<p>I need help trying to make my decision! I'm scared of NYU and USC (big schools in general), but maybe it's time to take risks? Any thoughts on where I should go?</p>
<p>You are very lucky. These are very fine schools.
We need to know more about you to suggest a good match.</p>
<p>Well, I come from a suburban private high school. While I personally value an intimate academic setting and a small liberal arts education, I also feel as though, not having been exposed to much else, I should potentially break out and try something new. I’m pretty strong, so I know I can cope wherever I go. It’s mainly a matter of whether or not I feel as though I’d be academically stimulated at a school like Pitzer or whether I’d feel lost at NYU.</p>
<p>If you so choose you can be academically stimulated at any of the colleges you mention. They all are all good choices.</p>
<p>Given your background, I expect that you’ll feel more at home in one of the LAC on your list. Generally you’ll find smaller classes, and a great deal of individual attention. You may also find a more uniform student body. It’s hard to feel lost at these LACs. That they’re a distance from a major city helps in creating a more cohesive student atmosphere than you’ll find in large universities in New York City and LA.</p>
<p>That said, you’ll have more academic options at NYU and USC, and an opportunity to take advantage of cultural/service/intellectual opportunities that New York/LA have to offer. You’ll also find a more diverse student body and more commuters. These may not matter to you if you have a clear idea of what you’ll focus on, what courses you’ll take, etc.</p>