What does UCLA think of USC?

[Saitsuzen]

<p>the academics, the social life, the people, the sports, the private school status, the reputation, the location... anything</p>

<p>i'm going to be attending USC, and i'm just curious about the opinions of the other side of the rivalry</p>

[sentimentGX4]

<p>As a normal UCLA student, I don’t think anything in particular of USC.</p>

<p>I have my share of positive/negative thoughts of the university but I think these aren’t thoughts any informed outside individual wouldn’t have as well.</p>

<p>For example:

1. USC is not as internationally or nationally renowned as people in SoCal think it is. This makes it a rather awkward rival to UCLA which is internationally well known (but not so much as a “prestigious” college).
2. USC is a private school but its kind of like a public school as well.
3. USC has been a grossly mismanaged university for many years but its quickly scaling its way up on the undergraduate ladder.
4. USC gives plenty of financial aid but it feels as if it does so in an arbitrary matter.
5. USC may surpass UCLA in undergraduate rankings in the next couple of years but it would still be a very crappy university in a historical context, being the first research university in California.</p>

[elementfool]

<p>If you want the international applicant’s perspective, it is seen as a bit of a safety school by some.</p>

[mikemac]

<p>probably nothing you can say that won’t get you blacklisted on this site for bad language ;)</p>

[SophyC76]

<p>USC hates UCLA
But UCLA is like “whatever dude” to USC</p>

[josebiwasabi]

<p>sophyc76 are you student at UCLA? from my personal experience i’ve found it to be the exact opposite for the past 4 years, with the exception of gamedays, of course.</p>

[sentimentGX4]

<p>Well USC doesn’t love UCLA but the school definitely hates us less than Berkeley. That’s where the real bitterness lies.</p>

[ZorroX99]

<p>As far as Berkeley is concerned… Berkeley > UCLA = USC</p>

<p>People who argue with this usually are those who can’t count. No bitterness really, just a kind of superiority that UCLA tries to shadow.</p>

[Saitsuzen]

<p>berkeley > USC and UCLA… in terms of academics and prestige</p>

<p>USC and UCLA > berkeley… in terms of overall college experience and happiness</p>

[iHateCeltics]

<p>Here’s how it works. </p>

<p>USC thinks it’s on the same level as UCLA. UCLA, however, wants none of USC and thus compares itself with Berkeley. Berkeley, however, doesn’t want to be associated with UCLA and thus compares itself with Stanford. Stanford, however, doesn’t want to be associated with Berkeley in anyway and likes to compare itself to Harvard. That’s where the road ends.</p>

[Sopheee]

<p>^^^ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner.</p>

[pinepine]

<p>putting it into an easy visual what IHC said:</p>

<p>Harvard > Stanford > Berkeley > UCLA > USC</p>

[Saitsuzen]

<p>why do UCLA students automatically think that it is so much better than USC?</p>

<p>-for stats, USC has higher sat’s and act’s
-for financial resources, USC has the money to shrug off budget cuts, hire top professors away from other universities, and maintain smaller classes
-for sports, USC has won the gauntlet for the third consecutive year
-for alumni connections, you gotta admit that the trojan family is superior</p>

<p>now i’m not saying that USC is better than UCLA either, but i do feel like they should at least be considered equal. and like a poster near the beginning said, don’t be surprised if USC passes UCLA in the us news rankings (although i myself don’t really like to follow them)</p>

[TeRRaNoXiC]

<p>^actually the networking is only prominent in Socal, which is one of the drawbacks of usc. </p>

<p>when you go norcal or international usc doesn’t carry the brand name that ucla does.</p>

[elementfool]

<p>I agree with terranoxic. It’s probably because USC has regional prestige but UCLA has international prestige.</p>

[ThisCouldBeHeavn]

<p>

why do UCLA students automatically think that it is so much better than USC?

