Hi, I don’t live in California but I’m looking at USC and UCLA. What sets one apart from the other? I know they’re in the same location and have a somewhat similar acceptance rate.
USC is a private university in a “less than desirable” part of Los Angeles although the campus is considered safe.
UCLA is a public university in a nicer area of Los Angeles (Westwood) and very much a vibrant city for college students.
Since USC is a private university, there is no difference in tuition/room/board costs as an OOS student. USC is still pricey around $69K/year but they do offer financial aid (if eligible) and merit aid.
Since UCLA is a public university, there is a difference in tuition costs between in-state and OOS students. Also OOS students are offered little to no financial aid or merit aid, so being in-state is a financial advantage. Plan to pay $55K/year to attend.
Both are highly prestigious schools and will offer you a great education for a price.
I suggest if possible to visit before applying. If you are cannot visit, try to utilize the website for as much information as possible about your intended major, housing, costs etc…
https://colleges.niche.com/university-of-southern-california/
To add to that, the size and terrain of the campuses are very different. UCLA has about 30,000 undergraduates, while USC has about 19,000 undergraduates. UCLA is larger in terms of area, and it is very hilly. Hills up and down, going to classes, to dorms, walking around campus. USC is mostly flat.
Both are academically strong, so it’ll come down to finances and gut feeling, if your specific areas of interest aren’t particularly stronger in one than the other.
USC is within a mile of downtown LA, the Staples Center, LA Live, etc., and all downtown has to offer, more gritty, and more urban/city experience. UCLA is more suburban with the quaint shops/restaurants of Westwood and BH nearby. Totally different experiences. Both great schools, very selective, depends on what you are looking for/preferences and if you don’t mind paying big bucks for them.
I’m going purely from reputation. For the pure sciences, UCLA is stronger than USC. For engineering, they are equals. For the cinematic arts, theater, and business, USC is much stronger.
The demographics at the two schools are quite different. UCLA is more diverse. In general, USC students are more affluent. As a result, the culture of the two schools is different. Visit to get under the surface.
I really don’t think UCLA is more diverse. USC has 35% international population, the largest of any university, plus a diverse American population on top of that. UCLA has a huge Asian population. They are both diverse, just different diverse. Agree USC has a strong affluent population. Just ran into a kid at a gas station who saw my USC window sticker and said Fight On, then said he was a student that was headed back to USC, then drove off in a shiny new Maserati.
If you can’t visit, try to get your hands on some of the good college guide books (ex. Fiske, Princeton Review, Insiders Guide) and read the write ups of the two respective schools.
For film and theatre: Stronger, yes, but much is pretty loaded. UCLA is usually ranked right behind USC, which is, in the top 5 programs in the US. This year they are #1 and #4 respectively in the Hollywood Reporter rankings: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/best-film-schools-2016-top-united-states-rankings-920344/item/new-york-university-25-film-920354
Actually, much is totally appropriate, USC is #1 by a country mile in that category. Their resources are unmatched. Very few would dispute USC’s dominance in film and theater.
The UC schools are state schools, and face political pressure to limit the number of non-Californian students. For [Fall 2015](https://www.admission.ucla.edu/prospect/Adm_fr/Frosh_Prof15.htm), the enrolled freshman class at UCLA consisted of the following:
72 % Californians
17 % Other US states
11 % International
The Fall 2016 enrolled freshman numbers for UCLA aren’t available yet, but should be similar. In-state students clearly dominate (as at most state universities).
USC, on the other hand, is a private school, and can freely enroll students from anywhere. USC therefore has a quite different geographic profile, with in-state students in the minority. For [Fall 2016](http://admission.usc.edu/firstyear/prospective/profile.html), the enrolled freshman class at USC consisted of the following:
42 % Californians
44 % Other US states
14 % International
From an economic standpoint, UCLA is probably more diverse; it has relatively low in-state tuition, and probably enrolls more lower-income Californians. Both schools are relatively expensive for non-Californians. For non-Californians, it’s possible that USC could offer better financial aid and be the less expensive option.