<p>A LOT of students at USC that I have talked to were deciding between NYU and USC. In my experience, SC students’ list of colleges applied to/accepted were either California schools, or private schools in big cities. I’ve met a lot of kids who almost went to NYU, GW, Gtown, Vandy, etc. </p>
<p>Both are private schools in the middle of the country’s two biggest cities, both are particularly strong in film/arts programs, both have big price tags. I think they are equivalent in a way - USC is to LA as NYU is to NYC. However Los Angeles and New York are two VERY different cities.</p>