USC Marshall 2012 - Calling All Applicants

Does anyone know how to arrange for the loan for an international student?

I sent this to you in a pm, but I figure I should also post this publicly. I was a first round applicant, so I received my binder back in February. You should receive your binder next week.

I'm an American Expat, so I can't help you with international loans.

Just got my admit package this morning, it was sent by USPS.

current students,

I did a little search on craigslist and found that rent in Koreatown is cheap. Is it safe in Koreatown? Anyone had lived there?
When I came for onsite interview, my hotel was in koreatown. I felt pretty safe walking on the streets and saw a lot of restaurants and shops. My impression wasn't bad, but cheap rent usually reflects shady or boring area, what's your opinion?

any international students got the admissions call? or was it just via email. I called and asked whether I received any scholarship and I was given a very curt reply saying I will find out when I get the binder.. very unlike the marshall experience I had when I visited the school.

I got the same vague answer. I took it as a polite way of saying no but I still had this wishful thoughts that I might get surprised when the package arrives.

I have lived in LA for years, spend time in Ktown, and had a buddy live there while going to USC.

Long story short is that you get what you pay for. He had a modest studio, with thin walls, and sometimes had roaches, despite having literally no food in his apt. The neighborhood is "ghetto", but not totally unsafe. This is LA after all. It is an area what you want to go drink and eat, and maybe even study (plethora of nice cafes, many 24hr) but not really live. Definitely livable, but do tour the area and brace yourself for what you are signing up for. However, if you are looking within a few mile radius of USC, Ktown is where I would pick. Downtown is an option, but has its other quirks depending on the area of DT. Personally, I would live a bit farther and deal with the commute. Like I said before, "this is LA after all".

Anyone need some pointers on neighborhoods, feel free to PM me. I have lived in Pasadena, Santa Monica, and am going to now move to Culver City while attending USC. Yay LA!

I got this, then the person waffled and told me I got nothing. LOL.

LOL. Now I am more prepared to receive no $. Thanks though.

Ya I'd agree...Ktown is ok but it depends on what part so you really need to check it out (probably at night).

This is a pretty good summary. There's a lot of first-years that live downtown though. The most popular buildings are Medici, the Pegasus, Orsini, and Visconti.

If you're looking for West LA or Santa Monica, westside rentals is good to go through.

KTown... I don't know anyone that's staying there after living there first year...

Am I the only one here who has not got decision yet?
This wait is killing me
Maybe it is bad news for me

@Drucker, @humphy, and @Catherine3,

Sorry to hear your phone experience wasn't so great - I think there's just a bit of a disconnect between the front desk and the admissions committee in terms of all the granular detail, and they're probably playing it safe not giving you details over the phone that may not be accurate according to your binder. I know it's hard to be told to wait more, but your binder should have all the info you need once you get it. Hang in there!

Thanks for clarifying.
//does it mean my hope for $$ is not dead yet?

Does anyone know about the education loan for Marshall for international students. Does Marshall help in it?

For domestic students, you'll be working through the larger USC organization to set up your loans, as Marshall does not have its own financial aid department. You'll get more detail as the dates come closer, but it involves filling out a FAFSA as well as some supplemental forms from USC.

For international students, that's a whole bag of worms that I have no idea about. Best bet is to call the financial aid office at +1 (213) 740-4444 for more information.

Part of the problem both international and domestic students will face in the near term is that without registering (i.e. putting in your deposit and getting an official student ID number), USC has no way of tracking you or understanding your course load/financial need, but I'm sure they can provide you with some high level information if you do contact them.

I am going to chime in here. First things first, it would be a good idea to do what that nice person posting under the nickname MarshallAmbassadors is suggesting - contact financial aid.

However, I know for a fact that Marshall does not offer a no-cosigner loan option to its international students. Obviously, the school loses some top international student talent because of that. I brought up the issue to admissions last year and it turned out that Marshall offered the no-cosginer option in the past but it ended up having way too many bad debt loans on its books and decided to discontinue doing that (I assume Columbia and some other schools moved in that direction for the same reason).

Unless things have changed in the past 1 year, your options to get a loan as an international student at Marshall are:
1. Find a US cosigner
2. Borrow money in your home country
3. Borrow money in a country where you can secure a cosigner
4. Try to get your company to sponsor you

Best of luck!