USC vs Howard FULL RIDE

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Okay, so, I got into both schools(UMD too, but they're not worth it, really :P), and I want to make video games some day(jack-of-all-trades style), so it would seem that USC would be the best choice. But, while I got all but $5000 dollars (plus a Stafford Loan) coming to me from USC, I'm getting a full ride from Howard. All 4 years. Done. And I'm from Maryland, so that's a lot of money to get back and forth, and I'll almost never get to see my high school friends... </p>

<p>But... it's USC! If there's ANY school that would prepare me for specifically what I want to do, it's gotta be USC, right? Especially since it's right in the heart of where the US's game development industry is... I've thought about going to Howard for 2 years, and then transferring to USC, but I've had my heart set on USC for a while, and such a good financial aid deal is tipping me in that direction even more... But, there's so much pushing me in the direction of Howard. Help, plz! (Especially people who know USC's art, computer science, or game design programs, or Howard's art program!)</p>

<p>PS I apologize for my gross overuse of ellipses. :P</p>

2

<p>I don't know anything about the respective programs, so can't help you there. But I do not think access to your high school friends should be a factor at all. You will meet new friends, and can keep up with your old friends on winter and summer breaks. Maybe you are thinking it's too far from from home to go to LA- that's a different story and worth contemplating. But IF you find out USC is the mecca for your intended field, 5Kdifference/yr can be covered by loans/summer job maybe.</p>

3

<p>Forgot to add that you can try calling USC's FA dept to see if they can match the Howard offer.</p>

4

<p>I actually did send them a letter, before I recieved the final awards package. To be quite honest, I don't think I'm getting a full ride from them, especially considering that Howard's was based on a high SAT score... But, I dunno; if someone says it would help, I'll email them Monday.</p>

5

<p>5000+ Stafford Loan per year is a joke, that's like you paying for housing, you need to go to USC, if you accumulate 30K in total from attending USC for four years, that is a bargain, considering that there's people paying more than 40K for one year. You only play 30K for all four years.</p>

<p>The opportunities, connections that USC will offer outweigh anything Howard can offer you. Just go for USC, you'd be rediculous to turn down USC for Howard, especially when its a bargain for you. I would understand the dilemma if it were no money from USC and a full ride at Howard, but you're getting over 3/4 of USC cost covered for.</p>

6

<p>$5k is nothing. Go to USC. You want to be there, and like you said, it's the place to be for your field.</p>

7

<p>howard has hot girls. thats all im sayin.</p>

8

<p>USC has hot girls, thats all I'm saying.</p>

<p>5k for connections and the ONLY computer science program focused on video games at a 4 year uni? Why wouldn't you do it?</p>

9

<p>i dont see the dilema...?? USC seems like the best deal ever!</p>

10

<p>USC is kind of overrated</p>

11

<p>How much loan do you have to take out for USC?</p>

<p>What kind of figures did USC use when estimating transportation costs for you in the calculation of the total Cost of Attendance? Airfare is only going to go up, and it is a very loooooooooong drive between Maryland and there!</p>

<p>Add that on to the 5k that you have to come up with (was that your EFC or were you gapped?). Then multiply it by 4 and you will have a better guesstimate for the difference in your costs for your degree. Over on the Financial Aid and Parents forums, you'll find that anything over 20k in total difference in cost that will end up as debt is considered a no-go.</p>

<p>Since you are in Maryland, take a quick look at the Computer Gaming program at Montgomery College (Montgomery</a> College, MD) I just read a brief article about it this morning. The head of the department is Prof. Deborah Solomon.</p>

<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>

12

<p>I think you made some mistakes when choosing where to apply. If video game design is what you want to do, RPI or Hopkins would have been the way to go (other than MIT, but frankly, if USC didn't give you Trustee or Presidential Scholarship, you wouldn't have gotten in). But that's all heresay.</p>

<p>You never stated a crucial piece of information - can your family pay for USC? If your family income is $150K+, go to USC. If it's...not that much...go to Howard, save money now, and spend it on grad school later. Remember, USC seems to skyrocket in price each year. I'm betting it hits $58K next year.</p>

<p>Good luck in your decision. Both are great schools.</p>

13

<p>USC is the best school for undergrad video game design at the moment. MIT's Media Lab is for grad school and has no ug major in game design. Never heard that Hopkins offers this major (maybe it's a minor or concentration?) and RPI is a fine school. Btw, Carnegie Mellon is a good choice, too. Also UC Santa Cruz has a new game design major in CS starting this coming year.</p>

<p>Most important will be the internship opportunities and career outreach offered. If you select USC, they are partnered with EA and SoCal is one of the centers of game development and internships are plentiful. So if L.A. is where you think you might want to live someday, your decision is easy.</p>

14

<p>I have already posted most of these comments in other threads asking about Game Design and USC vs. Other College, but I will add them here. </p>

<p>For an overall college experience, I think it would be tough to beat USC and its new Gamepipe Lab, USC</a> GamePipe Labs. In the Viterbi School of Engineering you can major in Computer Science with a Game emphasis: USC</a> GamePipe Labs.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>At USC you will work with students from other schools when you design games.
USC encourages double majors and also encourages interdisciplinary studies and cooperation between schools. For example, for last fall's "Demo Game Day," students from three schools worked together on teams to create video games. USC</a> Viterbi School of Engineering : Viterbi Game Day Builds USC Stature as National Center for Interactive Arts. Students came from the Viterbi School of Engineering, the Roski School of Fine Arts, and the School of Cinematic Arts. These were students "from computer science, interactive media, fine arts, animation, and composers from the School of Music."</p></li>
<li><p>USC works closely with industry to help place students.
For example, at the Demo Game Day I mentioned above the best of the best attended:</p></li>
</ol>

<p>
[quote]
Industry representation included Applied Minds, THQ, EA LA, EA Mobile, Activision, Northrup Grummann, Disney Interactive Studios, Digital Domain, Emsense, Disney VR Studios, Sony Online Entertainment, Sony Computer Enteratinmane of America, Steamboat Ventures, Blizzard, Google, Insomniac Games, Naughtdog Games, iSportGames, and Creative Artists Agency.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You may want to read a 2006 NY Times article about GamePipe: Video</a> Gaming Degree Is Available to USC Students - New York Times </p>

<ol>
<li><p>USC has the Viterbi School of Engineering and the great people there.
Though USC has around 16,000 undergraduates, the Viterbi School and the people there go out of their way to make you feel part of a much smaller group. They have activities for the engineering students and crazy contests which involve building concrete canoes and walking on water. (And yes, I mean literally!) They are also interested in all aspects of their engineering students, not just the math and science parts. For example, this past January the actor Alan Alda spent a day at the Viterbi School talking to the students about public speaking. </p></li>
<li><p>USC has many other things going for it.
The USC campus is beautiful and vibrant. The students S and I met were nice, friendly and came from all over the world as well as the US. Lots of sports activities for the participant and the spectator, lots of clubs and organizations (over 600), and lots of school spirit. USC also has great cultural events, great climate, and a great marching band!</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Concerning your high school friends, I bet that if you choose USC, they will be finding ways to come visit YOU at USC, especially during football season and in February. Good luck on your decision.</p>

15

<p>IF your total 4 yr debt at USC is less than 25K-30K than choose USC if it is more than go to Howard. Howard is the best HBCU out there and you will make plenty of connections in DC. You have to think about travel back and forth to see family. I would also start applying for scholarship money like crazy.</p>