<p>I’ve narrowed my decision down to these schools. I’m leaning towards BC and I’m looking for a political science major. Any insight or suggestions would help, thanks.</p>
<p>Have you visited BC??
I am sure if you do/did, you will/would certainly take BC over USC.
I was admitted to BC too.
I guess when it comes down to two colleges like here, take the one you feel best in, if that makes any sense. The campus and community feel I experienced at BC was unlike any other. The campus was absolutely perfect, and the opporunties for premeds like me are really nice too.</p>
<p>I visited BC and I loved it. But I haven’t visited USC and won’t be able to so I have nothing to compare BC’s campus with unfortunately.</p>
<p>if anyone would like to chip in about the business programs as well, i’d appreciate it. =] BC and USC are also my remaining choices.</p>
<p>oh, keysersoze, if you have visited BC, could you tell me about it? i’ll tell you about USC right now:</p>
<p>school really looks amazing. the areas surrounding it is…LA, but personally, i dont have a problem with that. tons of school spirit, great football there. great weather (no snow 
but if you want snowboarding/skiing, there’s places around 1 or 2 hours away) the people there were really friendly when i went there. and i know a few people that attend USC and they love it there.</p>
<p>BC’s Business Program is ranked higher than USC’s Business Program. </p>
<p>On a personal note, I would BC’s business program simply because it is in Boston the hub for college students and there are so many oppurunities there.</p>
<p>I’ll chime in here. Both my father & nephew are/were Trojans. Lots of school spirit, but my parents did not want me applying there, nor did I want my daughter to go there. I have visited the campus on numerous times for sporting events, graduations, etc. Been to off campus living areas, and if you want to live around the school, be prepared to pay huge bucks for crappy accomodations. If you want to live at the beach, get a motorcycle so you can get to school instead of sick in LA traffic. The area around USC is not safe (don’t mean to be scaring you). USC is larger, probably has a better football team, and the weather is spectacular (except for the smog, and traffic) - can you tell I grew up in LA. Alumni at USC are great, but I imagine no dif that BC.</p>
<p>BC - guaranteed on campus living - not sure if that is a pro or con, smaller atmosphere, save environment, not much in the way of diversity (your choice of pro or con), cold as snot in winter, but if you like snow that’s perfect.</p>
<p>I think my D will be attending BC in the fall, and I am very excited for her.</p>
<p>Hope this helps. If you want more specifics on USC and surrounding areas, just ask.</p>
<p>I made the same choice last year. One of the biggest factors was that I felt I would enjoy the social scene at BC more because of the lack of a big greek system. At SC, if you are a guy and not in a frat, your partying options are pretty lame and restricted to off campus apartments. This would be ok, but I wasn’t about to feel safe walking back from a party in South Central LA at 3 am. Frats also lead to a big social hierarchy on campus that isn’t present at BC. That’s a big difference. </p>
<p>BC is in the safest part of the safest city in the country. There was a random stabbing that occured off campus, just some crazy dude. The other incident we had was a girl walking by herself at 4 am with headphones in got her iphone stolen. Both of these were around comm ave but not in the immediate vicinity of BC students. In the case of the iphone incident, she was practically begging to get mugged. That has been the extent of the crime. At USC, it is much worse. </p>
<p>At USC, if you have no car, you are trapped on campus, in one of the lousiest areas of LA. At BC, you have easy access to the city of Boston, and it is something students utilize. </p>
<p>For political science, I know that both have extremely strong departments. For business, they are both powerhouses on their respective coasts. However, don’t think you have to go to one school or the other to get a good job in either city. I have made many job connections in LA using BC’s alumni network. </p>
<p>BC has a very strong rep in DC if you are looking to work in politics. </p>
<p>But USC has its own thing, and a lot of people who go there do seem to love it. I know a lot of people here who made the same choice, I know some kids who wanted to go to USC and didn’t get in, and I know of people who wanted to go to BC but are at USC instead (most famously Gov. Arnold however-you-spell-his-last-name’s daughter). </p>
<p>As far as sports, no contest. USC. But that’s 6 Saturdays a year. Go to a Sox game for free (something college students in Boston can do if you volunteer to work at the game for some of it) and call it even.</p>
<p>BC and USC are so similar…honestly it comes down to where you want to work after college…if you’re looking to work in the west coast, go to USC and if you’re looking to work in the east cost, go to BC.</p>
<p>utterly confused - how can you say BC & USC are so alike. They are completely different, in every respect of the word. Campus life, location, weather, safety. The only thing that is probably similar is the classes in terms of size and quality of professors and alumin strenght, but BC has a liberal arts Core that I believe USC does not have. The whole dynamics of the campuses are completely different, and the feel on campus is way different. </p>
<p>USC is not for everyone, and BC is not for everyone, but to say they are alike is way out there.</p>
<p>^</p>
<p>Chill out dude. They are similar in a lot of ways. Pretty close in terms of size of each class and ranking (USC has a bigger student body because they leave room for transfers and have a 5 year architecture program). Both have excellent business schools that are closely ranked. Both have big time sports, though USC is currently dominant in that regard. On that note, there are few schools with their level of ranking or higher that has the same fun, school-spirit/sports atmosphere. Both are also thought of as “city” schools, although SC’s area is much more urban than Chestnut Hill. USC does have as comprehensive a core as BC, but it’s still there. It makes you take a lab science and two writing courses, whereas BC’s includes on philosophy/theology. </p>
<p>They are very similar but also very different. That’s why they have so many cross-applicants and torn acceptees.</p>
<p>Don’t think that the city of your school dictates where you have to work after graduation. BC is obviously better for Boston/NYC and USC is obviously better for LA, but both have growing amounts of alumni in both cities and both have a strong rep in both cities. Your school will only get you that first job out of school anyway. </p>
<p>One more thing, USC is much easier to transfer into than BC, if it comes down to that.</p>
<p>And both very expensive. Hope your parents have lotsa $$$$$$$$</p>
<p>both came out about the same in financial aid for me. but USC hasnt packaged in a merit award yet, so i figure that it’ll end up being cheaper.</p>
<p>A few stat’s about size and housing.</p>
<p>BC 9,000 undergrad
USC 16,000 undergrad</p>
<p>Housing 99% live on campus at BC all 4 years
USC 33% live on campus</p>
<p>You really have a very different campus and life style in each of these schools. Go on the USC board and ask where people live after the first year. </p>
<p>Both are good schools, but if you have spent any time on BC campus, USC is definitely different.</p>