@tothenext Congrats! you couldn’t have gone wrong either way. Your situation did get me thinking that it is too bad USC has not (far as I know) adopted a “domestic exchange” program. They have floated the idea before - a program that would be similar to their study abroad program, but with schools in the US. (Brown has it, as well as some other schools.) I don’t think USC ever formally adopted the idea, but ask around, you never know if things will change.
It’s kind of too bad US institutions don’t come up with a list of allowable “domestic exchanges.” A recent USC paper article noted that 40% of SC students are from California. Wouldn’t hurt a few of them to spend some time in the New York lakes district or Virginia or Southern Illinois etc.
BTW, there are quite a few USC parents/alums/students that check into CC now and again. I’m sure you can get a lot of questions answered here if you need.
Following up with what @calidad2020 said, the USC forum seems to be one of the most active school forums on CC. There are some super knowledgeable and helpful posters over there if you have any questions.
Wow, Colgate. USC is a great big school and it can’t offer that smaller college feel. I visited Colgate with my oldest and it is a wonderful place, and I thought more laid back than other East Coast schools. I’m sure you will find friends and fit in. I think the demographic worries from folks that have never been there don’t paint a whole picture. One of our neighbors across the street attended. She got on the equestrian (or other riding team) as a novice because they needed someone, and though she had never ridden, she got this incredible experience. There’s some attention to students that you just won’t receive at a huge city college. There’s something really wonderful in a small town campus in terms of school pride, and community. City college kids can live way off campus, find entertainment off campus and don’t build that same kind of community. Small town college students have their entertainment from the school and students there, and that is something irreplaceable. I know this because I went to a small state school in my state in a small town. My brother in law went to the larger state school here in the city where I live, and he doesn’t even have a tee shirt from his school. I know USC does advertise the Trojan family, but with the huge size of the student body, there is just no way it has the intimacy of a smaller school.
You will be very happy…being international it will be good to see the broad views, perspectives and vibrancy of USC. Small towns are for a weekend getaway, but go to a big college to experience diversity and 4 years where there is always something new to do. At USC you are accepted the minute you step on campus, that can be too big a risk in small town/campus.
Both are terrific. Colgate carries far more prestige on the east coast, where people care about those types of things. But both have terrific alumni networks that will help you find jobs and opportunities. Both schools have a lot of uber wealthy students, mixed with low income kids, and everything in between. Colgate is a baby IVY, in a terrific location, with a reputation that has remained top notch for generations. USC has been a good school for 40 years (before that, it was a joke that rich kids bought their way into). I think for CS both would work, and USC is closer to home. I think for neuroscience/med school, Colgate might give you an edge, although USC has really made great strides over the last 50 years in terms of reputation and opportunities. USC will have more Asians, but being an Asian from Colgate will make you more unique for graduate school. Both are terrific schools – good luck!