Being from New Jersey, I’m a long way from home. All the time I’m asked, “Why USC? Why so far?” Frankly, I had never considered going west for my education. Other than USC, I had only applied to schools in the northeast. However, USC had a potent combination of benefits that inevitably drew me west to LA for the first time in my life.
Courses and Resources
I was drawn to USC for its outstanding academic reputation. The university is well known for its quality education with numerous prestigious schools: School of Cinematic Arts, Thornton School of Music, Annenberg, and, of course, Viterbi. I came for the outstanding resources. The Viterbi School of
Engineering has an incredible faculty to student ratio, meaning professors are accessible. TAs and SI leaders help instruct students in difficult classes. Beyond academics, there are hundreds of registered student organizations (RSOs) for fun, for sports, and for professional development. Notably, there are both USC general and Viterbi specific job fairs where dozens of companies come to campus to recruit eager students. Of course, I also came for the cultural experience of a passionate and enthusiastic institution. I fell in love with marching band performances, and I’ve even been converted into a football fan, to my great surprise.
Life and Character
USC stood out in a way that other schools did not. On various college tours and campus visits, I felt the pulse of other universities. Some were alarmingly flat. The University of Southern California wasn’t like that at all. The campus was a buzz of activity with smiling and busy students. People I met seemed genuinely enthusiastic to be here. Plus, USC is well situated in one of the largest cities in the US. I have easy access to museums, sports events, restaurants, movie theaters, and all kinds of stores. Unlike remote schools I applied to in the northeast, getting home is surprisingly straightforward: LAX offers daily direct flights. At most six hours by plane, even an overnight flight beats a slow combination of trains and buses that take up a whole day. Getting home is easy, and so is traveling to Hawaii, Mexico, Las Vegas, and elsewhere for a vacation or spring break. I’ve been asked if I get homesick, to which I reply that the semester flies by far too quickly to miss home too much. Finally, one of my favorite parts about this university is the architectural character of its campus. As a civil engineering student, I always stop to observe the constant construction on campus (USC is always building or improving something). As a building science (architecturally interested) student, I appreciate the distinct USC style and color scheme present throughout campus. Buildings like Annenburg Hall, the Michelson Building, and the Village show unity in theme without being identical buildings. The new Ginsburg Hall is a particularly unique take on this style, blending the particular brick tone with sleek windowed sections.
In the end, USC Viterbi was too good an offer to refuse. I know that if I played it safe and stayed home, I would forever ask myself what I could’ve experienced if I’d gone. Now that I’m a few semesters in, I’m confident that I made the right choice!
