<p>I love ND and was thrilled when I got in. However, I won a full tuition scholarship to USC. I feel like I really can't pass the scholarship up. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>If money is a big factor, take SC. ND is much more prestigious though...even in SoCal, ND is more well-known academically. In CA, USC falls behind Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA, and Pomona (and perhaps even UCSD), among a few other LACs, in prestige. The student bodys are different as well, so choose wisely and visit if possible.</p>
<p>Congrats on both though, and good luck!</p>
<p>I agree with the previous poster. If money is at all a factor take the USC scholarship and run. General prestige aside, USC has some really top notch programs, it has a beautiful campus and a great alumni network, at least in CA. It is also prestigious enough to get you into any graduate school as long as you do well there. My son is a student at ND and loves it, but it's not the only great school out there. Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>I was hoping to see nasty comments about SC...</p>
<p>The two posts above me have good advice.</p>
<p>I wished that I was in SoCal every day this winter.</p>
<p>Go to USC, even though I go to ND. With the way the economy is heading these days financial assistance will go a long, long way.</p>
<p>Please, PLEASE visit SC before deciding to attend. It's in South Central LA, which has the 3rd highest crime rate in the US....I know my way around LA pretty well, and even I'm afraid to venture too far off campus.</p>
<p>Just a warning, but wherever you go, go there with no regrets and you'll be fine!</p>
<p>oh please,</p>
<p>people way overestimate the skechiness of the surrounding area of USC. It is not that bad. USC owns like everything 4 blocks of the campus anyway which is where most upperclassman live.</p>
<p>Go to USC! Unless your family is fabulously wealthy, or ND has been your dream school forever, this isn't even a fair question. A full scholarship? That's a RIDICULOUSly enormous amount of money. </p>
<p>Where I'm from in the north, ND and USC are approx on par reputation wise. Come on though... even setting that aside... invest 200 grand now instead of going to ND and you won't need to worry about retirement savings.</p>
<p>I agree with Tim about the neighborhood surrounding USC. It's not like there are people on the corners waiting to shoot SC students as soon as they walk off campus...No more dangerous than any other urban, economically depressed area in the U.S. Just be smart and you will be fine. Congrats on the full scholarship...that is amazing.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone to take the time to voice their opinion. I guess I'm going to go with my gut instinct and go with USC. I just can't pass up the scholarship and I really like it there too.</p>
<p>Tim: why the "oh please"? haha if you looked up the crime rates or visited frequently, you'd see why many people consider it "sketchy." I feel safer in downtown Oakland than I do in South Central LA.</p>
<p>knm: have fun at SC though! It's a really good school with lots of tradition and such, so I'm sure you'll have a blast!</p>
<p>The trashing of the surrounding area gets really old.... hence the "oh please".</p>
<p>Its not a problem unless you decide to do stupid things late at night.... like taking a 3 am jog by youself with money hanging out of your pocket...</p>
<p>its not that bad</p>
<p>knm... Im going to go to USC too! Of course ND was my first choice, but it didnt work out.... but USC is a great school and we are going to have a great time!</p>
<p>prolly bc there's a lot of truth to it. I mean, it's not Westwood ;)</p>
<p>whatever, have fun!</p>