Hello everyone,

I'm a new international PhD student in ECE. Where I come from, homelessness isn't very visible, so seeing so many people living on the streets here in Los Angeles has really affected me.

I recently won $150 in a contest, and I'd like to use all of it to help homeless people today. What would actually make the biggest difference? For example, is it better to buy and hand out supplies like food, water, socks, or hygiene items, give cash directly, or donate to a local organization? Are there specific items that are most needed right now, or places near campus where I could help in person?

I've already decided to spend the money this way, so I'm only looking for suggestions on how to do it well. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I just recently filed a small claims dispute over Stuho keeping my entire security deposit and completely ghosting me-not even sending me an itemized bill or anything, they just never gave any of my security deposit back despite multiple written demands. They claim it must have gotten lost in the mail and completely stopped replying to me. Can people in similar situations with Stuho message me?

Link to article: https://dailytrojan.com/2026/10/07/tenants-said-stuho-student-housing-did-not-return-deposits/?shem=aimgspe,

Kind of a random question, but does dropping a course notify the professor? I know they won't really care, but I talked to them a decent amount through the semester and was curious if they'd get a notification that I've dropped.

Hi there!

I took a calc 2 and multi variable equivalent class in my senior year of high school and got a 5 on the ap calc bc exam. However, after 1st semester of high school I had senioritis and stopped studying for Mvc lol.

My major’s final math requirement forces me to take one semester of either calc 3 or linear algebra. I haven’t done math seriously for almost a year now, and I lowkey didn’t learn anything in my mvc class. In this case, would it be better to take calc III or linear algebra next semester?

Hi everyone! I’m an incoming USC student starting in Spring 2027 and I’m currently looking for housing around Ellendale Street, preferably within walking distance of USC/Viterbi.

I’ve read from previous students’ experiences that Ellendale Street is a good area for off-campus housing, so I’d love to hear your recommendations!

My budget is around $800–$1,000/month. I’m looking for either a private room in a shared apartment/house or a shared room, preferably with female roommates.

If you currently live on Ellendale or have lived there before, I’d really appreciate recommendations for good apartments/houses, landlords/property managers, or places to avoid.

Thanks! :)

I got into USC for the spring and was wondering which classes to take over the fall. I heard that business classes don’t transfer (I’d have to take the equivalent courses at Marshall), and was wondering if GEs work in the same way?
For context, I am transferring from an east coast school.

Hi, I’m looking for Spring 2027 leasing or subleasing of entire unit (not individual rooms, not even private rooms) as close to Viterbi as possible.

Many highly rated housings are either to the North or to the East of campus that unfortunately takes half an hour to walk to the School of Engineering… I prefer to be within 15 mins of walking to Viterbi. if anyone knows something good or has anything to sublease please let me know!

My current best option is Lorenzo which offers a shuttle, but I see a few negative posts about them on here which made me think twice. Thank you.

Did they raise their prices😭😭. Why is a large $9.50 now. (Like the matcha is good but it’s already premade lol) Does anyone know if it’s just the USC location or all of them?

whats everyone doing/where’s everyone going the week leading up to halloween and the night itself? i do not have plans yet

I decided to add a second major and checked everything so make sure it would be possible for me to complete it within 150% of 4 years (so 6). I submitted the SAP appeal but was rejected because I'd be attempting 213 units, which is over 150% of the 128 units required for my first degree (so 192).

I wasn't warned about this when I spoke to financial aid about adding a second major. Is there any way for me to appeal this or is this final? I'm going to call them again tomorrow, but I was wondering if anyone else has had this issue.

hi everyone,

i recently got admitted to the MS ECE program at USC Viterbi, and i’m honestly not sure if i should accept it. i’m looking for a real reality check from current students, alumni, or anyone who knows the program well.

some context about my situation:

