<p>Thinking about applying to both of these schools for businesss or eccon at chicago. Which one is harder to get into? It seems to me that USC has a lower admit % but is that just because they have less qualified applicants? Also how do these schools compare? Regards to academics, job prospects, and social life? Thanks.</p>
<p>I’ve never seen anyone apply to both. They are night and day. USC a total party and sports school aqnd UChicago a totally intellectual grind school. Different applicants, Chicago is harder to get into.You need to decide what you really want.</p>
<p>Good point, I guess I was thinking more along the lines of Norhtwestern. How would USC and Northwestern compare in terms of acceptance, social life, and accademics?</p>
<p>Chicago is the harder of the two to get into. Compare the student bodies at both, and the kids at Chicago will be significantly more accomplished, academically and otherwise. USC draws many more apps than Chicago, hence the lower acceptance rate. Admit rate is a weak indicator of school strength–there are even TTTs that accept under 30% of applicants.</p>
<p>Chicago trounces USC for academics. USC is a very respectable school, but Chicago is known internationally as an academic powerhouse. If you chose a school exclusively by its academics, USC only has an edge on Chicago if you study Film. For economics/business, go to Chicago–their econ program is easily one of the top five in the world. One word of warning: Chicago is known to be an extremely rigorous school, probably one of the toughest in the country. It has a very demanding core curriculum along with relatively little grade inflation. I don’t know much about USC’s rigor, but it’s safe to say that it’s not at Chicago’s level.</p>
<p>Chicago is also very heavily recruited by i-banks. Overall, USC probably has better “regular” job prospects, but for the top jobs, Chicago will have an edge despite USC’s strong alumni network. Chicago is recruited by nearly every major bank and consulting firm, and it helps that they also have a top-ranked B-School, whereas USC doesn’t. </p>
<p>USC does have a huge advantage over Chicago, and that’s in social life. It is supposedly dead at UofC. Many of the students are uber-nerds and too busy to have fun in the traditional sense–they’re more into intellectual pursuits when it comes to having fun. Of course, you will find parties and partiers at any school, but it’s not at all a dominant feature on Chicago’s social landscape.</p>
<p>USC should be obvious as a party school–good football team (which is a bonus–Chicago is DIII) and an awesome city for restaurants and clubs (though I personally hate LA–it’s a concrete jungle, so spread out). USC also has a better community and alumni network than Chicago, as the presence of a football team helps generate tons of school spirit, which is supposedly lacking at Chicago.</p>
<p>Just saw you ask about Northwestern–while not a major party school, it does have a half-decent social life, though not one approaching USC’s.</p>
<p>Academically, Northwestern is a slight cut below Chicago and still quite a bit better than USC. Career prospects at NU are excellent.</p>
<p>thanks jpps really good info. Just wondering how would admissions at USC compare to admission at NU? Is there anything I could do to make myself more competative in the admissions process.</p>
<p>One other thing, I am thinking about wanting to move back east after I graduate. Which school is more respected in other parts of the country? I am afraid that USC is really well respected in Cali and NU in Chicago area but ouside of that?</p>
<p>What do you mean by “regular” jobs? For Ibanking and Consulting is USC anygood? Or again is it mostly in the LA area? Same for NU?</p>
<p>One thing that really attracts me to USC is that they have such a highly ranked undergrad businesss program. And of course you cant beat Cali weather and social life. But glad to hear about the social life at NU. I will proably take a trip up and visit U Chicago, but I dont think I am that into that hard core academics regardless on how good the eccnomics and job prospects are. </p>
<p>thanks again.</p>
<p>“USC a total party and sports school.”</p>
<p>Riiiight. All 32000 of us ditch class because we’re too hungover from the night before and too busy thinking about Saturday’s game.</p>
