<p>yes, 'SC is in the central city. Crime rate on campus and the immediate vicinity is no worse than other urban schools, but students should not venture far away at night. USC hires a lot of local residents for on campus jobs, and provides tutoring/mentoring and scholarships to local HS kids, so town-gown relations are rather good. During the Rodney King riots, for example, the area surrounding 'SC was the only area NOT torched.</p>
<p>Academics are excellent, including science. Highly-ranked engineering program. Plenty of premeds; has own med school. 'SC offers a tuition discount for NMSFs.</p>
<p>Tufts is most definitley more respected than USC. Tufts also has an outstanding science program, and is harder to get into than USC. I would definitely recommend Tufts, as I know of a lot of alumni that graduated there.</p>
<p>USC is on a bus line and the subway line. But a car can be important in SoCal. The good news is that the many of the kids do bring their car (if the live in Calif) so its easy to get a ride somewhere.</p>
<p>Tufts, IMO, has less of a stigma attached to it. USC is a great school academically, but it has yet to shed itself of its rep as a university for rich white kids. On the West Coast, that reputation is especially prevalent. Itâs basically like a âdumbed downâ Stanford, located in South Central LA. Though again, it does have a great academic program and very good (if highly controversial) athletic program. </p>
<p>Theyâre both good schools- choose whichever one you think is the better fit.</p>
<p>
[Quote]
During the Rodney King riots, for example, the area surrounding 'SC was the only area NOT torched.<a href=âSo%20basically,%20youâll%20be%20in%20the%20middle%20of%20the%20fire%20ring,%20but%20wonât%20get%20burnedâ>/Quote</a>.</p>
<p>And public transit in LA is alright, but far worse than Boston (and Iâve taken both several times). LA is MUCH bigger area-wise, so it takes forever to get anywhere. </p>
<p>That is being EXTREMELY generous. Public transit in LA sucks. But USC is right on the major cross lines, so it makes it decent access to downtown, the airport, daâ beach, or other places one might wanna go. But a friend with a car is a necessity!</p>
<p>^^ Not really. Having lived in LA for several years, you can get around on public transit. Granted, it takes a while, but between the train, subway and bus system, you donât have to have a car (I never did). Itâs obviously more convenient if you do, like most places, but not a necessity.</p>
<p>LOL. If thatâs the worst thing they can say about USC then there is no stigma. Tufts struggles with the same âproblemâ in Boston. Itâs considered an excellent school, just not quite as good as MIT or that other one over in Cambridge, I think it begins with an âHâ.</p>
<p>These are very different types of schools in look and feel. Iâm not sure why you are considering both. Many of their academic strengths are in different fields. BTW, I do not like Tuftsâ location. Itâs in the middle of an unspectacular neighborhood and not especially near mass transit. The somewhat nearby business area is uninteresting. The school feels isolated. Both have nice, but different campuses.</p>
<p>I am applying to both. Both Iâm wondering if I should apply to Tufts as ED II (more lenient admissions), in which I must attend if i am admitted.</p>
<p>If youâre unsure of whether you should bind yourself into an ED admissions, then donât.</p>
<p>USC admissions is need-blind.</p>
<p>A common thread that goes through pretty much all of USCâs schools is the availability of industry connections through your professors and student organizations. Not to say that other schools donât have the same, but USC prides itself on these.</p>
<p>That being said, geography does matter. If you plan to work on the east coast, Tufts will probably give you more opportunities there. And USC for the west coast.</p>
<p>Security on campus is a perennial issue that is brought up about USC. Rest assured that campus security is very good, and the area around campus is safe. There are crimes of course, but no worse than any other urban school. And there are so many advantages to being right in the heart of LA.</p>
<p>There is a new subway line opening summer of 2010 which will have stops at 3 of 4 corners of the USC campus. That along with shuttles and bus lines means you will have no issues getting around town without a car if you go that route. </p>
<p>Tufts has bus lines next to the campus but the closest subway line (Red line) is .6 miles away which is roughly a 12 minute walk. </p>
<p>You should considering visiting each campus because while attending either school you will most likely grow a connection to the community in LA or Boston. I bet after visiting each campus you will have a good idea whether applying ED admissions.</p>
<p>i have visited tufts but not USC. i dont think a visit does much in terms of helping me decide where I want to apply to. This ones that I went on this summer all seem quite vague to me now.</p>
<p>Which coast should i prefer if i want more job opportunities, and possibly relating to business and/or law?</p>
<p>for law, you have to go to law school, so undergrad doesnât much matter. (It only matters if you can earn more Aâs at one school vs. another.) For UNDERGRAD biz, USC is a no-brainer since Tufts does not offer it, and USCâs Marshall schools is highly regarded for undergrad biz. For an a MBA at a top school, youâll need great work experience after undergrad. </p>
<p>No one has a crystal ball that could predict which coast will offer better job opportunities in 5+ years.</p>
<p>thanks bluebayou for the helpful information
thanks to everyone else for their input as well.</p>
<p>I do believe that the top law schools look at what undergrad school you attended, and factor that in when they consider your application. in that case, would the top ivy league law schools favor tufts due to proximity?</p>
<p>You should check out the law forum. Your logic does not make sense especially the proximity part. I personally think they are different by a hair(pick one that you like for whatever reason). And also an undergraduate business school is not what is recommended for law school.</p>
<p>thanks for that link! some interesting stufffâŠ</p>
<p>i was wondering⊠why is an undergraduate business school not recommended for law school? How about just studying economics in the regular college?</p>
<p>maybe because top law schools despise business curriculum. i have friends that were business majors and said they didnât learn anything. i personally think undergrad business courses beyond the couple basics like accounting/corp finance donât make much sense. how can you teach students âorganizational behaviorâ when they donât even have much experience at workplace? some people say you donât learn much even in MBA. a friend of mine who is a doctor and a hospital adminstrator is almost done with his MBA; he said it âconsolidatesâ what he already knows.</p>