<p>I've been hearing so much lately about schools like USC being "rich kid" schools. I mean, I would assume it would be that way since going to a private university often does leave out the kids who can't afford it. But just how bad is it???</p>
<p>I come from a pretty wealthy area, so I think I should be fine if I get accepted there. But I've been hearing EVERYWHERE that USC (and alot of others like UMiami, Vanderbilt, etc.) are schools comprised entirely of stuck up, fake people. </p>
<p>Is this only true if you're coming from a sort of middle class area and its like culture shock?? Or do alot of people (even those who come from wealthy areas) have problems with this??</p>
<p>Hmm well I can’t speak about other schools, but I do attend Notre Dame, and I think it can be considered a “rich kid” school. </p>
<p>Alot of students here are well off, I know my freshman year roommate had two older siblings that attended here, and her parents paid for all 3 without even applying for financial aid. (50K times 3 kids= 150K a year). But she didn’t rub in that she had a lot of money, she just didn’t have to worry about anything that she wanted. It’s a little hard though, when you see students planning trips to the Caribbean for Spring Break or telling you how they’re going to be asking for a condo for their birthday. You KNOW they have money, but they don’t call out other students on not being as rich.</p>
<p>But I think it’s important to note, that because most private institutions do cost so much, they usually have a large amount of money set aside for scholarships. And most students that come here do have a good amount of money, but the school does help out some with that 50K a year. </p>
<p>(sorry if it’s not coherent, and I rambled, I wanted to write a quick response b4 i left work)</p>
<p>Exactly what soccerchick818 said. Georgetown is pretty much the same with a much larger Caucasian population (more than 70%) all coming from big private schools or Jesuit high schools. The Georgetown area (houses, restaurants, shops, etc.) are all very expensive. They swim in money. It’s a great area where I’ve seen people drop $100 for one meal and $200 shopping an hour later. This is sometimes a weekly thing…</p>
<p>umm, my best friend attends USC now and he told me that stereotype doesn’t really exist and it was part of the older (maybe 20-30 years ago) stereotype. Anywhere you go, you’re going to run into rich students coming from rich families. I’m not sure if USC fits your bill of “stuck up fake people”…or atleast, i haven’t met or seen one yet. just my 2 cents.</p>
<p>USC gives out plenty of financial aid these days and attracts a good number of NMS. I think that old saw “University of Spoiled Children” went out years ago. Another plus is the proportion of international students. While many of their families are well off, some other cultures are less likely to flaunt it than the American one.</p>
<p>That’s what I thought. I definitely didn’t get that vibe when I visited there. My friend went to school at the University of Kansas, and he’s the one that got me all paranoid about what USC might be like. Obviously it would be different than Kansas though and that’s probably a really good thing! </p>
<p>Anybody know anything about the other two (Vandy and Miami)??? Because I applied there too.</p>
<p>usc a rich kid school? I do not 100% agree. But usc a fake kids school, for sure. You dont have to be rich to be fake. But it is in LA what do you expect? Westside… even worse. Although it is in the ghetto, and random stabbings of students are on the news frequently, it still doesnt deter the students from looking trashy (like fergie style) on campus. I have never seen more girls with makeup caked on their face than usc (well ucla…but that is another story).</p>
<p>It isnt the fault of usc, it is just the environment.</p>
<p>grey, u have to admit…i know u are from la…but come ON. plastic dolce and gabbanna bags with golden bling everywhere. black roots blonde hair. liner on their lips. ridiculously tight clothing, and inflated breasts.
trashy! I am not saying go dress all puritan, but some decency and reservation please. I just call it as I see it. I am a woman, and can see women as things other than <em>hot</em>.
I know you visited berk and stanford. (minus the hippies at berk) you have to admit, the women are much more normal.
please dont get philosophical on what is normal… nor think I am some uber christian. </p>
<p>However, if you are saying usc is not in the ghetto… then I think u are a tough man. But I grew up in the suburbs, what do I know… I locked my doors when I drove on mlk to visit.</p>
<p>p.s. i take back the frequently in my statement about the stabbings. </p>
<p>I am not from L.A. but when I moved here, in the first 2 months, I heard two news stories about students from usc getting stabbed. Plus all the commotion about it from students. U are right that it isnt frequent because I heard nothing since. But for me, two in two months was a lot. And driving thru the neighborhood is not…safe.
also, ucla is in a nice neighborhood, i was mentioning the pounds of eye liner that ucla girls use to mimic raccoons, </p>
<p>And sorry for coming off so opinionated. I should watch myself. It was just so tough not to rant a little. sorry to offend.</p>
<p>When I graduated HS in 1979, I really wanted to go to USC to study Marine Biology. But it was way too expensive. Instead, I went to U of Miami, which was affordable back then. However, there were a fair number of rich kids.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the football team became good, and we got a new president. He tripled the tuition my third year. Luckily, I was independent by then and qualified for aid, but I finished in three years with a bio degree instead of my intended marine/bio, which is what I went there for. </p>
<p>It was amazing, the students that showed up for freshman year that year, as I lived in the freshman dorm all three years. Designer clothes to hang out, designer luggage, all driving cars. I’ll never forget the girl with the peacock feather in her hat, this just to move in her dorm. </p>
<p>I think it has a lot to do with the administration. Our initial president was a guy who sat with students in the courtyard, was very accessible. The new president had one of those fancy preppy names with many Roman numerals behind it, and a wife named Bunny.</p>
<p>It is my opinion your friend has misconceptions about SC. Over 60% of the students are on financial aid. About 20% of the students receive merit scholarships. It has the largest number of international students of any research university, according to the website.
I suggest your friend go to the website and view the webcam. View the students on the webcam around noon PT. Frankly, I am not seeing the starlet types your friend mentions. It might be a good idea to read the postings of students on the Facebook group-USC Class of 2013. Most of these seniors have recently visited the campus. Their comments might be helpful to your friend.</p>
<p>It is a private university. There are wealthy students at SC just as at Vanderbilt, William and Mary, Washington & Lee, Duke and SMU. However, there are many students who are on 100% financial aid. SC has one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation. Over 100 countries are represented on campus. </p>
<p>Regading safety there are problems on nearly every campus in the U.S. The two recent problems near SC were students walking alone at night about 3 in the morning in an urban area. Many prominent Californians send their children to SC, including the Governor of CA.
There are internet sites where crime statistics are available. Perhaps after a check your friend might feel more comfortable.</p>
<p>USC is just another school as far as student diversity goes. The parking garages are not filled with luxury cars and everyone is not in designer clothes. Just because tuition is insanely expensive there doesn’t mean everyone is rich. Most of those kids are neck deep in student loans or maybe their parents have been saving since birth. There are some very well off alumni families associated with the school, but a very small percentage in the big picture.</p>
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