USC from parents point of view

Parents Forum
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<p>Alwaysthere, if the data is unreliable, it should be unreliable in roughly in the same direction for all schools. It's at least as likely that USC students would spoof the UCLA reviews as vice versa and if you don't believe that, you probably believe in the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and President Bush's Iraq policy. Fwiw, the site seems to have some method of screening out reviews it deems dubious. I'll stipulate that one should not rely on the studentreview data as being terribly reliable; I won't stipulate that any biases against SC are distinctly special from those against other schools.</p>

<p>Also, the reviews are dated and go back for a number of years. For there to be some conspiracy that patiently plans and coordinates the posts for years, skewing USC down (and <cough!> Smith higher than UCLA, Stanford, and Cal) would require patience and intelligence on a scale that-- omg, you're right...it <em>could</em> be the work of UCLA students!!!</cough!></p>

<p>Btw, no way is USC "getting all the good students." They are getting some good students, a fair percentage but no more.</p>

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<p>Then how to explain the votes for USC are much more than Stanford & UCLA, also more than UCB, even if USC got less students and they don't care about academics (as someone believes)?</p>

<p>Also according to the number UCLA is better than Berkeley, and equal to Stanford. How coincident it is.</p>

<p>I know it is silly to argue over this, but UCLA people do have the tendancy to bash the rivals, either USC or Berkeley, and you can notice here at CC. The people I know in real life are nice though. Anyway from my experience, the 2 school can give you similar education generally, but Berkeley does change a person.</p>

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<p>Berkeley does have a habit of doing that. </p>

<p>Anyway, Cal and UCLA aren't rivals. I root for UCLA against anyone but Cal. And most UCLA people on this site seem to defend Berkeley, not attack it.</p>

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<p>Studentreview. LOL.</p>

<p>For example, Smith. </p>

<p>Wait a minute--what's the average salary listed? $21K starting? $38k current? Gulp. Educating women for a career in.... the Peace Corp? And what do the posters mean when they say the social life is tough? The reader would be 'shocked' by the Smith community?</p>

<p><a href="http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/SMC.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/SMC.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Funny, the percentage who would not return to Smith is about the same as USC.....</p>

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<p>Well, Cheers, I'm not a regular reader of USA TODAY, so my pie-chart reading skills may not be as fine as I would like, but the percentage of students who wouldn't return to USC is more roughly a third more at USC compared to Smith, about 37.5 percent to 28 percent. Smith ties with Berkeley in that regard, trails UCLA, and is ahead of Stanford, with USC running...dead last among the group. </p>

<p>For income in particular, I'd want to see more data points from Smith. And in fact I have, in their literature. (Nota bene: USC is one of the most highly reviewed schools on the site, with many data points, something like eight times as many as Smith; statistically, you'd expect USC's data to be closer to actual.)</p>

<p>And while students in the Search/Selection forum might shake their heads in disbelief...so many of them think you need a degree from an Ivy/AWS institution...a Smithie I know just scored an investment banking internship for this summer. Given everything I know about Smith, there are things I'd be concerned about for a propsect far more than income potential. </p>

<p>Social life is tough = you have to work at finding guys.
Shocked at Smith community = if you're from a small town of Bible-thumping bigots you're going to be distressed by the significant openly lesbian presence.</p>

<p>I'll be happy to translate any other questions you have though you might want to start a separate thread.</p>

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<p>Just thought I'd put Student Review in perspective.....it ain't the bible.</p>

<p>You're so funny! Pointing out the difference in the pie chart stats on Student Review, LOL. Thanks for that....</p>

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<p>Oh, I don't think Student Review is the holy grail. For a full analysis, I prefer the equivalent of three-dimensional X-ray diffraction and those who are still around from when we were doing our search can attest to that. </p>

<p>However, anent the original discussion about USC, it's one of <em>several</em> sets of input that I have that raise some yellow flags. I would indeed be foolish if SR were my only source; instead, it was additional data that conveniently came to light after I'd already asserted my claims.</p>

<p>I have mused that it's interesting that any contention USC is not an elite institution garners a reaction as if one had equated it with the Cosgrove School of Plumbing and Astrology. Combining LAC's and universities together, I wouldn't put USC in the Top 40 for overall academic environment. But neither would I put it out of the Top 100.</p>

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<p>I don't think anyone actually contended USC was one of the most elite institutions in America. Most of this thread has just been you trying to point out flaws in the school.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Most of this thread has just been you trying to point out flaws in the school.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>With a silly amount of vitriol....</p>

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<p>ABout student review.com.....we have read the comments about each school just before visiting, giving special attention to the negatuve comments- then when you visit the campus, you can see if any of those stereotypical issues ring true for you. Many of them do, in some cases what really bothers one kid is no big deal to another.</p>

<p>While I would not stress the statistical variations between schools :) I would look at the negative comments and decide if those were negatives I could live with (assuming there is truth.)</p>

