<p>i'm down to these two of the schools that i got into (haven't heard from berkeley yet). i was all set to go to davis. i was being pragmatic with costs being an issue as i'm a california resident. then yesterday i got accepted to USC. usc is a higher rated school but downtown los angeles? any comments and opinions would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Wow, Davis is a HUGE savings (what is it, like 1/3 the price?). And USC is kind of in a bad area (not quite a "college town" like Davis).</p>
<p>It's hard to pass up USC, but Davis seems to win.....and if I had to make this tough choice, I would pick Davis (unless finances are no issue for you, then SC).</p>
<p>With medical school being so cheap.... Of course I'm being ironic.</p>
<p>Really. Do a hypothetical exercise: pretend that you're a college senior and you're waiting on hearing from two medical schools. Find out what their cost is and find out how much of a loan you'll need to take for their tuition. Then find out how much your monthly payment will be and for how old you'll be before it's fully paid off. Then find out what your salaries will be for that period and find out how much spare $ you'll have for an apartment, car, food. You'll be staggered.</p>
<p>just for clarification, SC isnt in downtown LA, its in south central :D</p>
<p>Go to UC Davis and save your money for medical school.</p>
<p>Have you toured the schools? Sometimes it is a good idea to see the campus and feel the "vibe" there. Meet the students. Tour the libraries. Check out the labs.
Before you choose wait for the financial aid package SC sends. It is known for generous aid. Some of the posters on the SC board found with the aid they received it was less expensive to attend SC than a state university. Remember room and board will be a cost at each school unless you live near enough to live at home.</p>
<p>the costs are a HUGE factor. today i'm going to look into seeing about the money. i'd heard usc can be generous. it would have to come down to being sixes i think. i have friends going to both schools, but i have to admit, as a town built totally around a college, davis has a great feel. still usc....</p>
<p>USC's financial aid offers generally come out by the end of the first weel of April. (So you probably won't be able to get complete information today.) Last year, my D received financial aid offers (middle-class family) from several universities, including USC, UCLA and Berkeley. Berkeley was the most expensive of the three, while USC and UCLA cost almost exactly the same amount. Wait until you get all the information before you decide - you have until May 1st. Good luck!</p>
<p>^ Added note to my post above: She was in-state California for UCLA and UC Berkeley.</p>
<p>if you show the need, usc will definiteley be cheaper. and i wouldnt worry about the location, as you will very rarely leave campus. Although it isnt the prettiest location, its one of the most culturally active and diverse places on earth. Consider this, you could drive 30 minutes at most in any direction from SC and find yourself in a completeley different area including the beach or hollywood.</p>
<p>USC isn’t worth it if you are paying more. If money isn’t an issue, just go where you think you’d fit in best.</p>