USC v UCLA Forum

Tweed · Post by **Tweed** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:39 pm

I was choosing between USC and UCLA last year. The employment numbers are so close that I just went with whatever was cheaper, which was USC in my case. USC did get a few extra points because I liked the smaller class size. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions about USC.

Hand · Post by **Hand** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:36 pm

ub3r wrote:Am I right to plan on getting an apartment within biking distance to UCLA? I heard parking is extremely hard to come by.

parking is no problem at ucla

eta: on campus, that is. parking in westwood more generally is a bitch

ub3r · Post by **ub3r** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 12:06 am

hereisonehand wrote:
ub3r wrote:Am I right to plan on getting an apartment within biking distance to UCLA? I heard parking is extremely hard to come by.
parking is no problem at ucla

eta: on campus, that is. parking in westwood more generally is a bitch

Cool, so as long as I'm within reasonable driving distance the commute is doable? I'm glad since living a block from campus doesn't sound cheap or appealing.

LawsRUs · Post by **LawsRUs** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 4:53 am

Mec I would love to go to the same school as you; you sound great

Besides #s data, I'm considering class sizes, diversity, clinics, journals, and the alumni network; location, people, and the vibe are def things I will note when we go for asw

pretty much identical; cheaper option, but since they're identical here I guess that doesn't come into play

I also like how the small class sizes affect the vibe and interaction between students during and after LS

After negotiations, I'm going to imagine the COA coming out differently

Im surprised nobody has mentioned this--
Trojan
Football!!!!!!!!!

not a good reason to pick usc over ucla, but it's there

LawsRUs · Post by **LawsRUs** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 12:08 pm

Not sure about ucla but check out uscs oci structure 70% lottery

not sure about ucla but ppl at usc are not ranked. the top ten percent are told of their standing in the top ten percent only. should be pressure relief if your grades are above the median

Rigo · Post by **Rigo** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 12:13 pm

LawsRUs wrote: not sure about ucla but ppl at usc are not ranked. the top ten percent are told of their standing in the top ten percent only. should be pressure relief if your grades are above the median

This doesn't matter and shouldn't be a consideration. Employers know which GPA's correspond to class rank (ex: "3.65+ is top 30%, 3.8+ is top 15%, etc.")
The pressure is on, ranked or not.

Hand · Post by **Hand** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:04 pm

ub3r wrote:
hereisonehand wrote:
ub3r wrote:Am I right to plan on getting an apartment within biking distance to UCLA? I heard parking is extremely hard to come by.
parking is no problem at ucla

eta: on campus, that is. parking in westwood more generally is a bitch
Cool, so as long as I'm within reasonable driving distance the commute is doable? I'm glad since living a block from campus doesn't sound cheap or appealing.

yeah, it's no problem living in santa monica/venice/palms/mar vista/culver city and commuting to ucla

Rigo · Post by **Rigo** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:07 pm

hereisonehand wrote: yeah, it's no problem living in santa monica/venice/palms/mar vista/culver city and commuting to ucla

Don't be tempted by valley prices. Probably not worth it.

Hand · Post by **Hand** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:12 pm

Rigo wrote:
hereisonehand wrote: yeah, it's no problem living in santa monica/venice/palms/mar vista/culver city and commuting to ucla
Don't be tempted by valley prices. Probably not worth it.

it's pretty gross on the other side of the mountains, plus the sepulveda pass is a nightmare

also, ucla also doesn't disclose rank except for those applying to clerkships, but as ringo notes, that shouldn't be a consideration anyway

kjartan · Post by **kjartan** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:21 pm

bruinfan10 wrote:Dude. UCLA. Come on.

Drink bleach.

kjartan · Post by **kjartan** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:33 pm

OP, you shouldn't even be considering USC/UCLA unless your COA is close to COL (which will still run you up a nice pile of debt over three years in LA). Between the two, as Chimp said, it will come down to your personal preferences. They're peer schools. Also, don't be misled by people on TLS, who have never lived in LA but visited once, talking about "location" in LA. Westwood is an utterly banal, festering shit hole. USC is in a bad part of DT (not only b/c of crime, but b/c there is almost literally nothing there). Either way you should commute.

UCLAHopeful2015 · Post by **UCLAHopeful2015** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:36 pm

kjartan wrote:OP, you shouldn't even be considering USC/UCLA unless your COA is close to COL (which will still run you up a nice pile of debt over three years in LA). Between the two, as Chimp said, it will come down to your personal preferences. They're peer schools. Also, don't be misled by people on TLS, who have never lived in LA but visited once, talking about "location" in LA. Westwood is an utterly banal, festering shit hole. USC is in a bad part of DT (not only b/c of crime, but b/c there is almost literally nothing there). Either way you should commute.

