USC, San Diego State with Honors, or UCSB with Honors? Please help me, I'm so lost...

College Search & Lists
1

I recently had the great fortune of being accepted into these three great schools, and am very excited to consider them. However, I’m having a very difficult time choosing.

First, some background. I don’t really know what I want to do. I’m a good writer, and I find politics and international relations to be very interesting. However, I also feel a slight need in the back of my mind to drift towards something STEM-related, for job prospects later on. I wouldn’t really consider doing anything hard-core natural science-y, like bio or physics, but probably something closer to environmental science or spatial studies/geodesign (AKA GIS). I could see myself maybe trying out business (especially when it relates to international stuff), but I’m not sure how feasible that is for someone who isn’t ready to go into it at the first semester of freshman year. Ideally, I would be able to explore and try some things out before deciding on a path. I want to be able to study abroad, and I would like to have access to lots of good internships. As you can tell, I’m a bit lost here.

So on to the various schools…

USC:

Pros

  • Obviously a big brand-name school, and there are certainly benefits which come with that.
  • The large “Trojan Family,” which helps a lot in getting jobs and internships
  • I love the diversity of the campus, with its mix of people from so many places. It’s kind of lame, but meeting people from other states and even other parts of my own state is so exciting to me!
  • There is a vast array of majors and minors to explore, and professors are generally helpful.
  • The staff at the school is very helpful, and will help you get what you need (e.g., classes)
  • The location is fantastic for internships and generally being a student wanting to explore
  • People seem to really, really, really love this school
  • Opportunities seems to be endless here
  • Some of my best friends will be attending UCLA (which is only 15 minutes away on the metro!), and my bestest friend will be attending USC. Now, I know you shouldn’t base your decisions on something as trivial as friendships, but I can’t quite help keeping that in the back of my mind…

Cons

  • Larger undergraduate population than my other options
  • Because of the high quality of students, there may be a good amount of competition for internships (though I’ve heard the relationships between students for internships are pretty good-natured and not that cutthroat)
  • I’m afraid of getting lost in the huge-ness of USC. Everything is so big and new and all-around energetic that I feel it might be easy to drown in it.
  • At USC, I’m going to be just another student. No honors programs for me here.
  • I’ve had a hell of a time with financial aid just as an applicant, and it scares me for what could come in my later years. I get the feeling that FA here can be kinda volatile, and I can’t afford volatility. Heck, my family can barely afford this college venture at all, and I have younger siblings who will be going to college after me. That being said, I know there are lots of continuing student scholarships once you are in.
    - Which brings me to a little bit of an issue (or a large one)…

So, I mentioned I don’t know what I want to do with myself. I’m a mess. But, I applied to the School of Cinematic Arts on a whim, and found myself admitted to the best film school in the world (well, arguably, but still). I have an interest in screenwriting or producing or doing something within the industry, which is why I applied, but it was always with the idea that it’s easier to start there and transfer out if I don’t like it than it is to transfer in later on. At a visit day I was able to meet the people within the department and tour the facilities, and I was awestruck. I couldn’t believe the personal attention which students within SCA get, and I felt as though they would help guide me there. And then I found out about a major within the school called Media Arts and Practice, which combines media and technology in a bunch of cool ways and also encourages double majoring and making it interdisciplinary, which I felt was a smart pick for the future.

However, that didn’t change the fact that I couldn’t afford it. After talking with a couple people in the offices, they decided to try and help with my financial aid appeal. As it turned out, they managed to get the school to give me an SCA scholarship (guaranteed for 4 years!), and my appeal pulled through. I could attend USC for $25,000 to $30,000 per year, which put it on par with SDSU’s price! But then I realized this meant I could never transfer out of SCA, and would limit the flexibility of myself later on. Would I still be able to double major in whatever? Could I graduate in four years? I have no idea. I’ll talk to someone about this on Saturday, but this set-up worries me a little.

2

UCSB Honors Program:

Pros

  • Great location! (You can’t really beat Santa Barbara, and it would be nice to get beach access since I’ve grown up on the beach)
  • Good undergraduate focus
  • People seem content to be here, and enjoy the outdoors (which I do, too!)
  • UCSB is a solid mid-tier UC, which is good for applying to grad school or trying to get a job after a bachelor’s degree
  • Professors seem friendly
  • I love the tutoring center set-up they have!
  • I’m undeclared here, so I’d be able to explore departments more than I could at USC
  • I know that I can keep up academically, and the honors program will help me to get solid internships and research opportunities
  • PRIORITY REGISTRATION and library privileges!
  • Lots of good study-abroad opportunities
  • Special honors sections for most lectures and labs

