My daughter was accepted to USC, UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis. She is wait listed at UCLA.
She needs to decide before May 1st.
After all the financial considerations are in place in our particular situation; USC will be $14,000 more per year than the UC system.
Is it worth the additional $56,000 during a four year span at USC vs a UC school?
If she goes to a UC school we can pay her cost in full. If she goes to USC she will have to work a few hours a week on Campus and incur $20k to 30K in debt.
My daughter is undeclared and she will need to find her way into whatever she may like.
We are very impressed with USC. It appears that that there is more personalized attention and more opportunities to explore different subjects. The UC system appears to offer the same ,in theory. However, it appears that the classes are impacted and exploring can be limited by the ability to get into classes. There is a lot discussions about not been able to graduate in 4 years at the UCs. I went to UC Davis and all I remember is how competitive it was. Many smart people , not too much attention from professors and midterms and finals where 50% accuracy was an A.
My daughter has visited all four schools and she ranks them like this #1 USC; #2UC Davis ;#3 UC Santa Barbara.
UCLA may be at par with USC but she is wait listed.
Can a USC degree open more doors or prepare her better to justify the additional cost (56K)?
We are trying to decide based on Educational and job opportunities.
Clearly, she does not want to make a decision based on location. They all have good and bad things so to her the location is not that important anymore.
No question it is. Frankly, the only one in those three I would be considering is UCLA an even then would still go USC. We had same decision with UCLA a few years back. Yes, it is likely to take 5 years to graduate going in undeclared at UCs. Then there is the whole issue of getting into your major. The inflexibility and struggle at the UCs was not the environment I wanted my student in. This may seem trivial. but where we live, I find CA to be a big enough struggle daily - getting on the highways, parking, getting concert or movie tickets - I wanted their college experience to not be such a battle. At USC she will have all that big spirit school and be able to do what she wants major or double major wise. If she picks wrong at a UC, it could delay grad or she may not be able to get into other one. Worst thing is to spend 4 (or 5) years getting a degree you don’t really want. I don’t think UC alum are nearly as bonded as many schools, USC as you probably know has a super alumni network - it is no joke. And yes, it will open more doors than a UC. I think UCLA alum seem more bonded over sports than job connections (at least the ones I know).
She can work summers, I don’t think reasonable debt is a problem to go to such a great private university (big differences), they can bear some responsibility. Don’t forget to calculate 5 years at a UC then the income she will lose not working during that year. Or be optimistic and plan on 4 at a UC. Either way, USC is worth it. If it is her #1 too, I don’t see a big decision.
Thank you. Great comments and very reassuring.
JT
I have 2 at USC and have never ever regretted the one not going to UCLA (the other is an athlete and it was always USC Trojans :)>- for him, not a Bruin.
Ya, the neighborhood isn’t so nice around USC, but that is pretty much the only downside (oh ya that cost thing too) but there are so many good things about the school that counter that. And it is good for our kids to learn to navigate an urban area - someday they may be on a business trip on their own, and they will know better how to handle themselves.
Little perk you many not have thought of - at USC she will live with just one other room mate, no bunk beds with 3 or 4 crammed in a dorm room that are randomly put together. USC’s room mate matching is great (or she can find her own on FB). If she fills out the profile honestly, she will get a great match.
You can’t imagine the pride she will feel (and you too!) going to USC. Maybe premature, but welcome to the Trojan Family (maybe???)! PM me any time if ya have any questions…good luck!
I’ve looked into the cost of USC vs a UC for our son who will be applying in the fall and figure the difference is very close to what you have come up with. We would not want to incur that much debt, it’s just too much for our comfort level. I don’t fear the ability to get classes at one of those UCs very much, you can always crash a class if necessary. If your D is in an Honors program at a UC, she won’t have an issue with classes due to priority enrollment/early pass times.
In this case:
Public = stress, crash a class, and hope to get in
Private = get a class…and in your major
Price dif worth the benefits. Peer/friend groups will vary at them as well. Look at big picture. Not just the 4 years, but over their career and social life going forward for decades.
My dd is at Davis and has effectively planned her schedule so that she could have graduated early. (She’s loved Davis BTW). Instead, she’s graduating with most of her friends in their 4 years. I don’t know why people keep saying that you will graduate in 5 years at a UC, when it’s not really true, according to many of my former students, as well as family members.
USC is a large campus with good programs. Yes, they have a combined school spirit that is unmatched in California with their huge sports programs and Greek system. My sister attended USC, so I speak from seeing her personal experiences. The down side is the area in which it is in, as well as the costs associated with going there. They have a huge alumni network which is good with finding jobs and keeping in touch with classmates, but their fanaticism can be very trying on others (Sister doesn’t allow her children to wear anything blue/gold because those are UCLA colors-really stupid, in my opinion).
Your dd needs to decide what she wants to do with her future, as far as debt is concerned.
My son was accepted at USC as a National Merit Winner, but opted not to go because of future debt.
If you are comfortable with your dd incurring that kind of debt and interest, that’s a decision your family will have to make if she wants to go there.
Thank again for all the great comments and very good points.
As a father paying the bill I would make a financial decision. Considering that all are good schools.
USC does the best job in promoting the school and emphasizing their strengths.
My wife and daughter pretty much overruled my financial warnings because they think that 56k is not a big price for the added benefits of USC.
my daughter will be just 18 when she stars college and does not have a clear idea of what she wants to do. My hope is that the flexibility to explore at USC will serve her well. I know for fact that irbid hard to change career paths and to explore classes at the UC. All classes are highly impacted with wait lists and priorities for those who may already have a defined track.
I am terrorized by the stories of people with liberal arts degrees who can not even get a decent paying job and yet the graduate with debt. That is when reality sets in . We live in the SF Bay Area and most well paying jobs are in STEM related fields. Companies claim they do not have the Americans for those jobs and hire armies of overseas people .
I hope my daughter mixes a good liberal arts foundation with some quantitative capabilities .
It looks like USC for her and I am jumping on board.
Thank you for all your good comments.
JT-a concerned $$ parent
USC offers great financial incentives if one has the grades, sat and a very good track of community service and activities.
Sort sorry for the typos. From an iPhone…
Sticker price tuition + room and board is 70k for USC vs 34k for UC
USC grants such Presidential award 50% off tuition or Trustee 75% off will narrow the gap.
Many other grants may factor at USC.
The UC system do not give anything unless you have very, very low income and it is more like federal and state grants.
USC Is more difficult to get in than most UC schools except UCLA.
UCLA received 98k undergraduate applicants . The most applied to school in the nation.
Wikipedia list the USC vs UCLA rivalry as good nature. With many alumni crossing schools for graduate school. And many marriages between the two camps. I hope all well educated people who just have fun with it.
I am sure your sister likes to overplay for effects and makes the colors a big deal.
I have some neighbors who display the USC , Cal flags in their house and pretend not to like each other when cal plays USC . All good … Great folks from all camps
I will be at the USC and UCLA tennis match this weekend at USC. I know and will be hugging players on both sides of the net - it is certainly a fun rivalry indeed. The football games are insane. When you can get thousands of students to leave Thanksgiving weekend early to return to school on Friday so they can be back for the USC/UCLA football game on Saturday, that is a great, healthy, and crazy fun rivalry!