure I’d like it, but it’s extra annoying at 2 am… it’s really not for someone who doesn’t like to party.”
Suites
- Fluor Tower
Known for its well-balanced medium as both a social and studious dormitory, Fluor Tower is a popular choice for students. Its proximity to the Lyon Recreation Center and Uytengsu Swim Stadium makes it particularly attractive to student athletes, while its proximity to the School of Cinematic Arts makes it a wise choice for SCA students. Furthermore, there is a computer lab and programming space available right next door at King’s Hall above the popular Cafe 84 dining hall known for its gourmet-style dining. With such nearby conveniences as well as bathrooms, A/C and relatively large lounge areas located in each suite, Fluor Tower makes for a very comfortable living arrangement.
Facts & Figures -
Room Types Available: Single, 8-Person Double
Price Range: $5250-$6560
Bathrooms: Double suite bathroom
Dining Plan: Full plan required.
Closest Dining Hall: Cafe 84
Features: TV area, A/C, community kitchen, Somerville Flor and El Sol y La Luna special interest programs.
Student Feedback -
“It never gets too loud to where you’re unable to sleep because of the suite style, which is really nice. It’s not super social but most people keep their doors pried open so you can always come in and get to know your neighbors.”
"The study room can get a little loud sometimes which is annoying when you’re trying to finish up a paper late. But we have a great view on the higher floors and people don’t get rowdy or anything.”
“It’s so far away from the center of campus that investing in a bike or skateboard is practically inevitable. If you’re in Marshall, you’re literally in the opposite side of campus from it and if you wake up less than twenty minutes before class starts, you’re not making it.”
“They need to fix the elevators. That’s my only thing. Other than that, I love Fluor. It’s so nice and we get AC.”
“Both the best dining hall on campus and the gym are nearby and that confuses me because I don’t know which to go to most of the time. We have problems with the laundry sometimes but who doesn’t?”
- Parkside Arts & Humanities
With a heavy focus on arts-related programs as well as independence and privacy, Parkside Arts & Humanities is sought after by a lot of majors in Roski, School of Dramatic Arts, Thornton School of Music and the School of Cinematic Arts. It’s relatively close to both Viterbi School of Engineering and Nekter Juice Bar (best for healthy options), and offers modern advantages being the newest residential hall besides the up-and-coming village. It’s the main hub for all art-leaning students and has many an amenity due to its proximity to both Parkside Restaurant and Parkside International Residential College.
Facts & Figures -
Room Types Available: Double with Bath, 6 Person Double, 8 Person Double.
Price Range: $5320-$5440
Bathrooms: Two suite bathrooms
Dining Plan: Full plan required.
Closest Dining Hall: Parkside Restaurant
Features: A/C, performance space, music practice rooms, collaborative learning center, recreation room, outside fire pit.
Student Feedback -
“You really have to make an effort to get to know the people you live with in A&H. It’s unnervingly quiet most of the time.”
"Everybody sort of keeps to themselves but that’s okay. You have your suitemates that most people are close to, plus, it’s really quiet and helpful when you want to get work done. It really lets you focus.”
“Going out to the fire pit or the little lounge couches by IRC is so nice. You really bond with the people you live with, but I think there should be more efforts made to foster community.”
“A&H has so many cool programs! They host a lot of painting things which is awesome. Having Parkside so close by is always cool because you never have to go anywhere further than that during the weekend. Also the keycards they give us in place of actual keys are really useful.”
- Parkside International Residential College
Right on top of the large Parkside Dining Hall and with its very own exercise facility, it’s not difficult to see why Parkside International Residential College attracts more than just international students. It’s a great mix of both, providing a quieter atmosphere for students who highly prioritize focusing on their studies. They often host scholar discussions and their programs focus heavily upon international matters and recognizing different cultures. If you’re looking for more comfortable living in your first year along with the conveniences of having a more quiet dormitory and almost customizable available floorplans, IRC might be perfect for you.
Facts & Figures -
Room Types Available: 5 Person Single, 5 Person Double, 6 Person Double, 7 Person Single, 7 Person Double, 8 Person Double.
Price Range: $5230-$6145
Bathrooms: Two suite bathrooms
Dining Plan: Full plan required.
Closest Dining Hall: Parkside Restaurant
Features: A/C, collaborative learning center, meeting spaces, exercise area, music room, lounges, outdoor fire pit.
Student Feedback -
“Amenities are great! I love having personal bathrooms… [they] usually aren’t busy which is nice. The air conditioning is also a definite plus! Elevators are usually pretty fast too which is nice.”
“IRC is actually less social than other dorms it seems like because there is a suite door and then a room door so everyone just kind of stays in their suite.”
“I love living there… but it’s far away from everything.”
“It’s so nice to have it so close to Parkside! If you’re wanting to party, this probably isn’t the place to go to, but if you like a quieter environment, IRC is perfect. Plus, with the suite system, you get a bunch of best friends in an instant.”
“IRC is really modern and you can tell… the amenities are great but I still hardly know the people in my floor.”
Keep in mind there’s also apartment choices available for first-year students that aren’t listed – the above are only the freshman-exclusive dormitories on campus! Check out the rest with more detail over in the USC Housing Website.
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