USC vs. UNC

College Search & Selection
1

<p>USC vs. UNC</p>

<p>My son is deciding between USC (CAS) and UNC-CH (OOS) Ironically, these were both safeties for him; he was waitlisted elsewhere (fingers crossed for UVA). IR major, not planning on grad school (would he have to?). Wants to work in foreign affairs probably for the US gov., perhaps with one of the 3 letter orgs. eg CIA, etc. He wants to work on east coast (DC) one day, but not imperative. </p>

<p>USC: </p>

<p>Pros:</p>

<p>T.O. honors program
smaller classes (with TO, even the core or GE classes would be small)
Presidential Scholarship (½ tuition).
advising
weather
alumni network
impeccable facilities
prefers big city to small college town
USC encourages double majors and major minors across their entire system ie bus/eng/CAS schools
easy to change majors and/or change schools if interests change</p>

<p>Cons:</p>

<p>distance: (we live on the east coast), cost of travel and difficulty networking/interviewing for east coast jobs
housing: not guaranteed beyond sophomore year, one can find housing but $$$
can't really take advantage of LA w/o a car which he won't have</p>

<p>UNC: </p>

<p>Pros:</p>

<p>great academic reputation
proximity to home and region of desired future employment
inexpensive off campus housing
can have a car as upperclassman
great college town</p>

<p>Cons:</p>

<p>not in honors program (but can apply in Jan.)
no money coming (we do not qualify for any financial aide)
larger classes
more T/A's
fewer offerings/choices
much more difficult to get in to certain classes (UNC actually warns you of this when planning your schedule)
very worried over budget crisis at the UNC system, 15+% cuts from state revenue coming, how will the UNC system absorb this? No one knows, but larger classes, fewer offerings, more TA's, more than 8 semesters to graduate (UNC actually warns you of this when planning your schedule), large hikes in OOS tuition, these are all very real possibilities </p>

<p>Visited both. Liked both. Students seem very happy at both. Similar student body size and academics, S got a little better vibe at USC, (liked the physical campus slightly more, and the laid back attitude of the students) and likes the honors option. Costs are a neutral for us. $ out of pocket about the same after all things such as travel, LA housing, merit aide etc. factored in. </p>

<p>The big issue comes down to UNC's budget crisis and what that will mean for academics, vs. USC's distance to home and desired future employment on the east coast.</p>

<p>Thoughts?</p>

2

<p>the CIA recruits at USC
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/1134504-trojan-network-intelligence-agencies.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/1134504-trojan-network-intelligence-agencies.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I’ve seen the CIA at recruitment fairs. Also this article might be of interest: Usc Cia - USC marketing class helps CIA recruitment - Los Angeles Times</p>

<p>Quote:</p>

<p>“All we hear today is about the bad economy and how this is basically the worst time to graduate. But the CIA is very interested in hiring graduating seniors and is targeting USC students,” said Allison Kosty, a political science major who is in a class of USC students working on the CIA campaign. “So that’s a huge bonus for us.”</p>

<p>I’ve interviewed with the CIA at the career fair. They do definitely want bright USC students, but be aware that the hiring process is long because of the security clearance that you need to get.</p>

3

<p>curious how UNC-OOS was a “safety for him” when they only take 18% of their freshman class OOS…</p>

<p>if the kid has the attitude of the parent, I think USC would be a better fit; don’t think he would fit at UNC</p>

4

<p>Thank you for the link. Yes, my son told me that they pointed that out at the Explore USC day on campus a few weeks ago. However, the CIA recruits at many institutions, ie I don’t know if USC is “targeted” or just one of many that they visit, and just what exactly that recruiting would mean, over say applying to the CIA from UNC-CH. Also, we recognize that ideas change during college, and he may change his mind about the CIA (eg if the salary is too low to live on as I’ve heard is often the case), so would appreciate input on the availability of other opportunities on the east coast as a graduate of USC vs. UNC-CH.</p>

5

<p>Is the cost the of USC the same for you as UNC? or is it less because of the scholarship?
If is is less consider getting him a cheap car. And my son has had a room near the campus for 2 years at $700/ month. I don’t know how that compares to areas around UNC.
The budget crisis is a real issue. Who knows how much the tuition at UNC may climb over the next 4 years? The “fees”[ read tuition] at the UC campuses have almost doubled over the past 4 years. Going to a private with a huge endowment, generous FA program, and a continuing commitment to make college affordable is a big advantage over any public U in a state with serious financial concerns.</p>

6

<p>Sorry, really shouldn’t have called it a safety. Didn’t realize the acceptance rate was that low for OOS, but by the objective criteria it seemed to him and his counselor that it was at least a “target” school. ie ivy level grades/scores.</p>

7

<p>"so would appreciate input on the availability of other opportunities on the east coast as a graduate of USC vs. UNC-CH.
Well my sons good friend and USC 2010 graduate is now working at Lockeed[?] or some aerospace company on the East coast. Had to go through the whole security clearance routine.</p>

8

<p>Yes, cost is roughly the same. At first glance it would appear that USC would be less expensive. The tuition surely is after the scholarship, but the added costs of sirfare and the high housing costs as an upperclassman, pretty much make it a wash.</p>

9

<p>I dont’ think you have to worry about whether or not government organizations recruit in Calif. It IS the state with the largest population.</p>

10

<p>cost of housing as an upperclassman is not that bad. many you can find apartments from $500-800 per month. i even had some friends paying in the 400s when they had a roommate.</p>

<p>of course, these housing options aren’t very luxurious (there are a lot of upscale housing options as well), but hey, you’re a college student.</p>

