<p>" I received the full ride to USC, along with about $10,000 to Dartmouth. It’s still by far the most expensive option, though. Some comments have been very helpful so far, but I’m still no closer to deciding what to do. It would kill me to say no to Dartmouth, but I don’t know how I could pass up the USC full tuition scholarship either. "</p>
<p>OP- 8 years ago my DS was accepted at USC and received a Trustees’s scholarship [ that’s all they offered then] . He also was accepted at Dartmouth as well as a number of “more prestigious” colleges, but chose to go to USC and has never regretted his choice. [ He is now a PhD student at Caltech- his former roommates are in PhD programs at MIT and Princeton.
There are currently over 900 NMFs at USC, the Honors programs are top notch, and the campus is alive with thousands of smart students who are thriving with the opportunities that USC presents. Run, do not walk to USC. What ever your future plans are, you will have just as many academic opportunities to achieve then, without them costing you parents , by choosing USC. </p>
<p>Sounds like those kids are some rare special USC kids</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice. At this point, Dartmouth is pretty much out of the running. I am still considering UT, but right now I’m thinking I’ll end up at USC based on the scholarship and location. Also, after talking to a few admissions officers at Columbia and Yale, I don’t think I would be sacrificing academics. I realize it’s more what I do with the education I receive anyways.</p>
<p>Most of it will depend on how you perform and how much you hustle. Just keep in mind there may be some positions that are recruited out of the UT Biz Honors Program that are not available to USC grads. Weigh the opportunities and the costs</p>
<p>I’ll consider that, thanks!</p>
<p>UT is actually a more highly regarded school than USC…if the money is close, UT would be a great choice.</p>
<p>UT PlanII +BHP isn’t necessarily more highly regarded than USC. It depends on the field. If OP is interested in Energy, then UT PlanII+BHP is going to be a golden ticket. If OP is interested in start ups and tech companies, then USC is much better. If OP is interested in accounting, then UT is better, but if OP is interested in Real Estate investment or entertainment industry, USC is better. Both will be good for job connections and will not hinder anything at MBA level (provided OP performs academically, in internships and in further career as well).
For IB, UT places some people in NY but mostly in Houston/region; USC places people on the West Coast and in Asia, almost never in NY.</p>
<p>@MYOS1634 Thanks for the info. My goal is to attend grad school at an Ivy and end up in New York or London, but I’m open to the West Coast and NE as well. My main passions are comparative literature and writing/editing, and I’m hoping to end up in publishing (or some other field where I can combine business with liberal arts), but I’m also open to IB. At USC, I’d major in Comp Lit/International Relations and Global business and at UT, Plan ii and BHP.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think UT would be your best bet in this case. It might not be the most fun or exciting over the next four years, but in the end I think you would be able to acquire much better opportunities there than at USC (ceteris peribus).</p>
<p>Plan II and BHP would probably take you farther then.</p>