usc vs princeton

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
1

<p>not the usual "harvard vs princeton", "princeton vs yale", etc.</p>

<p>im applying to usc's screenwriting program. i know that going there could get me a ton of connections in the industry. i wouldnt have to study to improve my sat scores for a retake in january or take anything besides regular stats next term.</p>

<p>but then i'm drawn to yale, princeton, and a few of the other ivies.</p>

<p>can anyone tell me honestly what are the major differences between the top ivies and a school like usc? is usc pretty much just as good or is there a palpable difference (in education, in environment, student body, anything)?</p>

2

<p>USC is #1 in the world for filmmaking. It’s also in Southern California, where the movie industry is.</p>

<p>There’s no point in going to HYPSM except for prestige.</p>

3

<p>There are huge differences besides prestige. History (do you want to walk on the same paths as Revolutionary soldiers?), tradition (want to sleep in F.Scott Fitzgerald’s dorm?),
culture (house parties in tuxes/gowns instead of flip-flops?) etc. </p>

<p>If you have grown up on the West Coast, HYPs would be a real education. If you’ve already experienced the east, then the benefits of the USC film program might benefit you most (and allow you to avoid the SAT retake).</p>

4

<p>Go to USC. It will help a lot more for your career.</p>

<p>History, tradition, and culture are secondary to going where you want in life.</p>

5

<p>@ fauve, yeah, i’ve grown up in southern cali all my life, but i’ve always sought a more cultured, intellectual environment, which is why i do think i would like to go an ivy or similar school. :-/ so do you think that the environment at usc would not be nearly as high-class and intelligent as that at the ivies?</p>

<p>@ randombetch: i’m going to go to usc or nyu eventually for all the film connections. but my question whether i should do all i can right now to get into an ivy and experience that for undergrad, then go to usc or nyu for grad, or whether the two experiences for undergrad are not all that different and i should just go to usc. but it seems that the consensus is that an ivy undergrad experience IS quite different than a usc one?</p>

6

<p>Here’s my take:</p>

<p>USC has more/better Greek life, is in Socal, and has way better looking females/males. Waaaay easier classes. And their film school is definitely the way to go if you want to get into the movie industry.</p>

<p>Princeton has prestige, history, tradition, eating clubs, a nicer campus, and better professors. And grade deflation.</p>

<p>I would without a doubt choose USC if I were you. If you realllly want the Ivy League experience, then I guess it’s a different story…</p>

7

<p>UCLA has a better film school. NYU has a good one too if you want to go to the east.</p>

8

<p>@randombetch:</p>

<p>USC has more/better Greek life</p>

<p>–not something i like. i would prefer a school with a much smaller greek culture.</p>

<p>is in Socal
–this i’m not sure about. i live in socal, and i like it a lot. but i think i would also love living in the east.</p>

<p>and has way better looking females/males.
–are you sure? i visited usc and didn’t see any, but…</p>

<p>Waaaay easier classes.
–does this also mean less intellectually stimulating?</p>

<p>And their film school is definitely the way to go if you want to get into the movie industry.
–and there’s the kicker. but what do you think about my “going to an ivy for undergrad and usc for grad” idea? </p>

<p>Princeton has prestige
–always a good thing.</p>

<p>tradition
–what do you mean by this exactly?</p>

<p>eating clubs
–they sound fun from what i’ve read, but i don’t know a TON about them… what do you think of them?</p>

<p>a nicer campus
–i’d really love a beautiful campus.</p>

<p>and better professors.
–how do you know?</p>

<p>And grade deflation.
–maybe wouldn’t be much of a problem since usc/nyu grad school focuses MORE on one’s talent than on one’s gpa?</p>

<p>I would without a doubt choose USC if I were you. If you realllly want the Ivy League experience, then I guess it’s a different story…
–what made you choose princeton? does it have to do with your major?</p>

<p>@ itry:</p>

<p>ucla does not by any stretch of the imagination have a better film school than usc, if that’s what you’re saying…</p>

<p>usc and nyu are tied for number 1, though.</p>

9

<p>I think that it’s important for any artist to be aware of the world around them. Going to Princeton or any ivy will surely doing that for you. </p>

<p>Conservatories and conservatory-esque programs are great, but the people and experiences (not to mention the connections) you will encounter on an ivy campus will undoubtedly benefit you in the long run.</p>

<p>Then there’s always conservatory for grad school!</p>

10

<p>wait, im a little confused. it seems you’re saying that i’ll have the same great experiences at usc but you also seem to think an ivy would be better, then usc for grad school?</p>

11

<p>Sorry if I wasn’t clear, let me lay it out for you:</p>

<ul>
<li>In my opinion (MY opinion aka not the only opinion) going to a conservatory limits artists, especially actors and writers, because successful execution of each of these arts requires that the artist have a thorough understanding of people and the world around them. At conservatories, you’re simply required to practice your craft. At a liberal arts college, you’re free to practice your craft as much as you like, but you’re also required to do things like: read great literature, challenge yourself in difficult classes with brilliant students and professors, and such.</li>
</ul>

<p>Let me give ya some personal experience. I really want to do acting with my life and the drama scene at Yale is essentially why I picked it over other schools. The great thing I’ve found about Yale is that many of the other actors, musicians, writers, filmmakers picked it over conservatories for the same reasons as I: they wanted a chance to discuss literature, read philosophy, and find themselves (i hate the term “finding one’s self” but whatevz) and their own opinions about the world in a place that fosters learning and discovery. But in addition to working on themselves as people, they’re able to take part in as many plays, orchestras, literary journals as they want (I participated in 4 plays this semester - as a freshman! This is a lot more than I can say for my friend at Carnegie Mellon who probably won’t be cast in a show until next year… and the shows at Yale are good - because Yale students won’t let them not be :p).</p>

<p>I love this place because the people are just as, and in most cases more, talented than the friends that I have currently studying at conservatories. They’re also tons more interesting because they have a genuine passion for learning not just about their craft, but about the world around them. </p>

<p>Hollywood is interesting because it’s not like Wall Street where an HYPWharton education will almost invariably get your foot in the door, rather it’s luck of the draw no matter where you went to school - in some cases you don’t even have to go to school! But (as an actor) I will say that the actors I find most inspiring are people like Meryl Streep - people who are not 100% their art, but 100% about telling stories about the world through their art.</p>

<p>That’s point 1.</p>

<p>Point 2: Conservatories for grad school are great! I totally endorse this idea.</p>