<p>Hi All,</p>
<p>My S is trying to decide whether to go to USC Marshall (full tuition plus $8k - TE + NMF), University of Chicago ($18K), and Fordham (full tuition, business honors).</p>
<p>We have visited Chicago and Fordham and will visit USC soon. S is likely to study in business, but is not 100% sure.</p>
<p>Please comment.</p>
<p>Here is a calculator that will help you compare the numbers, as well as some non-financial factors: [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Advanced Award Letter Comparison Tool](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid)</p>
<p>Everything depends on how your family will make up the difference in cost between these institutions. If money really isn’t an issue, I’d pick Chicago (but that’s just me, others would pick USC or Fordham). If money is an issue, it is OK to go with the option that results in the least amount of debt. All three are fine institutions and your child can get great education at any of them.</p>
<p>Congratulations. Just my opinion here. My whole family is in so. Cal. Most attended USC and are doing great. The alumni network is right on and it is a great institution. But!, my D has decided that she is going to Fordham class of 2015. It never occurred to me that she would even have that on her list and I had really never heard of it. Since 2009 when we visited the first time I have come to see why she did. USC is really a larger institution (I mean it feels busy to me) and I always feel I want to repark the car so that I dont have to walk from one side to the other. I like that USC has great weather and I can have a car. Fordham seems to be a more traditional campus (RH) where when I’m on campus it feels isolated from the city. Mostly I think she chose Fordham because it was completely different from what she was used to, she wanted to branch out and make her own history. So - between USC and Fordham you have to pick what feels right. You can’t go wrong. Never been to Univ of Chicago but hear that its great too.</p>
<p>One of the “mom” posters (I believe alamemom or menloparkmom - I don’t recall) on this site had a son/daughter attend Chicago and transfer to USC…hopefully she will provide insight.</p>
<p>USC full tuition is hard to pass up. It will definitely have more of the full, traditional college experience. </p>
<p>If your son is more of the intellectual, quirky type, I would suggest Chicago. Chicago’s economics program is perhaps the best in the world.</p>
<p>I’d go for USC with a full ride Plus 8k, in a heartbeat. It’s a great school, it’s LA - heart of California and has much, much nicer weather all year round.</p>
<p>concur with UCBChem’s post: ignoring the $$, Chicago and 'SC have two completely different social environments. D1 football, large Greek presence…</p>
<p>Chicago doesn’t offer undergrad biz, so it would likely be econ, correct? The Chicago econ brand is national and will open national & international doors.</p>
<p>The Trojan Family is huge in SoCal, so if he wants to stay in the area, the alumni network can’t be beat.</p>
<p>Personally, I’m a fan of a traditional liberal arts degree for undergrad and biz for an MBA after a few years of work experience.</p>
<p>Son is graduating from USC this May on a Trustee scholarship + $4k NMF. He starts his PHD at CalTech in Sept, on an incredible full pay Fellowship. If your S is strongly considering any additional grad school education that will cost you $$[MBA], then USC is a no brainer, imho. DS was accepted at Chicago [ he was the epitome of the quirky, intellectual type ] both as a Freshman, and as a transfer student his sophomore year[ he lasted 1 qtr in Chicago , realized he made a mistake and returned to USC]
The overall mental attitude at Chicago IS different than at USC, but there are loads of really smart kids at USC these days,[ son’s house mate just won a Churchill Fellowship] who have NEVER gone to a football game there, have NO interest in Frats, and are committed as he is to making the most of all that USC has to offer. He has never looked back. Your son can get a great education at USC,[ at no expense!! what joy!] and be well prepared to move on after graduation. USC is incredibly supportive of its top students, and the profs there love having really smart kids to teach.</p>
<p>Also, he needs to be aware that the Chicago Core takes up the first 2 years of his college education with required classes. Chicago also granted hardly any AP credit- their AP credit rules are very tricky. USC, on the other hand, offers a lot more AP credit[+ 32 units], which allowed my son to start there with Sophomore standing.</p>
<p>My suggestion is USC. In essence your son is getting paid for all his hard work in High School with such a great scholarship offer. Why would you pass it up considering USC is an amazing school with a superior networking family? Once in the Trojan family, always in the Trojan family. </p>
<p>Good luck in your decision</p>
<p>The money makes it a no brainer for me too. While I love UChi, it isn’t for everyone. And it is true that USC has been able to attract a stronger applicant pool the last 10 years.</p>
<p>I would go with Fordham, but that’s because I love New York City and the Jesuit education. </p>
<p>Obviously, if your son would like to work in NYC or the Northeast, Fordham would have the best alumni network, while Chicago would be better for the Midwest, and USC would be better for the West Coast.</p>
<p>It comes down to the preferences of your son. Each university has something great to offer. Personally, I think a full ride is too good to pass up, so Fordham and USC look like great choices. Of course, your family situation could be that you can afford Chicago, so I don’t know. It’s good that your son is able to visit everywhere, so hopefully he can make up his mind.</p>
<p>USC will romance its top-tier students, the ones with a lot of merit, and publicize the heck out of you once you graduate. So go to USC, study hard, and let them put advertising on your forehead: “Being a genus and attending USC are not mutually exclusive; I’m living proof.” </p>
<p>Seriously, you should go to USC, and get all the perks you can. But I would also recommend something outside of Marshall for undergrad as there are a lot of USC grads who go Marshall undergrad and Marshall grad. This is redundant, but they do this to become more marketable wrt employment. But generally, maybe consider some different track for undergrad if you’d like to pursue an MBA because you are undoubtedly a top-tier student.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the comments and advice. Given the fact that we live in tristate area near NYC, what is the likely hood for my son to work in the east coast after his graduation if he goes to USC or Chicago?</p>
<p>Many thanks!</p>
<p>Chicago is the better school, and USC is giving you the better deal. Simple as that. If you can afford it, go to Chicago (unless you want to party every night).</p>
<p>uh, no its not a simple as that any more. USC has far more NMF’s matriculating there each year than Chicago, and Trustee students are not at USC to party, or go to Football games , or rush for Frats, or goof off, contrary to your sadly out of date opinion.
