I should have written that Emory’s in the east (Atlanta) and an say 2.5 hour flight, often at around $80. I agree that Emory and USC are academic peer schools. If the decision here is based on the money, campus, convenience to get home, and even safety, then Emory seems to be the easy choice. If it’s about wanting to be living in an urban campus and LA, then maybe USC is a better choice (oh yeah, and sports).