<p>Which is better academically?
Major- Anthropology (social and culture)
Which is internationally known?</p>
<p>Helppppppppppppppppp</p>
<p>There are a lot of other factors you should consider; would you be equally happy going to both? What are you looking for in a college? The strength of academics, although important, should be one of many selection criteria.
That being said, Rice is stronger.</p>
<p>rice is higher ranked</p>
<p>Internationally known: Rice </p>
<p>More academic prestige: Rice</p>
<p>From The Princeton Review</p>
<p>University Of Southern California:</p>
<p>Academics:</p>
<p>"The University of Southern California boasts “a dynamic and culturally diverse campus located in a world-class city which is equally dynamic and culturally diverse.” Everything related to cinema is “top notch.” Among the other 150 or so majors here, programs in journalism, business, engineering, and architecture are particularly notable. The honors programs are “very good,” too. One of the best perks about USC is its “large and enthusiastic alumni network.” Becoming “part of the Trojan Family” is a great way to jumpstart your career because USC graduates love to hire other USC graduates. “Almost everyone talks about getting job offers based solely on going to USC.” “The school seems to run very smoothly, with few administrative issues ever being problematic enough to reach the awareness of the USC student community,” says an international relations major. The top brass “is a bit mysterious and heavy handed,” though. Also, “they milk every dime they can get from you.” Academically, some students call the general education courses “a complete waste of time.” There are a few “real narcissists” on the faculty as well as some professors “who seem to just be there because they want to do research.” Overall, though, students report that professors “make the subject matter come alive” and make themselves “very available” outside the classroom. “My academic experience at USC is fabulous,” gushes an aerospace engineering major. “I would not choose any other school.”</p>
<p>Student Body:</p>
<p>“The one thing that unites everyone here is “tons of Trojan pride.” USC students are also “intensely ambitious” and, while there are some “complete slackers,” many students hit the books “harder then they let on.” Otherwise, students insist that, “contrary to popular belief, USC has immense diversity.” “The stereotypical USC student is a surfer fraternity bro or a tan, trendy sorority girl from the O.C.” You’ll find plenty of those. Many students are also “extremely good looking.” Ethnic minorities and a high number of international students make up sizeable contingents of the undergraduate population as well. If you’re gay, you shouldn’t have any problems. “No one cares what your gender orientation is,” says a first-year student. “The only important question is whether or not you can be hooked up with.” There are “prissy L.A. types” and “spoiled” kids. In some circles, “family income and the brands of clothes you wear definitely matter.” However, “though there are quite a few who come from mega wealth, there are also many who are here on a great deal of financial aid.” There are “lots of nerds,” too, and a smattering of “band geeks and film freaks.” Most students don’t stray too far from the mainstream, though. “You have to go out of your way to find funky people,” advises a sophomore.”</p>
<p>Campus Life:</p>
<p>“Students at USC complain quite a bit about their “smelly, ugly” housing. Recreation facilities aren’t much, either. “For such an athletic school, the student gym is embarrassing.” Also, students stress the fact that the area around USC is “impoverished” and “notoriously unsafe.” “People get mugged all the time.” On campus, though, life is “vibrant.” There are more than 600 student organizations. Theatrical and musical productions are “excellent.” School spirit is “extreme” and “infectious.” “Football games are huge.” “There is absolutely nothing that can top watching our unbelievable football team throttle the competition,” says a merciless sophomore. “Drinking is a big part of the social scene” as well. “We definitely have some of the sickest parties ever,” claims an impressed freshman. “Greek life is very big” and, on the weekends, a strong contingent of students “religiously” visits “The Row, the street lined with all the fraternity and sorority houses.” Students also have “the sprawling city of Los Angeles as their playground.” It’s an “eclectic place with both high and low culture and some of the best shopping in the world.” “Hollywood clubs and downtown bars” are popular destinations. Art exhibits, concerts, and “hip restaurants” are everywhere. However, “you need a car.” L.A. traffic may be “a buzz kill” but students report that it’s considerably preferable to the “absolutely terrible” public transportation system.”</p>
<p>Rice University</p>
<p>Academics:
