<p>:) Oh if you apply to half the ones I listed, you WILL get accepted. 
You’ll even have a choice in the Spring!
Don’t forget to update your thread with the news: where you decided to apply( why),
where you got in, between which you’re hesitating and why, how you made your final choice :)</p>
<p>And USC as a reach…</p>
<p>What’s your problem with UBC or SFU anyway? Or these are your safeties?</p>
<p>For undergrad I would never advise a Canadian student to try for US schools without first considering a school at home, if only as a safety. Only for grad school, and especially PhD, would disregarding domestic schools be somewhat sensible.</p>
<p>@MYOS1634, could you elaborate?</p>
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<p>Soka expressly claims that they are not religious. I had recommended Soka for its size, international student population, entrance score range, location, and up-and-coming-ness (they are a very new school) with new opportunities.</p>
<p>Are they actually religious, but for some reason deny being so? Soka seemed an ideal fit for the OP.</p>
<p>The CSUs are great for what they are, but I am not sure I would see them as an international destination. Similarly with University of SF (unless OP is of Chinese descent):</p>
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<p>I do think the rest of the list is a great place to start. If OP can get in to Oxy, Chapman, or LMU, those would be great! LMU is very close to the beach in LA (near the airport).</p>
<p>I think MYOS was referring to the fact that Soka is affiliated with and funded by the Soka Gakkai, a branch of Buddhism that is considered “out there” by a lot of people, mostly in Japan. I’m not sure how strong the influence is on campus, but it’s definitely a unique school. Beautiful campus, mandatory study abroad and foreign language, very small. </p>
<p>Agree 100% with @Dunboyne and @TomSrOfBoston, I don’t think its hit you that your change of location will not change your outlook. Bringing that attitude here to Southern California will not bode well for you here.</p>
<p>You cannot hang around a university and expect it to entertain you. It sounds like this is your way of immigrating here and not being here for your education. After 4 years, you are going back to Canada; earlier, if you don’t make the grades. </p>
<p>Another question, what have you been doing since graduation 6 months ago? Most of your age peers continued with their studies this past August or went to work. Are you doing anything productive? The Southern California competitiveness is going to be a harsh blow to your ego.</p>
<p>I think doing it for undergrad is ill-advised. Perhaps you have the wrong idea about a location if you didn’t actually go to that location.</p>
<p>You have to consider whether the education you will receive at a low-mid-tier US school really is the same quality as what you would receive at UBC or SFU. Even I am a little skeptic.</p>
<p>In grad school, especially PhD, your interactions with the off-campus world will be necessarily limited. For this reason, I advise you to reconsider and wait until graduate school to go abroad, as it is unlikely that it will be financially advantageous to attend, say, Chapman, Occidental or LMU over UBC or SFU for undergrad.</p>
<p>Someone has written Whittier but its an historically Hispanic school. Just in case it does matter to you :)</p>
<p>??? Whittier is Quaker… </p>
<p>“Someone has written Whittier but its an historically Hispanic school.”</p>
<p>I didn’t know Nixon was latino? Live and learn…:-)</p>
<p>Canada is big. I’m sure not everywhere in Canada has the same atmosphere just like New England is a different atmosphere from the Midwest or down south. Why not go to school in another part of Canada and come to the US for grad school?</p>
<p>if OP’s parents have money to send him to school in SoCal, I would actually advocate they use their money for undergrad, so that their kid can get his need for sun out of his system - grad school isn’t in the picture as of now, but grad students live in their labs/library… and grad school in Canada would be much cheaper. </p>
Grad school in Canada, cheaper? At the masters level, yes, but at the PhD level, no.