<p>UCLA is a great school if you are focusing on the liberal arts. In that sense I would say that they are superior to USC (as a USC student) but only marginally. In most other departments USC has a better undergrad program. I think in the rankings they take the graduate aspects of UCLA into account. Purely from an undergraduate point of view I say USC offers a better experience. I would say that USC is a better decision for you simply because of the economic situation at UCLA. Tuition is rising, teachers are feeling the pressure, and financial aid will be hurt, especially for out of state students. Even if you have the money to foot the bill, USC is just so much more stable right now.</p>