<p>I have finished my freshman year at Rochester Institute of Technology studying Electrical Engineering but I decided to apply to some top tier universities to test the waters. Luckily I got an acceptance from Vanderbilt so I ended up paying the deposit and everything but a few days ago I got an acceptance from USC for the Spring semester. I'm torn between these 2 universities, Vanderbilt on one hand is smaller with smaller classes and in a nice area which I like but I heard it's EE department isn't so great. USC on the other hand ranks way higher than Vanderbilt in engineering but not overall, it is also in LA which I think is a plus but my biggest problem with it is that I heard it is huge to the extent that it is comparable to public schools. </p>
<p>I'm transferring out of RIT for sure this fall and I was wondering if it was worth asking USC if they could by any chance change my acceptance to this fall and if they they do should I choose it over Vanderbilt? And if USC doesn't agree to let me in early should I transfer out of Vanderbilt to it later on? </p>
<p>Cost isn't a problem but I'm an international student so the prestige of the university matters when I try to get a job back home. I am also planning to continue my studies and go to grad school if that makes a difference.</p>
<p>I can’t advise you on the merits of the EE departments at either school but I think I speak for most here when I say you should not switch to Vanderbilt with the plan to transfer to USC after a semester. It would not be worth the hassle and inconvenience, or the potential negative impact on your education. From an employment and graduate school admissions standpoint you don’t want undergraduate transcripts from 3 schools. This could suggest to future employers and graduate schools an inability to make up your mind or stick to a plan. So either go to Vanderbilt and stay there, or transfer to USC in the spring (assuming you can stay at RIT till then) or, if they will allow it, in the fall.</p>
<p>You say you are planning to go to graduate school. If so, then the prestige of that school is going to matter more to future employers than your undergraduate degree. Again, I don’t know anything about EE but generally, graduate schools would consider applicants from USC or Vanderbilt to be equivalent in terms of admission chances. It will depend therefore on your GPA, ecs and test scores.</p>
<p>Definitely do NOT attend Vanderbilt for only a single semester. If you really prefer USC, then just continue at RIT for the fall, or take the semester off, unless USC lets you attend this fall.</p>
<p>You might see if either school has a lot of students from your country. If one has a lot more than the other, you might take that into consideration. Also, Los Angeles is a much more international city than Nashville.</p>
<p>The London Times ranking is an unusual list, and not one that most people would think entirely accurate. (UC Riverside really ranks above USC?)</p>
<p>Based on my observations, USC has a bigger and more robust engineering school than Vandy, with more local opportunities for internships, better alumni connections, and more focus on building engineering businesses. </p>
<p>USC claims to have more international students than any other school in the nation.</p>
<p>Nashville certainly has its charms, and is a better fit for many students, particularly if they have connections in the South…</p>