<p>i applied to USC as a math major, and while i like USC more, its going to be a huge burden on my parents to pay because we don't get any financial aid and are not incredibly wealthy either. i'm interested in going to business school in the future, is it possible to transfer into marshall from the college of letters, arts and sciences? how difficult would it be and would it take longer for me to graduate? also i heard that if you graduate from marshall its unnecessary to go to grad business school and get an MBA is this true?
i was considering santa barbara because i live in norcal and want to study in socal, it's a lot cheaper and i could easily get a very high GPA and have more time to prepare for my GMAT/GRE
things that are important to me for college include study abroad, social life, quality of academics, difficulty to get a high GPA, job oppurtunities after graduation etc</p>
<p>It’s pretty easy to switch schools at USC. A lot of people do it at freshman orientation. If your stats are high enough you won’t have any problem switching into Marshall since you’ve already been accepted by USC.</p>
<ul>
<li>study abroad: USC has a great study abroad program and a lot of people choose that option.</li>
<li>social life: Los Angeles! Need I say more? And Greek life is pretty big at USC so there will always be a party.</li>
<li>quality of academics: the student-faculty ratio at USC is 1/9. That’s ridiculously awesome.</li>
<li>job opportunities: the Trojan Family provides connections for you and will help you land your first job after graduation.</li>
</ul>
<p>i have the same problem as you, only im choosing between ucla vs. usc. =/ i really want usc though, but then again, i dont want to be in so much debt after i graduate.</p>
<p>Haha same here…UC vs. USC</p>
<p>I think you should choose the cheaper option. You DON’T want to go to grad school with a hefty debt already under your belt…</p>
<p>i could actually use some advice here too. sorry for stealing your thread, but i think we have somewhat similar situations anyways =)
ok so here’s my situation… my EFC at UCLA would be 0, with a net cost of $9200… while my EFC at USC is 2500, with a net cost of $10500.
i know it might not sound like much to you, but for my family, 2500 is a big chunk of our yearly income… and i just dont know how im going to pay for it. while ucla and usc would cost about the same for me, ucla gave me enough loans so that i dont have to worry about paying until after i graduate… whereas USC is requiring me to pay a set amount each year. since im also planning on going to graduate school, this will be a lot of debt on my part. so any thoughts on this? should i go to USC, my dream school, even if it means that i’ll be stressed about debt? thanks</p>
<p>fruitsandveggies,</p>
<p>You have WONDERFUL options! UCLA is a great school, so if you and your parents come to the conclusion that it would be best to attend there, don’t second-guess yourself - it will be great!</p>
<p>If your parents agree with your desire to attend USC at the higher cost, they can apply for Federal PLUS loans for the extra $2,500. (See Fin Aid FAQ thread for links to info on PLUS loans.) If they are turned down for PLUS loans, you become eligible for an extra $4,000 in unsubsidized Stafford loans, which do not require that you “qualify.”</p>
<p>Please read the first page of the Fin Aid FAQ thread about the Stafford loan amounts to expect each year. At both USC and UCLA, your loan totals and sometimes your work/study will increase each year of enrollment, and there will be a corresponding reduction in your need-based grants. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>i think you should choose USC if you get aid, it’s almost garuanteed that you will graduate in 4 years and most of the time people don’t graduate from UCs in 4 years so you’ll end up paying a lot more, and privates have a lot more resources and support for their students.</p>
<p>for me, even if i graduate in 5 years, it will still be cheaper than USC so i have to think about it a lot 
if i go to SB i’ll be a top student, then it would help me get into a good grad school</p>
<p>thanks for the great advice alamemom!
and for jessbb, my sister actually goes to SB, and she loves it there. however, i’m not really sure about the 5 year thing- most of my friends go to UC’s and although they can feel the budget cuts, they are still on a four year track. and also, be careful about underestimating the rigor of SB academics. i dont have experience at SB myself, but from what i’ve heard from my sis, the kids there are quite competitive! well, whatever you decide, good luck! =)</p>