Any USC current or alumni out there?

gottawalk · #1 07-27-2008, 01:02 PM

My son is going to USC in the fall! He's going to study Music, (timpani, specifically), and be a part of “The Greatest Marching Band in the History of the Universe.” I think he's going to have a blast!

Anyone out there got some USC wisdom to pass along for his first year?

Fight On!

illidian · #2 07-27-2008, 01:07 PM

There's a far better school in Westwood...

gottawalk · #3 07-27-2008, 07:25 PM

thanks for playing

illidian · #4 07-27-2008, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottawalk

thanks for playing

What would a USC thread do without the crosstown rivalry?

MysticMichael · #5 07-27-2008, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottawalk

Anyone out there got some USC wisdom to pass along for his first year?

Yeah, a few things:

Suggest to your son that he stay on the straight and narrow. USC is in a rough part of town (actually I think most all of L.A. is pretty rough), with South Central being very nearby. Lots of ways to get into trouble. (I was there during the L.A. riots. Not fun... )
Suggest to your son that he get in the habit of driving with his car windows rolled up completely and his doors locked (See Suggestion #1).
Suggest to your son that if he wants to tap into the well-renowned USC alumni network (for future career development purposes) that he get started early and plan ahead for the long term. I was informed after I'd already enrolled there that virtually none of the USC alumni from my program were still accepting introductions from currently-enrolled students or from recent graduates - because they'd already been overwhelmed and burned out by the floods of ill-considered, ill-prepared, unfocused demands of previous would-be networkers. Pretty much obliterated one of my main reasons for having chosen USC in the first place...

Other than that, there is an L.A. "attitude" and culture thing to adjust to. It ain't Kansas - that's for sure.

Excellent university, though. Your son is a fortunate young fellow...

MM

Visirale · #6 07-27-2008, 10:17 PM

I wanted to go to USC but going across the country for undergrad wasn't anywhere near practical.

Maybe for my MBA?

Pilgrim · #7 07-27-2008, 10:19 PM

USC is a really fine school, and I'm sure he'll do well there. I agree with the earlier post advising him to watch himself and where he travels in town. It helps to learn the ropes.

Sorry he didn't pick Washington State!

gottawalk · #8 07-27-2008, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illidian

What would a USC thread do without the crosstown rivalry?

Touche'!

He's going to be in the marching band, so I guess he'll see enough rivalry at the football games!

gottawalk · #9 07-27-2008, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

USC is a really fine school, and I'm sure he'll do well there. I agree with the earlier post advising him to watch himself and where he travels in town. It helps to learn the ropes.

Sorry he didn't pick Washington State!

Yeah, we've heard quite a lot of advice concerning the security and the area surrounding the campus. Trying to go in with our eyes open. I've been hearing nothing but good things about campus security, though, and he's in the dorms and not going to have a car, so I'm not too worried about that.

He and his mom researched quite a few U's and conservatories, mostly focusing on the professor he would be studying with at each; background, and such. That was pretty much a deciding factor on the schools he auditioned for. He actually got a private lesson with each one when he went for each audition when he could. WASU didn't quite have what he needed, although it's also a very good institution. (Speaking of rivalries, though, I went to U if Idaho; Go Vandals! Too bad you'd always beat the pads off our football team each year! Oh, well; I didn't care. We in the marching band weren't actually there to watch the game.......

)

Thanks for the input!

illidian · #10 07-28-2008, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottawalk

Touche'!

He's going to be in the marching band, so I guess he'll see enough rivalry at the football games!

Is he also playing in the pep band?

(Oh, and...) Overall NCAA National Championships? I think a certain University has that advantage. Then again, not everyone can be number one in the nation (see: QB Vince Young vs. the entire USC squad).

UCLA football has definitely fallen off where it once was. And I'm not sold on "The Golden Boy" leading the team back to prominence quite yet.

gottawalk · #11 07-28-2008, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illidian

Is he also playing in the pep band?

(Oh, and...) Overall NCAA National Championships? I think a certain University has that advantage. Then again, not everyone can be number one in the nation (see: QB Vince Young vs. the entire USC squad).

UCLA football has definitely fallen off where it once was. And I'm not sold on "The Golden Boy" leading the team back to prominence quite yet.

We'll have to see about the pep band. I'm not sure the criteria to get in. Could be as a freshman, he's got to wait his turn. Could be a lot of fun, though.

You're way ahead of me on the sports info. I couldn't tell you what the standings are/were, or who's who. Just know I'm probably going to learn a lot by default this year!

illidian · #12 07-28-2008, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottawalk

We'll have to see about the pep band. I'm not sure the criteria to get in. Could be as a freshman, he's got to wait his turn. Could be a lot of fun, though.

You're way ahead of me on the sports info. I couldn't tell you what the standings are/were, or who's who. Just know I'm probably going to learn a lot by default this year!

Interesting on the pep band. Nothing better than getting beat down by the legacy of John Wooden.

In any case, I'm sure he'll have a blast. Admittedly, I know very little about USC's music program but it sounds like he found a good fit for him.