USC has about 10,000 alumni in the NY area, and the Trojan network is famous for taking care of its own. They have just opened up an office in NYC.
<a href=“http://dailytrojan.com/2011/04/11/usc-opens-up-new-office-in-new-york-city/[/url]”>http://dailytrojan.com/2011/04/11/usc-opens-up-new-office-in-new-york-city/</a></p>
<p>“The New York office is responsible for creating a more visible presence for USC in New York and throughout the northeast region, and establishing support, including philanthropic support, for the university’s strategic goals and objectives,” Albert Checcio, senior vice president of university advancement, and Courtney Surls, vice president for development of university advancement wrote in an email.</p>
<p>The office will handle general issues regarding USC and its East Coast presence, spanning from alumni relations to student affairs.</p>
<p>Receiving philanthropic support from USC alumni has become a priority for the university, and this office was created largely to help achieve their fundraising goals, Checcio and Surls wrote.</p>
<p>“We have two primary responsibilities in the New York office. One is to assess the broader regional needs to build the visibility of the university and make recommendations to that end,” said Maria Watson, the new executive director of the New York office. “The second is to leverage significant philanthropic support from individuals for the future initiatives of USC.”</p>
<p>The university hopes these donations will assist students in the long-run.</p>
<p>“The new resources will positively impact and improve almost every aspect of campus life — from more scholarships for students, to new buildings and facilities, and to recruitment of leading faculty and researchers,” Checcio and Surls wrote.</p>
<p>As USC’s first office in New York City, the new regional office has been charged with making USC’s presence prominent in the northeast.</p>
<p>“The Trojan Family is quite strong in New York City,” Watson said. “There are 4,000 alumni and potential donors that live or work in New York City alone, and there are approximately 16,000 alumni who live in the northeast. This office will be working to engage that group of people,” Watson said.</p>
<p>My son’s friend, who has a USC degree in aerospace Engineering, just landed a well paying job in Norfork, Va with Lockeed[ I believe]</p>
<p>I’m fairly certain Chicago is considered the better school. Also, I didn’t say people at USC partied all the time–I actually have no idea. However, I do have an idea of the party scene at Chicago. While there are probably quite a few parties at UChi, a greater percentage of students there are more focused on their studies/less likely to be out partying daily (but once a week sounds about right). Of course, not all students fit this stereotype, but I am under the impression that most do. It’s a very demanding school, which lends to its intense environment. Anyways, it doesn’t take a genius to deduct that a little more partying will be going on in SoCal than at UChicago.</p>
<p>By the way, I absolutely love Chicago’s campus. The architecture is breathtaking.</p>
<p>“I actually have no idea.”
and that was quite obvious from your post…</p>
<p>Was that really necessary? My ‘no idea’ statement was regarding the party scene at USC, though I can guess with solid confidence that it’s more prevalent there than at UChi.</p>
<p>Of course, amateur debaters often take things out of context and twist them to make it seem as though their opponent said something else. </p>
<p>Are you really arguing that the academic quality is greater at USC than at UChicago? Please. If you really want to advocate for USC, use something substantial, like the weather or social environment.</p>
<p>Many selective universities have Greek systems including Cornell, Dartmouth, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Penn, Duke, Norhwestern, Vanderbilt and UVA. Membership does not mean students are out at parties seven nights a week.</p>
<p>Only 17% of USC’s students are in “social” fraternities/sororities. There are other Greek letter groups, but they are not members of NPC or IFC. There are 600 organizations to join at USC. The vast majority of students enrolled do not belong to IFC or NPC chapters.</p>
<p>… I’m assuming Wall St, that might change things a bit…Chicago grads might just as well want to work at the CME…but Chicago grads are brainiacs, so they have to do well in NYC if they desired that city…but Fordham, which is probably third of the schools listed is in NYC (was it Brooklyn?) and has to have a name on Wall St… and both USC and Fordham gave full rides…10,000 grads in NYC isn’t real representative, menlomom…Chicago which has considerably less alumni, might have more in the NYC…I would guess Fordham’s alumni representation in NYC in general has to be pretty healthy, probably predominantly Big Apple dwellers…but does OP want to get away, assuming OP’s parents are from NYC, being Fordham is the most regional of the three?..Generally, though a full ride is a full ride, so I would still have to say it’s between Fordham and USC, unless Chicago were to make up some of the difference…I think if OP’s parents aren’t from NYC, and they are from Mass, say, I’d probably pick Fordham becaues of the NYC/Wall Street thing.</p>