Senate Plaza

The apartment I bought needed a lot of renovations (i.e. a new dishwasher, kitchen sink faucet, kitchen lighting, living room paint job, a new shower head, bedroom fan installation) because of how old it was. However, the people who staff the apartment are very nice and helpful and the work orders are prompt and effective (albeit very expensive). Overall, the location is very convenient with regards to proximity to the law school if you have the money to spend.

I absolutely love living at Senate Plaza. Management is always responsive and ready to assist with any of your needs. The proximity to the law school is a major benefit as a 1L. The commute and parking makes the higher price tag worth it.

It is nice not having to worry about utility and internet bills. Senate Plaza makes it easy to manage finances because I know exactly how much I am going to spend each month on living. I cannot recommend it enough to incoming USC Law students.

Senate Plaza is extremely convenient because you live across the street from the law school. However, what you put up with from the rental company and the actual conditions of the apartment itself are not worth it.
The apartments have central heating and air conditioning and they cannot run simultaneously. Meaning, you will go spans of time (sometimes months) with it being overly hot or freezing with no ability to adjust the temperature in your unit. For example, my apartment was 85 degrees recently because the heat was still on and I could not turn on the air conditioning.
But the biggest problem is the rental company. They are unhelpful, and rude, and take FOREVER to fix major maintenance issues. I learned to fix my own toilet because it wouldn't flush and maintenance didn't consider that to be a top priority.
They also put a clause in the rental agreement about rent increases but do not provide any more information and will not answer the question if you ask. I've never lived anywhere where that amount has been higher than $25/month. They added $100/month to my rent this year.
The kitchens are galley kitchens (at least for one-bedroom units) so they are tiny. I physically cannot open my oven all the way. I have to stand to the side of it to open it which makes it very easy to burn yourself or challenging to put in/remove anything heavy.
Also if you live across the street from the parking garage as I do, you will be dealing with light from the garage pouring into your apartment all night. Even with blackout curtains, it's hard to stop.
Overall, do NOT live here.

I live across the street from the Law School. Could not be more convenient.

The primary reason for living at Senate Plaza is its location next to the law school. I don't have to worry about finding a parking space or paying for expensive University parking. I live by myself in a two-bedroom unit, and I use the spare bedroom as my apartment.

The downsides of Senate Plaza are that I cannot control the heating or air conditioning in my unit, as the building has its own central system. Also, my unit does not have a washer/dryer, so I have to use the public faxilities in the basement. If you are fully aware of these issues ahead of time, then Senate Plaza can be okay. But if you are not, then I recommend living somewhere else.