USC is one of my top choices but I want to know of other schools that are similar, meaning social scene, sports, academics, prestige and admissions wise (like its about equally as hard to get in).
Then I’m always wondering about schools similar to USC in every aspect but the ranking, prestige and how hard it is to get in. So they’ll be easier to get into basically.
Thanks!
You should check out it’s rival, UCLA. I went to go visit the campus twice. It has the things you are looking for.
Vanderbilt and Duke are very similar but more difficult to get into. UCLA is very similar and just as difficult. NYU is easier to get into and although it doesn’t have the same social scene/community as USC, a lot of the artsy types that apply to USC usually apply to NYU. I thought UT Austin was very similar to USC but a lot bigger. Lehigh was pretty similar but a lot smaller. Also look at more California schools like UCSB or something.
So in sum
Vanderbilt
Duke
UCLA
NYU
UT Austin
Lehigh
Other California schools
Clemson for sure. Wake Forest and Boston College close as well. Not sure if they are easier to get in. Notre Dame is spot on but harder to get in.
Check out Clemson.
Would large, high-quality state schools (i.e. Michigan, UCLA, UW) fit the bill, too?
UCLA is very similar and around as hard to get in, but the UCs are all getting more competitive lately. Look into other UCs as well. UCSB is a great school/ research university with one of the most fun and laid back vibes. Also a beatifip area. No football but great soccer and school spirit. I may be biased though. Didn’t get into UCLA and it was my second choice.
USC and Duke have very different vibes. The schools differ considerably in size, academic focus, athletics, number of students living on campus, location/setting, geographic diversity of students…etc.
@alwaysworrying For a smaller and less selective option, take a look at Miami – I think it has a lot of what you’re looking for.
Ive heard SMU is the school students who were rejected from USC.
Notre Dame is a peer, some other privates with similar atmosphere but easier admissions would be Tulane and Miami.
@thatrunnerkid Yes! If you have any more suggestions that’d be great
I wouldn’t consider UCLA similar at all, mainly because of demographics. UCLA has a much larger Asian population and USC is still mainly white, although there is some overlap. IMHO, similar though easier to get into schools are: NYU, SMU, Baylor, and Miami (Florida), to name a few.
@alwaysworrying I don’t know exactly which universities would be similar to USC since I go to neither USC nor a state flagship, but I can guess.
I think Michigan and UCLA might be similar in atmosphere and academics, based on campus visits that I made a few years back. University of Washington is probably similar in terms of academics, though not in atmosphere (less party-based, though there are definitely still parties, methinks). My knowledge about the UW comes from visits, and friends who go to school there.
Outside of that, I don’t have much experience with public flagship universities. You can do a quick Google search to find some good ones.
Keep in mind that it is more difficult to get into these (flagship) universities as an out of state student.
@thatrunnerkid why is it more difficult as an out of state? wouldn’t it be easier because id be paying more money?
I think its because the stated purpose of state universities is to educate students from the state that it is in - in-state tax dollars for the benefit of in-state students. Those universities, financially, would probably like to admit more OOS students, but their obligation to in-state students weighs heavier. They therefore need to be more discerning in OOS admissions, even if the OOS applicant pool is stronger, which I - in pure conjecture - suspect to be stronger at solid public flagships.
Example: The University of Michigan accepted 33% of applicants in 2013, but my acceptance letter that same year said only 20something% of OOS students were accepted.
Michigan’s overall acceptance rate is now around 25%
http://admissions.umich.edu/apply/freshmen-applicants/student-profile
Thanks, rjkofnovi. I simply used both acceptance rates from the same year because those were the numbers I could most easily find to illustrate my point.
@thatrunnerkid ohhh. makes sense.
I just realized I am applying basically all public out of state schools, does anyone have any suggestions for private schools that aren’t in California I could apply to that are similar to USC, U. Michigan, UNC-Chapel Hill but are private? 
Can you tell us what is it about USC that you like so much.
I said it in my first post on this thread @DrGoogle
Tulane and Boston College are less selective but could work.
Duke, Northwestern, and Vanderbilt could be good options.