<p>i currently go to USC, i had alot of trouble here and i tried to transfer, i actually managed to get into U-mich (which was interesting because since high school i looked a little less impressive because i had a bad semester, even applying to less competitive programs at schools that previously accepted me would turn me down sometimes), but i went there and honestly, i wasnt very impressed. I mean, i was in the Liberal arts program and getting into the business school (of which i managed to already get into my freshman year at USC, mainly because i switched from their impressive engineering program) at Umich was not very likely, and i had a very cool apartment in LA so i decided to turn it down and stay at USC.</p>
<p>I guess my problem is i see it being trashed on everywhere. Now sure, you could probably find dirt on any school, even outside its rivalry, but it "feels" like people rag on USC much more than i see other places, almost to the point where i question its validity (if it was as bad as some people say it wouldnt be talked about THAT much and in so many circles of discussion). I guess it just depresses me a bit as i really want to get into a very good grad school and i feel like the admissions officers for some of the top ivy league and northwestern programs (although many or all have come to USC to speak about their admissions) may share this bias, what do you think?</p>
<p>i know there is always the token guy (could be the same guy) who says his experience at USC (more specifically the business program) was very poor, but it is in the top 10 and the curve is annoying, but it definetly makes the program challenging. Do you more estute people think i'll have trouble getting into a good graduate school with USC Business degree, or do you think the admissions officers for those programs dont perhaps share alot of the biases i see on alot of forums about USC (either they say it just stinks, or it's high ranking programs are overated, it's a lose-lose type of comment).</p>
<p>Obviously a lot of people like it. Just look at the alumni support. The opinion of 17 year old college confidential kids shouldn't matter that much. Seriously.</p>
<p>every college pretty much has its sour grapes and all, i just seem to find a very large negative comonality towards USC that have alot more specific comments about it over other schools. Sure it has alot of successful alumni, in so many ways it speaks to its prowess, but at the same time i still hear alot of unique complaints and get the impression people think lowly of it, especially on the east coast where i may be trying to go for graduate school and am concerned that alot of this negativity may go all the way up to admissions officers at those schools.</p>
<p>the Marshall school is a fine B program, and well recognized by employers and grad schools. People ust jlike to bash 'SC due to its (former) rep as the University of Spoiled Children.</p>
<p>I'd say that USC alums are the reason many people hate it. The way they talk about the school, you'd think it's some cult dedicated to football and "connections" rather than a university.</p>
<p>there's another thing, that silly nickname, i mean, do only UCLA peple use it for rivarly purposes? Frankly, i havent noticed any spoiled people here, it seems to be the opposite, everyone is on scholarship (except me). Seeing as the school is also probably going to move up in the rankings even more by the time i apply for grad school i hope you're right.</p>
<p>i cant think of any other schools with hurtful nicknames......well maybe except Tuilanes, but i think it's less insulting.</p>
<p>Historically, USC has had to compete with a (in previous years) much better public school leading many to think "why go there?" And indeed that question had logic. Why would anyone pay more to get less? Fortunately things have changed.</p>
<p>From what I've seen, the adults who are antagonistic towards USC do not know how much it has changed in the past 10 years. They still view it as an elitist private institution that only cares about football. Those in academia, such as admissions committees of grad schools, who are constantly forced to keep pace with academic states of affairs, recognize the strengths of USC's various programs. You'll be OK.</p>
<p>And just about EVERY school has a negative nickname.</p>
<p>There have been significant changes in the attitude towards USC on CC during the last three years, changes for the positive. Some people can't yet accept it as a major academic institution, with a beautiful, safe campus, and academically-minded, interesting students. But, it's a easier being pro-USC on CC in 2005 than 2002 when my son was applying.</p>
