<p>hi!
so i'm having a really hard time choosing between USC and UNC - both are REALLY great schools with great business programs and i would be happy at both! but i'm really conflicted at the moment. price isn't the current issue (both cost about the same).
i'm from NC, so i'm wondering how being on the opposite coast will go, especially because i don't have any connection to the west coast and i've done the whole dorm thing at summer programs, but i've been kind of babied in the way that i haven't had to do much on my own like laundry and such...
i have a general idea of pros and cons, but i was hoping some of y'all could offer any insight into which might be better and why?</p>
<p>well at USC you are going to meet a very ethnically diverse group of students from all kinds of backgrounds and locations. It is a true melting pot, which may or may not be different from what you are used to in NC. And the west coast, especially Calif, is very informal in dress standards.</p>
<p>What major specifically are you looking to do? Finance, Marketing, Accounting or which?</p>
<p>menloparkmom- it’s a little different, seeing as i’m asian but i’ve always been surrounded by caucasians, so i’m really not all that asian. if that makes sense? and i tend to dress on the “preppier” side in terms of the style spectrum, kind of like the stereotypical southern dress that you see at tailgates. i guess you could say that i would “fit in” with UNC but i’m wondering if people on the west coast be accepting? i think USC would be a great experience and something new, but that’s one of my worries.</p>
<p>11starbuck- i was planning on majoring in business administration at both schools</p>
<p>UNC is the better business school for finance/banking according to Newsweek rankings.</p>
<p>“i’m wondering if people on the west coast be accepting?”
No need to worry about that. But you probably will end up wanting to wear Tshirts and shorts at USC once you get there. USC is a very “casual” place. Not academically, but on the outside. There is much less emphasis on “fitting in” here as there are so many different types of students at USC.</p>
<p>As I am headed to USC Marshall next year I wouldn’t be too surprised if I just shot off some SC propaganda XD.</p>
<p>I will however, try to be unbiased.</p>
<p>Do not consider rankings what soever. USC and UNC are essentially even in respect to rankings, UNC is tied for seventh and USC is tied for the position RIGHT after it. In fact, in most categories these two schools are nearly identical. UNC sports are top notch, you dont even have to ask about USC. Both schools have tons of spirit and both schools are famous for their alumni networks. However, they also both have a similar flaw. Their reputations of the opposite coast are remotely lacking. They have phenomenal job placement in their local region, relatively high placement in their coast, but average to below average placement on the other side of the country. If you a looking to get a Job in LA/SoCal and even NorCal ( San Fran. etc), then USC is your easy answer. If you are hoping to stay in North Carolina’s remote region then UNC would be an easy choice.</p>
<p>Now here is the only major set back UNC has. USC is on the west coast - which has only three/four major competitors for post-undergraduate business jobs - Stanford Berkeley USC and UCLA. UCLA students tend to go onto Masters programs and USC/Berkeley recruiting are dead even ( if you want to debate that we’ll do that on a another thread XD). Stanford obviously is way ahead. The East coast however is FLOODED with top notch business schools. Harvard, Penn, Georgetown, Cornell level schools which for silly egotistical reasons are preferred equally or more so than UNC grads are competing for thee same jobs as you. Even within North Carolina, UNC has to compete with Duke econ major who often go into consulting/finance for two/three years before returning to get an MBA. </p>
<p>While I personally believe the quality of education at USC and UNC are nearly identical, I think your choice comes down to job placement. USC’s Trojan family has phenomenal placement especially in Southern California. UNC grads, though aptly prepared, have to fight off much tougher competition than the USC kids. On top of all that Marshall is renowned for being the only program to allow freshman to do international travel. USC has the highest ranked honors program and other such exciting little tid bits.</p>
<p>One thing to consider however ( other than cost of course) is that UNC and USC will both provide fantastic college experiences. They both seem to nurture a mentality which advocates fun along with work and the students in both university seem to understand college is more than simply reading and memorizing. You can’t possibly make a bad decision between the two so dont worry!</p>
<p>^^ well summarised supakew!! and welcome to the Trojan Family!</p>
<p>Jumpthenfall…I don’t see how…if you’re from NC, that the cost is roughly equal…unless you’re getting no help from UNC, and you’re getting tons of merit $$$ from USC. </p>
<p>The other posters have framed it really well. I’ll give you the opinion of a midwesterner who’s spent significant time (10 years) working in Norcal, and doing biz in Socal. Personally I’d go with USC. Why? for me, I lean west in terms of “feel” and intangibles. There is such an “everything is possible” feeling on the west coast. Despite the crappy California economy, and the state gov going to hell…there really is an American West kind of feel. I don’t mean cowboy boots. I mean “you can do anything if you try” kind of feel. It’s the silicon valley feel. If however you are very comfortable with just a touch more formality, and form…and you’re thinking that you might go back to the east coast to live/work…then UNC is a fine choice. If you simply want to “get away” there’s UVA right up the road. Or U of Miami’s biz school is a real up and comer. Both good student engagement and spirit. Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>mitchkreyben- i did not receive any aid or grant money from Carolina but USC is offering a hefty sum and i received outside scholarships (it’s a little bit more expensive than CH with everything factored in, but roughly the same in that the difference of cost is not a big deal).</p>
<p>but thank you so much to everyone! i’m not entirely sure of where i want to work post-graduation, but after much consideration, i think i’ve finally decided that i want to become a part of the Trojan Family!
fight on!</p>
<p>Jumpthefall, congratulations! My son made the decision last week too to become a Trojan instead of a Tarheel. I know of one other boy going as well from NC. Hope we get to meet you soon!</p>
<p>Another tarheel…we live in charlotte NC…my son attending USC with double major in chemistry and business. feel free to message us privately if you want to locate other NC folks going to USC…we don’t know of too many but a few…:)</p>
<p>Ironically my D applied to UNC from outstate. As you know they severely limit outstate acceptances…to the point where admittance from out of state is literally as tough as getting into a top tier national…(ivy stanford U Chicago etc.) My d didn’t get accepted at unc…but is accepted at several tougher admittance schools including USC, and will be a trojan. I have an odd feeling about UNC’s student pop. in the sense that it’s 85% NC kids of mid to high level academic ability…and 15 percent out of state kids with steller top level performance. sort of odd in that if you’re on campus and meet an out of state kid…you know instantly. Wonder if they all hang together? After talking to lots of acquintances about this…there’s actually a tiny bit of UNC backlash out there from out of state. Perhaps not fair…but indeed its’ sort of a “who do they think they are” kind of feeling…big state school limiting like that. But if you think about it…they’re built to serve NC kids…and they can make the rules. It’s fair…because of the tax dollars.</p>
<p>UNC-CH instate students rarely have “mid level” performance. extremely tough to get into even in state unless you are from very rural area which is under-represented or have some other special “hook”. In Charlotte, I have heard of kids who got into an IVY and didn’t get into UNC-CH…hard to believe…
So, obviously your D, very qualified…should make you feel so proud…</p>
<p>mothermd. Are you saying that the cutoff for instate kids is as tough as for out of state. I defer to your knowledge of this, but must say that most of the literature I read on that leads one to believe that if you live in NC it’s much easier to get in, than if you are from out of state.</p>