[s0urp@tchk!d]

So I received an acceptance letter from USC a few days ago... and just today I received another envelope that is inviting me to apply for the "Thematic Option Honors Program."

What is it? -- Okok I've checked out the website and read the FAQs about it and it sounds like some sort of "intellectual" version of an honors program... But I was wondering if anyone out there knew anything else about it.

(Any 411 appreciated, especially from SC students!)

[josebiwasabi]

i'm not personally in it, but i have a few friends that are.

it's a lot of work. lots and lots of reading a papers. but the plus is that you finish your english/writing requirement in freshman year, and you don't need to take the dreaded writing-340 your junior year. it's also good if you're into the classics and that sort of stuff.

misoobishi will probably come by and answer this question more thoroughly, as she is actually in it right now.

[s0urp@tchk!d]

lots of writing. hmm ok THAT would make sense since i did put on my app that i was interested in premeding it while majoring in english. lol. so i guess this is good!

ok well I HOPE misoobishi would come by and drop a line!

in case he/she(?) does -- here's a question:
yes...so lots of reading/writing...but do you still have a life? or has your life been completely taken over by this program? and they say this program fulfills normal GED reqs, so then does that mean i still have to take the same sci/math/hist etc. classes as normal college students? (basically it seems like this class really only affects the english aspect of my courses).

[saera]

I heard that there's some unwritten rule where everyone basically gets at least a B in their TO classes.

But...I'm still waiting for my TO letter since rhp is required ("suggested") to do TO?

[clairdeluned]

haha Wow josebiwasabi, way to volunteer me! Though I would have replied anyway haha

TO is called "Traumatic Option," as I'm sure you must have heard before. However, I really don't think it's that bad. I mean, sometimes, the night before a big paper is due, I ask myself what in the world I was thinking when I signed up... but that's only 1% of the time. TO gives you an alternate way to fulfill your GE requirements, and as saera says, there is an unwritten rule that no one gets below a B You do work harder than most other students, but you will get the benefits from that, and while other students may receive a C or below in their GE classes, you most likely won't get anything below a B. The professors in general are very interesting and knowledgeable; that's why they were picked to teach the course. The time it takes isn't too bad either. My pre-med classes (bio and chem) take up WAY more time than my TO classes do. As long as you manage your time well, you should be just fine. I go to the Row and have a social life like everyone else

In TO you take 4 CORE classes, 2 writing classes, and 2 others (diversity and science). You don't have to finish everything by a certain time. If you wanted to, you could space out your classes over all 4 years.

If you have any other Q's, feel free to reply or send me a PM

[s0urp@tchk!d]

haha Wow TO is called "Traumatic Option," as I'm sure you must have heard before. However, I really don't think it's that bad. I mean, sometimes, the night before a big paper is due, I ask myself what in the world I was thinking when I signed up... but that's only 1% of the time. TO gives you an alternate way to fulfill your GE requirements, and as saera says, there is an unwritten rule that no one gets below a B You do work harder than most other students, but you will get the benefits from that, and while other students may receive a C or below in their GE classes, you most likely won't get anything below a B. The professors in general are very interesting and knowledgeable; that's why they were picked to teach the course. The time it takes isn't too bad either. My pre-med classes (bio and chem) take up WAY more time than my TO classes do. As long as you manage your time well, you should be just fine. I go to the Row and have a social life like everyone else

In TO you take 4 CORE classes, 2 writing classes, and 2 others (diversity and science). You don't have to finish everything by a certain time. If you wanted to, you could space out your classes over all 4 years.

traumatic option LOL. haha actually i am quite the n00b @ this so this is good insider info haha. DEFINITELY got my attention. wow. that kind of life sounds like what i'm going through right now @ my school (private prep school...). but when you stay up the night before is that b/c it's inevitable? or do you cram... (as probably I WILL haha). and YESSSSSSS i love that you're doing premed with it b/c that's what i'm planning on doing: major in english & do premed. i got kinda confused when you started on the core classes...so 4 core classes every year? or like...4 core classes TOTAL required by the time you graduate @ end of your senior year?? (so you can take 1 core class a year?? LOL). ...would you mind posting your schedule...? (or like some kind of summary of it.) but without TO...how many core classes must you take? and just for reference...are you in a sorority? though...since you GO to the row i'm guessing you're not. THANKS MISOO!! SO HELPFUL!

[clairdeluned]

traumatic option LOL. haha actually i am quite the n00b @ this so this is good insider info haha. DEFINITELY got my attention. wow. that kind of life sounds like what i'm going through right now @ my school (private prep school...). but when you stay up the night before is that b/c it's inevitable? or do you cram... (as probably I WILL haha). and YESSSSSSS i love that you're doing premed with it b/c that's what i'm planning on doing: major in english & do premed. i got kinda confused when you started on the core classes...so 4 core classes every year? or like...4 core classes TOTAL required by the time you graduate @ end of your senior year?? (so you can take 1 core class a year?? LOL). ...would you mind posting your schedule...? (or like some kind of summary of it.) but without TO...how many core classes must you take? and just for reference...are you in a sorority? though...since you GO to the row i'm guessing you're not. THANKS MISOO!! SO HELPFUL!

haha I stay up the night before I am a huge procrastinator! I know of some people who get all their work done in a timely manner and don't need to cram the night before, but I'm definitely not one of those people haha And it's 4 CORE classes total, not 4 CORE classes a year, don't worry.

Freshman/Fall
CORE 102
Writing 111

Freshman/Spring
Writing 112

I'll probably take 1 CORE class per year or something up to senior year I'm a history major so I pretty much get my diversity requirement from that, and science I got covered because of my pre-med classes. The TO people "recommend" that you get all your CORE classes done by sophomore year, but it's just a recommendation, you don't have to follow that.

People who aren't in TO classes take GE classes; they don't have to take "CORE" classes.

I'm not in a sorority (I was seriously thinking about joining though), but I'm in a community service organization that I like to call a pseudo-sorority (we all love each other, have the socials and balls, and participate in a lot of frat-sorority events; we just aren't officially a Greek lettered group)! I do have quite a few friends in the Greek system so if you have any questions about sororities, feel free to ask. There are general descriptions of sororities at USC I have definitely heard of, so if you want some info on particular sororities, let me know. Though I will say this, in general, don't do the Asian sororities. I've heard that the pledge semester is really traumatic and the Asian sororities in particular mentally abuse their pledges a LOT. Not sure why, but it's definitely what I've heard. Same thing for the Asian fraternities as well.

If you are interested in pledging, check out the Panhellenic Council sororities, don't feel limited to just stick to the Asian ones (if you are Asian that is , don't want to make assumptions)

[leejb91]

deleted what i wrote here

[watcher]

wow... i didnt have all these sort of options back when i went to USC.
however, i will say that most honors programs that did exist when i went, there was a 'hidden' curve, so to speak. but if you get too many B's, they wont let you continue as an honor student. the B was because getting the A was that much harder (at least in theory)

[saera]

So...anyone have success stories with USC's financial aid?

Especially those with EFC's that weren't very low...but not high either.

[watcher]

So...anyone have success stories with USC's financial aid?

Especially those with EFC's that weren't very low...but not high either.

recently? or ever?
i paid less than 1 years worth of tuition in total for all my 5 years there. (1999~2004)

[s0urp@tchk!d]

thank you everyone that's contributed to the thread and answered my questions, misoo, wasabi, watcher, saera. woot. sent in my app today. hope it works out! :]