"Students tell us that Rice University provides “an Ivy League education without the Eastern establishment elitism and cutthroat competition.” As at the Ivies, there’s a lot of high-profile research going on here; unlike at least some of the Ivies, though, “Many of the top researchers at the school teach intro level classes in their fields.” Undergrads here benefit from Rice’s relatively small size; as one student explains, the school “is small enough that you’re always running into someone you know, but big enough that you can easily do awesome research, be a part of a radio station reaching all of Houston, or get involved in the performing arts.” Academically, the school “is heavily focused on the sciences and engineering,” and although the school has made efforts to bolster its other disciplines, for at least the time being “the humanities and social sciences are perceived as ‘easy’ majors, and while there are a lot of great resources for these disciplines here, sometimes we who study them feel forgotten in a sea of bioengineers and premeds.” Perceptions notwithstanding, academics across the board here are “challenging, but there is an extensive support network and it is not a competitive environment.” Indeed, undergrads agree that “Rice University is dedicated to its students, whether in the classroom through providing top-notch professors who are approachable…or just around campus by catering to students’ professed real needs and desires” by an administration that is “extremely sensitive to students’ needs and concerns.”</p>
<p>Student Body:
““Everyone at Rice is weird with some talent, oddity, or quirk that would otherwise attract attention in the normal world, but is accepted as totally normal here,” students inform us. “Through the madness is how people bond.” The residential college system also helps, as it “ensures a lot of mixing among different majors, races, interests, and geographic origins. People are similar enough and smart enough and have enough converging interests to make good friends with each other.” Elite schools are best positioned to build a diverse student body, and Rice is no exception to the rule; here you’ll find “people with extremely diverse beliefs and backgrounds. We are not overly Democrat or Republican, we are not overly religious (though we do have a good number of active organizations, particularly Campus Crusade for Christ and Hillel), and we come from anything ranging from public high schools to boarding schools.” However, the school “is not very diverse geographically, as 50 percent come from Texas.””</p>
<p>Campus Life:
"You can’t understand life at Rice without understanding the residential college system, which many, many students say is “hands down the best thing about Rice.” Under the system, “You are placed in a dorm and you live there all four years. It’s great because it gives you another family and allows you to get to know everyone in your college. Rather than having frats or sororities that you have to be approved of to join, your college immediately accepts you without question.” Each college “has developed its own personality, traditions, and completely student-led government…. When asked ‘Where are you from?’ students almost always reply not with their hometown but with their college affiliation.” Students are equally enthusiastic about Rice’s “wet campus” policy, under which “You can have alcohol in your room, you can drink it at Pub, and you can drink it at on-campus public parties (for free!).” While this results in “a fairly large drinking culture” on campus, “there are also tons of people who don’t ever drink…. There’s something for everyone at Rice, and there’s very little pressure to enter a sphere of activity that makes you uncomfortable.” Hometown Houston “is not the prettiest or most pedestrian-friendly city in America, but it is one of the most vibrant, futuristic places you can live right now, and the opportunities for research within the Houston community are unparalleled.” Rice wants students to explore the city; explains one student, “The serveries are closed on Saturday nights, so people have to get off campus…. There are shuttles that take you to the Village, a fun place with shops, restaurants, and bars not to far from campus…. It’s a really great excuse to find out what Houston has to offer.”</p>
<p>Rice is better academically. USC is probably better known.</p>
<p>where do you see yourself after graduation, that is the one most important question you need to ask yourself. If its in Texas then go to Rice
if you want to live in cali, go to USC, if you’ll be going back home wherever it is, pick the school that is better known in your area.</p>
<p>USC has an excellent undergrad business school and is more social and sports oriented. Rice is better in everything else I think.</p>
<p>USC recently got rid of the German department, which was stunning especially for a school with 16,000 undergrads. While the school has good programs in the preprofessional fields, its arts and sciences programs are not well-known and with a move like this, I’d investigate further before making a decision, especially when there are many other schools out there. I sm not familiar with Rice but my impression is that it’s a small university with strong programs across the board.</p>
