I am beyond happy that I decided to choose the University of Southern California as the place to realize my college career. It has easily been the best decision of my life so far. Here are 22 reasons why USC, in my opinion, is the best school on earth!
1. Global Reach
Not every American university hosts an office in Hong Kong, offers classes at Sorbonne University in Paris and has study abroad programs in over 30 countries. One landmark opportunity is a business program where you live and study in three continents and earn degrees from three universities in just four years!
2. Connections
Connections are huge at USC. Fox News, ESPN, JP Morgan and Google, just to name a few, are some of the many companies who specifically reach out to USC students for internship opportunities and post-grad careers. And not to mention the incredibly engaged professors who are so willing to help make these internships happen for students. The loyalty of alum is well-established and personal connections feed USC graduates job opportunities, invitations to professional affiliations, and friendships for life.
3. Special Type of Students
Whether you’re a communications, chemical engineering, or business major, chances are you all have one thing in common…a diligent sense of ambition. It’s a campus of people radiant with big dreams and entrepreneurial ideas.
4. Diversity
The international community is huge at USC; it’s a melting pot, really. There’s a good chance you’ll work on a class project with a Cameroonian, Malaysian or Australian or live next door to a Milanese, South American or Sri Lanka-born student. There are rich opportunities for cultural value.
5. Location
In the center of it all, is USC. Just minutes from Downtown LA and only a short ride to Santa Monica, Venice, or Melrose Ave., whatever it is you like to do during your downtime, LA is guaranteed to have it!
6. Opportunities
USC’s connections and location make it ideal for a vast amount of career and internship opportunities. You have everything you need at your fingertips if you choose to take advantage.
7. Donations
USC is known for it’s extraordinary donations to the school: there’s the new Ferttita Marshall School of Business Hall, the beautiful Caruso Catholic Center and the George Lucas Family Foundation gift.
8. Extra curricular activities
9,600 students play intramural sports, Greek life is ginormous, there are drama clubs, debate squads, charity clubs, Neon Tommy and outdoor clubs- just a small list of extra curricular options to choose from. They even have a department to help you fund your own new student organization. Because USC students can do it all.
9. Football
Fight On! Football games are a must. There is no comparable experience to watching the world famous USC football team crush UCLA in the beautiful LA Coliseum alongside 50,000 of your best friends.
10. Billionaires
USC has the glorious distinction of having the fifth most self-made billionaire graduates. There are leaders in every field of business, science, communications, entertainment, and technology. USC claims the world’s top video game development program (according to Princeton Review), the new real estate entrepreneur major, and STEM-based student start-ups.
11. Luxury Amenities
Currently under construction is University Village, the soon-to be home of, hold your breath, Trader Joes. Walk into Annenberg TV News room and you’ll feel like you’ve walked right into Fox News or even the New York Stock Exchange. The facility is filled with top of the line technology for students to learn from and work with. And then there’s the gratis USC Uber for all students to get where they’re going on campus. (Thanks administration)
12. Luxury Off Campus Housing
The Lorenzo is hands down my favorite apartment complex. These luxury apartments come with a gym, spin studio, sand volleyball court, climbing wall, dance studio, pilates and yoga classes, movie theatre, 4 swimming pools including cabanas, and best of all, room service. There’s no need to leave the building! Except for class of course…
13. Status/Acceptance Rate
As many may know, USC is not an “easy-in.” With a 17.5% acceptance rate, you find yourself surrounded by like-minded, hard-working, intelligent people. Hence, why USC has a reputation of producing high-achievers.
14. The Food
A Lemonade restaurant on campus?! C’mon does it get any better? Yes it does, indulge in other equally delicious food joints like Amazebowls food truck, Nature’s Brew, Nektar, La Taquiza, in-between class meet ups at Moreton Fig and underground happy hour at Traditions, afogatos and gelato from Annenberg’s Illy Cafe, Seeds, $20 all you can drink Bacaro, The Lab, and Blaze Pizza.
15. Major-Specific Extra Curricular Activities
Annenberg TV News is a great example as mentioned above. However, there are plenty of other extra curricular opportunities for different majors like Trojan Investing Society, Share a Meal, and Price Professional Mentor Program.
16. Beautiful Campus
Legally Blonde, Entourage, Forrest Gump, and The Graduate are just some of the movies filmed on the gorgeous brick, ivy-lined, and cobbled USC campus.
17. Famous USC Alumni
George Lucas, Will Farrell, John Wayne, Lily Collins, America Ferrera and plenty more successful celebrities claim USC’s Alma Mater. Seeing stars on campus is a regular event. Of course, USC also has bragging rights to crowd-favorite NFL coach Pete Carroll and universe explorer and astronaut Neil Armstrong.
18. Famous Song Girls (with original uniforms)
Ok, so they’re a little less recognized than some athletes, but the USC song girls have extracted some worldwide interest. Overheard in Hong Kong was a discussion about the team whose members wear an (almost) exact replica of the original 1960’s USC Song uniform. Plus, they inspire loads of happy goodwill and school spirit as they travel the nation, do special appearances, and of course, perform at all of the USC basketball and football games.
19. The school with most Olympic gold medalist winners.
Watch for more out of Rio next week, but what can I say? USC goes for the gold. It’s the winning spirit of the games, of these athletes, that’s the common thread of USC students.
20. Fun!
Although USC is a serious school in regards to it’s studies, it is also an EXTREMELY exciting school. It has plenty of school spirit, smiles, parties and events!
21. Greek Life
Greek life is huge at USC. Take a stroll down the famous USC ‘Row’ and you’ll get the picture (and feel like you’ve walked off the set of Animal House).
22. School Spirit
The school spirit here is unlike any other school I have ever been to or visited. There is a certain energy about USC, a wave of pride over campus, an immediate connection with alumni that make this school truly the best school on Earth.
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