<p>In general, everyone knows about USC because of the football team but USC is also a top academic school. I'm not saying that it's in the ranks of HYPS but isn't it more than just the "University of Spoiled Children"?</p>
<p>I've seen people compare USC to a state school with more selectivity?! I went to state school for undergrad, Cal State U. Fullerton (a flippin great college btw), and there's no way that you can even compare the two.</p>
<p>I know that even current students have heard numerous reasons why they shouldn't go to school at SC because of such and such but are they really warranted?</p>
<p>I've even said things like "I know that USC is a lot of money but I just hope that the cost is going towards the program and not the football team" By far the Trojan alumni (mafia) is one of the biggest pros yet seems to get a negative connotation because of it's "hire him because he's a Trojan" mentality.</p>
<p>Any students care to enlighten us and dispel some rumors w/o getting overly defensive about the school? I know this is hard to do because no matter who you are, everyone in SOCAL has a little trojan pride in them even if they won't admit it. Unless you got denied/rejected/couldn't afford it/know spoiled rich people that go there and you have a little bias against the "University of Sports and Cash" (hah I had to but that one isn't so bad)</p>
<p>"I cannot think of a better way to describe USC kids other than being simply spoiled.</p>
<p>After spending much time at various universities abroad, USC students have NO IDEA how good they have it at SC. Its a university that prides itself on customer satisfaction and ensuring that all students have an amazing college experience.</p>
<p>USC kids get spoiled in so many ways</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Small class sizes. I actually had a class with with like 6 students enrolled. It was pretty funny because if you missed class, the professor would call you out the next day for missing class. I don’t think anyone ditched class after that incident for the rest of the semester.</p></li>
<li><p>Faculty that actually CARES. I remember studying at another university abroad. Some of my professors abroad would deliberately IGNORE emails about questions. They also gave us the runaround when our group went in for office hour consultations. The SC faculty spoils us so much. I would talk to my professors at SC just for general life and career advice. And their advice was always centered on what they thought would make me most happy. I am a spoiled Trojan.</p></li>
<li><p>Tailgating ON CAMPUS and then walking across the street to the coliseum to watch football games. Think about this for a second, the bRUINS have to make the crawl from their bubble in Westwood across the jam packed 10 onto the 110 and finally up to Pasadena after they spend 30 minutes in the downtown interchange. Trojans are SO spoiled.</p></li>
<li><p>Worldwide alumni network. Don’t let others fool you into thinking that USC doesn’t have a strong presence in other places of the world. I was 10,000 miles away from LA and I met up with some USC Alums who ended up buying me and a few other students dinner. We still keep in touch til this day. SPOILED AGAIN.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>U. of Spoiled Children? I think so. Am I proud of it? Damn right I am."</p>
<p>Pete Carroll and SC’s athletic department have one of the most successful programs in the nation. Academic funds do not go to support the football team. The NCAA allows the university to have 85 players on football scholarships. At SC each one of those scholarships is endowed. The athletic department has a separate budget from the academic departments. </p>
<p>Just as at many colleges the football program helps support other “minor” sports.</p>
<p>Actually I knew that but I’m pretty sure other people don’t so it’s good to see that students like GG are informing everyone about what is really going on.</p>
<p>Title IX on the other hand is a whole other topic. Of course the football team doesn’t need money from the academic department. I’m sure we’ve all seen how packed the stadium gets. And that’s all while students get a discounted price for tickets!</p>
<p>And on behalf of a certain someone that might have gotten upset at me for posting this thread. If you have chosen to be a future Trojan today congrats. It’s a beautiful campus secluded from the not so beautiful downtown area but still around everything that is exciting about LA. Top notch school spirit and as it has been said. You can’t beat the networking and bond that is a USC Trojan. Take a look at list of alumni and it’s pretty plain to see that some of those “old stereotypes” that I had talked about are just that, stereotypes and not a blanket that covers the entire student body.</p>
