Hey guys! I just really need help, as I am being indecisive and just want some third party perspective before my August 1st decision deadline.
A little background: I am a CCC transfer student, and got my associates in Business Administration. I will have to pull out private loans for either school. Also, I don’t plan on going to grad school as of right not because of the financial debt I will be in after graduation.
I got into UCLA for Fall 2015 as a Sociology major. I would want to minor in accounting, but it seems hard to get into and I can’t apply until after two quarters. Financially, it would cost around $50,000 for two years.
I got into USC Marshall School of Business for Spring 2016. I am bummed it’s for spring instead of fall, and financially it would cost around $120,000 for two years.
I am just wondering if major is important? I have heard USC’s alumni connections are outstanding, so is the debt worth it? I need a job right out of college and I am worried a Sociology major at UCLA does not have the potential as an USC business major. Sociology while interesting, does not fascinate me like business. But, is the debt worth it for USC? Or does a UCLA Sociology major have the same opportunities?
Any kind insight would be appreciated, and thank you so much in advance!
So, you will be graduating 6 months later as well, right? Don’t forget to factor in potential loss of income that you could be making if you graduated earlier and were working in that window of time between May and December. It sounds like Marshall is more what you want to do in terms of major, but that is certainly a lot more debt. If they were same price it would be a no-brainer, but USC is more than twice as much. Are you borrowing this money with giant interest rates or paying your parents back? I suppose you won’t be direct admit into Leventhat at USC (or you would know now I think) but you could minor in accounting at USC pretty easily. Not sure how much that is worth. I don’t know how to answer whether a generic business degree is worth much more than a sociology degree these days. Are most of your USC core courses coming in completed? If you have to spend a lot of money time on those, that could be a factor in the equation. A tough one for sure!
@blueskies2day hi 
thank you for the response.
I will have all Gen Eds I can complete at a CCC by the time I enter USC. I was trying to see if I could finish my marshall degree in a year and a half to save $30K but I’m not exactly sure yet (and graduate with my class in spring.)
My parents are not helping with funding my education at all. Not one penny, so I would be paying back a company interest with interest ranging from 3% to whatever they offer, since I won’t have a co-signer.
Sometimes I think, is college even worth this type of debt? Haha 
Can you clarify the costs? You seem to be a full payer for USC, meaning your parents have a very high income? Then why aren’t you a full payer at UCLA as well, at about 33k a year? Or did you find a way to drastically reduce indirect costs?
You will not be able to get a private loan on your own for any of these amounts of money, so likely it is a moot point. Companies don’t lend funds to students without qualified, employed cosigners. You can only borrow your federal amounts. If you are still a dependent student that means 7,500 per year. Would your parents sign for UCLA? Marshall would be great but that amount of debt would crush you for the next 25 years, no reasonable person would take on that sort of debt, only someone who thinks it is all funny money. fwiw I know a sociology major at a top school who was recruited by google, not the tech side. Sociology at least exposes you to research methods and critical thinking. It isn’t usual a social science as Econ for business minded students but it will work. There is a lot of work being done in data science teams who use people trained that way as non tech part of a team. It would be even more valuable to take as much statistics as you can instead of accounting.
I just reread your post and you have an AA in Business Admin. That’s great, and I think sociology with that could be a good and positive combination, agree with @brownparent comments on sociology. I have been disappointed in USC and their spring admit acceptance for those fully qualified to attend whether transfers or new freshman. I get the popularity issues on the school (good marketing on their part) but I don’t think it is good for the student to have that gap in time, particularly transfers - not good mentally and not long enough to take on employment that will net you any real money to help with costs. UCLA is a great school, don’t get caught up in status between the two, do what is best for you. You will have great pride graduating from either one. The alumni network at USC is great, however, you have to have some kind of connection to start and utilize it. I know plenty of grads - great students, looking for work long after graduation despite the network. My student has a good gpa so was able to take 20+ units (over 18 was free cause of gpa), but summer school costs the same as regular so no bargain getting classes over with that way, not sure if you can transfer any more in from lower cost alternative or if you are at the limit of transferable courses.
If you are solely responsible for the costs, that can be a huge amount of debt when trying to buy a car, rent and apartment, buy a condo or anything to move on with life after graduation. Who you are as a person and employee will contribute more greatly to your success than where the degree came from, particularly comparing these two schools, which I think is more marketing these days than having differentiating substance. Best to you, wherever you go, get out all you can from it!
@BrownParent @blueskies2day
Thank you both for the great and meaningful responses.
My parents are not willing to fund my education. Every decision I am making I will be paying for. I really just hope to get employed after graduation, and my heart tells me UCLA but I’m worried about employment as a sociology major.
It’s hard to wrap around what I should do for another semester as I wait for USC. It just seems like a hard time to enter, due to it being half way through the semester and planning how I will graduate on time.
️UCLA is 50K because tuition is 13K a year plus housing and personal costs, which equals around 50K.
USC is 50K (tuition) a year plus housing, which equals around 120K.
I don’t qualify for federal aid because I don’t have access to my parents tax forms, since they don’t want to take part in my education decision.
I have everything ready to go for UCLA. Where I will live, I’ve completed every single Gen Ed and I know exactly what classes to take in order to receieve my bachelors degree.
I live in an area where people preach USC, but you are so right in saying that USC alumni networks come from people already in the loop. I don’t feel in the loop, because I don’t have parents that have multiple job connections. I question, is 120K in debt worth it for Marshall School of Business? I don’t know, and I won’t know by August 1st.
I also question is a Sociology Degree worth any type of debt?
Blah
I am confused because the published cost for UCLA is more like 33k a year. If you can reduce your room & board costs and personal expenses then it can be less, I suppose 25 may work if you have cheap housing. If you live in an area where people preach USC then you are just listening to football fans and they should have nothing to do with your college choice.
Again there is no way you as a student can borrow any large amount of money for college. However if you parents won’t supply financial information you can talk to your financial aid office about “professional judgement”. They can allow you to have your student loan portion which I think will be 7,500 per year. If there is any way that you can get the independent student rate you can get 12,500 per year. It is really very fortunate that you can’t borrow 120k as that should be quite out of the question to any rational person. Since you can’t see that, you can see why banks don’t make loans you young people with no means to make payments. They would soon be out of business. Please see this section of the federal student aid for directions on how to file a fafsa without parent info, then contact your school immediately.
https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/parent-info#unwilling-parents
My advice: ditch sociology for economics, save money and go to UCLA. $120k is way too expensive.
@SeattleTW brings up a great point, but I am guessing moving into econ would require waiting a couple quarters and is super competitive to get into? That may be, and like the accounting minor, it could be difficult to get into, but it is not impossible and you just have to fight for what you want. For the price difference, I think starting in sociology at UCLA is a good plan, then pursue options for your accounting minor, or econ, or maybe you will simply love sociology.
The main reason mine didn’t go to UCLA as freshman, was the inability/repercussions of changing majors. But we pay a lot more money for that flexibility. If they were 100% sure of their major, they’d have been at UCLA, no doubt.
Ellie, since you will only be permitted by law to borrow around $15K for 2 years of college, how are you planning to pay the balance of 35K to attend UCLA or $105K to attend USC? If your parents are contributed $0, I am not seeing how you can afford either of these options.
@madbean through private loans as well (Such as Sallie Mae)
But after graduation and the grace period, ️UCLA would be $500 a month and USC would be $1000. On my own, there is no way I could afford U$C realistically.
Thank you eveyone for your insight!