Should Freshmen Live in Sophomore Apartments? Advice From a USC Student Who Tried It

photo credit: USC Housing

by Donal Buckley ‘26

No matter what year you’re in, deciding where to live for the upcoming school year is always a daunting task. Whether it’s deciding to live on or off campus, finding something within your budget, or looking for suitable roommates, there are so many factors to consider in choosing a living situation. But, as incoming freshmen, it can be especially challenging. Before setting foot on campus, first-years have so much to learn, and understanding housing options is one of the first major steps into acclimating to college life.

Typically, freshmen tend to live in the communal dorms — these include Pardee, Marx Tower, Birnkrant, or New North — or Parkside Apartments. All are contained within the walls of the university. My first year, though, I lived in Cardinal Gardens — housing intended mostly for sophomores and juniors — in a two-bedroom-four-person apartment. I didn’t have the conventional first-year dorm experience like most people, so I can offer some nontraditional insight into the housing process.

For starters, though, second-year housing is typically harder to come by for freshmen. Since I opted into gender-inclusive housing, and Cardinal Gardens had a section for first-years who opted in, I was assigned over there. But without that caveat, my chances of getting housing there would’ve been extremely unlikely. So, I urge first-years not to put all their eggs in the apartment basket, just to consider if you really do want to live there if given the opportunity. 

There is no denying that an apartment offers a higher-quality living space than the dorms. For starters, one of the main advantages of living in Car Gar was that we had our own bathroom and shower. While we still had to share among the four of us, in my opinion, it’s better than having to walk down the hall to use a bathroom that the entire floor shares. I’d consider myself a private person, so not having to shower in a stall in a massive communal bathroom was a huge plus as well.

It’s not just a bathroom that we got to ourselves. Like many second-year apartments on campus, we also had our own kitchen and living room. In the dorms, kitchens are nonexistent and the only equivalent to a living room is a shared community space. But having to share a “living room” with a whole floor would get exhausting, especially if you’re looking for some time away from your room, but you still want to be alone.

Car Gar is also conveniently located right across the street from both campus and the Village. Though it’s on an outer edge, it’s only a five minute walk to the heart of campus itself

Despite how much better living in apartments like Cardinal Gardens seems, I don’t know if I would recommend it for freshmen. While the quality is certainly nicer, the longer I stayed there the more I realized that these apartments were not catered towards first-years.

Part of the reason why we have dorms is for community-building. While gross at times, it’s almost a guarantee that you make at least a few friends there. I know many people who made their closest friends on their dorm floor. Meanwhile, in Car Gar, everyone kept to themselves. Since most residents were living with people they already knew, there was no reason for them to branch out. Even in my building, nobody really cared to get to know one another, which made it harder than it should have been to make friends during my first year. Especially when everyone else was making plans with their dorm groups.

Similarly, people are going to be more involved in dorm events during their first year. When I lived at Car Gar, the events that I went to rarely had a turnout of more than 10 people. Meanwhile, in residence halls, people go to these events regularly to meet people. Also, the school puts on events — like learning the fight songs — that are specifically for freshman dorms, which you might miss out on if you’re living in an area for people older than you without specific programming.

Additionally, living in such an enclosed environment with people you barely know is a huge risk. Sure, there’s always the risk of a bad roommate, but the risk is higher as a freshman living in apartments because you have more people in a smaller, contained space. My apartment-mates were randomly selected, and I can’t necessarily say that I had the most positive experience sharing a space with strangers.

Apartments are also always going to be more expensive than dorms. According to USC’s housing website, my Cardinal Gardens plan is going to cost $6,125 per semester during the next academic year while Pardee, one of the freshmen dorms, will cost $5,897 per semester. Living conditions are important to consider, but so is cost.

Whether or not you choose to live in freshman dorms or sophomore apartments is up to you. Like I said, though, sophomore apartments are much harder to secure than freshman dorms, especially as first-years. I believe that opting into gender-inclusive housing gave me an advantage, especially since Car Gar has a specific section for apartments where all sorts of gender identities live together. If you’re set on living in an apartment for your first year, opting in might be the best way of improving your odds at landing an apartment.

There are, however, apartments for freshmen, and looking back, that seems like the best of both worlds. Parkside Apartments combines both the community-building aspect of freshman dorms and higher quality of life that sophomore apartments provide. However, one of Parkside’s downsides is its inconvenient location. Often referred to as “Darkside,” it’s buried away in the back corner of campus, far away from places such as the center of campus as well as the Village. 

Overall, where you choose to live is a matter of personal preference. If making friends is a priority, I’d recommend sticking it out in the freshman dorms. But if you’re willing to sacrifice the ease of making connections for a more private living experience, then apartments might be the way to go. This year, I’ve been living in the Village, and I can safely say that it’s been well-worth it. So, if you’re already considering places for your second-year, too, I’d highly recommend living here!

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