<p>I am currently a Junior enrolled at Penn State as a Finance major in the Smeal College of Business. I recently received my acceptance at USC as an Economics major in the Liberal Arts program. Now, I am really in a quandary in deciding which I should choose. I am still waiting on my financial aid package from USC and I would be paying out-of-state for Penn State. But I would like to know which would be a better choice for my situation without considering financial aid. I applied to Marshall at USC but unfortunately did not take the correct prerequisite calculus course. I could reapply to Marshall once I am at USC but there is no guarantee that I will get in and they only accept applicants in the fall!</p>
<p>Now a little bit about me:</p>
<p>GPA: 3.88
I am from Los Angeles and plan on living in Southern California long-term after I graduate.
I am pursuing a career in the finance industry, specifically Investment Banking.
I plan on getting my MBA in the future.</p>
<p>And these are the pros and cons I have come up with:</p>
<p>USC pros:
-More prestigious
-Closer to home (So Cal!)
-Better alumni network
-Possibly will receive more financial aid
-I've always wanted to go to USC since I was a little tike.
-Just about everyone I know back home (professionally and friends) says
choosing USC is a "no-brainer."
-I am a USC football fan at heart.
-There's a chance I can get into Marshall if I reapply or I can minor in business
if it doesn't work out.</p>
<p>USC cons:
-Most likely will have to take an extra semester or two because of the way the
my credits transferred
-I am not to excited about an Econ major and I get mixed reviews about the
perception and future career prospects with an Econ major.</p>
<p>Penn State pros:
-I am already in the Penn State family
-I am already in the business school with a major that I am happy with
-I have already completed nearly all my Gen Eds so I am on course to
graduate in 2 years.</p>
<p>Penn State cons:
-I don't really enjoy being in the middle of nowhere in "Happy Valley"
-I hate the cold weather!
-Lack of diversity
-It's not USC!
-I have to live in supplemental housing next year (4-8 guys in one room)</p>
<p>So.....What should I do??? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>I want have a career in investment banking. I plan on getting my MBA in the future. I plan on living in Southern California.</p>
<p>Is Penn State considered a prestigious school on the West Coast?</p>
<p>So is USC worth all the trouble and transferring and having to take an extra semester or two of classes. I also will not be guaranteed acceptance into the business school at USC. I will have to take calculus and Spanish courses all over again.</p>
<p>I am already in the business school at Penn State and I am on track to graduate in two years.</p>
<p>BusinessWeek’s Rankings for Undergraduate Business Programs for 2011 ranks Penn State 9 spots above USC! What should I do?</p>
<p>stay at Penn State, its too much of a risk if you arent guaranteed that major at USC. i mean you never know.</p>
<p>I’d only leave if you really think your education at PSU wont land you into a good MBA program. IF you graduate with a strong GPA (3.4+) i think youll be fine.</p>
<p>Thats where I think I am going. I am actually debating between UPitt OR PSU but id have to double major in Management & Economics at PSU. And im also interest in Investment banking as well.</p>
<p>How are you liking PSU and how is the space in supplementing dorming?</p>
<p>I do think I will get a good education at Penn State but USC is much more well-known and prestigious here on the West Coast. Can anyone tell me what my chances of getting in Marshall when I apply in the Spring? (I would already be at USC as an economics major). I have a 3.88 GPA right now, so I think I will do fine.</p>
<p>“jayrich” , I hate the weather!!! But if you are used to terrible weather, then I guess you’ll be right at home. Penn State is much better than Pitt for business. Why would you have to double major? PSU has an excellent Finance major, which I’m in right now.</p>
<p>I haven’t been in the supplemental housing yet but I have seen them before and they really suck if you are a junior. As a freshman you might like it because there will be a lot of people to socialize with. But, you can say goodbye to privacy or general silence whatsoever.</p>
<p>Penn State is a great school, don’t get me wrong, it’s just that I have an even better option available to me now. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.</p>
<p>But once again…Can I get some more input on the school decision quandary that I am in??? Please</p>
<p>Idk this is hard decision for you. Penn State has a very big alumni network with a good presence in the Investment Banking world with prestigious firms like Goldman Sachs recruiting here (the alumni network is ridiculous with something like 1 in 16 people in the U.S. has a Penn State degree?), Penn State is rated 15th for public universities, 47th for national universities, 23rd for Business degrees nationally, Economics program is 27th nationally, and rated 1st for recruitment by industry.</p>
<p>As far as social scene goes Penn State is always rated high when it comes to partying, a lot of different clubs and activities on campus, and downtown has a lot of different restaurants, clubs, bars, and pretty much anything. We are a Big 10 school so known pretty well nationally.</p>
<p>As far as USC, I don’t know much about USC except that they are known as the Trojans right? They are in California so better weather and near the beaches. I’ve heard that firms recruit at UC schools for Investment Banking but not sure about USC (it’s quite possible since they are close to each other). </p>
<p>So if I were you I guess I would go to USC since you will get in state tuition (Penn State is around 30k for out of state students) and because of the weather. I hate the winter months at State because when it snows or rains when it gets below freezing, you can forget about walking downtown (they have heated sidewalks on campus which is a plus) because of the hills and everything you see people falling or sliding all the time.</p>
<p>Is it really that simple to transfer into Marshall once I am already there? And I can do it this spring? Do I have to maintain a really high GPA? And I do not have my heart set on investment banking; it is just a future prospect. I want a versatile degree that can help me land a good job most likely in the finance field, but I might be interested in marketing or something down the road.</p>
<p>I am not guaranteed into Marshall. So if I am in Econ major in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, is it worth it?</p>
<p>And is it worth all the extra money and semesters to graduate from USC? Should that really be an issue? I mean, I can take out heavy loans and find a way somehow to pay for it, but is it worth all the extra classes and tuition costs to get a degree from USC over PSU??</p>
<p>Is graduating from USC really going to get me a career advantage over PSU in the So Cal area?</p>
<p>I plan on earning my MBA from USC. Does that give me any advantage for acceptance later on if I get my undergrad from USC? Btw, I think I’ll have an easier time getting a high GPA at Penn State vs. USC.</p>
<p>Thanks again for all your responses. This really is the biggest/toughest decision I have had to make in my life so far. I don’t know if that a good or bad thing lol.</p>
<p>UPDATE: USC has awarded me nearly $35k in financial aid. This makes the yearly cost at USC about the same as Penn State. However, I will have to take an extra year at USC.</p>
<p>So…Is it worth it? Should I trade in a finance degree at Penn State for economics degree at USC?</p>
<p>Also, how difficult do you think an economics major is at USC?</p>