<p>USC still has a German department. However, it does not offer a major or minor in German. Beware of the USC bashers here on CC!</p>
<p>You should also look at the two locations: LA vs Houston…pretty different so it depends on what type of person you are.</p>
<p>Columbia_Student, please refrain from engaging personal attack and calling names (e.g. “bashers”).</p>
<p>[Daily</a> Trojan - Department’s elimination lacks vision](<a href=“http://www.dailytrojan.com/2.1602/1.202368]Daily”>http://www.dailytrojan.com/2.1602/1.202368)
[Daily</a> Trojan - German dept. has been disbanded](<a href=“http://www.dailytrojan.com/news/1.202357]Daily”>http://www.dailytrojan.com/news/1.202357)</p>
<p>There’s virtually no difference between “get rid of” and words like “cut”, “eliminate”, or “disband”…etc. Of course they can’t just make it disappear overnight; there are still German majors/minors in the school. But it’s clear elimination is the plan after the last German major/minor graduate.</p>
<p>But this person asked about Anthropology major, why do you mention German? Note that some LACs like Pomona does not offer some of the majors that USC offer. For example, majors such as creative writing, comparative literature are not separate majors at Pomona.</p>
<p>go to Rice</p>
<p>ditto what frenchie12 said.</p>
<p>Rice has higher SAT’s, but not as much as I thought.</p>
<p>[College</a> Navigator - Compare Institutions](<a href=“College Navigator - Compare Institutions”>College Navigator - Compare Institutions)</p>
<p>Also, the percent admitted and yield is nearly identical.</p>
<p>…Rice…USC
Percent admitted… 25%… 25%
Percent admitted who enrolled… 33%… 35%</p>
<p>The biggest difference is size. Rice (3017) and USC (16384) are on opposite sides of the spectrum for number of undergraduates at a university. USC is greater than five Rice’s. </p>
<p>USC takes in more transfers, and has some commuters. This must make for more of a large public school atmosphere, whereas at Rice it must have a cozier residential feel, with more class year identity.</p>
<p>The most telling statistic about USC is its retention and graduation. It doesn’t match up with other competitive private universities.</p>
<p>…Rice…USC
Bachelor’s degree rate, 4-year… 77%… 66%
Bachelor’s degree rate, 5-year… 89%… 82%
Bachelor’s degree rate, 6-year… 90%… 85%</p>
<p>The 5-7% difference might not seem like that much, but at 5 years, 11% not graduating is a lot less than 18%. And retention means a lot, after all, graduating is what a university is all about in the end, isn’t it? Nothing good comes from students not graduating.</p>
<p>The big thing about USC is brand and energy. It really seems to mean something to be a Trojan, because it isn’t something you discover about someone after you know them awhile. Oh no, you’ll know it from the get-go, from the personalized plate (e.g. TRJN4LF) on their BMW, to their cardinal and gold wardrobe, etc.</p>
<p>JW,
Last year SC’s admit rate was 22% for the incoming class for fall 2008. Also, the SAT scores rose. These statistics can be found on the SC undergraduate forum on the SC website. The website is: [USC</a> - University of Southern California](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu%5DUSC”>http://www.usc.edu). Click on undergraduate admissions and then click on the freshman profile.
Admission is first to the university, then to a particular school. Some of these schools are extremely selective, notably the School of Cinematic Arts which admits 4% or 5% of applicants, depending upon the program. It is my understanding admit rates for the Schools of Music and Theatre are also in the single digits. The Annenberg School of Communication is also quite selective as is the undergraduate Marshall School of Business.
I live in a southern state and am aware of the fine reputation of Rice University. These are two very different universities. It will come down to the best “fit” for the applicant and where he/she is admitted.</p>
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<p>USC’s stats have been rising precipitously. But in making a comparison it is useful to have a website link that compares the two universities using the same methodology, which College Navigator does. If you know of another website that has comparisons with more current data, then that’s great, let’s see it. We’d otherwise have to look at USC’s site, and then Rice’s, and you’d have to look real closely at how each is being reported.</p>
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<p>Well, that is in Rice’s favor then, because the majority of students will be applying for general admission, and the huge numbers applying and being rejected by the specialty schools make general admission look more selective than it actually is.</p>