<p>And weather? come on, I wear Reef’s (sandals) pretty much year round and what can I say about attractiveness?The closer you get to the beach the better it seams that people look. It’s the land of beautiful people, lots of fakeness and also lots of real down to earth, but still gorgeous, laid back people. I’ve lived in socal almost all my life and besides the time that I was away for military reasons I’ve always been proud about socal living. Traffic sucks, so what. Life here keeps moving. Get on board, find ways around it, or get ran over.</p>
<p>I don’t think SC is getting the bad rep anymore. Some of the smartest people I know are going there next year. They are rejected Wharton, northwestern, Berkeley, UCLA and other great schools. SC is becoming an amazing school.</p>
<p>Not just this year. In D’s freshman class, some of her friends that she know off rejected Brown, Princeton, Harvard, Yale, John Hopkins, Wash U, Cornell to attend USC.</p>
<p>Probably because I live in Northern California or perhaps because my kid did not apply to any of the Cal State programs; I’ve heard of Chico, Long Beach and San Diego but I have never heard of Cal State Fullerton. Is that the one known for its baseball team?</p>
<p>The students that I know rejected the “select schools” over USc are doing it because they got better financial aid packages. It is no secret that schools will offer their top 10-15% the best financial offers. So if you are in the bottom 10% at a ‘top ranked school’ with no financial aid, yet getting a great financial aid package to USC, why go in debt of over $200K per year when you can get out with a lot less? </p>
<p>Also, public schools do not pay the amount of money in loans, aid, etc that USC will. So I can definitely see people turning down Berkeley for USc if they are getting aid.</p>
<p>The only precaution to people is to know if the scholarship/financing lasts longer than one year. I know two who went to Loyola and SMU and both of their scholarships lasted only one year. That’s definitely a problem.</p>
<p>lagunal,
The students who receive the Trustee Scholarships are not in the bottom of the so-called “better schools”. They are the top students anywhere. Keep in mind we have great schools of theatre, music and cinema where scores are important, but not as key as imagination, creativity, accomplishments, talent and vision.
One newly committed student wrote to me with SAT II scores of many 800s, SAT 2390, numerous awards for outside ECs as well as being an accomplished musician. Yes, this student chose to attend SC after being admitted to ivies and other highly ranked colleges.
A scholarship was important, but this individual received scholarships elsewhere.<br>
On Facebook there is a long list of students who have posted they are going to SC over offers elsewhere. It is impressive. Some of these new commits will be taking on loans to enter SC. I suggest you visit the USC Class of 2013 and read the list.
Just for your information SC’s scholarships are for all four years. It is necessary to maintain a 3.0 average and take 16 units per semester. There may be a few alumni scholarships which are for 1 year, but the student is fully informed about those. Also, the university scholarships “follow” the students if they choose to study abroad, which is not always the case at other universities.</p>
<p>I personally turned down Ivies/what you call “top ranked colleges” to attend USC… It was not a matter of financial aid/scholarships but rather that I loved USC, its connections, and its business school… I personally know a lot of people who are turning down school such as Princeton and MIT to attend USC because of some of the reasons I listed above and much more! It is an amazing school and I am confused why you don’t consider it a “top ranked” school… It is 27th in the nation and on the RISE!!</p>
<p>i have turned down many of the “top” colleges for USC…Duke, Northwestern, Cornell, Wash U…all are great but USC is perfect for me…plus USC will continue to move up in the rankings within the next couple of years as it has done</p>
<p>Glad to see that more and more top students are deciding to go to USC. 3 years ago, when my son decided to turn down 2 Ivy’s, Chicago, Wash U, Pomona and other colleges for USC [ yes the Trustees scholarship was a BIG factor], he got many 'you’re going where??" sorts of comments from fellow students and teachers at his school. Far fewer are making those types of comments these days!</p>
<p>I wish they had scholarships for graduate/professional schools but oh well. Pay the big bucks to make the just better than average bucks I guess! =)</p>
<p>My D has made a similar decision - turning down Ivies and a few other top colleges to attend USC with Trustee scholarship. Can you please share if your son’s decision paid off? Did he do well in college? Did he get the kind of support and atmosphere he was looking for? Please share some info.</p>