<p>One of the hardest decisions of my life.</p>
<p>I hear your pain!</p>
<p>Okay to add USC's Marshall vs. UCLA's Pre Business Econ to the discussion, or should I move that over to another thread?</p>
<p>If you're paying for it personally the decision might not be so hard.</p>
<p>Yep, yep, paying for it either way. But Marshall vs Business Econ isn't so clear cut. (OP, I see you're Leventhal, so I'm hoping I haven't totally hijacked this thread.) Is a better undergrad program worth $26,000+ a year if the goal is an MBA (after a few years between degrees working)?</p>
<p>hey SoCalGal i'm also under the same dilemma. i like ucla because its a lot cheaper but i always thought that you can get a better job straight out of undergrad if you went to usc marshall? can you still get a great job from ucla's business econ?</p>
<p>Haha, I have the same USC Marshall vs. UCLA's Business Econ dilemma, too. On top of that, I'm OOS, so the price difference isn't really as much of a ridiculous difference between the two. Gahhh.</p>
<p>UCLA is cheaper and in a nicer part of LA.</p>
<p>The are around UCLA is nice and better looking</p>
<p>If it wasn't for the price difference, it's Marshall hands down. (UCLA peeps feel free to step in any time...) On a recreational standpoint, the beach access is important, which plays to UCLA and the free shuttle to Santa Monica. So how does an econ degree work out in the real world?</p>
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So how does an econ degree work out in the real world?
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You get an MBA with it and go on to become the CEO of a fortune-500 company ;)</p>
<p>Visit both. If you want a college town, it's UCLA. Period. The area immediately surrounding USC has one of the highest crime rates in the nation.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.bestplaces.net/crime/?city1=50615044&city2=50684928%5B/url%5D">http://www.bestplaces.net/crime/?city1=50615044&city2=50684928</a>
^^
Both are comparing Inglewood or Compton, CA, to Westwood, CA.</p>
<p>UCLA is also significantly less-materialistic, and consistently scores higher on peer-assessment scores (where professors from around the country rate various institutions).</p>
<p>They're both good schools, but....do you really want colors reminding you of McDonald's??</p>
<p>If you are out of state it's a toss-up. If you are a Californian the answer is UCLA.</p>
<p>If you're politically left (as I am), UCLA would be much better for you than USC.</p>
<p>Also keep in mind what vc08 just said. My SAT teacher in high school used to go to USC for something or the other (if you went to Elite, you know him Mr. Mann) and he said more or less the same things.</p>
<p>i'm in in the same boat but I want to study something related to media (journalism, radio, tv, film) and USC is a bit more appealing to me b/c the curriculum is so lose that you can sort of study whatever you like, at UCLA you have to do a lot of GE and i can't even go to my majors until my junior year...at USC i am a print journalism major in Annenberg, UCLA english...i think if you want to go into something more sciency or medical based the choice is not as clear...for business i think the contacts/job prospects may be better at SC but if you plan to go to grad school anyways you may wnat to go to the cheaper choice if its a toss up and be less restricted for MBA programs</p>
<p>USC certainly has the better financial aid program. They will work with you and make sure that you can attend. I personally think that the networking that comes with Marshall is amazing. I've heard so many great things about it, so that would be a major plus. </p>
<p>Don't let the location of USC deter you. Sure it's no Westwood, but it's definitely not a Compton or Inglewood. The area has improved dramatically within the past few years with the help of the city and the university. With USC continuing to expand and the building boom in downtown it's only going to get better.</p>
<p>SoCalGal09:</p>
<p>The Marshall School of Business offers one of the best undergraduate business programs in the country. UCLA's BusEcon does not compare. It is essentially Econ + Accounting. USC's Business School program will pay for itself in the short term and long term.</p>
<p>If you are NOT considering majoring in business, then UCLA is superior on financial grounds and at least equal if not better than USC in many disciplines.</p>
<p>USC has something that UCLA cannot compare to: the network system of informal connections that can land you an internship or job after graduation. This may not be a big deal now, but will be critical when you are sending out resumes in three years. </p>
<p>UCLA is a better town with better everything else IMO. more diversity (not ethnically, personality wise) and there is a club for just about everything you can think of. Half hour to venice and the pier is nice, with Trader Joes for the organically minded. </p>
<p>And I still tease my GF about her school colors being Ketchup and Mustard.</p>
<p>The thing about the area UCLA is in is althouhg it is nice and everything it isn't is exactly college friendly, the streets around campus does have more collegy things then it used to but it is all $$$$, it is nice to walk around of course. My parents both went to UCLA and I grew up rooting for the bruins and it is def a great school, it really comes down to what you want to study.</p>
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Sure it's no Westwood, but it's definitely not a Compton or Inglewood.
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</p>
<p>I'm sure you must be kidding. It's directly IN BETWEEN Compton and Inglewood.</p>
<p>My friends at SC don't walk around off-campus at night. I can go to movie premiers at midnight and feel completely safe walking back. The areas simply do not compare AT ALL.</p>
<p>No one is comparing it to Westwood, dude. The area around SC is shady in parts, but it should not deter a person from going to the school. Also, I've seen many people walking around at night, it all depends on the place.</p>
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The area around SC is shady in parts, but it should not deter a person from going to the school. Also, I've seen many people walking around at night, it all depends on the place.
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</p>
<p>If you want a college town, it certainly deters you from the school. Case in point: me.</p>