<p>Okay so i got in to both schools with some money, but I can't decide where to go.</p>
<p>USC is obviously better academically and has access to a ton of internships, but i don't really like the big city.</p>
<p>Clemson has a smaller, rural campus.</p>
<p>Sports aren't a big factor, but USC is on the upswing and clemson keeps declining.</p>
<p>Do you guys have any input?</p>
<p>“USC is obviously better academically”</p>
<p>Check your facts. In the US News & World Report rankings, Clemson was the #25 best public university while USC was at #54 . </p>
<p>“has access to a ton of internships”</p>
<p>The Princeton Review ranked our career center as #9 in the country (USC didn’t make the list). So while USC is in a city, we have the networking as well to get you access to internships pretty much wherever you want.</p>
<p>“Sports aren’t a big factor, but USC is on the upswing and Clemson keeps declining”</p>
<p>Clemson’s football team made it to a BCS bowl last year and we have a chance to win the ACC every year. Does USC ever have a shot at winning the SEC? For basketball, USC’s team was pathetic. Clemson’s was a very young and unproven team and we should make an NCAA tournament run this year. Both baseball teams are very talented. Sure, USC beats Clemson a lot but you’ll enjoy Clemson athletics a lot more since we are very competitive in our league and have more potential to play more games that count.</p>
<p>SCAR had their best season of football last season and they didnt even win the SEC East. Clemson had a ten win season, and you obviously dont know anything about the caliber of players we have since you said declining. your post literally made me laugh out loud in public. and the academics comment?!?! just go to USC, kid.</p>
<p>maybe he got confused with the University of Southern California haha</p>
<p>Ok, let me clarify since everyone on the board simply defends Clemson.</p>
<p>Firstly, I’ve checked my facts. I was admitted to Calhoun and the USC Honors College. The honors college at Carolina was just rated number 1 by a study of public honors colleges in the country. While Calhoun made the top 50, USC was number 1.</p>
<p>Thank you for letting me know about the career center; that’s definitely a huge factor in my decision. I’m just wondering about if the city location of usc gives it more: Do lots of Clemson students have internships spread around the state or do they go to Columbia?</p>
<p>And although I hate to say it being raised a Duke fan, the ACC is pathetic. I like that Clemson wins more, but after I looked at the two football teams’ schedules a couple minutes ago its apparent why: the ACC is weaker than the SEC in football. Also, Carolina has beaten Clemson a couple years in a row, head to head. It’s hard to say that Clemson is a better program after that.</p>
<p>Mainly, I’m stepping up to defend USC because it simply got attacked after I asked a question. </p>
<p>Clemson had a ten win football season. Carolina had an eleven win season. We all saw the WVU bowl game.</p>
<p>USC baseball is the defending back to back national champ.</p>
<p>I would love to watch basketball at Clemson, because it is a clearly better program, but usc just got a new coach and I think it would be exciting to watch that program grow as well.</p>
<p>I don’t think a #1 honors program would still completely make up for the 19 or so spots in US News that separate the two schools. It completely depends on what your major is. In general, most people on this forum agree that Clemson is the better academic university. If you are doing any education/engineering/agriculture/sciences/nursing major, Clemson is by far the better choice.</p>
<p>Clemson students have internships spread over the state and even around the country. I’m currently interning with the US Forest Service in Aiken, SC and will be working with the North Carolina Department Of Transportation this summer in Charlotte. I have friends who will be interning in Charleston, Charlotte, Atlanta, Boston, New York, Washington DC etc… and the list goes on and on. </p>
<p>Let’s put it this way with football. Yes the ACC is weaker but we have one of the top programs in the country and probably the best team in the ACC so our potential to go to a BCS bowl and going undefeated probably isn’t that hard if we can put a good team together(we were in national championship contention until we lost to GT last year). Meanwhile South Carolina had its best season last year, still lost the SEC East and cannot consistently beat the top teams in the conference when it needs to. Sure you get better caliber teams in the SEC but let me know when you can consistently beat Alabama, LSU, Florida, Arkansas, Auburn. Personally its more fun for me when my team wins championships. So, the orange bowl happened but did Carolina even make it to a BCS bowl? (we hired the Oklahoma defensive coordinator a few months ago so our defense should be a lot better).</p>
<p>As for basketball, have fun watching a team rebuild. We’re currently doing that at Clemson and I think with the players we’re bringing in next year, we’ll be in NCAA’s.</p>
<p>If your primary reason for choosing a college is their athletic program, your best choice would be the Univesity of Alabama or perhaps LSU.
Your thead is written as though you are a USC fan with an agenda to portray Clemson poorly on a college information/choice message board. That would porbably be best suited for some other forum.
Clemson’s academics and degree value are consistently rated above USC’s.
You should probably attend USC.</p>
<p>And as for the ranking of Honors Colleges . . . I have a friend who is the dean of a highly ranked Honors college on the list that the OP mentioned. My friend says the list is silly . . . that the guy who put it together used very flawed methodology and the whole thing is pretty much worthless. His Honors College is ignoring it and not publicizing their “high ranking” at all.</p>
<p>I agree with others, OP seems sold on USC so he should go there.</p>
<p>Firstly!!! It goes “First, second, third …”
If you are in the medical profession is goes, “Primary, secondary, tertiary …”</p>
<p>I hope you went to USC because Clemson will knock you down academically like I just did.</p>
<p>So, you are an honor student, huh?</p>
<p>DMVambition … What kind of name is that? Could it be the ambition to work at the Department of Motor Vehicles? Definitely, go to USC.</p>
<p>Um mkkd2010. Usage of firstly is correct. OP, I think the post is badly time with some responders in bad mood after game. 
</p>
<p>So, to answer original question…both are good schools. The differences in rankings don’t matter as much if you don’t like the environment, so revisit if possible, specifically Honors colleges. My D is honors at USC and also applied/accepted to Clemson/Calhoun honors in engineering (and asked to presidential scholarship competition). She received a lot more money at USC (full ride) even though obviously a top applicant to Clemson so you’ll have to look at money. My feel is that USC’s honor college is more comprehensive, but I will admit that when we talked to a representative of Calhoun honors at an invitation only open house, she was not very well informed and told us that there were not honors sections of regular classes which I don’t really believe. USC honors housing definitely nicer. </p>
<p>It’s hard to compare sports programs because who knows what will happen while you are at either place…both schools love their sports (as compared to some ACC schools where attendance looks like HS game) and in any given year both USC and Clemson will have success in either football, baseball or basketball. The ACC seems to be going through some struggles but I don’t believe it will affect the enthusiasm of students for Clemson sports.</p>
<p>Finally, rankings also depend a little on your chosen major. Most people put Clemson ahead for engineering/STEM, but I will say that many of my D’s honors buddies are in engineering at USC and had lots of other options including Clemson. USC definitely get edge in business and journalism. In the end, go to the school that makes you feel comfortable. If you are an honors level student, you can make either opportunity a great one since you wil challenge yourself to take advantage of internships, extra honors help, etc. VISIT!</p>
<p>^well said, yes it definitely seems that the Calhoun Honors College representative was misinformed and probably didn’t give you a good view of the Honors College.</p>
<p>While I’m of the opinion that you should go to Clemson haha, there is a lot of truth that there is a school for everyone, even the school down I-26 in Columbia :)</p>
<p>Just an FYI on the “business edge”. I’m a recent Clemson grad and work in corporate banking. I’ve never met a Scar grad in any of the investment/corporate banking groups at my bank, or any of the banks I interviewed with.</p>