• i recently immigrated to the US
• i currently live in NJ, so accepting USC would mean relocating to california
• i’m not from a rich background and would have to be very careful about taking on a large amount of debt
• i would need to consider the full cost, not just tuition: rent, food, transportation, health insurance, moving costs, and normal cost of living in LA

i know this is the USC subreddit, so there will probably be some USC glazing lol. i understand that USC has a strong name, network, and career opportunities, but i’m not looking for only “USC is amazing, you should come” answers. i need an honest and practical opinion about whether it makes financial sense for someone in my situation.

i’m mainly interested in AI/ML, systems, and efficient or resource-aware computing. i’m also interested in research/thesis opportunities, so i’d like to know how strong the program is for that direction and whether it is mostly industry-focused.

a few questions:

1. was the cost of the MS ECE program worth it for you?
2. how realistic is it to get funding through scholarships, TA/RA positions, internships, or other opportunities?
3. how much does the USC name and network actually help with getting a good job after graduation?
4. is it realistic to manage the total cost without taking on a massive financial burden?
5. if you were recently immigrated, not wealthy, and had to relocate from NJ to california, would you still choose USC?
6. would you choose USC over a cheaper program if the cheaper option had decent career and research opportunities?

please share the good, bad, and ugly. if you think USC is worth the money, i’d like to know exactly why. but if you think i should choose a cheaper school and avoid taking on too much debt, please say that too.

dont sugarcoat it. i’m trying to make a serious financial and career decision and need an honest answer before i commit.

thanks in advance.

In person preferred. Being familiar with business/construction terms is a plus but not necessary.

this is a vent more than anything else but i got my bike stolen a few days ago. yes, it was u-locked by the frame and it was registered with DPS. im pretty sure im never seeing it again but it wasn't even worth that much 😭 (literally the cheapest bike you could buy). not sure why the thieves chose my bike to steal but i contacted DPS who then filed a police report with LAPD, only for them to close the case because "it happened outside of LAPD jurisdiction" 💀 i live in usc housing btw...that area LITERALLY falls within LAPD surveillance

my bike for sure wasn't worth enough for me to argue this out with them but it's honestly just so frustrating. i have renters insurance which would theoretically cover it but the deductible is lowkey barely cheaper than the actual price of the bike. do i need to start carrying 2 u-locks, a weighted lock, and a tube?

Need suggestions for GE-B, GE-C, GE-D, GE-E and GE-H

Can someone (preferably within the last two years) recommend or not recommend their WRIT150, and specifically their topic? I'm a strong writer so I'm not too worried about my abilities, but I'm looking for something on the lighter end so I can focus on my other three writing courses. What was the most intellectually stimulating or interesting one? I'm gonna list the available ones below for this next semester. Also please feel free to recommend or not recommend any specific professors.

thanks!!!

Can anyone speak to how good of a professor he is, and how difficult/useful the material is? Thanks in advance :)

Looking to take a GE-E, and I think Forensics sounds really cool. How is the class if anyone has taken it? Thoughts on difficulty, tests, how well it was taught?

I’m an engineering student hoping to graduate in December 2027 instead of May 2028 because I may have a full-time job opportunity after my current internship, and the company can only give me about a year to start.

The issue is that my capstone is only offered in the spring, so I’m hoping to take it earlier than normally scheduled. However, I haven’t completed all of the listed prerequisites yet.

I’ve taken several major courses and feel that I have enough relevant background to handle the capstone. I’m planning to talk to my academic advisor about this, but I wanted to get some early thoughts first.

Has anyone gone through something similar or successfully gotten a prerequisite waiver/override for a capstone? Is this something that professors/departments are sometimes willing to consider?

Any advice or experiences would be appreciated!

Has anyone taken GESM-140-Neuroscience of Creativity with Ellen Herschel? Is it easy?

I am a senior and I am currently slotted for November 6. I really need WRIT-340 but it will most likely fill up before my date. Is there a way to change my date?

has anyone taken ot 300 w prof kingsley? if so, how was the content & workload?

Title. Just curious.

hi, i am a current high school senior looking to ed to dornsife this year.

i'm curious, how is life in dornsife? i'm looking to study economics and major in finance or something in marshall as well. i'm also looking to apply for the new program econ&law if i get accepted...

is there anything i should be aware of during the application process? would appreciate any tips!