The University of Southern California (StudentsReview)

How this student rated the school

Research Quality	F	Research Availability	F
Research Funding	F	Graduate Politics	F
Errand Runners	F	Degree Completion	F
Alternative pay [ta/gsi]	F	Sufficient Pay	F
Competitiveness	F	Education Quality	F
Faculty Accessibility	F	Useful Research	F
Extracurriculars	A	Success-Understanding	A
Surrounding City	A-	Social Life/Environment	A
"Individual" treatment	A+	Friendliness	A+
Safety	B	Campus Beauty	A+
Campus Maintenance	A+	University Resource/spending	A+

Describes the student body as: Friendly Describes the faculty as: Self Absorbed

Male

Lowest Rating Research Quality	F

Highest Rating "Individual" treatment	A+

He cares more about Research Quality than the average student.

Date: Dec 31 1969
Major: Unknown (This Major's Salary over time)
First of all, USC is the great school. And my "actual" department is extremely great. USC reputation is very good and the academic is very strong.

However, I just want to point out one thing that many international students have to suffer at the moment they are starting their academic at USC. It is about The American Language Institute (ALI).

If you asked honest opinion from international students who have a chance (been forced) to take any ALI classes. The same answers you will heard is it's the "USC rip-off" campaign, and nothing else. This ALI only need your money, the knowledge came later. Many incoming students who already impressed the school environment (by their own department) have to stop the impression with the dark-side of USC… "The ALI".

Why? First, it's very expensive, the unit price is almost the same as a very good class offering by the "real" department in which student intends/more-than-willing to take. Second, the class is not in-any-aspect good. The quality of teaching is bad. The teachers attitude are even worst. Third, the most important, ALI always come-up with stupid policies to force you take its classes. If your TOEFL < threshold, you need to take it… even year 200x I can't believe in USA still have this kind of scam publicly. I know it's informed by admission, but it's like you buy a car bundle with motorcycle… it's lame… Top schools never allow this to happen… OR if you are TA, no matter your TOEFL score (they know how to deal with this hah), then you will need to take stupid EXAM (not even by any standard test) and the people who examine you are the ALI's staffs who are ready to put you in some classes… … these classes never improve TA skill at any rate.. everybody knows.. it's just for money…but no one say it outloud… It's a SIN… TA is now just a scapegoat.. Believe me, international TAs can teach if they are selected by the department.. the only people who cannot teach are those in ALI school.

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