<p>I live in Berkeley and my experience hearing really mean comments about USC unfortunately comes from people I know who graduated from Cal. I'm talking about a couple hundred parents and biz associates. And I just haven't heard those comments from anyone else it's invariably a Cal grad who says these things. They dis Stanford and Ivy's as well but they say nasty things about USC. In contrast I don't hear USC grads saying mean things about Cal, so what's up with this???</p>
<p>Class struggle ideals (public versus private), insecurity, cheap parents, competitive culture or something has conspired to create these feeling with some of the Cal crowd. When you hear someone say really mean things about a "college" and the students who attend it what else is it but a form of jealousy? USC therefore must be threatening in some emotional way to these people. Let me qualify this by saying I believe the majority of Cal grads are well adjusted and confident people (I know all the Cal grads in my family are, including my parents, cousins, and siblings:)</p>
<p>I think Stanford has had its high academic position for so long that there's no argument from some Cal grads. But USC is like the new kid on the block who's faster, smarter, and better looking and the local bullies don't like it.</p>
<p>It's really very sad that parents are so competitive regarding their kids colleges...in the 70's status was your country club, in the 80's your part ownership in a pro sports team, in the 90's your ranch in Montana, and in this decade it's where your kid goes to college. that status I think has heightened peoples feelings, one thing that is common with all these Cal grads I hear ugly comments from, many of their children will be applying to college soon...and I think they're stressed out by it!</p>
<p>No argument with Cal's good test scores but so are USC's and 50 other top Universities. The whole point of this discussion is to explain to the very first post why there are negative comments about USC. My point is they are only coming from one group (a minority of Cal and UCLA grads), threatened (probably for varied reasons) by USC. Prove me wrong, it would be interesting to know if anyone else strongly dislikes USC. I don't think you'll find anyone who doesn't have an association with Cal or UCLA.</p>
<p>cant' prove you wrong apps, since I have no knowledge of the affiliations of the posters on cc (with the obvious exceptions of calmom and ucsd-UCLA dad). But, obviously, neither do you have knowledge of the posters, appstressin, unless your neighbors have all logged in. :) </p>
<p>Ah, I see dstart is an Old Blue and posted highly of 'SC. hmmmmm</p>
<p>I didn't go to USC but I have lots of coworkers that went there (interestingly, most of them came from rather modest background). While I like how USC has improved a lot, I wouldn't go that far to say it's "Stanford of the south"</p>
<p>dstark: glad to hear you're positive towards SC but what are your thoughts on momofteens question in post #1? "amazing concoction of negative remarks" </p>
<p>Sam Lee,
You may've have known that most of SC' folk don't approve the "Stanford of the south" thing since you know so many of them. I don't think Stanford should be goal of USC except that Stanford always slaps the face of top UCs in almost all contests:) I think Penn should be a model for USC.</p>
<p>I am perfectly fine with any of comments regarding USC from you, positive or negative, because you are an objective third party. </p>
<p>* ad hominem comment deleted - Mod JEM*</p>
<p>bluebayou,
From my personal experience, most of CAL people exudes intellectual confidence, and they don't spend much time in belittling USC. It's totally different of bruins.</p>
<p>ad hominem attack deleted - Mod JEM</p>
<p>The comparison between USC and UCLA is a fair thing to do in this thread. One reason is because the one defaming USC is always finding opportunities to boast UCLA. The other is USC and UCLA are pretty much on par for undergradute students on most of aspects (except for tuition and size), including academics, intellectual atmosphere, student life, and other activities. If you want to berate USC, that is fine but should be put into proper context.</p>
<p>blue: it's fairly common knowledge in norcal that Cal hates SC, and very common knowledge that ucla dislikes SC. are you suggesting people born and raised in other parts of the country have it out for SC, I find that hard to believe. </p>
<p>my question is not who is making negative comments, it's well understood that it's coming from the UC side of the aisle. the question is why?</p>
<p>I also strongly object trashing USC's academic past. USC made some mistake not investing heavily in science research as other peers, but it's catching up. It's not as stellar as other elites, but not as lousy as someone here wants you to believe, especially the guy doesn't even know what's happening in academics. You will find a lot of success stories of trojans. USC does the best within its ability as most of its alumni. This is my observation as a foreigner who's only been here for 3.5 years.</p>
<p>Cal may hate USC, but only for some non-academic reasons. Everyone I met from CAL is quite confident of themselves, and has no reason feeling threatened by USC academically. They are objective enough to give USC credit where it's due. </p>
<p>If you live in LA, you will find a different bunch from UCLA. Not everyone I should state, because I like UCLAri:)</p>
<p>I am not suggesting anything of the sort, my friend, It is you that are casting dispersions.</p>