<p>Please. It’s one thing to offer insight or commentary on a topic you’re well-versed in. It’s quite another to post your impression (likely not based on first-hand knowledge or experience) of a school under the guise of it being advice for someone genuinely looking for it.</p>
<p>The fact is USC has superb academics, with most preprofessional programs ranking in the top 20, if not top 10. Is it at strong as Chicago? No – Chicago’s one of the most academically elite universities in the world. A comparable analogy: is UCLA as strong as Harvard? No, for the same reason. But is UCLA weak academically, or in any way a total sports/party school? Of course not. In fact, UCLA (and USC of course) should be lauded for offering their students a more complete college experience. Merely because the competition is among the best in the world shouldn’t demerit USC. I don’t see how USC having great academics and U of Chicago having best-in-the-world academics make these two night and day.</p>
<p>But then again I’m quick to forget what seems to be the College Confidential consensus: if a school’s not an Ivy or de-facto Ivy, it must be nothing but a total party and sports school.</p>
<p>Actually, I think what the poster meant is the PERSONALITY of the schools are night and day, with which I agree.</p>
<p>corporatelaw,</p>
<p>In terms of admission stats, they are readily available on Yahoo Education. Below are copied and pasted from there:</p>
<p>Chicago
Admission 8,751 applied, 3,503 admitted, 1,203 enrolled
Test scores SAT verbal scores over 500 100%, SAT math scores over 500 100%, ACT scores over 18 100%, SAT verbal scores over 600 93%, SAT math scores over 600 93%, ACT scores over 24 93%, SAT verbal scores over 700 66%, SAT math scores over 700 59%, ACT scores over 30 61%</p>
<p>Northwestern
Admission 15,637 applied, 4,684 admitted, 1,915 enrolled
Test scores SAT verbal scores over 500 99%, SAT math scores over 500 100%, ACT scores over 18 100%, SAT verbal scores over 600 91%, SAT math scores over 600 94%, ACT scores over 24 97%, SAT verbal scores over 700 51%, SAT math scores over 700 63%, ACT scores over 30 68% </p>
<p>USC
Admission 29,792 applied, 8,037 admitted, 2,770 enrolled, 4.00 average high school GPA
Average high school GPA 4.00
Test scores SAT verbal scores over 500 99%, SAT math scores over 500 99%, ACT scores over 18 100%, SAT verbal scores over 600 84%, SAT math scores over 600 89%, ACT scores over 24 95%, SAT verbal scores over 700 32%, SAT math scores over 700 45%, ACT scores over 30 49% </p>
<p>Econ ranking (from 2006 US News graduate ranking):
Chicago–1st
Northwestern–8th
USC–41st</p>
<p>For biz, Chicago/Northwestern don’t have undergrad program which is unfortunate considering their biz schools being two of the best in the world. If your stats are good enough to apply to Chicago/Northwestern, you may want to consider also Michigan, Carnegie Mellon and of course NYU.</p>
<p>Good perspective by themegastud.</p>
<p>Themesgastud (for USC) and jpps1 (for University of Chicago) both gave excellent in-depth responses to the original post. As a UC alum, jpps1’s answer was entirely accurate regarding the UC elements of his answer (skimming by the “party school” reference to USC, however). Both USC and UC offer excellent alternatives depending on what the student is looking for.</p>
<p>Thanks. I just dont think I stand a chanc at UCLA (I assume thats what you mean) considering I am out of state. I will also apply to UMich, but NYU although great for Finance lacks a campus. How do UMich and Northwestern compare? For admission out of state and just the schools in general?</p>
<p>So in general it is easier to get into USC than Northwestern, but USC has a lower acceptance rate because it gets more less qualified applicants applying?</p>
<p>jpps1: just wondering what you menat by “regular jobs”? And how is USC for finding jobs and internships? Do Ibanks and Consulting firms recruit?</p>
<p>thanks.</p>
<p>I can’t comment much on the effectiveness of USC’s career office, since that is more of a personal-experience matter, something which I lack. However, it is recruited by some lower i-banks and consulting firms, which is more of a credit to the school’s alumni network than anything else. For “regular” jobs, I pretty much mean most above-average business jobs in sectors like management, marketing, etc…</p>
