<p>okay. thats my opinion. i guess i lived so long next to berkeley i've grown to hate it.</p>
<p>USC's library is awesome. The one time I went in it, for whatever reason, they had the building itself open, but all the sections were closed... So you couldn't get to the books...</p>
<p>USC's library is beyond awesome, it's amazing. research library 9 stories high with 5 stories underground; open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week... 19 libraries total with 2 main ones right in the center of campus. what more can you ask for?</p>
<p>USC is amazing in all areas. Enough said.</p>
<p>I recently went on a USC campus tour and it was amazingly beautiful! It is a good school.
I really hope I get in!
I am anxious to hear from them soon!</p>
<p>If you plan on settling in LA, USC's strong alumni network is also worth noting. Can't go wrong with that in these trying times. :)</p>
<p>"It's all about the location (there are not enough good colleges in L.A.)!"</p>
<p>I'm sorry, but that statement is just so far from true. LA specifically is home to UCLA and USC, of course, but also schools like Occidental, Chapman, LMU, Pepperdine, etc. and it trickles down so there's really a place for everyone. Of course, you can't forget about the Claremont Colleges right outside of LA, too. And when you look at California as a whole with the best weather and the best public university system in the country, it's a pretty attractive place to spend 4+ years.</p>
<p>As far as USC goes, when someone says it's "not that good," I really have to disagree with them. I think that it's the kind of school where hard work is rewarded, but it's really what you make of the experience. As long as you put academics first during your time as a student at USC, you should graduate with options to either get a job or go to a solid graduate school. With that being said, I think you could probably get away with not trying so hard and still graduating, which I'm sure many choose to do, but the value of just an undergraduate degree from USC is not the same as one from say, Stanford. Still an amazing place.</p>
<p>Chapman is in Orange. (D is graduating from there this May and she would never say she is in LA!) I know that is not your point but I just had to say it.</p>
<p>Pretty funny how this thread was dredged up from almost a year ago.</p>
<p>Top undergrad programs? There's tons. Business, cinema (duh!), journalism, PR, engineering, architecture...all top-rated. Add in the combination of amazing school spirit, great weather, great social opportunities and one of the best alumni networks, I don't see how USC isn't popular. It's not like a school needs to be MIT or Harvard to attract students. There are smart kids who like to have opportunities outside of academics.</p>
<p>ya living near LA (1 hourish away/south orange county) there are A LOT of USC grads and ive grown up liking USC football and all that. If you want to work in southern cali, USC has great connections. But it does not hold the same appeal as to maybe east coasters who want warm weather and all (I applied to mostly east coast schools</p>
<p>As far as the campus goes, its very pretty, but the general opinion you hear is that UCLAs campus is much prettier. USC and UC Berkeley are about the only two Cali schools I am considering, but would pick USC over Berkeley just because I am more conservative in nature, and so is USC, and like a private school instead of a huge public. </p>
<p>But USC is top when you want to be in southern california. But compared to other schools across the country, i dont think it is as sexy as everyone thinks.</p>
<p>and also, LA is probably my least favorite big city, its pretty spread out and very much different from cities like Boston or NYC or Chicago or DC.</p>
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<p>Amen... LA is truly one of the worst large cities in the US. No character whatsoever, just an infinite sprawl with a constant suburban feel to it. Of the large cities I would pick Boston, NYC and Chicago over LA any time of day. DC.... nahhh... But if I could afford it I would move to San Francisco in a heartbeat. Anyone want to pay me 5x what I currently make and has a condo to offer on Russian Hill? I have a bridge to sell you...</p>
<p>I personally have to disagree with you there, GroovyGeek. I really do love LA. It may be very sprawling, but I have found so many places of character around Los Angeles. The sprawl/need for cars has never bothered me. For reasons I can't really explain, being stuck in traffic doesn't bother me, so I'm really happy here. There are tons of cultural opportunities, some great small and big theaters, concerts, movies, and glorious weather. It takes me an hour or less to get from my home to either the beach or to snowy mountains. I guess I love LA because I don't always live in the middle of it, but sometimes on an edge where I can see tons of undeveloped, natural land. </p>
<p>However, I understand why others don't love the city. I think it is something of a hate/love sort of place.</p>
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I personally have to disagree with you there, GroovyGeek. I really do love LA. It may be very sprawling, but I have found so many places of character around Los Angeles. The sprawl/need for cars has never bothered me. For reasons I can't really explain, being stuck in traffic doesn't bother me, so I'm really happy here. There are tons of cultural opportunities, some great small and big theaters, concerts, movies, and glorious weather. It takes me an hour or less to get from my home to either the beach or to snowy mountains. I guess I love LA because I don't always live in the middle of it, but sometimes on an edge where I can see tons of undeveloped, natural land. </p>
<p>However, I understand why others don't love the city. I think it is something of a hate/love sort of place.
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<p>Totally agree with you. LA certainly does have character, although it is a place people just love or just hate. Personally, I loved it when I visited, but it's also very clear why many people wouldn't like it (traffic, smog, poor public transport etc.)</p>
<p>I also liked the USC campus a lot, although I have to admit UCLA was equally as good and in a better area of LA. The atmosphere at USC is really good, because it's a relatively small campus (in terms of area, not students) with a rich academic, cultural and sporting life.</p>