BC or Southern Cal?

vinceh
Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:55:01 +0000

I attended BC years ago (not long after light had been invented, though heat was still years away). Today I write inordinately large checks to USC for S2’s education. My impressions:


Statistically the profile of attending students is nearly identical, so you’ll be swimming with equally accomplished fish. Med school admissions are all about GPA and MCAT scores. Both schools will push you and you will be working very hard to get the grades you need.
Diversity. BC’s student profile mimics that of the general US population; depending on where in SoCal you’re from it may feel “very white”. Conversely USC is one of the most diverse campuses in the country.
Weather. Boston has four true seasons, in the dead of winter global warming will seem like a good idea and the ocean is on the right hand side on the street though you’ll only get to use it June through August and maybe a little in September. Los Angeles suffers from relentless sunshine and temperatures fluctuating widely between 65 and 85 degrees. Of course the beach is on the other side of the road as well.
Cities. Boston is the quintessential college city. With so many schools in and around the city there are countless opportunities for entertainment and exploration. LA is a huge city where USC is merely a resident, so while Boston may feel likes it’s set up for college students, LA will feel like a place made for “grown-ups”.


5 Neighborhoods. BC sits in Chestnut Hill, an upper middle class/upper class area of Boston bordering on the wealthy suburbs of Newton and Brookline. You aren’t in the city. USC is not in Watts, it’s in South Central LA, a working class area of the city. We heard all the stories about USC being in the ghetto before my son went out there. It’s the ghetto if your idea of gritty urban life is a non-gated subdivision. USC has done a great job buying and rehabbing buildings around campus creating an increasingly safer (if more homogeneous) enclave for campus. Frankly I lived in a far worse area when I attended Penn for a couple of years (but again that was back when Mastodons roamed the Earth).

Both schools are tremendous institutions. Both offer you a great educational experience so it comes down to the “vibe” you want. BC is definitely East Coast gruff (though not as bad as Manhattan) while USC is certainly “LA-Baby”. Frankly, even though I’m alum of BC, it’s hard to see a bad choice.