The University of Southern California

USC has an excellent location in Los Angeles to study a wide variety of subjects. Unfortunately, USC is poorly

administrated. The staff is often surly, rude and very cold. The faculty is generally self absorbed. The

professors who are friendly often transfer from the tiresome bureaucracy at USC. I met some great friends including my wife at USC. If you are from an elite, well

moneyed Southern California family, USC's contacts and yourfamily contacts will be important to your success. However, most of the contacts are your own family's contacts. If you are not from an elite family, please realize that you may spend an exhorbitant sum for tuition for personal alumni contacts that you are not likely to obtain. I did not think of USC when attending professional school. Simply put, unless you obtain a full scholarship to USC, the school is not a good value.

4th Year Female -- Class 1983

Scholastic Success: A, Education Quality: F

I really like the fact that USC is quite teched up. There are many computer labs on campus that open 24/7; you can do a lot of the administrative hassle-dazzle online (e.g., register for classes, grade/degree reports, review bills); there are free DSL-speed internet connections at many dorms and in the libraries, where you can hook up your laptop with a network card. When I graduated last summer USC just began a wireless internet service (free again I think) that you can access on campus.What makes it bad at SC? Overpriced food on campus? I forget the details, but I remember it was ridiculous (My roommate was convinced USC had some twisted plan to squeeze every cent out of dorm-living freshmen. Too little room to explain here.). In all fairness, USC is probably not the only school that overcharges its own students, one way or another.

3rd Year Male -- Class 2002

Surrounding City: A+, Education Quality: B-