Cons

  • When I attended an open house, the people involved in the UCSB honors program seemed a lot less warm/welcoming than the ones involved in the SDSU honors college. I don’t know why this is. I just didn’t feel as though this was a program the school prioritizes.
  • Slightly more expensive than SDSU, and I received a “freshman scholarship” that I may not get next year. If I didn’t get a renewed scholarship, it would be too expensive for me.
  • It seems as though internship opportunities would be a bit sparse in SB considering where it’s located.
  • Not as much crazy diversity as USC
  • I don’t love this school, but you can learn to love really anywhere. I think this is because I’ve grown up close to it.
  • I’m not sure how much the honors program will help me with advising and the like, because its offerings didn’t seem as large as SDSU’s.
  • Doesn’t seem as busy in terms of ECs and events as USC or SDSU
  • I would like to go somewhere with a lot of school spirit and a collective group feeling, and I’m not sure if UCSB has that. Do lots of people go home on the weekend? I think they do. I would maybe be tempted to.

So, I don’t absolutely love UCSB, but it’s a solid option and would give me lots of wiggle room regardless of what I choose to do.

SDSU Honors College:

Pros

  • Their honors students are really loved at this school. Professors want to work with them, the staff likes them, etc.
  • Saying you are an “honors student” at this school gets you pretty far with applying for university-type things.
  • No priority registration, but I do get special “honors” interdisciplinary small classes for some things. Note: these are not honors sections for GEs and major classes like at UCSB, but are their own courses.
  • The college has its own live-in adviser who spends a lot of time emailing students with exclusive internships and study abroad opportunities.
  • Because of the above fact, honors students tend to get the best internships, and there are a lot of really cool national ones.
  • It’s easier to stand out here, and the academics would be very manageable. I could even try computer science!
  • The Honors College staff is very close with students, and they sort of coddle them to help them excel. Good or bad, I don’t know, but I’d appreciate the extra guidance. It worked for these guys who got into Oxford and another who got into Johns Hopkins and American University for grad school.
  • Lots to do in San Diego, and students seem to love SDSU!
  • Flat rate tuition (I know I won’t be getting FA, but I’ll know what to expect each year)
  • I get to design my own study abroad programs

Cons

  • No priority registration (maybe starting sophomore year)
  • Even less diverse than UCSB and USC
  • I loved the level of academic intensity of USC, and felt like it would push me to excel. I don’t know if I’ll get that same feeling at SDSU.
  • As good as it gets for Cal States, but Cal States don’t throw the same weight around as UCs (or USC, for that matter)
  • I don’t know how strong all the departments are. Some are very strong, but others, not so much.
  • Will I be missing out on transforming myself academically by not attending a “stronger” university? Does it even matter?
  • Less major and minor offerings than UCSB for me to explore. USC in a whole other world in terms of offerings.
  • I don’t feel as though the club offerings are as strong as those of UCSB or USC (ie I want to do club triathlon)

I really liked SDSU’s program, and felt it could help guide a very undecided student. But I can’t help feeling that I could be cheating myself out of a more rigorous academic experience which will help me grow. Is this true? I have no idea, but I feel like it might be. Also, as immature as it is for me to say, “SDSU” doesn’t carry the same name brand as “USC” or even “UCSB.” For all I know, that might not make a difference.

I’m a little lost in this whole process. I’m just a kid who goes to a large public school in a very blue-collar community. People can’t answer my questions, and neither can my counselor. All my friends already know where they are going. I don’t really know what to do here. I feel as though I can’t really make a wrong choice, but are there varying degrees of “goodness” here? I want to go to a grad school, but I also want a career which will secure a stable future for myself.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

3

You can definitely add a minor, mine did. If you work really hard you could a major.

4

@DrGoogle I know for a fact that I intend to double major, but are you suggesting that I add a minor as well? It’s something I would like to do, but I’m not sure if it would really jive with the two majors since they would be within completely different schools at the university.

5

Bump. Please help me!

6

I don’t know much about USC. My daughter never contemplated it. She was accepted at SDSU with Honors and to UCSB. We visited both and were in her final short list along with UCR with an academic scholarship. She chose UCR and she is doing very well there. I cannot tell you how many times she has expressed how happy she is to have the priority registration that goes with her scholarship. She has the ability to plan her classes and schedule, which to her is a great perk. Just saying, don’t underestimate its value, especially at a large state school as a Freshman. SDSU is a fine university but UCSB in my opinion is much stronger. I see that you are concerned that people go home for the weekend? I honestly don’t think you have to worry about that. I haven’t heard anything to substantiate that.

7

@InfoQuestMom Thanks for the advice, it means a lot! I wasn’t totally considering UCSB, but I think I’ll consider it a bit more from here on out.