<p>I live in Michigan.. Carnegie would be 7 hours from where i live (by car) and gosh knows how much for LA where USC is...</p>
<p>I don't know if I want to try for the CMU waitlist.. priority or not (which is ED-ing waitlisting like if you get in thru waitlist you MUST attend)</p>
<p>USC - very far away, but i'm already accepted and I'm betting great FINAID
CMU - closer, waitlisted, and from what i heard crappy FINAID</p>
<p>I applied for architecture.. I'm so confused</p>
<p>bump (10char)</p>
<p>My son is also trying to choose between these two schools. He likes USC better, but wants to leave California. As a parent who has looked at the academics at both schools, I have to say that CMU is the better school academically. USC has the big sports scene and a lot of kids leave campus on the weekends to go home or to do something in LA. At CMU most kids hang around campus on the weekends. Sunday is a big study day.</p>
<p>USC seems like a more fun, enjoyable campus. Some kids commute, but most freshman live on campus, and there's always TONS of school spirit. Good academics balanced with parties and football.</p>
<p>CMU is a very serious school, academically, but it's not a very socially vibrant place. </p>
<p>I'd pick USC, especially if they're giving you good money.</p>
<p>bump (10char)</p>
<p>Interesting and rather uncommon choice. The good news is that both are great colleges, but I wonder about the cultural differences for a student from Michigan. Pittsburgh, to my mind, is more midwestern than eastern and would be a fairly easy transition, not to mention the ease of getting there and back. USC, on the other hand, is physically and culturally, a world away and with a campus culture that is quite a bit different. </p>
<p>One decider is perhaps where you see yourself post-graduation. USC alumni are renown for their support of their fellow Trojans and would probably be a better choice if you were thinking about staying in the West. And of course, the sports issue and the weather issues are huge differences and you will know best which environment appeals best to you.</p>
<p>I thought I wanted the more academic life but i don't know what i want anymore... :( this is too hard.. :(</p>
<p>USC has a great agriculture program, its one of the areas its well-known for. It its cheaper and you think you'd enjoy it more, I would definitely go. And besides, you'll probably see me next year always a plus (j/k, lol).</p>
<p>agriculture? Do you mean architecture?</p>
<p>excuse me, thats funny, lol agriculture......</p>
<p>Yeah, architecture. thats probably one of the funniest mistakes I've ever posted, what a joke. USC and agriculture.</p>
<p>US</a> Architecture Schools - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
undergrad:
CMU #10
USC #14</p>
<p>yes, but last year USC #5, CMU #7...something like that.. they're pretty close.. so to me, I don't think it matters too much..</p>
<p>Please don't make a decision like this based on the rankings. As you see, they can change easily and when the schools are this close in academic quality, it's pretty clear that you can have a good academic experience at either. But outside of the classroom, the differences are as sharp as Pittsburgh vs LA. You've still got a few more weeks to figure this out. Don't panic....yet. Hang in there.</p>