Choosing the Best Freshmen Dorm at USC

By Elizabeth Morris on March 24, 2017

At USC, all freshmen are required to live in campus housing, and incoming freshmen choose their housing the summer before their fall semester. However, since USC tours do not include an overview of the dorms, most freshmen will not know which location and style is best for them. For incoming freshmen to USC, here is some insight into USC housing and a few things you should consider before making your selection:

Location 

First, the decision is between on-campus or off-campus housing. Although most off-campus housing sits just outside the campus’ gates, I recommend on-campus housing for freshmen. Since all freshmen are required to have a meal plan, living on-campus makes a trip to the dining hall much more convenient. Additionally, most sophomores and upperclassmen elect for off-campus housing, such as the USC Village. If you want to live around students from your class, then on-campus housing is the right decision.

The four most popular, on-campus freshmen dorms include Parkside, Fluor Tower, New-North, and Birnkrant. Parkside is located in the south-most corner of campus and is near many of the engineering and science buildings. Therefore, if you have a major in one of those fields, Parkside could be a promising option. Fluor Tower is in the athletic corner of campus, so if you are an athlete or plan to frequently venture to the gym, consider Fluor. As a warning, Fluor’s current dining hall, Cafe 84, will be closed starting in fall 2017, so residents will have to journey a little farther to the next dining hall. New-North and Birnkrant are adjacent to each other and are located in the oldest section of campus. The dorms may be in need of renovation, but they are located between USC’s two major libraries, Doheny and Leavey, and a Starbucks.

Style 

There are three dorm styles: apartment, suite, and the traditional dorm.

Apartments can have two, three, or four people. While living in an apartment can make you feel like you are living out a famous sitcom like Friends, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, or New Girl, living in an apartment as a freshman can be somewhat isolating. Living in an apartment is much less social than living in a suite or a traditional dorm. Unless the people on a floor make an effort to socialize, there is not much interaction between neighbors.

Suites at USC include four rooms (two people per room) that are attached to a living room or common space. If you apply for random roommate assignment, then choosing a suite provides an increased probability of becoming friends with at least one suitemate.

Lastly the traditional dorm style of a long hallway, two-person bedrooms, and yes, communal bathrooms. The idea of sharing a bathroom with everyone on your hallway may sound unpleasant, but it is a part of the classic, college freshmen experience. Since all the dorms are arranged down a single hallway and there are more opportunities to interact with your floormates, the traditional style is one of the most social.

Image via USC Village

Reputation

Not all the dorms have a universal reputation, but freshmen will be able to learn the rumors surrounding each dorm after spending time on campus. If you have to pick your dorm before then, these are some of the dorm’s reputations:

New-North is the party dorm and the origin of the 2016 noir virus outbreak, also known as the New-North Plague. Fluor Tower is in a quiet corner of campus, which is perfect for those who want a peaceful living or studying environment. Birkrant is thought of as the crappy dorm, and Parkside is normally called the “best” because of its dining hall.

Whatever your final decision, make sure to choose the dorm that will allow you to have the best freshmen living experience, both academically and socially.

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format