<p>Which one: usc for accounting/finance/business or uiuc for accounting/finance?</p>
<p>I'm from Illinois and will likely get into the college of business honors program. Here are some pros and cons for me on this</p>
<p>USC pros:
Location: I've lived in Illinois my whole life and I really want to try something new. I'd like to go to school in California and maybe get a job in California (LA), but I guess a job in Chicago wouldn't be bad for me. USC is also in a big city and near the beach while uiuc is a farm basically
Prestige: USC is better, and if I worked in LA, USC would prolly be a pretty prestigious degree
Quality: UIUC is great for accounting, but so is USC and in every other area USC is prolly the same or better
Fun: this is a weird one I guess and I know uiuc would provide a really good experience but usc would be a great experience as well and it would also be fun for me as an Illinois native living in California; I like California and the new experiences would be fun
Alumina network: it's pretty good, especially in southern cal</p>
<p>USC cons:
Price: I don't know the exact money yet but uiuc will be cheaper I'm almost positive. Uiuc will probably cost me around 20-25K is I got into honors while USC is around 55K so with aid and scholarships maybe 30-45K (I know big range)
Far from home: that's also a good thing but If I wanted to go home it would be hard to I guess
I guess I might not like California after living there, but I mean I don't really love Illinois and I live there now. I guess the main con is price</p>
<p>Uiuc pro:
Close to home
Cheaper
Honors program: study abroad trip, about 40 kids in the program, advantages in alumni recruitment and other stuff, pick classes first too I think
Good experience
Good accounting program</p>
<p>Uiuc cons:
Location
Uiuc is really good for job placement in Chicago/Illinois, but I'm really not interested in being in Illinois for college so I definitely wouldn't want to stay for college AND my career. I know I can get experiences and then move somewhere during my life, but that's pretty far down the road. If I wanted to move west after undergrad uiuc prolly wouldn't be amazing for placement but obviously not bad.</p>
<p>I think I covered mostly everything in the four sections combined</p>
<p>Also forgot to mention money situation. I probably wouldn’t go in debt at either school for undergrad (unless USC gives me no money at all then maybe). My parents have enough money to where I can get through either without a loan most likely. If I go somewhere and there’s money my parents don’t use for my college, then they will probably give me that money after I graduate.</p>
<p>They are very different - USC beautiful, sparkly, everything is new and well organized. UIUC not so much - mostly old and worn out, the lack of state funding is palpable. Students will be different. USC attracts lots of wealthy kids (but not all - USC has a huge endowment). Lots of diversity, if you’re white you’ll be a minority. UIUC is also very diverse but not nearly as many wealthy kids. Lots of Chinese foreign students who stick together.</p>
<p>A couple of other things - the beach is far away and it’s not really what kids do; the Pacific is always cold anyway. My kid (CS) and his gf (Econ) both had good jobs lined up well before graduation last year.</p>
<p>Also, and this may become important, at UIUC it is sometimes very difficult or impossible to switch majors - it is at the extreme end of not allowing changes in major. USC is much more flexible - much more like most other good schools in that regard.</p>
<p>That’s quite a pair. To add to what keesh has said, USC is also adjacent to some of the poorest neighborhoods in LA or anywhere else. The campus is safe, according to my niece who goes there, but some of the apartments are off campus and you should keep the neighborhood in mind. Traveling to USC should be something you do before plunking down 60K. Since you’re going to be using your parents’ money for USC, they should get a big cut of the decision-making pie you have before you. Even before you get your package, you can run USC’s net price calculator using your parents most recently completed tax return to get an idea of what usc will expect you and your family to pay.</p>
<p>I have visited UIUC and am planning on going to visit USC soon and hopefully spend some time there getting around to see the campus, neighborhood, feel, and get all my questions answered. I will look into maybe shadowing or sitting in on classes. Point is, I will be visiting. </p>
<p>I liked UIUC but if USC is half of what I think it is in person (visiting) I’ll like it a lot more so I’m asking with the assumption that I really like USC campus and environment/location. </p>
<p>The main thing is USC will be more expensive and I won’t get the honors distinction/advantages, but if it’s worth it generally and for me personally then I might pick usc </p>
<p>People who got major scholarships from USC were for the most part already notified (if they applied before a certain date, I think in december or january) so I don’t know if you should count on lots of merit scholarship from there. Also note that the total cost of USC is about 61k plus transportation. </p>
<p>Cost aside, I strongly believe you should have the USC experience. I am applying there as well and I hope I get in. As a SoCal resident surrounded by USC students and alums, I can assure you that you will be a) happy and well educated and b) successful and get an amazing job. USC alums are very passionate about their school and willing to hire other USC alums. So, upon graduation, I bet you will have multiple jobs lined up in SoCal (where the highest concentration USC alums live). In addition, you will be able to have fabulous internships to boost your resume year round rather than be surrounded by farm land. </p>