I have read stuff to this effect over the net, wanted to have your views on this.

S.

Can you be a little more specific?

USC is typically considered a "party school" for the undergraduate program(me), but still very good schools. The graduate programs have not had quite the same reputation, but that is not to say there will not be people there who are looking to take advantage of the southern California location and have a good time.

Personally, I think the designation of "party school" is much more relevant in the undergraduate/bachelor's degree programs than in the graduate degree programs.

Thanks for the answer phisher. I am sorry if my question was vague but you seem to have understood it well. Let me detail it in brief:

When I google USC, in addition to certain good comments, I also come across stuff like these (and I quote):

"[...] I hated my experience at USC. I would have never came to this corrupt college had I known the in and outs of L.A. L.A. plain sucks. It's an over-rated city, but that's another story. In terms of USC students, the majority of them, esp the ones from rich/wealthy families are clueless drones who don't take their academic seriously [...]"

"[...] I also hated my dorm life and will never forget the hellish lifestyle of living amongst immature trojans. I lived in Marks tower during my freshmen year, and jerks next to me and across me would blast their music. When I told them to turn it down, they would comply for a minute, then turn their music back up. I also had a terrible roommate who would let his friend's trash my room [...]"

These comments are written by undergrads. As phisher correctly points out graduate students's life will be different from that of an undergrad, however, how seperable these two are is a question that remains to be asked.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't care if USC is a huge party school in the first place. As a matter of fact I love parties and I am sure I will attend quite a few next year:) However, what I wouldnt want is partying with/in the same place with some immature rich kids throwing up everywhere.

I would really appreciate if a USC LL.M. student/gruduate shares his/her experience on this...

S.

I attended an information session of USC today in Tokyo. They have a regional representative office and are actively looking for students from Japan. It was a joint session with IBEAR program, mid career one year MBA. They mentioned that almuni gather for quite many times a year. I could understand a part of the party culture at USC from the remarks of alumni. It sounds fun.

I am currently enrolled in USC LLM Law program and will be graduating this coming May.
I also have an LLB from Moscow State University and an MBA Degree from Washington Int. University.
To answer the question, is the USC a "party school"? ... I must tell you it is NOT
------
I was considering to apply to LLM program in Los Angeles for quite some time. But could not decide which school shall I choose and how to make the right choice. Fortunately, one of my friends got accepted to USC LLM Law program and successfully graduated in May of 2006. Through him I was able to receive information first hand about admission process, policies and his overall academic experiences at USC. After witnessing his excitement, positive attitude and genuine enthusiasm about the program I was determined to apply myself.

I have submitted my application and was accepted. The school year started in August of 2008 and I will be graduating in May of 2009. Fist semester of school flew by like one week. It is amazing how fast time goes by when you truly enjoy what you do! I love USC Law School. Joining this program was probably one of the best academic decisions I have made. We are about 95 students from all over the world: Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Italy, Iran, Israel, Germany, Mexico, Russia, Poland, India and so on. The fact that all of the students admitted to the program have studied law in their home countries and are licensed to practice law there makes this experience very valuable. You will have an amazing opportunity to meet new people and make friends with intelligent professional individuals from all over the globe, study together, share your experiences, views and build new friendships. Moreover, you will be able to create your own school schedule by selecting classes that would benefit your professional Law career in the best possible way. Here at USC LLM students are treated just as JD students are. We get to choose the same classes, professors and participate in all school activities though out the semester.
For example this winter break the school organized a trip to Chochella and all of the LLM students were welcome to participate in it. All the hotel and transportation expenses were covered by the school. The purpose of the trip was to gain some practical legal work knowledge, such as client interviewing and legal research. I do not know of another Law School that would provide such legal practice opportunities and support to its LLM students.

If you are debating between schools as I was, take a close look at USC and give it your priority consideration. You will never regret it. If you have some questions about the program you can write to me at vnemiro@usc.edu I will be glad to help you out.

I am LLM candidate at USC Law school.
I remember my first semester at USC. At that time I was totally unfamiliar not only with LA, but with the United States. Thanks to international programs staff of USC, all I had to do on my own was buying flight tickets to LA and taking a cab from LAX to my Inn. Every my single step afterward was thoroughfully planned, advised, and emailed to me by the GIP staff. They provided me with information concerning housing, safety, academics, transportation, etc. During first few days in USC I got familiar with bar application process, immigration procedures, even with such common things like driving license and SSN applications and a bunch of other stuff.
Professors in USC Law school are whether famous lawyers, politics, or just great scholars. I would specially recommend professor Heilman and professor Lefcoe so far.
USC is a private school, and this actually means a lot. It provides students with features that are hardly available in public schools. For instance, we have rapid real-time technical support, and this is significant, because nothing could disturb more than technical issues occurring during lecture powerpoint presentation or problems with wireless network in a library. If any problem arises within the law school building it is being solved in a moment.
Out-of-school life and student fellowship, of course, deserves special attention.

Wow, the posts above are written like an advertising))) no offence - you just have a really good author's style!!!

