<p>i just got into berkeley yesterday and definitely thought i was gonna get rejected! but i haven't gotten my letter from USC yet and ive always kinda dreamt of going to USC. which one should i choose? USC has smaller class sizes (i think..can someone verify?) and it's gated, and of course, in los angeles where there are lots of things to do and celebs to see (lol jk). </p>
<p>however, berkeley is ranked #2 in colleges of california..and USC is something like 6.
i was denied from NYU under Early Decision but that was my other "dream school" besides USC. i hope to transfer to NYU at some point, but again, idk how much more better it is than USC or berkeley (as the rankings are lower). Some might say not go by rankings lol but u can add on that. I DO love NYU's location though and i've always wanted to move to New York. </p>
<p>I've heard lots of good things about USC (people like to party and have fun as well as study, nice campus except for outside of the gates, teachers are really nice, dorms are pretty good) and pretty much all bad about berkeley (people are nerdy, no private bathrooms in dorms, academics are VERY challenging so its hard to get A's). </p>
<p>I hope someone can help me!</p>
<p>USC is #26 on USNews while Berkeley is #21. Hardly any difference, but if we’re gonna bring up rankings here, I should note that USC is actually going up the rankings every year - I’m not sure if the same could be said about Berkeley. Considering the detrimental effects the economic downturn has had on the UC school system, you can count on USC to end up surpassing both Berkeley and LA in the rankings 5 years time. That’s my guess anyhow. Moreover, I believe you’d simply have a much better undergraduate experience at USC than you would at Berkeley.</p>
<p>You’ve sort of pointed it out already, but USC and Berkeley have two COMPLETELY different cultures. Rankings are pretty arbitrary, and USC isn’t that far behind Berkeley as it is, so I wouldn’t use that to pick a college (ever). I think that fit is the best way to choose between the two - I, for one, could never ever in a million years see me thriving at Berkeley. USC has a very work hard, play hard (if not harder) environment, but it’s not as cut-throat competitive as I hear Berkeley, or even UCLA, is. Berkeley has a really awesome college town, while USC is gated, right in the middle of downtown Los Angeles. So we don’t necessarily have to ever leave and deal with the city, but the presence is pretty palpable. Add in that USC is near loads of beaches, Hollywood, has an endless summer, with a really gorgeous student body and it’ll either appeal to you or it won’t. I’d visit both, maybe do overnights, if possible, but both are great colleges in the end, and I’m sure you’ll have an awesome time at either one.</p>
<p>depends what your intended major is</p>
<p>I second kmzizzle, for me it would depend on the major.</p>
<p>This subject has been discussed many times on this board. Please use the search function to help find those threads.</p>
<p>There is a recent thread on p. 3 as of Friday evening FYI Berkeley Admissions Are Out. You might read that thread for some helpful information.</p>
<p>I think you should be aware the massive cuts in the UC system in California will affect the educational quality of student life at both CAL and UCLA. Use a search engine to find articles in the NY Times and CA newspapers about loss of professors, research support, TAs, etc.</p>
<p>im majoring in neurobiology at Berkeley and neuroscience at USC. note: i might switch majors if it seems like the MCATs would be waay beyond me but it seems like now that if i go to either of these schools, i’d probably thrive because both are top notch colleges.</p>
<p>so if it were any of u guys, what else what you look at?</p>
<p>i forgot to mention that i’d also like a little bit of comfort. for instance when i went to northwestern, the seats and classrooms were very well equipped. the chairs were almost ergonomic (and i have borderline scoliosis…so while it’s not detrimental, it still hurts sometimes if i dont lie down or whatever) that might be too much info lol but also, i need good food or i wouldn’t be able to concentrate and i heard at berkeley it isn’t that good. how bout usc? classrooms at northwestern were very new and had state of the art technology…meaning teachers plugged in a wire to their laptop and u’d have surround sound, nice presentations, etc. Like that at USC?</p>
<p>btw northwestern was a summer program i went to (that’s why i know some stuff about it, i didn’t get accepted there tho). i’ve also been to a CSU and the classes were horrible and had hard chairs…but that’s a CSU.</p>
<p>If I were planning on med school, I’d go to the school with the more lenient grading system</p>
<p>and thats USC right? lol okay well i was thinking…if UCB’s grades arent inflated <em>not sayin USC’s is, but i know northwestern has inflated grades</em> does that mean the grad school u apply to will take that into consideration? i know a girl who went to UCB and then to USC for med school. but she was a genius im pretty sure…and im not lol.</p>