<p>It seems as though you are letting other people guide your own opinions about your own school. You said yourself that the students aren't spoiled brats, so why bother listening to what other people say? I think right now you should focus on working hard at school so that you can get into a good grad school (and you WILL be able to do that coming from USC, especially with a b-school degree that is looked well-upon), as well as finding a way to be happy here. Last year, and partly last semester, I wasn't always that completely happy here. A lot of that was because I wasn't that involved. Now I have joined Trojan Pride, and am VP for next year, and am in a co-ed community service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. My time is kept busy, which is a good thing, and I have met some amazing people. And I've had fun. </p>
<p>So my advice to you is work hard and play hard. Do well in school, and get involved. That way you will enjoy your time here, and be able to get into a great grad school at the same time. </p>
<p>USC is definitely caught up in outdated stereotypes. Many people (but definitely not all!) still see us in the old light, and either do not or will not recognize that we have taken tremendous strides. USC is an amazing school in so many facets, spincut. Try staying away from CC maybe, and from other websites that seem to put down USC. Get out and experience USC first hand, instead of through people that have no idea what USC is really like. You are here now. Go out and enjoy it!</p>
<p>And P.S.- there are plenty of nicknames for UCLA. :)</p>
<p>i have been going to USC for a while you know.</p>
<p>and applying to graduate school is letting others opinions guide me, that specifically of the admissions officer, so i just get a little concerned when i see things tarnishing a schools image moreso than what other schools have to deal with (you dont see Harvards students saying that Yale is a "dump" filled with spoiled children), even if it is an outdated generalization (i applied to USC in 2001, that was already in a different era?)</p>
<p>and why dont schools like Columbia and NYU this problem? i dont see one having a history of bad stigma because of the other like that (aside from the fact that they both have smaller sports programs).</p>
<p>I hope you all are right though, and seeing as no crazy person has strapped dynamite to themselves and went screaming through the thread i guess things are looking good (unless all of you are SC students which although some of which also bash the school are also the oens i see primarily defending it, sometimes it's nice to hear it from non alumni).</p>
<p>i guess if i wanted to go to a really good east coast school is couldnt have hurt me to have gone to an ivy, but does anyone have experience with trying to get into an ivy grad program after going to a west coast school, such as USC?</p>
<p>spincut, we're just trying to help you. Sorry if that offends you.</p>
<p>And, just as a side note, Harvard and Yale have quite a rivalry. I know a Harvard grad who always talks down about Yale. :)</p>
<p>Anyways, it irks me, too, that people always put down USC. I know that USC is greatly improving (yes, even since 2001- look at the stats; I don't know if I'd even get in now, and I was applying in 2002, started 2003), and I know that despite what everyone says we're still overall highly regarded, and ranked 30th in the nation. I'd say that that isn't half bad. </p>
<p>While I haven't had experience with grad school, two of my roommates, one of whom graduated last semester, have had great success with jobs, at least. The one that graduated was from the b-school and earned a job at Deloitte, one of the Big 4, right out of school. But if you are really that unhappy here or that unsure of your grad school future, maybe you should look more seriously into transferring. It seems as though you don't have much more time left of undergrad, though, so that may be pointless, but if you are that worried, maybe that shouldn't matter. You could always try to get into the schools you don't think you'd get in to. </p>
<p>If nothing else, you can always try to have faith in the Trojan Network! :)</p>
<p>well, everybody in northern california looks down on USC.
University of Spoiled Children
University of Second Choice
Watts State
.. I could go on.
the fact of the matter is, USC is only the 4th or 5th best school in LA... IN LA! Thats saying something!
other four: UCLA, Pomona, CMC, Harvey Mudd...</p>
<p>I think the reason people look down on it is because it is supposed to be a place of higher learning, and somebody had the bright idea to put it in LA. I mean, thinking of USC causes me to think of LA, and thinking of LA is never a good thing.
UCLA only escapes this curse because it is a public school so somebody was required to put it there.