Not sure where the Westwood hatred comes from. I loved the area around ucla. Downtown, however, is a "festering shit hole"

kjartan · Post by **kjartan** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:40 pm

UCLAHopeful2015 wrote: Not sure where the Westwood hatred comes from. I loved the area around ucla. Downtown, however, is a "festering shit hole"

You've never lived in LA.
ETA: Lol at your username, UCLAHopeful. Shoot a little higher, man.

Rigo · Post by **Rigo** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:42 pm

kjartan wrote:
UCLAHopeful2015 wrote: Not sure where the Westwood hatred comes from. I loved the area around ucla. Downtown, however, is a "festering shit hole"
You've never lived in LA.

How can you possibly know that?

kjartan · Post by **kjartan** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:52 pm

Rigo wrote:
kjartan wrote:
UCLAHopeful2015 wrote: Not sure where the Westwood hatred comes from. I loved the area around ucla. Downtown, however, is a "festering shit hole"
You've never lived in LA.
How can you possibly know that?

I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt because his point about downtown being a shit hole is both incorrect and irrelevant. The area around USC is a shit hole, sure. But Little Tokyo, for example, is way way cooler than Westwood. It's also irrelevant b/c you don't have to live in downtown if you go to USC.

starry eyed · Post by **starry eyed** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:54 pm

are all californians defensive of their turf?

Rigo · Post by **Rigo** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:58 pm

Yeah I hear DTLA is the new hipster hood & I have friends who live in Koreatown that say it's getting better. You just have to do your research, OP, and definitely visit and explore.

kjartan · Post by **kjartan** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 2:04 pm

starry eyed wrote:are all californians defensive of their turf?

I don't want OP to be misled by well-intentioned but ignorant opinions.

Rigo · Post by **Rigo** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 2:07 pm

Seems kind of odd that OP is deciding between two regional schools yet doesn't have working knowledge of the region.

Eladriel · Post by **Eladriel** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 2:09 pm

kjartan wrote:
Rigo wrote:
kjartan wrote:
UCLAHopeful2015 wrote: Not sure where the Westwood hatred comes from. I loved the area around ucla. Downtown, however, is a "festering shit hole"
You've never lived in LA.
How can you possibly know that?
I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt because his point about downtown being a shit hole is both incorrect and irrelevant. The area around USC is a shit hole, sure. But Little Tokyo, for example, is way way cooler than Westwood. It's also irrelevant b/c you don't have to live in downtown if you go to USC.

I currently live smack dab in between the two schools on the Wilshire corridor and work downtown, commuting via mass transit (Rapid bus to subway). I would second whoever said not to live in the valley due to commuting difficulties. You'd have to own a car to do it. I know people who live all over the westside and past some, from Santa Monica all the way to the other side of downtown. I wouldn't go south of the 10 for housing though.

I think it comes down to personal preference, M v. F for levels of safety and awareness, as well as how important $$ is to you. UCLA is a distant third choice for me at this point but if I was going I'd just reverse my commute and take the 720 to Westwood. Even with the 10 minute walk up the hill to the school that's doable. The weather is what makes this possible, that and lockers to store your books on campus.

As for USC, there are just areas around it that even I don't feel safe in (Male, 6 feet +). Little Tokyo is not one of them though.

PM me if anyone wants elaboration. I've been in the area for about 5 years now so I'd hope I could offer cogent recommendations.

snow24 · Post by **snow24** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 4:23 pm

UCLA is in a MUCH better location, like the spot to be and has better employment numbers. USC dominates in LA lay prestige, but that shouldn't even matter.

UCLAHopeful2015 · Post by **UCLAHopeful2015** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 4:39 pm

kjartan wrote:
UCLAHopeful2015 wrote: Not sure where the Westwood hatred comes from. I loved the area around ucla. Downtown, however, is a "festering shit hole"
You've never lived in LA.
ETA: Lol at your username, UCLAHopeful. Shoot a little higher, man.

Los Angeles born and raised, good sir.

kjartan · Post by **kjartan** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 4:44 pm

snow24 wrote:UCLA is in a MUCH better location, like the spot to be and has better employment numbers. USC dominates in LA lay prestige, but that shouldn't even matter.

KYS

Rigo · Post by **Rigo** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 4:46 pm

kjartan wrote:
snow24 wrote:UCLA is in a MUCH better location, like the spot to be and has better employment numbers. USC dominates in LA lay prestige, but that shouldn't even matter.
KYS

I don't know why you have such a problem with this (almost) universal opinion that is held even by LA born and raised people.

Hand · Post by **Hand** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 4:51 pm

In all fairness, westwood sucks balls unless you're in undergrad or retired

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