Some friends of mine currently study and graduated from USC (not only at LS) and always praise their uni (especially when the matter turns up during the discussion of UCLA vs. USC)))).
So, as an independent observed I can say that the university is good, and education there has also an extremely high level. And moreover, I'm convinced that the person who wants to study and receive knowledge will find the way to do it in almost any of top-ranked U.S. universities.

P.S. during the above said discussion I, personaly, stand up for UCLA School of Law :)

HI Addicted-to-Law,
I could not agree with you more ..... !

You said: "the person who wants to study and receive knowledge will find the way to do it in almost any of top-ranked U.S. universities."

All you need is a strong desire and dedication to make your dreams come true ... Take one step at the time and make it happen for yourself. Regardless of which school you will get accepted to you will be content with yourself and satisfied with the results.

I am not here to tell you that USC is better than UCLA or any other school in USA. All of you guys have an access to online Top Law School nationwide ratings and such information is available to anyone.

I have never studied in UCLA and will not be wasting your time by quoting anyone or anything I have heard or read negative about that school elsewhere.

I can only give you my truthful and realistic testimony of what my personal experiences at USC Law School LLM program are like. I am very satisfied and believe I am receiving in this school academically and socially much more that I could have hoped for. Tuition among all California Law Schools costs almost the same, and don't get me wrong, no matter how you look at it -- It is a lot of money! I have never paid that much for one year of school in my whole entire life and I did feel a bit hesitant to do so. $$:($$
However, I am glad that I did. Every penny you will spend at USC Law School will work very hard for you and your future successful law career. Now I know it for a fact that I made a right decision and consider it as an INVESTMENT into my future and my career -- I know it will pay off as soon as I graduate.

Remember, never let yourself to get discouraged and never give up ... If you feel that you have a very slim chances of getting accepted to USC Law School, send your application and the paperwork required anyway. You may be pleasantly surprised by being accepted!
Just like I was
;)

vnemiro, I am from Russia too. I would appreciate your advice regarding a few issues. May I send you a PM?

Hi Baby_Luck
you are welcome to ask me any questions that may concern you regarding USC Law School ... I will be very glad to help you out.

Take Care ... and good luck

No offense to USC, but foreign students may want to consider that USC is located in the ghetto. Bloods and Crips stuff, lol.

Crime exists anywhere you will go ... there is just no doubt about it. There are places, streets and neighborhoods in every city you shall not be at certain hour. During my time at USC no crime was committed or attempted against me or my schoolmates. However crime is a big problem of every school in USA public or private. At USC there is its own organized police and security department looking over and reassuring security on campus.

Just for the sake of the comparison I have found for you official crime rate reports of 2007 from USC and UCLA .... It is noticeable, that USC has a better/lower crimes reported;

http://www.les.sc.edu/crimestats/index.asp
http://www.ucpd.ucla.edu/clery/CleryStats07_Cond.pdf

Maybe it is very safe on campus, but around I am not so sure, it is known to be in dangerous neighbourhoods. You can for example have a look on LA crime maps, there are many many less crime around UCLA, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades than around USC.

When choosing your school all pros and cons have to be carefully out-weighted ... one of the largest things to consider is the cost of housing for the all period of your stay in LA.
There is significally less if any student housing available around Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades areas, plus it will be much more expensive to rent a place there.

Hi, I'm a current student on the LLM program at USC. I'm from Korea and have studied law in the UK. Before I share my experience at USC, let me just say that I have no interest in advertising the school. I'm only giving my honest opinion and hope any of this information will help someone make the best choice for their further legal education.

I won't ramble on and on about the school's good reputation and excellent teaching quality, because these are all exhibited by any law school of similar caliber. I'll tell you some factors that make USC distinct from other schools in my opinion.

1. All the professors are so friendly and helpful. I was very impressed in this aspect, because I was expecting such professors with experience and prestige to be aloof and impersonal. They are all accessible outside class, even willing to meet students off-campus if required, and many of them give out their personal cell phone numbers. They never frown or raise a single eyebrow, even if you ask stupid questions inside or outside class. (Yes, I do it all the time.)

2. The staff at the Graduate and International Programs are incredibly helpful. They're not only the nicest people but they do their job most efficiently. We keep bothering them with our enquiries, both academic and personal, but they're always extremely patient with us and give us the best advice. They make sure we don't miss any important deadlines or events by sending us constant reminders by email, and organize many useful workshops for our career and academic needs. They also make sure we don't miss out on what LA has to offer, by arranging for us complementary tickets to cultural and sport events. We've all enjoyed going to the Hollywood bowl, USC football game, and Lakers game!

3. Students, both LLM and JD, are very friendly and the student body feels like a family. I know from talking to other friends who're studying in other law schools over the country that this is often not the case in many other schools. We don't have a cut-throat competitive environment and we all support each other academically and personally.

