Tufts vs USC vs UCLA please help!

College Search & Selection
1

I’m interested in quite a few different things…looking at double majoring in political science and cognitive science with a minor in film (or comedy if I go to USC). I’m also interested in linguistics and non-European ancient civilization, namely Indian and Iranian, and maybe in journalism too. I understand that some of my more niche interests aren’t exactly marketable and can be hard to find, so I am willing to sacrifice them, but ideally I could study all of these things to some degree wherever I go to college.

Also, a very important factor to me is the student body “culture” if you will. I really want to be around students who are intellectually curious and interested in learning for the sake of learning rather than only for grades or career advancement.

I really enjoyed Los Angeles when I visited…the weather, nature, hiking opportunities, nightlife, etc.

Haven’t ever been to Boston outside of visiting Tufts last year.

I absolutely loved Tufts when I visited, but I’m finding it might not be the best for the (range of) things I want to study? I know rankings don’t actually amount to much, but I can’t help but notice it’s ranked lowest compared to the others, and I don’t know if it has the same caliber of resources or opportunities for what I’m interested in. Also, really like the student vibes. Seem like “my people.”

I stayed a few days at this UCLA overnight event and loved all the people I met but am worried about being able to cover all my interests at such a big school where getting the classes I want might be more difficult. Also concerned about graduating comfortably in 4 years considering my perhaps overly ambitious interests and plans. Also UCLA is probably the most “prestigious” out of the three which might help with getting jobs? Any truth to this?

USC seems objectively perfect to me (lots of people double major, good clubs, activities, etc), but while I was there something felt “off?” Really good alumni network for jobs and all, but I’m somewhat worried about the student body…university of spoiled children? People here also seem more preprofessional focused rather than actually interested in learning, but I’m not sure if there’s actually any truth to that.

Sorry! I know that was a lot, but any advice would really help so much!! I’m genuinely so so torn about which school to choose at this point. I feel like I really am not leaning any one way and don’t know how to decide. Where would y’all go?

2

UCLA is head and shoulders above the other two for these interests. UCLA even has a brand new research center dedicated to the study of ancient Iran.

https://pourdavoud.ucla.edu/about/about-the-pourdavoud-center/

For film, USC is at least as good and arguably better. All three are perfectly good for political science and cognitive science.

How do the costs stack up?

3

costs are all the same and hence aren’t really being considered as a factor

4

@warblersrule Do you think it would be difficult to combine all my interests at UCLA?

5

Actually, it just is better. USC has been the #1 film school on virtually every ranking in the country for years. Head and shoulders above the rest as they say.

In terms of being able to do the most easily - double major and minor or any combination of those, that is going to be a easy at USC, no question, that is one of the biggest draws there - doing all you want to do in a college education. Simply declare and take the classes you need to graduated with a double double, etc. (double majoring across schools is a lot of units but many do it there). Their linguistics has been doing some super interesting research, but don’t know how programs compare, it sounds like UCLA is very strong there. I would look into more how easy it is to double at UCLA - I really don’t know, but have heard that is not encouraged to keep people moving through the system. No idea if true, maybe there are statistics on it or call the school and ask!

If you want to really focus on one of the programs go where that program is the best, but if you want to mix it up, USC is gonna be the best at letting you do that, you have excellent choices and each has strong attributes - you have to decide what is most important. Can’t speak to Tufts.

6

It’s not hard to complete a major and minor with scattered electives in other areas. A major and two minors is a bit more difficult but still very doable. Attempting to complete a double major and minor is more difficult at any college and requires careful planning, especially if the three are completely unrelated. It is not difficult to declare a major in any of your areas of interest, unless one considers a 2.0-2.5 GPA requirement onerous.

The difficulty of getting the classes you want at the UCs is blown out of proportion, though it can be difficult to get the specific section (i.e. day/time) that you want for a popular class. That said, class sizes and class popularity vary immensely between departments; there’s obviously far more students fighting to get into computer science classes than classes on Old Persian or Sanskrit. Check the course schedule if you’re curious about typical class sizes in each department and which classes get filled to capacity.

https://sa.ucla.edu/ro/public/soc

Note that UCLA is on the quarter system, and USC and Tufts are on the semester system. I have strong opinions on which I prefer, but suffice it to say there are upsides to each. Consider whether you’d prefer taking more classes each year with a faster pace or slightly fewer classes but going more in depth.

Thanks for the correction, and I defer to your knowledge. I’m fairly familiar with both schools (having spent several years at UCLA and now teaching at USC), but I must confess I know very little about how they stack up in the arts.

@Mastadon can no doubt say more about the offerings at Tufts.

7

Let’s start out with 180 units which is necessary to attain for graduation

Starting point…180 Units

Poli Science
…Lower Division…20 Units (Four PS classes at 5 units each – must be tough)
…Stats…4
…Upper Division…40 (10 Classes)…Total PS…64…Remaining Units…116

Cog Science
…Life Science…4
…Math 31A & B…8 (Calc for Math majors, other track would be for LS, 12 units)
…Philosophy…4
…Physics/Chem/or Ling…4
…Program Computing…12
…Psych…16
…Psych Elec…12…Total Course Units 60…Remaining Units…56

So you have 56-71 units to play with to total 180-195 or thereabouts for your languages, film minor (which they have at UCLA), etc. I don’t know what the cap is, but you should try to stay under 200 if you’re a non-Engineer or any student most likely. I don’t know about progress caps.

But there’s a design-major at UCLA. What do you think, paging @mikemac ?

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Btw, @gobblegobble52 , what are some of your options for grad and/or vocation, just to get a feel?

9

Let’s continue on, try to persevere; I lost my train of thought earlier, and I missed some courses; this interdisciplinary stuff is tough, makes it harder to look up, and additionally there are variable units.

We’re down to 56 units:

Cog Science (continued)
…Psych Lab…4 Units
…Elective Courses (4)…16 (Anthro, Comm, Comp. Sci, Ling, Math, Music Ind, Neuro, Philo, Psych, Stats)
…Two Fieldwork/Research…6 (Dept of Psych)
…Additional Units 26…30 Remaining Units

Minoring in Film would take you over 180 units:

Film
…7 Courses, at ~ 6 Units Each…Film Minor Units, 42…12 Units over 180 (Edit: Film has loads of viewing hours, so this is why it’s 6 units/course)

Assume you can bypass English. Foreign language? Indian, Persian…

I don’t think it’d be possible at UCLA: 64 PS, 86 Cog Sci, 42 Film = 192 Units, + other breadth + languages. Not doable.

But there might be a plan you’d be happy with under designing your major.