<p>I've narrowed it down to these two schools. I'm leaning towards BC and considering a political science major. Any insight would be great, thanks.</p>
<p>I applied and got into both schools. The milieu is pretty different, as is the weather. In the end I chose USC and I’m very happy with my decision. My advice is to visit if you haven’t already. USC admissions will be happy to answer any of your questions, and sometimes they will set you up with a student to talk to.</p>
<p>Your post has been on the BC board. Some of these remarks are from students who have never been to the SC campus, but have “heard” things about the university. You indicated a trip to California would be impossible for you financially. That is unfortunate, as most of the students who visit are surprised at how different it is from the descriptions.</p>
<p>Bostonians do not realize Los Angeles has many colleges as well, SC, UCLA, CSLA, Occidental, etc. SC is larger, but the students feel it has a small school atmosphere. Also, SC is far more diverse. Boston College has a religious affiliation, which may be a plus or a minus for you. At SC there are 80 different religions represented. If you are Roman Catholic there is an active Newman Center and a beautiful Catholic church at the edge of campus.</p>
<p>If you look at the U.S. News Rankings SC is ranked above Boston College. It is a Tier I university. Last year 35,901 applicants were considered for the freshman class. It is rated highly selective. In faculty resources SC is ranked 27 places above BC. Also, the Bostonians may not realize SC, though larger, has an excellent faculty student ratio 9/1. BC is 13/1.
Many students post here who are not Greeks. It is a part of SC’s social scene, but these students remark they have full social lives without being Greek. There is just so much to do on campus. Organizations plan trips to the beach, mountains and desert. The fact you are never snowed in opens the entire year to outdoor activities. Many students are avid hikers and skiers. </p>
<p>Since you have never seen the campus, please go to Facebook USC Class of 2013 (not the one that says-official) and look at the photographs posted of the campus and buildings. No barbed wire to be found! lol Click each photo for a larger view. The campus is known for courtyards, fountains, tropical plants and flowering trees. There are flowers to be found here and there on campus. Be sure to note the photos taken in January.</p>
<p>Students are promised on campus spaces for two years. Many do live off campus after the two years, but most of these are apartments immediately adjacent to the campus proper. Some move into fraternity or sorority houses, slightly off campus. The university is building dorms which will house more students. </p>
<p>SC had 18 Fulbright Scholars last year, 2 Goldwater Scholars, Luce Scholar and many other recipients of prestigious scholarships/fellowships. Multdisciplinary studies in widely differing fields are encouraged. Check out the faculty distinctions on the website. The faculty is top notch and available, from what the students report. </p>
<p>Due to the world famous cinema school, oustanding theatre, music, fine arts and Annenberg Communication School students are some of the most imaginative and creative in the nation. Your roommate may be from Australia, majoring in broadcast journalism. There is enormous diversity, both in country of origin, ethnic background and majors. You will learn much from your peers.</p>
<p>For a bit of human interest read the post about SC being a special place.</p>
<p>If the financial aid comes in well for you, is there any way you would be able to visit the campus? I think you would have an entirely different impression of SC after meeting students, faculty and staff.</p>
<p>The Trojan Family is not a myth. I live in Georgia. Our alumni group is very active. It has over 400 members in the Atlanta metro area. There are frequent networking socials.
I also belonged to the NYC Alumni Club in the past. That group is also large and meets throughout the year. SC has about 120 alumni groups, 17 in Asia.</p>
<p>Good luck in your college journey. Check out on Facebook what the students said about their impressions of the university after their visits.</p>