Also, I think a lot of people have the idea that people just choose to go there when they are rich enough for a california private school education, but not smart enough for Stanford.</p>
<p>In some ways UCLA is better than USC, and in some ways USC is better than UCLA. For instance, anything with a preprofessional emphasis, USC, in almost every case, has the advantage (Film, Annenberg, Marshall, Viterbi, etc).</p>
<p>The other three schools mentioned are LAC's. You can't compare LACs with universities mainly because they're apples and oranges. Universities kill LAC's when it comes to research opportunities, campus opportunities, etc. However, LAC's offer a certain intimacy and form of teaching rarely found at a University. They're completely different. That's why Harvard is compared to Yale and Amherst is compared to Swarthmore, but never Harvard to Swarthmore.</p>
<p>Lastly, those LAC's are not in LA. They're in Pomona, 20+ miles east of Los Angeles... a city which is barely within county limits even. Let's get the facts straight.</p>
<p>Just out of curiosity... which institution do you happen to attend, TheCity?</p>
<p>i never was offended by your offered help "chicka", i just mentioned that i'm not really surprised to hear someone else from SC saying those things (even though i even see USC grads bashing it as i said anyhow), and it would be nice to hear people outside of the school saying such things.</p>
<p>As for transfering i did look into it, but unfortunately after a bad freshman year i was not as appealing as before, and even got turned down from schools that had previously accepted me into more competitive programs.</p>
<p>i did have some chances, like BU's business program (which had a very demanding catchup pase for transfers and was NOT as good as USC's) or Umich (but i would probably have been stuck in the Liberal Arts school, which kind of made it not totally worth it at the time).</p>
<p>So yeah i chose to stay, it just seemed like the best choice, but i still am concerned about my grad school admissions as it relates to my compeititon for those east coast programs, especially based on what i hear here (or used to, sounds like things have change in the minimal year or so, which is strange).</p>
<p>-and TheCity i have a little trouble understanding your logic, plus the fact that USC and UCLA are the only 4 year National PHD universities to compare (and the Cal States), the others are Lib. Arts universities and are not really comparable, thats why they have seperate rankings for them.</p>
<p>anyhow, the reason i made the post is because amongst the biggest "unique" complaints i heard was those coming out of the B-school looking to get into good graduate schools, even though i didnt read such bitterness about anywhere else, i passed it off as sour grapes at first, but i started to read multiple stories and got a little concerned because i'm starting to think about grad school and was very set on going to certain places (heck i would earn a diff degree other than an MBA if i could).</p>
<p>im currently in HS in san francisco, in the fall, ill probably be at U. of Chicago or Northwestern. Ive been to pomona and CMC and harvey Mudd and UCLA. Between pomona and LA, there is nothing but one continuous city. To say that they arent in LA is to say that Northwestern isnt in Chicago or that Stanford isnt in the san francisco bay area. I understand how some peopel can get defenisve about their schools, but you arent helping anyone by pretending that USC is some sort of diamond in the rough. All of LA sucks, you arent going to say anytihng here on CC that is going to change my, or anyone else on CC's opinion about that.
I will grant that if what you are looking for in life is a social network to help you get a leg-up in the corporate world, USC is a great school. And for film, its easily one of the four best in the country.
For people who want to be true students or academics however, UCLA offers better programs and a more respected name.
I wasn't comparing the academic experience of an LAC to USC.. obviously a student would get more attention, responsibility and access to professors for research at an LAC than he would at a large school. What I was comparing was the prestige and respect that the degree affords or demands. Certainly, in terms of grad school admissions, those 3 LACs are higher. Also, admission statistics at those 3 LACs are much more selective than USC. </p>
<p>To be sure, I have absolutely no doubt that you, and many many many other students, are having a great time and great education at USC. I have a cousin who just graduated from the film school 3 years ago and absolutely loved it. Even he recognizes that big parts of USC are full of spoiled children/legacies, and that teh school will be a terrible fit for anyone who's looking for a life that is not very LA.</p>
<p>All in all, I think UCLA is just much less "LA" than USC is, and thats what makes the social atmosphere there more appealling.</p>
<p>its just a common superiority complex of the academic elite: they bash those who are rising. look at Washington U in st louis... it gets a ton of heat here on CC too. either schools like USC are rapidly rising in the rankings or they're overrated, and people like to think the latter (how can wash U be better than brown and cornell?!?!). similarily, its hard to stomach how a school jumps from #41 to #30 in a short 5 years. </p>
<p>USC students, how true is this statement: The middle class is missing from USC. </p>
<p>it seems that a vast majority of the students at USC are either on scholarship or are rich enough to afford it. its the middle class that gets left out.</p>
<p>again TheCity, i'm having trouble taking your comment seriously when it's "LA simply sucks", some people like it and some dont, but that is not exactly a rationalized fact. "you" dislike LA, that doesnt mean its an indicator for school prestige and it's a heavy irrational bias to use that as a school quality indicator for anyone but yourself.</p>
<p>and again, you are comparing lib. arts. to non lib arts, forgetting the fact that they have seperate rankings for this very reason. because the academic experiences are indeed different i doubt that rankings will transversly matter as much for grad school if they're both in a certain tier, as the differing degrees will matter then.</p>
<p>--and i had not seen Washu been bashed in the past, and i thought it had already jumped pretty high (this was a couple years ago), i find that surprising.</p>