<p>Which one? I am having a hard time choosing between the two. HELP PLEASE!</p>
<p>USC - good alum connections, but too big. also there's smog
Pepperdine - not as good alum connections, but like the size better. Beautiful beaches.</p>
<p>AHH! Financial Aid was about the same too.</p>
<p>I had the same problem when I was accepted to both. </p>
<p>USC is as big (or small) as you want it to be, remember that.</p>
<p>Anyway, I’m a proud Trojan for life, join our family.</p>
<p>Pepperdine!</p>
<p>kakitty02 – are you OK with the 3 obligatory religion classes, the strict no drinking policy on campus and mandatory chapel at Pepperdine? (someone recently posted it is mandatory… perhaps it is not?). Of course that is a personal choice, but some are taken aback by those requirements.</p>
<p>Dunnin, and don’t forget the “you can’t have students of the opposite sex in your dorm past 1:00 am” rule</p>
<p>I’m fine with the rules and the opposite sex rules.</p>
<p>My main issue is, USC has amazing alum connections…and I don’t want to lose a job in the future cause I didn’t go to USC and have that connection. Also, just in case I wan’t to change my major, there are wayyy more options are USC. On the other hand, USC has more people, so more competition, which I don’t really like</p>
<p>Pepperdine doesn’t have as good connections or opportunities as USC, but it does have smaller community which I like…All the academics is good enough for me, but just not top…</p>
<p>So, I guess I’m choosing between opportunities versus a more small community feel?</p>
<p>kakitty, the differences between USC and Pepperdine are not that significant that you will lose a job that you are qualified for just because you graduated from Pepperdine and not USC.</p>
<p>The other thing is that you will probably do better grade wise at the school that you are happier at, giving you an advantage in the job market.</p>
<p>I posted this in another thread:</p>
<p>Pepperdine is a good school, but USC has developed into a great academic institution in the last 10 years or so. USC is ranked #26 and Pepperdine #58 in USNWR rankings.</p>
<p>Pepperdine is based in one of the better locations of any school in the country- Malibu… and USC is in South Central L.A., one of the worse parts of Sothern California.</p>
<p>You can’t have people of the other sex past 1:00 am in your dorms at Pepperdine and there is no alcohol allowed on campus.</p>
<p>Pepperdine is well connected in Southern Calfornia, but not as much as USC.</p>
<p>Average Class Size
Pepperdine = 15
USC = 16</p>
<p>% of Classes less than 30 students
Pepperdine = 88%
USC = 75%</p>
<p>Graduation rates - 6 year
Pepperdine = 81%
USC = 88%</p>
<p>Business Week’s Ranking of Undergraduate Business Schools
USC - #24
Pepperdine >#50</p>
<p>unless Pepperdine offered a full ride and USC did not go to pepperdine. If you can go to USC with 5-7.5K per year or less to spend then go to USC.</p>
<p>Both offered me the same financial aid package amount…</p>
<p>Actually USC offered me 1,000 cheaper than Pepperdine.</p>
<p>Is it better to go to a school thats more prestigious?</p>
<p>You are obviously favoring Pepperdine.</p>
<p>CC’s answer will be USC. Pepperdine doesn’t come close to USC in terms of prestige or academics.</p>
<p>Make your own decision.</p>
<p>I agree with noobcake, but there is no way in the world I would choose a more expensive Pepperdine over USC.</p>
<p>USC would probably be better.</p>
<p>Don’t they have different cultures?</p>
<p>Choose the one that is right for you.</p>
<p>Several immediate family members, and friends, went to USC … so though I don’t have first hand knowledge, my 2nd hand info is pretty good.</p>
<p>USC does have a nice alumni network – however, USC is very large, and the alumni network does not guarantee anything anymore… probably 40% of the Marshall school alums from the past two years did not have employment at the time of graduation… not that different from any other Top 50 Uni, really. If the “network” were that effective, wouldn’t those stats have been significanly different to those of Wake Forrest, or UCLA, or NYU, or Tulane. or Pepperdine?</p>
<p>You are really deciding between a smallish campus experience, and a largish one. How different really is a #26 rank and a #58 rank? Neither will GET you a job on that basis, and neither will prevent it.</p>
<p>Dunnin, well said, fully agree</p>
<p>in addition, the locations and types of campuses are distinctly different…</p>
<p>Thanks for all you’re input. :)</p>
<p>I really appreciate it a lot!</p>