We haven’t properly seen either one yet (it was during a storm that we visited UVA last month.) We are really going to try and see both in a couple of weeks.
Bellying up to the USC reject bar over here too. So all the decisions are in and now it’s choose time. Hoping to go up to UT Dallas Saturday for a look around. I think if UCF were within driving distance (and the FL state legislature would just lay off the Benaquisto!) we’d be committed and done.
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It’s very important to get freshmen to return for their sophomore year, but once a student is a junior or senior it’s hard for them to transfer.
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It a form of differential tuition and reflects the fact that upper division courses cost more to teach because they are more specialized and class size is smaller. This is especially true in disciplines like engineering. Some other public universities do this as a means to increase revenue, so it’s always good to read the fine print. Another example is when the tuition seems reasonable and then the fees are surprisingly high. If I remember correctly, U Mass Amherst is an example of this.
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I think a lot of people harbor ill thoughts about USC because of the college admissions scandal (and how somehow they seemed to walk out of it with more prestige and zero repercussions even though members on the payroll were involved). It isn’t all just sports. I’m an east coaster so I don’t care much about west coast schools but the one thing that sticks out to me for USC is the admissions scandal.
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While I don’t dispute this, I would say that the banter up thread did not at all read to me as harboring ill thoughts about USC or the kids who were accepted. It was tongue in cheek commentary between posters who have been communicating here for months and understand it was meant as humorous. This whole process is stressful and it is a relief to commiserate with those who feel your pain. Perhaps it read differently to someone jumping in mid thread? I don’t want to discount anyone’s personal opinion. But all the funny emojis included would seem to preclude this. 
I “hate” on Bama. Not one of my many Alabama-supporting friends takes it as anything other than cutting up. Even when I change out their Bama garden flags for UGA ones… and their car vanity plates… etc. Go Dawgs! 
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Oh I didn’t read any of the banter as mean spirited at all, just typical sports banter, but someone did bring up the sports so I was just saying my impression of USC basically only comes from the scandal as an East Coaster.
I went to a school in the ACC (now B1G) so I can tell you I completely understand blind hate for schools based on sports, lol.
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Sorry! I should not have linked the reply as if it was directed at you! It was more a general statement. 
ETA: And I’m with you on limited knowledge of any CA school, including USC. I made a joke (a failed joke) upthread about UCSD being UC San Dimas. But apparently no one got my Bill & Ted reference.
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Obviously this comment is/was directed at me. I also have an opinion like you and I expressed it. I think almost everyone here understood the context in which it was said.
Also, I didn’t know emojis packed such a powerful message. I’d use one here, but I’ll refrain and move on.
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I mean from my standpoint your Michigan profile offends me, but I refrain 99% of the time from commenting on it. (This being the 1%).
Love,
a non-Michigan B1G school alumnae whose school got their buns handed to them by Michigan this year
xoxo
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I think it is time to move on from the USC discussion. My S21 was admitted to USC yesterday and we are evaluating the school based on its academic merit and EC’s that S21 is interested in. Sports rivalry and scandals are not as important (all schools have those in varying degrees). S21 was also invited to apply to Freshman Science Honors program as well Thematic option at USC. I must admit that we did not know about these and looking at them, we are bit more interested in USC than before the decision came out. Interested to see if anyone has experience in those two programs
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@DramaMama2021 here in CA, UCSD is known for university of socially dead. 
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@mozwo123 If you guys can afford USC, I would definitely consider them high up for consideration. They may not have the rep for STEM like some other research heavy colleges, but they have endowment and you get great 1:1 connects with your professors. Likely will never have to worry about not getting a class.
Business program is great. I would say better than UCLA, along with engineering on both comparisons.
The USC Trojan alum network is NOTHING to scoff at. I believe they are just as strong as Ivy League.
I think being part of a crazy school on Div 1 sports is an amazing experience and perhaps maybe why I wished S21 isn’t turning down Berkeley. That’s fun, that’s culture.
The ONLY reservation I have about USC (last time I visited there was Dec 2018) is the surrounding area when you leave the gates of USC isn’t great. A little worse than Berkeley. I’m not familiar with housing but after freshman year when the kids wanna leave the dorm, I think there’s a certain section near campus that’s much safer than others and feels “normal,” but it’s expensive so budget for that. USC area isn’t a great area to park your car. It’s a hassle, so take that into account. But for the academics and fun (even us UW fans can’t stand the Trojans) and awesome campus, USC should be in your consideration set and not dismissed.
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Or at the very least, desist form talking disparagingly about posters on that - or any - thread.
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Thanks @MommaLue for your views. S21 is right now torn between Cal and USC. He is advanced in both math ( has done complex analysis after completing MVC, Linear Algebra) and CS (Platinum level). For us, the key is where he will pace in freshman year in these two subjects and where he would find his tribe. It seems that Cal has more kids like him than USC but access to professors as you pointed out is a great advantage at USC. He is used to small class environment in a private school in Bay Area and fortunately affordability is not that big an issue for us.
I’m really hopeful that my husband doesn’t find out that they call it that. 
@mamaedefamilia yes the UMass tuition/fees situation… Deceptive/counterintuitive, you make the call.
In MA there is a scholarship awarded to the top percentage of kids in MA public schools based on scores on MCAS (state testing). My older son was quite worried that he was “throwing away” a valuable scholarship if he didn’t apply to UMass Amherst as the scholarship is full tuition for 4 years at any Mass state college. Then I explained to him that technically the tuition at UMass is listed at $1700. Another $14,000 in fees aren’t covered because they keep them out of the tuition bucket. This before we get to room/board. So this “full” scholarship would cover $1700 of a $30,000 in-state cost. 
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where is she going to commit to?
Ugh. Just found out there are 3100 people on the waitlist for Notre Dame. Even with courtesy soft nos for the well-connected being a portion of that group, odds are incredibly low of getting off this list. Sigh. Need to drop that LOCI and move on mentally.
It’s looking more and more like S will go to a public university. Will be a good growth experience. Kid better stay on top of signing up for his classes.
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Still deciding and still waiting for decisions from some!
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