<p>As a big college football fan, I'm fortunate to have many UCLA and 'SC alums nearby with an extra game ticket or two, so I spent a lot of time at the Mausoleum, even attending the pre-game brunch with Tommy Trojan. I have never once heard any 'SC alum even come close to thinking that their school was on a par with Stanford -- far from it. They are happy to be considered the academic equal of UCLA, and better than Cal in, say, one or two departments (Film School comes to mind, since Cal doesn't have one). The Marshall B school (undergrad) and their Engineering school are also highly rated at number 10 (but, of course Cal is #2 or 3, depending on which survey you read). But that's it. I know of no 'SC alum that considers their school the academic (grad level) peer of Cal. Heck, I'd be shocked if President Sample ever dreamed of elevating his school into Stanford's stratosphere.</p>
<p>As to who is making comments, I really don't know. In some cases, including on this thread, it is 'SC parents and alums who are trying to point out the plusses and negatives of thier school in a fair manner so others can decide if they want to join the Trojan family. In other cases, it could be former applicants who were denied, and are harboring ill feelings. But, then, it's all speculation.</p>
<p>
[quote]
is the reality of being in south central
[/quote]
</p>
<p>USC IS NOT IN SOUTH CENTRAL, and as a parent you should know that. </p>
<p>And, btw, I'd really, really, really would like to be in LA today. High today perdicted as 68. Here in Madison the perdicted high is 30, and it is snowing like the end of the world.</p>
<p>i knew the Stanford comments would get reaction:)</p>
<p>here's the question again (and it's not about comparing usc to stanford):</p>
<p>1) the 1st post "momofteens" wanted to know why she found negative remarks.
So:
2) who's making them?
3) and why?</p>
<p>I'm suggesting it's not random. I'm suggesting there's a specific group reacting to SC and for similar reasons. and my experience is that the group is Cal/ucla but the reasons are harder to understand, but I suspect the negaitive feelings are around the subject of "best" schools in CA. and so my guess is that as USC's success (academic, athletic, alum) grows, the more insecure Cal grads make negative comments.</p>
<p>seems like a resonable cause and effect, and I can support it through personal experience. </p>
<p>parents making negaitive or mean comments about any students school is a sad event. BTW: I'm not talking about Cal the instituition, I'm talkning about parents who are Cal grads who are casting dispersions.</p>
<p>Sorry to butt in on this really itneresting debate, but how good is the college of arts and sciences at usc? I'm a bio major and i would continue on if I were to go hypothetically. I'm from UCI btw, so does anyone know how it stacks up?</p>
<p>call or email him. educators are generally very accesible. btw he went to Stanford:) i would imagine right were you are, uci bio, is excellent. why are you considering transfering?</p>
<p>Starr, Peter
Dean Of The College Of Letters, Arts, And Sciences Professor Of French And Comparative Literature
College Dean
(213) 740-2531
<a href="mailto:pstarr@usc.edu">pstarr@usc.edu</a></p>
<p>The area aound USC is primarily working class Hispanic and student. The area is called West Adams and includes University Park, the home of USC, which as you know is gated. It also includes Exposition Park and North University Park. It was an exremely wealthy area a 100 plus years ago. It is filled with many charming cottages, larger Victorians, craftsman style homes, Queen Annes, and many other styles. The homes in the area are ripe for renovation/restoration, a process that has already begun. </p>
<p>My son has lived off-campus for three years and neither he or his car have had any problems.</p>
<p>The college of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, is solid, but nothing particularly special. I've also been a Bio major (right now I'm in the process of changing my major!). Many of the pre-med introductory classes are rather large, as many people have to take them. However, if you come in as a transfer with a lot of those intro courses done, you should have a good time. There are some really neat options within the Bio major, such as spending a semester on the island Catalina learning to scuba dive and doing special projects. The college doesn't necessarily have the renown of other schools, but it is still quite good.</p>
<p>As a transplant to the west coast and formerly married to a UCLA alum, I have always found the UCLA/USC rivalry both mysterious and amusing. Now I have a d whose top 3 choices include both USC and Berkeley. She actually came home from school the other day and asked me why a lot of the kids were dissing USC when she mentioned she was applying there.</p>
<p>After reading this I think I can give her a better answer.</p>
<p>The best advice I have seen anywhere here on this thread is to have an open mind: do research, visit and see for yourself, and carefully consider the source of both negative and positive comments. Some people are just not very well-informed or objective.</p>
<p>I have to say though, that to an "outsider", not having grown up in this area, the rivalry seems really silly when it extends beyond being a friendly competition.</p>
<p>wecandothis: the rivalry is not typical east coast private vs private. out here in the land of sanctified "public education" it's private vs public when it comes to usc and ucla or stanford and cal. and even though attendies of public universities often come from wealthy families they get in to this culture of public must be better because in someway a private school has to be unfair...if you're paying you're buying something "getting in" where at public schools it must be impartial because it's public. thus begins the class struggle nasty arguuments even though the alum are not from a lower class.</p>