<p>I’ve posted this in each university’s forum to get the widest array of answers, which I hope you do! Thank you.</p>
<p>Edit: pressed enter on accident! sorry!</p>
<p>Hello, I am a prospective undergrad for this coming fall. However, like just about every other senior, I have no idea on which college to choose. I’ve narrowed it down to a top 3-ish and was wondering what anybody could say to recommend any one university over the other, as each has it’s perks and cons. My concerns are price, as they are all OOS or private, quality of education, enviroment, and fun factor.</p>
<p>My top 3:
- USC - I haven’t gotten accepted yet, but I’m pretty sure I will. I’m just at the grade and test score level, wrote a beast essay, and have legacy. Problem is that it is PRICEY!!! My whole family is originally from LA area so it is my dream school, I love SoCal. Prestigious Academics, Exciting Athletics, and I hear nothing but praise from my grandpa and other grads about the alumni connections</p>
<ol>
<li>University of Arizona - I’m down for the nice weather coming from the great and wet Pacific NW, and UA has good ranked programs. They offered me some pocket change (4k/year and Macbook Pro) as well, so as of currently this is looking like the most likely option. I’m visiting real soon and that will help solidify my opinion. I’m liking the good mix of ranked programs and fun times, but I’m getting discouraged about what I hear about Tucson. Can’t be too bad though can it?</li>
</ol>
<p>3.(Tie) Cal Poly: SLO - I’m in love with the idea of the perfect sized college (about 20,000 I think) in a easygoing town just minutes from the beach. I’ve been accepted into business and offered 2k/year which is nothing really for OOS. Only thing keeping this a low prospect is not being able to change majors, I’m still undecided on the inside. I could do business, but I am real interested in various sciences as well and would like to be able to explore my options.</p>
<p>3.(Tie) Oregon State - If it comes down to it I could be a Beaver, even though I’m from Eugene and a devoted Duck. I just hate Corvallis, it’s too small of a farmy town, I feel like I would never leave campus. However, it is the most practical option, a good education with in-state tuition. I would just rather leave Oregon for a while.</p>
<p>I haven’t heard from Gonzaga and University of San Diego, but unless they offer lots of money then they are not really in the running.</p>
<p>I’ve posted this in each university’s forum to get the widest array of answers, which I hope you do! It would be really really appreciated, Thank you.</p>
<p>[Top</a> Undergraduate Business Programs 2010 - BusinessWeek](<a href=“http://bwnt.businessweek.com/bschools/undergraduate/10rankings/]Top”>http://bwnt.businessweek.com/bschools/undergraduate/10rankings/)</p>
<p>1- USC is a good school for the reasons you articulate but its rather large (35K) and in a rather nasty location. It’s also “one of the world’s leading private research universities” which is great if you’re a grad student; not so good for the undergrad who gets piled into large lecture halls for classes taught by TAs with indecipherable accents.</p>
<p>2- What I said about USC applies to the UofA with exception of its location. I’ve spent a lot of time in Tucson, my sister went to the UofA and liked the town. That said it is in the desert and people with webbed feet might have problems with the heat and dryness. Do check it out though.</p>
<p>3- Can’t add much to what you said about Cal Poly other than its a teaching school which makes for a far better undergraduate experience. Plus the weather is spectacular!
(Full disclosure: my son is a freshman) At USC and the UofA you can get overwhelmed by the shear immensity of the classes and the student population. On the other hand, if you’re highly disciplined, what I call “teacher proof”, this might not be a problem.</p>