11

<p>That is true. I guess we were concerned with the preceived difficulty of interviewing/locating jobs in DC while 3000 miles to the west. He sure does like the school. Is your son’s housing within walking distance to the school? That is "safe’ walking distance? $700/mo. is much better than we had found, but then again, we looked at housing that was only a few blocks away from the campus because he won’t have car. What we found would have cost him $1600 (shared) to $3200/mo. single occupancy, and that would be with a 12 month lease a opposed to a “school year” or semester lease.</p>

12

<p>Okay. Seems housing is less expensive than I thought. I guess you have to live there for a bit in order to figure it all out. Without a car however, the options for housing are slimmer.</p>

13

<p>"Is your son’s housing within walking distance to the school ?
That is “safe’ walking distance?”
Yup, but he bikes as do most kids who live off campus[ unless they take the USC shuttle]</p>

<p>"$700/mo. is much better than we had found, but then again, we looked at housing that was only a few blocks away from the campus because he won’t have car.
Without a car however, the options for housing are slimmer. "
NO, they really arent, not near campus.</p>

<p>There are many, many older charming, victorian era houses as well as dozens of appts just north of campus[ excluding the frats north west of campus] that are filled with USC students. All are on the USC shuttle route. Son never even considered getting an appt just for himself or to share with only 1 other student. Too expensive and he wanted to live with a larger group of friends. And he has had a car all 4 years.</p>

<p>take a look at these recent housing postings
<a href=“http://sait.usc.edu/ois/housing/off-campus-housing/postings.aspx[/url]”>http://sait.usc.edu/ois/housing/off-campus-housing/postings.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>the following,from the above link, is typical of private housing options available very close to USC</p>

<p>PRIVATE BEDROOM WITH PRIVATE BATH $750
Address:</p>

<p>2750 Raymond Ave
Google Maps
Availability:</p>

<p>Now
Rent:</p>

<p>$750.00 per month
Features:</p>

<p>PRIVATE BEDROOM WITH PRIVATE BATH $750
USC Group Housing in large Victorian home near Campus
available in our three story, 10 bedroom, 5 bathroom, Victorian home near USC campus. Includes Wireless Internet Cable TV, new washer, new dryer, new dish washer, parking.
Full kitchen privileges in the large kitchen with two refrigerators and cooking amenities.
Free Parking in back of house included.</p>

<p>Rent $750 plus utilities.
USC students, young professionals. A dynamic make-up of people in the house!
A peaceful and enjoyable place to live.
Rooms are furnished or unfurnished, according to tenant’s desires.
Lease either month to month or annual</p>

14

<p>I would do USC. If he is not in Honors at Carolina, he gets no special treatment (difficult to get courses he wants). He is in T.O. at USC, which is a huge gold star. I know Tustee Scholars (full tuition) at USC who did not get into T.O. I think USC alumni network would be better, as Carolina is 82% Carolina and would logically seem to be less spead out nationwide than USC’s, which is well ove r50% out of state. USC 25 years ago was a “top 50” university; now it is “top 25”. Within a generation I see it surpassing such schools as Vanderbilt, Berkeley and nuding up behind Duke. The money and the willpower is there.</p>

15

<p>Thank you for the housing link. Many of those are summer sublets, but some are for the academic year. And yes, they appear to be cheaper than I expected. Still about 2 1/2 x the cost of a place in NC, but definitely less than what we thought.</p>

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<p>glad to help…</p>

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<p>I agree that USC’s admin. has done a wonderful job at improving the academic rep of the school, but i never questioned the rep. We were specifically concerned with the distance being an issue on many fronts. UNC-CH is no doubt a great school, but the budget issues are real. Very real. The university President himself has said that the cuts may very well hurt the core of CH’s prized academics.</p>

18

<p>I didn’t get the impression that the privates would poach the professors from the state universities. rather that the money just wasn’t in the budgets for their salaries, hence personnel cuts of all types. leading to classes offered being reduced in numbers and breadth as well as larger classes across the board. Support services etc would also get hurt. If the money isn’t there, something has to give. they could just inc. tuition, but at carolina the inc. is capped at 6.5% (could be 6.8% not sure) by law. even with a change in tuition, it wouldn’t be nearly enough to make up a 15+% shortfall in state funds. The well endowed privates don’t have this problem. they aren’t dependent on state revenue. yes they may get some 4 from the feds, but it is small compared to their endowment and tuition revenues.</p>

19

<p>"I didn’t get the impression that the privates would poach the professors from the state universities. "
Actually, that is exactly what many private colleges with big endowments are doing, USC included. In the “old days”, the saying goes, USC was short for “University of spoiled children”. These days, USC is short for “University of Stolen colleagues”. They are proud of it too.</p>

20

<p>Well, time is up. Must decide today. Any more comments? He’s leaning towards USC mostly because he got a better “vibe” while visiting USC. The laid back atmosphere of the students and campus, the facilities and city setting are more attractive to him at USC than UNC but not by much. What put it over the top was the TO program at USC; making his classes smaller and more personal vs. the larger GE classes at UNC with the prospect of even larger classes as the UNC budget issues loom.</p>

<p>Still, the distance from home and being on the wrong coast from where he eventually wants to settle are worrisome, but mostly to the parents. Housing we’ll work out and he is thinking about becoming an RA both to give him the option of living in a dorm as an upperclassman (if he still wants to do this after being there a while) and to save room/board costs. Anyone know how competitive it is to become an RA at USC?</p>

<p>Thoughts? Menloparkmom you there?</p>