<p>accepted at all 3, with a half ride to usc, so financially they all come out the same. i'm having a really hard time deciding between the three, because i've heard great things about all of them. i'm leaning towards usc or ucsb, but i worry that ucsb wont set me up for a career as well as usc. i think socially though, ucsb is a lot more my thing. I love to surf and i'm from orange county so the beach culture is kind of my norm. i'm a pretty moderate partier so ucsb's rep isn't really an issue, i'm now just trying to think where i'm going to like living more! HELPPPPP</p>
<p>Though I am not a student at either, yet, im an applicant at both, transfer, accepted to UCSB, waiting on USC, I do have family who went to both UCSB and USC recently. Since financing not being an issue, USC provides a extensive Alumni network that is renown in So. California, if you are not considering graduate school, that Alumni network and presitge of USC is probably going to get you in your career a bit faster from the undergraduate level than UCSB, especially dependent on whatever your career field might be. For example, if you were into business, USC is probably going to get you there faster. Film and Communications, USC will get you there faster, simply because of the connections. However, if you are considering graduate school, or something in liberal arts, or even engineering, you should consider things besides the USC network/prestige. UCSB can compete a bit better. You have to consider size of the student body, UCSB is about 10,000 students smaller. And location, UCSB IV/beach scene medium size city. USC Downtown/South Los Angeles, extremely large city. Both schools are very socially active, and so is the greek life, though I think USC Greek life is more significant socially than at UCSB. I have to say UCSB is a bit more laid back than USC, which is something I desire, and you being from Orange Co. you might enjoy that as well. UCSB campus is bigger than USC's. The Area around UCSB is more calm compared to USC's location, which is very busy all the time. Santa Barbara is more similar to an Orange Co. beach city than LA.</p>
<p>First off congrats!!</p>
<p>I too was deciding between USC and UCSB but after making pro/con lists and taking into factors finance, I've decided on UCSB and couldn't be happier! If you haven't already, go visit both! What I didn't like about USC was, although the actual campus was beautiful, the surrounding area left a little something to be desired, and as a result, no one ever left campus. And schools like Berekely, UCLA, and USC are REALLY competitive. I've heard a lot of stories about classmates refusing to help one another because they're "the competition", which is something I really don't like. I like study groups and being social, and so UCSB's friendly and laidback atmosphere really appealed to me, as well as the fact that it's academically oriented as well.</p>
<p>thanks!!!! i think i'm going to go with ucsb!!</p>