Cardinal Gardens Dorm Reviews at USC

Cardinal Gardens is in a perfect location with proximity to the Village and main campus with the pricepoint being significantly less than living in the Village. The apartment is spacey, especially in a 1b1b.

Personally, Cardinal Gardens is one of the better dorm options at USC. If you're tired of having to use the fingerprint pad every time you enter your dorm building, frustrated at the limit of being able to only bring in a maximum of two guests, exhausted at the thought of having to walk 12 minutes to reach campus, or even exasperated by the amount of times you've had to evacuate your building because of fire alarms, Cardinal Gardens is definitely the best option for you. Not only is this apartment-esque dorm conveniently located directly across from The Village and the main campus, but it also only requires a key to access the gates and the your complex -- meaning, no need to guest people in each time. However, considering it is directly across from the Village and the main campus, you can expect some noise from traffic. Continuing, there are two gates of access, which open to a large courtyard with a fireplace and grills for barbequing. Some of the apartments are styled different, but for the most part, they all include a large common area with a sofa, chairs, and tables. You also have a large kitchen area. And the rooms, all of which included at least one chair and desk, are pretty spacious. My only complaint would be the bathroom -- there is only one toilet. However, the toilet, the bath, and the two sinks being separate from each other make it slightly more convenient for when you and your roommate need to use the bathroom for different reasons.

It’s been a couple days but I see it being a really nice place to get used to. Everything is so beautiful and clean. This is an apartment style dorm, so how nice your apartment is. Is mainly up to you and your roommates.

Very close to campus, about a 2 minute walk from any dorm in the building. Very engaged with residents, lots of gatherings and social opportunities. The common areas are fun such as the fire place and basketball courts, but it would be nice to have a pool like the other dorms.

For a spring admitted freshman, Cardinal Gardens provided the perfect living experience. The layout of Cardinal Gardens give the feel of a hybrid between apartment styled living and dorm lifestyle. Furthermore, it is right across from the USC Village, the Honors College, and two other dorms which made it easy to explore. However, it was also closer to the edge of campus which encouraged my roommates and me to explore Downtown Los Angeles.

Cardinal Garden is definitely one of the best options if you're looking for a transitional residential area during your undergraduate years; I would recommend for sophomores. Having the location by the Village is a definite plus for sure in comparison to Lorenzo or Gateway.