Since last year, the school has been running the JD/ LLM partnership program, where each LLM student is partnered with a JD student to foster interaction and rapport between the two student bodies. Through this program, Ive met a wonderful JD student, who happened to go to the same school that I went in the UK on an exchange program. We could share our experiences in London and she kindly invited me to her family dinner for Thanksgiving, and it was a special experience of American culture I would not otherwise have had.

During the exam period last semester, I've seen many students working together in study groups, including myself, to learn from each other and keep our morale high during the stressful time. We all hang out and have fun outside class, whether it be playing basketball / beach volleyball, going out to check out restaurants and bars in LA, having house parties / potluck. One of our highlights was the Holloween party last semester, where we could hardly recognize each other. (No kidding!)

4. Living in LA has been a wonderful experience for me. Having lived with gloomy weather in London for 10 years, soaking up Californian sunshine is a privilege. LA is the best place to be for foodies, because you can enjoy authentic ethnic cuisines at their very best. Mexican is good anywhere, Korean food is in some cases better than in Korea in Korea town, Thai food just like I had it in Bangkok in Thai town, dim sum just like I had it in Hong Kong in China town, divine sushi in Little Tokyo, best Persian food in Westwood, recently tried Ethiopian food in Little Ethiopia, it was awesome! I can write you a list for the whole day, but I'll discipline myself and stop here. ;) There're so many museums and places to visit around LA that I just don't have enough time for! I visited the Huntington yesterday, I was impressed with the breath of art collections and research exhibits, and pristine gardens there, on par with any other museums and royal palaces in Europe.

Some disadvantages of the school you might consider are:

1. It's true that the school is located in a more crime-prone area of the town. However, many students live away from campus and if you have a car this will not be a problem. I live in Downtown, 8 minutes' drive to school on freeway, and if you get a roommate and live in a 2 bed- 2 bath apartment, it works out cheaper than living near campus by yourself. It has a 24 hour-open gym, gated parking, swimming pool, jacuzzi, basketball court, etc. If you need more information, go to www.theorsini.com.

Some people choose to live near campus and not buy a car, because they're only staying in the US for a year and would like to save on the cost of gas, insurance, and car maintenance. I know many friends who live near campus, and they say safety is not an issue, as long as you're sensible. Most crimes I believe happen because you're not careful. The university does everything possible to make sure students are safe, and the public safety department run by school is on call 24 hours and they are very helpful. The university also runs a program to offer free rides to students near campus: http://transnet.usc.edu/transit/cruiser_howto.aspx

2. There is no S.J.D. program in the school, if youre looking for career in academia. However, application to S.J.D. programs in other schools is always feasible after gaining LLM at USC, which some of my friends are doing.

My other personal complaints, albeit minor, would be that the food at law school café is sub-standard and it gets too cold in the library and lecture rooms. But of course all can be resolved by bringing your own lunchbox / stepping outside the law building to grab food and wearing clothes in layers.

Let me just add a couple of things to some comments made about USC being a party school. Im not sure what it exactly means, but I take it that the comment refers to the school allegedly being not serious in academics. Whoever originated this comment, he or she cant be more wrong. The university as a whole, especially the graduate schools, has the most rigorous academic programs in the country. This I can say with conviction from my experience at the law school at least. We all work extremely hard and the professors expect a lot from us. Also, as a matter of common sense, youll always find immature, inconsiderate partiers in any school anywhere in the world. Someones bad experience with lousy neighbors shouldnt discourage you from applying to USC law school. If youre concerned about how your life at USC law would be affected by immature undergrads, you can rest assured that youd hardly see them as long as you dont voluntarily get yourself involved with them. I find that life as a law student is very much separated from undergrads.

My conclusion is, you should keep USC law school on your list of preferred schools. I must say that USC wasnt my first choice to begin with, but I thank God that I made the decision to come here. If you have any questions at all, you can email me to Yumi.Ahn.2009@lawmail.usc.edu.

Wish you all the best in your applications and all your endeavors.

Hello.

Im sorry to be a little forward and curious here but may I ask you what University you went to in the UK. I also did my LLB in the UK and have applied for LLM program at USC. As you might have already gathered I am a little worried as to whether I will be accepted based on my grades or not. I have a high 2:1 with hons. I sort of thought that one should have a first class in order to be accepted to the program..any views?

Thanks

Hi kari,
I graduated from Queen Mary Univeristy of London. I don't have a LLB, as my degree was a joint degree with Economics. I did a conversion course, Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) at the College of Law after my undergraduate degree. My grades from GDL were 2:1. I don't think you necessarily need a first class honors degree to gain admission. In my judgment I think you're a strong candidate. Good luck!

Hi, yahn

I read your post up there and I feel it very helpful for me to consider the offer of admission from USC for Fall 2009-2010. Thank you for your detailed explanation about advantages and disadvantages to choose USC.

Hi scenery,
I'm very glad to hear my posting has helped you. You can always email me for any other questions you may have: Yumi.Ahn.2009@lawmail.usc.edu.
Best of luck with your applications!

Thanks so much yahn
If I have any questions about joining the LL.M. program at USC, I will ask you by e-mail.
Anyway, nice to meet you.