<p>University of Rochester awarded me 10k a year in scholarship money. I would be starting in the fall there. I was accepted to USC Viterbi for the spring with no scholarship. USC is a better school in a better location but I would start in spring with no money! I need some advice, this decision is killing me.</p>
<p>I’d go to rochester. Who knows it might grow on you. You can always transfer to usc in the future.</p>
<p>RedSoxFan,
Did you apply for financial aid? If so, have you received your package and amount? I suggest you wait until this arrives before you make a decision.</p>
<p>USC for sure. much better school.</p>
<p>No not yet georgia. Any idea when that is coming?</p>
<p>S is in similiar situation U of R with 10K/year, Spring admit USC CLAS (but first choice was Viterbi). Both are excellent schools and for the most VERY comparable-- Looking at both campuses and the programs at each school we kind of see Rochester being the USC of the east and USC being the Rochester of the west. I think the ultimate question that you need to answer is ‘where do you want to spend your next four years LA/West Coast or rochester/East Coast?’.<br>
We know people that have attended both schools and everyone was happy with their college experience. I for one would not let the Spring admit influence my decision significantly…</p>
<p>For what it is worth S was raised in San Diego but we live in NY now and I THINK my S is going to ultimately choose the (west coast) Berkeley as he did get into the EECS program. I think had he gotten inot Viterbi as opposed to CLAS he would have done the Spring admit thing—but the jury is still out on his final decisions
Best of luck in your decision</p>
<p>Redsox,
Students on Facebook started to post they have received financial aid packages as of yesterday. Packages often arrive about a week after the admission letter for RD students.</p>
<p>Redsoxfan4 (love the name)… If you haven’t had a chance to visit Rochester’s campus, I highly recommend you consider attending a Spring Open Campus event. A visit may help to provide some insight into your potential to be a happy and successful student at Rochester (for better or for worse). If you come to campus and are not convinced that Rochester is the place for you, at least you’ll be able to make a more confident and better informed decision. Either way - congrats - you have two excellent options to choose from.</p>
<p>MConklin, Glad to see you over here!!! Now, I must defend Rochester. </p>
<p>berry14 says “USC for sure. much better school.”</p>
<p>What makes you so qualified to make a judgment that USC is so much better than Rochester? I’m not trying to be mean, but the folks at Rochester (financial aid, admission, representatives, etc) are better than any other college or university that I’ve come in to contact with. I was accepted at both Rochester and USC and am seriously considering the both of them.</p>
<p>Rochester is a GREAT school. They meet 100% of need and are need-blind! I got a wonderful financial aid package from them, and combine that with how much I truly like the school, it is where I may end up next year. Now, I’m going to compare financial aid packages with USC and make my final decision, so we’ll see. But to get back on the topic, Rochester is a unique school. It is smaller but I’ve heard a lot about curriculum designing for students at Rochester and you don’t have to take many req’s at all, giving you options to explore what you want to do (which would be perfect for me!)</p>
<p>So anyway, bottom line is that USC may be a better school, but not by much and it all depends on what you are looking for in a school. Rochester, according to USNews is ranked 35th in the Nation, while USC stands at 26th. I understand USNews rankings can be skewed, so take them with a grain of salt. Rochester is just as competitive to get in to as USC is as well.</p>
<p>I second MConklin that visiting would be a great idea. Crunch, what you said is great advice. OP should take everything you said into account.</p>
<p>If you don’t have any money, I’d say Rochester. Who knows, maybe you’ll fall in love. If you are unsure, GO visit! It can’t hurt. I really hope it works out. I would be happy attending both schools, so hopefully you will be too!</p>
<p>@redsoxfan4
S was admitted at both Rochester and USC and although it doesn’t look like he will be attending either, we have great respect for both. But they are very different schools and if you have the time and resources to visit, by all means try to do so before you make your final decision. </p>
<p>The way I view it, USC has the advantage of a better location & weather, school spirit and athletics are as strong as can be, maybe better name recognition and wider choices for (double) majors. Academically, you have to look specifically into your intended major. As far as S’s major was concerned, Rochester seemed to have a slight edge over USC, but that may not be necessarily true in your case. Rochester, in turn, had two very interesting and unique offerings that appealed greatly to my son. One was the open curriculum that the previous poster mentioned, and the second was the Take Five program (a tuition-free fifth year to complete courses in other areas or maybe finish up a double major or minor).</p>
<p>And then obviously there’s the financial aspect, which may matter a lot if you intend to go to graduate or professional school after four years. Rochester has been very generous to us–and it sounds like it has to you, too–but then we haven’t received USC financial aid letter yet. So the jury is out on that.</p>
<p>Best of luck with your decision, but rest assured that, whichever school you choose, you will end up somewhere great.</p>
<p>both are great schools.
Rochester’s sciences may be stronger than USC. Really good undergrad research opportunities. Sciences/Medical really strong at Rochester as well.
They also have Eastman if you are into music. (really prestigious) </p>
<p>I got rejected from USC so i dont have a choice. But got into Rochester :D</p>
<p>I see the 90210 tinker, you live in LA area? Also, I am most worried about the cold ( I dont want to freeze for 4-8 years) but also worried about school spirit and sports. I want a big school but I don’t want to be a spring admit! This would be so much easier if USC accepted me for fall…</p>
<p>Could use some more input! Also, if I decide that I engineering is not for me… could I complete the pre-reqs for med school in 3 years? I would be able to take 3 years of summer school and already have the AP bio credit.</p>
<p>Consider the spring admit this way - if you spend 4 years in college, then that would be 7 semesters out of 8 at USC (or 87.5%)</p>
<p>So the vast majority, almost 90%, of your college career would be at USC anyways.</p>
<p>Plus, you can do whatever you want in the meantime. Go somewhere else in the fall (check what courses transfer/count for med school), get a job, travel…</p>
<p>Tinkerbell,
USC has the stellar Thornton School of Music which celebrated 125 years in 2009. It is one of the great arts schools at the university. The Roski School of Fine Arts, the School of Theatre and the incredible School of Cinematic Arts are all distinguished.</p>
<pre><code>The Thornton School of Music has alumni/faculty who bring home Grammys every year. Recently Michael Tilson Thomas, an alumnus, received the National Medal of the Arts. The faculty has had legendary members such as Jascha Heifetz, Gregor Piatigorsky, Eudice Shapiro, William Primrose and Ingolf Dahl.
</code></pre>
<p>yeah, USCs music is good. but eastman is pretty good too. you have to admit. it ranks up there with julliard. </p>
<p>georgia girl are you familiar with eastman’s programs? they’re worth looking into :)</p>
<p>OP appears to be concerned about being a spring admit at USC. If you are interested in USC, why not go to your local community college for the fall and take core required classes which you can work out with USC on the transfer agreement? You will save money this way too. Remember, it is really cold in the winter in Rochester. Try to visit both schools during admit days. Of course, I would take USC over Rochester.</p>
<p>Someone mentioned you could go to another university in the Fall and then decide in the winter if you are going to stay there or go to USC.</p>
<p>I believe alamemom said this happened twice, ask her for sure.</p>
<p>So, maybe you could try Rochester? See if you like it</p>
<p>Thornton is actually on the USC campus though - Eastman is not very far from the University of Rochester but for undergrads the hike down the road and separate dorm and cafeteria make Eastman a bit separate.</p>