<p>I was just wondering some significant differences in USC and UCLA. Please spare me the time and do NOT post anything about crime rate I’m not too worried if there were 5 more incidents of someone getting robbed for being stupid at USC than UCLA. Just wondering if there is much difference in the social life/parties, activites around school and just how the people act generally?</p>
<p>everyone is really nice at both schools. don’t worry too much about social scene, because students from both schools interact with each other. as far as greek life, i’m pretty sure it’s more alive at usc because all the fraternities and sororities are right next to each other as opposed to ucla where they’re spread out. westood is a much nicer area with more stuff to do, but it’s only 14 miles away from usc, so it’s not that big of a deal. to be honest, i don’t think there’s a huge difference between the social lives of a usc student and a ucla student. anything you get at one university, you can get at the other.</p>
<p>I believe a difference between the two schools is that USC has a larger proportion of their students living on or near campus while UCLA has a larger commuter “feel” to it (according to UCLA grads I’ve spoken with). USC offers housing to all it’s freshmen & this year students who will be sophs are also guaranteed USC housing. This creates more of a residential (rather than commuter) “feel” to the campus.
Sorry, don’t know much about parties, one way or another. I do know that there is a strong Greek element at USC, with a frat/sorority row of houses just across the street from campus.</p>
<p>I am actually a transfer student but I do want to live on campus so I can meet more people. Thank you both for the replies</p>
<p>For non-freshmen, there aren’t too many spaces to live on campus, but living near campus will allow you to spend a lot of time on and near campus & less time in traffic. There are USC housing & private housing options available. Unfortunately, USC does NOT guarantee housing for transfer students as there just isn’t enough USC housing available for all who want it. There are quite a few nice new private housing options that can also be explored. Good luck!</p>
<p>40% of USC students are from S Calif, and many go home or off campus on the weekends, according to Son whose roomate goes home each weekend, so it also has a commuter feel to it. Son goes and visits friends at UCLA almost every weekend, taking USC friends who don’t have cars with him. The campus is pretty quiet on the weekends- not to many activities planned by USC, except games.</p>
<p>Daughter has found some fun things to do on campus at USC on weekends – has seen a couple plays, Christian Intervarsity had a game night, DIE HARD 4 was filming there one Sunday night (grin), there have been a couple movies screened, etc. I think this is an area USC is gradually working to improve.</p>
<p>My S & his room mate both live 5+ hours plane ride from CA. They have never had a shortage of things to do on or near campus. They do not have a car & catch public transit (DART) or walk. They have been to Chinatown several times, nearby shopping mall, theaters, and of course the storied Collesium to watch the #1 football team in the nation! So far, S has been having a blast, tho he’s not a drinker or heavy partier (perfers playing video games with friends).</p>
<p>His dorm has taken his floor & a floor of girls camping & on a separate backpacking trip. They will also be going on several more outings for Spring Semester. Student groups can apply for campus funding to do all sorts of things as well.</p>
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<p>That proportion sounds a bit high - 51% of students are from California as a whole.</p>
<p>I’m surprised nobody has mentioned football games on weekends.</p>
<p>the 40% figure came from the school profile of accepted students [i.e. freshman]. And I mentioned “games”, which include football, basketball, etc.</p>
<p>Sure, USC is a commuting campus, at least during the fall. On each saturday, half of LA commutes to the Coliseum :)</p>
<p>I think there’s plenty of stuff to do on the weekend…though I will plead guilty and say I’m not usually around campus very much on weekends, except football days.</p>
<p>Looking at the school profile <a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/private/docs/admission/Freshman_Profile_2006.pdf[/url]”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/private/docs/admission/Freshman_Profile_2006.pdf</a> , I don’t see that particular category, although I may be looking in the wrong place. Do you have another link that includes that figure?</p>
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<p>That’s what I thought too.</p>
<p>40% might be high, but it’s plausible- a far greater portion of the population of the state are in the Southern half of California, and the influence and respect of the school seem more prevalent in the south as well (not to mention the alumni).</p>
<p>UCLA now offers four years of guaranteed housing to freshmen admits last I heard.</p>
<p>DRab is right. UCLA offers housing for at least 3 years, if not 4.</p>
<p>The biggest differences? Not many. UCLA seems to have a greater focus on its graduate programs (in L&S), but otherwise not a whole lot, really. They’re both big research universities.</p>
<p>To me, USC had more of a “family” feel more than what I would consider a “high school” feel to it. At USC, you really feel like you’re part of something great, since the campus is small. At UCLA, not so much…</p>