<p>For your field of interest, I would recommend Northwestern/Chicago (add Mich/CMU) over USC (may want to keep it on your list however cos you never know who will accept you). LA is hardly a financial hub while Chicago/NYU are. My friend who’s an accountant told me a lot of LA positions don’t require CPA while those in Chicago do (he doesn’t have a CPA and is contemplating to relocate to LA). I think part of it has to do with the nature of jobs (the ones in LA are probably simpler on average) and part of it has to do with the fact that there’re simply a lot more talents around Chicago/Northeast (higher concentration of good biz/finance/econ programs) areas. While USC undergrad biz program looks high in ranking, keep in mind the number of schools with undergrad programs is pretty limited. In grad ranking, USC is like #30, not bad but I wouldn’t say “highly ranked”. Its econ program is rather weak. In LA, USC gives you an edge because the alumni network is amazing and they really take care of you. But if you are gonna move back to the Northeast, the degree won’t be as highly regarded as those with really well-known biz/econ programs.</p>
<p>Job prospect for Northwestern/UMich in the northeast is excellent. I know 3 former international students at Northwestern found jobs in consulting firms in NYU/Boston. Two of them are doing MBA at Harvard/MIT now. One is a hedge fund analyst in NYC. Job prospect for internationals is usually a lot harder; so if they can get good jobs in NYC/Boston area, I am sure you can with a NU degree. Mich’s undergrad biz is excellent and its econ program is also a top-10 one. Michigan OOS admission isn’t too difficult if you have pretty good stats; from what I saw on CC, it’s slightly easier to get in than Northwestern/Chicago.</p>
<p>As an actual student of USC, I feel I’m qualified to comment on ibank and consulting recruitment. I don’t see where jpps1 gets off saying USC is recruited by lower i-banks. In actuality, ALL of the bulge bracket firms recruit at USC except Lehman (and by recruit, I mean actively, as in holding on-campus interview rounds, not merely presentations and resume drops) and it is not considered a “target school” by Citigroup, though they do recruit here. It should be noted that USC indeed IS a “target school” by Goldman and especially Merrill, whose recruiters went out of their way to point that out in recent presentations. UBS also targets USC heavily. On the graduate level, Marshall isn’t really seen as a banking school but it seems to hold its own at the undergrad placement level.</p>
<p>Consulting-wise, most big firms also actively recruit out of USC except McKinsey (but then again, where does McKinsey recruit?), notably Bain and BCG. Deloitte, while being a little lower on the prestige scale, perenially seems to give out many offers.</p>
<p>Admittedly, top firms in both areas will recruit out of Northwestern and UMich more, but saying USC is recruited by (only) lower ibanks and consulting firms is misinformed - and is getting rather old.</p>
<p>Here are almost all of the rankings for USC. It is a great school.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.usc.edu/dept/International_Offices/Taipei/admission_ranking.htm[/url]”>http://www.usc.edu/dept/International_Offices/Taipei/admission_ranking.htm</a></p>
<p>Academics: Chicago is better than Northwestern which is better than USC</p>
<p>Socially (from what I’ve heard): USC, then Northwestern, then Chicago</p>
<p>Hence, if you want a school that is good, but not great in academics and social activities, go to Northwestern</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=108904[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=108904</a></p>
<p>Wow.</p>
<p>For those of us on the board who were among the few supporters of USC in years past it is absolutely astounding to see this thread and the other one on this forum on USC v. Duke. Who would have thought two or three years ago when I started on CC that students would be considering Duke, Chicago, or USC? We knew it had lots to offer academically but it’s nice to see that others are appreciating it.</p>
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<p>Academically, Chicago’s student body will trump USC. However, I would say the student body at USC is more athletic(athletic powerhouse), talented in the arts(world class film school), more sociable, loyal(look at the alumni network), and thus… more well-rounded and accomplished.</p>
<p>intelligence can be measured in many more different ways than book smarts.</p>