<p>Prestige and reputations are strongest locally - more alums + more exposure = stronger reputation. Alumni support (read job contacts) networks are strongest the closer you are to the “mother ship”; so where do you want to live and work after you graduate? If it’s California or the West Coast, USC wins; if it’s NYC or the Northeast, NYU wins. If you’re moving to Chicago, Dallas or anywhere in the Midwest, then they’re pretty much the same.</p>