<p>tell them you got into USC or the University of Southern California. Obviously they both mean the same thing, but I've always questioned the "notability" of the two in the public. Do most people recognize USC as USC or the University of Southern California? When I tell people I've applied to "USC", most always think I'm referring to South Carolina for some reason. I know it seems like a trivial matter, but I've always wondered. . .</p>
<p>Where do you live? I live in Illinois. When I mention USC, most people understand it as Southern Cal. If anyone ever asks me to distinguish, I tell him there is only ONE USC.</p>
<p>It really does depend on where you live because in the west, USC refers to USC (Southern California). Many Californians, at least, have never heard of USC (South Carolina).</p>
<p>Down here where one football conference dominates every single year, the only USC is South Carolina…nobody in the south pays much attention to the West coast schools, just the way it is. Now where did I put my sweet tea, bbq and cheese grits?</p>
<p>StoneMagic,</p>
<pre><code> This is from an alumna in Georgia. I have a different impression. Our alumni club sends out representatives to college nights, provides scholarships to local SC bound students and hosts a SC admissions/information fall reception. At the college nights the line at the USC table is often the longest in the room. Sometimes the representative does not have enough time to speak with each student. The admissions information afternoon session was standing room only in a large hotel reception hall. The hotel staff needed to add three extra rows of chairs for extra seating. Most of the alumni stood outside in the hallway to provide space for guests.
The top private schools in the greater Atlanta area send students to SC. Also, suburban public schools and city magnet schools are represented.
This is just one southern state, but we share a border with South Carolina. Many southerners refer to South Carolina as “Carolina”.
In my opinion students considering highly selective universities and their parents are well aware of the University of Southern California, even though they may live in a southern state.
</code></pre>
<p>Meh…I’m not buying that. Anyone who follows SEC football religiously is well aware of the Trojans. And if there were any debate as to who is THE USC, tell them to take a look at ESPN crawlers. Right now they’re showing NFL draft projections. When a Trojan is listed, his name is follwed by “USC”. When a Gamecock is listed, his name is followed by “South Carolina”. I can see how people on the East coast and maybe Midwesterners not associated with Notre Dame or the Big 10 might not know.</p>
<p>There’s common confusion between the two. It was even taken into litigation by both universities:</p>
<p>[USC</a> vs. USC by Daniel Luzer | Washington Monthly](<a href=“http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/blog/usc_vs_usc.php]USC”>http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/blog/usc_vs_usc.php)</p>
<p>Legally speaking, there’s only one USC: the one in california. But i’ve heard other people say ‘usc is a public school.’ which obviously makes no sense with california’s USC. both universities can be abbreviated using “USC” so people are going to call them both that. It just depends i guess.</p>
<p>I live in Southern California. Usually I don’t even add the ‘U’ and just say I might be going to SC =P.</p>
<p>The correct term is Southern Cal baby!</p>
<p>I applied to SC for this upcoming year.
My dad told one of his coworkers who used to live in California, and supposedly USC is South Carolina, while simply SC is Southern California.
I don’t know if this is completely true or not, but he seemed to believe that the “U” made a pretty big difference, and LA natives don’t use it to refer to the top private in their city.</p>
<p>I find it rather humorous that there’s a battle - there are many schools in the same boat. UM can be University of Miami or University of Michigan depending on where you’re from…UC can be California or Connecticut. Believe what you want, but the Trojans don’t exacly instill fear in schools from the SEC - and 9 out of 10 true southerners (we don’t count transplants, Georgia Girl), would say South Carolina. However, I have heard the reference as “Carolina” before as well, which then begs the question of North or South Carolina…</p>
<p>“Southern Cal” is how USC was referred in their classic greatness of the sixties and seventies. When I was there in the late eighties/ early ninties, Southern Cal was still used. But my son tells me they are now stressing "The University of Southern California " and discouraging the use of “Southern Cal” because some people actually think it is a branch of Cal. Anyway, legally we own “USC” and I’ll bet if you conducted a national poll, most people would identify it with Southern California. I wouldn’t be surprised if the AP stylebook officially
recognizes the University of Southern California as USC.</p>
<p>Whaddaya talking about Stone? Even the (Sunbelt?) Troy Trojans gave LSU a scare a few years back. And I’m guessing the Razorbacks still have nightmares from the last time the USC Trojans marched into town. ;-)</p>
<p>StoneMagic,</p>
<p>USC has played SEC colleges four times since 1987 in football. Here are the scores:</p>
<pre><code>2006- USC beat Arkansas 50-14
2005- USC beat Arkansas 70-17
2003- USC beat Auburn 23-0
2002- USC beat Auburn 24-17
</code></pre>
<p>StoneMagic… here is why people in the SEC should care about USC</p>
<p>[The</a> Football Game That Broke Racial Barriers - YouTube](<a href=“The Football Game That Broke Racial Barriers - YouTube”>The Football Game That Broke Racial Barriers - YouTube)</p>
<p>I would just like to say I’m from Minnesota, and know that USC is SoCal, and South Carolina is South Carolina. While maybe our football up here isn’t as intense due to whether, we aren’t idiots. Anyone in America that knows anything about college football knows team names at least.</p>
<p>Also Berkeley is referred to as Cal, and Connecticut is UConn.</p>
<p>as a USC local, it is the same as the issue with LA. The vast majority of Californians dont associate LA with the ‘other LA’ (Lousiana). Same thing goes with USC. Unless youre in the south, there is only one USC and one LA.</p>
<p>Taking a trip down memory lane, but back in my day (1974) if you told someone you got into SC you were telling them you got into your safety school - the University of Second Choice - the University of Spoiled Children. My my - how times have changed. Fight on!</p>
<p>^^^You must be very,very,very,very,very,very,very…very…old. </p>
<p>Welcome to the 21st century.</p>