</p>

<p>The same reason UC Berkeley students think it’s much better than UCLA - higher departmental rankings. Here are some examples from US News: </p>

<p>Math - Berkeley tied for 2nd, while UCLA is tied for 8th. USC 51st
Economics - Berkeley 6th, UCLA 14th, USC 50th.<br>
English - Berkeley 1st, UCLA 10th, USC 38th.<br>
History - Berkeley 1st, UCLA 9th, USC 42nd.<br>
Physics - Berkeley 5th, UCLA 19th, USC 52nd.<br>
Chemistry - Berkeley 1st, UCLA 16th, USC 53rd.
Comp Sci - Berkeley 1st, UCLA 14th, USC 20th</p>

[Saitsuzen]

<p>it’s always about arbitrary rankings, isn’t it</p>

[Icarus]

<p>^ on this site, yes…</p>

[sentimentGX4]

<p>

USC thinks it’s on the same level as UCLA. UCLA, however, wants none of USC and thus compares itself with Berkeley. Berkeley, however, doesn’t want to be associated with UCLA and thus compares itself with Stanford. Stanford, however, doesn’t want to be associated with Berkeley in anyway and likes to compare itself to Harvard. That’s where the road ends.

No, that’s not how it is at all. Some Berkeley students are deluded enough to think they’re better than Harvard. Here are examples of what Berkeley students think about the school.</p>

<p>

I think staying in Cali would be more practical since you live there and it’s a FREE ride to the best public institution in the country that probably has an international reputation similar to if not better than many of the Ivies. Save that extra money for grad school and go to Harvard then. FYI Harvard has a rep for not being as nice to undergrads as grads (can’t verify though obviously haha).

Berkeley has a more varied population which will influence more towards having an open mind, whereas Harvard is more about tradition and prestige. I hope you are happy with your choice.

Your major will definitely play a big role, if your doing engineering or business I would say you made the right decision. Why did you already submit your SIR if you are still contemplating your decision??

UC Berkeley is an overall great school when considering Undergrad and grad schools</p>

<h1>3 in the world behind Harvard and Stanford [ARWU</a> 2009](<a href=“http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2009.jsp]ARWU”>http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2009.jsp)

</h1>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/918034-choosing-berkeley-over-harvard-bad-idea.html?highlight=harvard[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/918034-choosing-berkeley-over-harvard-bad-idea.html?highlight=harvard&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Here are examples of other threads where Berkeley students smack talk everyone. </p>

<p>Bashing WUSTL.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/921789-cal-versus-washington-university-st-louis.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/921789-cal-versus-washington-university-st-louis.html&lt;/a&gt;
Bashing UVA.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/917389-help-me-choose-uva-mcintere-vs-berkeley-haas-vs-michigan-ross.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/917389-help-me-choose-uva-mcintere-vs-berkeley-haas-vs-michigan-ross.html&lt;/a&gt;
Bashing Northwestern.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/898103-berkeley-vs-northwestern.html?highlight=northwestern[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/898103-berkeley-vs-northwestern.html?highlight=northwestern&lt;/a&gt;
Bashing Carnegie Mellon.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/484640-carnegie-mellon-institute-technology-eecs-berkeley-eecs.html?highlight=carnegie[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/484640-carnegie-mellon-institute-technology-eecs-berkeley-eecs.html?highlight=carnegie&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Berkeley is not comparable to Stanford. As a highschooler before coming to UCLA, I have never found a person who thought Berkeley was on par with Stanford. (Berkeley isn’t on par by a miles and miles.) People casually compare the university to schools like UCLA. UCLA is far closer to Berkeley than it will ever be close to Stanford. I am 100% confident most people from neither UCLA, Berkeley nor Stanford deem Berkeley closer to UCLA and not remotely relateable to Stanford. </p>

<p>Also, a bunch of people from Cali pass Harvard for Stanford. The two schools are equal.</p>

[ThisCouldBeHeavn]

<p>

it’s always about arbitrary rankings, isn’t it

</p>

<p>Most people in this thread seem to think so. Post 9 is a good example…</p>

<p>

berkeley > USC and UCLA… in terms of academics and prestige

</p>