<p>I've been very lucky with admissions and got into both Stanford and USC with a full tuition scholarship. I narrowed down my list to these two schools but now I'm having a really difficult time choosing! My family won't receive any need based aid at either school. I can probably afford Stanford with minimal to no loans, but then I would have no money left over for possible grad school. </p>
<p>I am very undecided about possible majors, but I'm leaning towards the humanities (probably history), though I haven't completely ruled out the sciences. I have no idea what my future career will be either!</p>
<p>I live in Southern California and would really like to try something new and Stanford has been my dream school ever since I was little, but I'm not sure I can pass up $200,000 or free money. Thoughts? </p>
<p>I can’t help with your decision, but just wanted to say that you weren’t ‘lucky’! Congratulations that your hard work paid off. </p>
<p>If you are thinking about grad school in terms of an academic career or getting a PhD, you should know that those programs are fully funded [ you dont pay tuition and you receive a stipend] and wont cost you or your parents $$. [ You should never accept a PhD position anywhere that is NOT fully funded.] </p>
<p>If instead, you are thinking of eventually getting a Masters in Business or a Law degree, or an MD, those programs WILL cost you or your parents hundreds of thousands of tuition $$. </p>
<p>My DS accepted a Trustee scholarship from USC after also receiving acceptances from Ivys and other top U’s. He is currently at CalTech pursuing his PhD in Geophysics. Other scholarship winners from his graduating class are now at equally prestigious U’s . </p>
<p>Accepting the Trustee scholarship was a great financial relief for both him and us , and allowed him to enjoy his years at USC, while taking full advantage of all the opportunities USC offers. </p>
<p>USC has aggressively recruited top professors from around the US in recent years and LORs from them can open the doors everywhere. And those profs LOVE to work with really smart students! The opportunities for research with them at USC are plentiful . </p>
<p>Remember, its the name of the LAST college you attended on your CV college that counts. And having “Trustee Scholar” on your graduate school applications will certainly not hurt!</p>
<p>The problem is I’m just not sure what I want to do! I feel as if I go to Stanford I’ll have more opportunity to explore my intellectual interests because of the environment and fabulous opportunities across all disciplines whereas I fear if I go to USC I will choose a more pre-professional and become a lawyer just because it’ll be easier and that’s what so many people at the school do, hence my dilemma. </p>
<p>Don’t want to get personal, but is money an issue? For some putting out 200k is a big deal, others can write that check with ease. Not asking to disclose anything here, just think about it and it seems like a frank conversation to have with your parents. You obviously want to go to Stanford more, so I think it comes down to finances.</p>
<p>Not sure why USC means you will be a lawyer, it is a school rich with choices, limited only by the student, not the school. Both schools are similar in this way. I think you have an attitude/pre-conceived notion toward each school more than a restriction of either school. </p>
<p>Some are gasping that you would walk away from the money, some think go where you want to go if $ is not an issue, you will be happier if you are where you want to be (and parents are weak when it comes to making their kids happy). 
Everyone is different, my S didn’t want to go to Stanford cause it was too close to home and other things, so he chose USC over Stanford. It happens, I get it. Good luck, let us know where you choose if you don’t mind!</p>
<p>P.S. The Stanford mascot is a tree.</p>
<p>I think you are ignoring some facts- 40% of UGs at Stanford are Engineering majors. 40%!!!
There are just as many opportunities at USC across the Liberal Arts disciplines at USC as there are at Stanford. What USC also offers students who DO know what they want to do are other top rated programs [that Stanford does NOT offer] such as the Cinematic Arts program, the Thorton School of Music, etc. etc. But NOT ALL USC students know what they want to do when they get there.
NO one is going to try to shoe-horn you into a field at USC.
One of my DS’s friends at USC arrived with absolutely no idea what he wanted to major in. He explored English and History, then discovered that physics and Neuroscience fascinated him. He was mentored by the asst Provost- who met him when he was teaching an Honors freshman Physics class. He graduated with a double degree in Math and Physics, and is now at Princeton in their Phd Physics program.
The Smartest students at USC are given every opportunity to discover their interests and passions, AND ALL AT NO COST TO THEIR FAMILIES. </p>
<p>I think you should look at the USC Student profile and see the wide range of interests / intended majors of matriculating students . </p>
<p>Academic Distribution
Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences 29%
Marshall School of Business 19%
Viterbi School of Engineering 15%
Undecided / Undeclared 13%
USC’s Arts Schools 12%
(Architecture, Dramatic Arts, Roski School of
Fine Arts, Thornton School of Music)
Annenberg School for Comm. & Journalism 5%
School of Cinematic Arts 5%
Keck School of Medicine (Health Studies) 1%
Price School of Public Policy <1%
Davis School of Gerontology <1%
Occupational Therapy Program <1%</p>
<p>Pre-Professional Emphases
Pre-Medicine 12%
Pre-Law 6%
Pre-Health (Dentistry, Pharmacy, PT, etc.) 2%
Pre-Accounting 1%
Pre-Teaching 1%</p>
<p><a href=“Facts and Figures - About USC”>http://about.usc.edu/facts/</a></p>
<p>Straight up. As much as I love USC, you got into Stanford. Their diploma is a ticket that can get you to many places that USC won’t. </p>