usc vs. ucla, specifics

<p>right now im a freshman at usc. it's kind of expensive. it's not too bad, but it is a burden. and now that my dad is employed again, i have a feeling we'll get less aid. of course we'll be making more money too, but compared to ucla, it'll still be at least several thousand dollars a semester... which doesn't necessarily sound like a lot, but it i wonder if it's worth it.... and it could end up being a lot more than that, too, i don't know.</p>

<p>but my question is this. i always hear that USC has really good alumni connections. is that worth however much more i'm going to spend?</p>

<p>if i stay at USC i will most likely be an IR major, and if i transfer to UCLA it'll probably be sociology. (considering east asian studies or asian american studies at both schools, too.) i know that USC's IR program is supposed to be really good. i also know that UCLA is just good in general in the social sciences...</p>

<p>i'll probably take a couple years off after graduation to fulfill some personal goals............. so i wonder if the alumni network will really make a difference?</p>

<p>i don't know, as you can tell, i am pretty confused. can anyone straighten this out for me?</p>

<p>How much tuition are you paying at USC?
Also, how much of your aid is merit-based versus need-based?</p>