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<p>Ace, with 10 out of 70 posts, one of them a one liner and most of them responding to queries or criticisms, my posts are hardly "most of this thread" and questions of USC's stature colored several of the positive posts to the point where I think it could be misleading.</p>

<p>Cheers, I've just re-read all my posts. Please point to an instance of vitriol. In fact, I've been rather careful to, with one exception of one dig directed at a poster rather than the school, retain the tactical defensive.</p>

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<p>The OP, btw, was a recently accepted Trojan; an international trying to make sense of the US.</p>

<p>Not only did you not say, "I'm sure you'll be happy", you posted 8 (!) times to reiterate your dislike of the school. </p>

<p>I don't think I've ever seen a parent attack a school in that manner. It was a bit unseemly, especially as you have a conflict of interest (wife is a UCLA emplyee) and you do not have first hand experience; ie family who attend(ed) the school.</p>

<p>Yeah, I'd say it was vitriolic. </p>

<p>vitriol: abusive language used to express censure or bitter deep-seated ill</p>

<p>
[quote]
They are using $$$ shrewdly to buy some high performing students.</p>

<p>As for the ballyhooed "USC family"....</p>

<p>But there's a collective delusion of superiority about it which isn't justified.</p>

<p>And, hey, if you're going to settle in southern Orange County, you couldn't make a better choice.</p>

<p>Papabear, find a post where I'm pushing UCLA. Next. </p>

<p>(Answer: Thread titled Wake Forest vs UCLA)</p>

<p>If you break radio silence and query students on this point, you will often get replies to the effect that they're not monks and nuns and in general a gamut of replies running from defensive to ridiculous.</p>

<p>Recruiting higher scoring students is simple: USC can afford to throw more money at them</p>

<p>It's at least as likely that USC students would spoof the UCLA reviews as vice versa and if you don't believe that, you probably believe in the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and President Bush's Iraq policy.</p>

<p>For there to be some conspiracy that patiently plans and coordinates the posts for years, skewing USC down (and <cough!> Smith higher than UCLA, Stanford, and Cal) would require patience and intelligence on a scale that-- omg, you're right...it <em>could</em> be the work of UCLA students!!!</cough!></p>

<p>Well, Cheers, I'm not a regular reader of USA TODAY, so my pie-chart reading skills may not be as fine as I would like,</p>

<p>But neither would I put it out of the Top 100.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Also, just for the record, I was pulling your leg about Smith and studentreview but should it surprise you there are more reviews about USC? USC has 16,000 undergrads to educate, Smith only has 2600.</p>

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<p>Cool down. It is your fault that you still treat TheDad as a parent here:) He may not be intentionally bashing a school, or at least not realize what he's doing. He enjoyed this game, and simply wants to be a winner. Give it to him, and that is the best way to put him away.</p>

<p>People who read CC may have already figured out most vitriolic comments on USC are from a certain group of people, and will discount those if they are reasonably intellignet.</p>

<p>The OP may have already got the answers to his/her questions though.</p>

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<p>I wrote to the OP directly and tried to respond to her (I think) questions.</p>

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<p>Hey! Thanks always. I've only been here a year and a half with a thousand posts.</p>

<p>Actually, I do consider TheDad as a parent. A good one. I've enjoyed all of his posts except this last one. Everyone has a bad day/post. Except maybe marite. Or Jamimom. But those aren't real women. Those are goddesses.</p>

<p>I thought I did a good job of redirecting TheDad to a defense of Smith; tongue in cheek. </p>

<p>(Good on ya, tsdad. Poor kid).</p>

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<p>Cheers, there's no vitriol in any of those posts. The third and fourth from the end of your list are not a dig at USC, but a poster whose affections I merely return. I think you're confusing "vitriolic" with "negative." And the remark about South Orange County wasn't even negative...a very high concentration of SC alums live down that way. Sorry you didn't enjoy the last post. As for responding eight times, if people are going to take shots at where, when, why I hold my opinions, I'm reserve the right to respond. And requiring family attending the school as a pre-requisite for holding an opinion is a pretty dubious contention but one that I'd be happy to debate. Certainly if that were the standard, traffic on this board would be reduced by 90 percent.</p>

<p>Finally, if you read the Wake Forest vs. UCLA thread, you'll see that my endorsement is highly qualified and depends on student and major and that beyond that I responded to specific concerns. You will not find me pushing UCLA as a generalized response anywhere. In fact, if you were to search my posts, I warrant than fewer than one percent have any mention of UCLA and most of those are comments on how admissions works, housing, or the surrounding area.</p>

<p>You can try to divert the focus from USC's deficiencies to mine but doing so doesn't change anything about what USC is or isn't.</p>

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<p>Yes I got tsdad's message and thanks for spending your time to read my case. </p>

<p>I am still open-minded though!</p>

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<p>And thanks to all parents, honestly, for the different comments. I really want to learn about USC, and the US perception of their colleges!</p>

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<p>Far and way the "U.S percerption" of USC is O.J. ;)</p>

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<p>Oh please!!!</p>