UCLA vs USC: College Comparison

During my spring break I took the time to make a few college visits with my friends. Among those colleges were the two giants in the college world of UCLA and USC. Both these Universities have a fierce rivalry so I thought it would be interesting if I weighed in with my own unique view on the matter.

The first campus I visited was UCLA, and despite having visited the surrounding area of the UCLA campus, I quickly realized how little I knew about the University. This is in part because I am not naturally inclined towards big Universities and because I had not previously taken the time to do my research.

UCLA is a very big campus, and holds about 60,000 people, which is only slightly less than my hometown. The campus is sprawling with active students so privacy is a rare commodity. The campus is definitely an architectural marvel so it is no surprise it has featured in numerous movies. It is also the most applied to college in the United States so so don't think its mere size will improve your chances at admittance.

While USC is fierce rivals with their neighbors UCLA, the two are a stark contrast from each other in many ways. For starters, USC is a private university and one instantly realizes that upon stepping on the campus grounds. The college holds around half as many students but is still a giant compared to fellow private schools. The campus is still quite large although it is about 2/3's the size of UCLA. It is not uncommon to have several encounters with students using bikes and long boards as a means of transportation. The campus is also quite appealing.

Now that all the formalities have been covered, a proper comparison can be drawn. USC as a whole feels a lot preppier than its counterpart and everything feels organized and 'perfect'. The University seems to have a more unified goal. The students are taught to look at the world subjectively and relate every-day occurrences to classroom situations. USC students are encouraged to be outward thinkers and think about ways to further their society instead of acting selfishly. The populous seems much more affluent and contains a large minority of International students. USC does seem a little more conservatively minded although it does claim to be neutral. The students walking around always seem like they are going somewhere and one will rarely find students simply meandering around. 

The expansive UCLA campus

UCLA on the other hand is completely void of a clear theme and seems to have a more black and white approach in terms of education. The students around seem more laid back and the University does feel a little more liberally leaning. The focus does not seem to be about the university itself but rather the individual. The vibrant campus hosts many events from prominent speakers to live performers. UCLA has an abundance of resources which makes the student's job a bit more straightforward. 

Both colleges claim a host of well-renowned programs that range from engineering to psychology. UCLA is big on Psychology and the sciences among others while USC is for the most part a research school and is strong in Humanities, Engineering and Architecture. Both Universities contain a wide array of majors which gives the student an abundance of options. 

USC: preppy?

If you came here expecting a victor, then disappointment awaits. The truth is, both Universities are world-class and have their strengths and weaknesses. It is the students job to find the college that aligns the most closely with their ideals. Personally, If I were to choose between the two, I would go with USC because it seems better suited for the intellectual type. So, while making a decision, the student in question should definitely look to themselves before turning their attention towards the Universities being considered. Which college fits you the best? Although certainly you must make a few college visits before issuing the final verdict. 

What Is The Point Of This Blog?

To answer this question directly, there is no point. Of course there are many reasons why I am creating a blog, but there is no overlying theme here. In fact, this blog will be completely void of any theme whatsoever. One reason for the creation of this blog is as a medium to prove to the people at IB, that I am indeed completing my CAS(creativity action service) requirements. Each post related to CAS will have an * next to it and will indicate that you may read at your own peril, but should only continue if my life's occurrences prove a great significance to you. The remaining posts will vary from anything and everything and can range from a book review, to a college guide, to my thoughts on recent events. Most of the posts will attempt to be interesting and will display my very staunch position regarding several issues. Please feel free to challenge me as this will make my experience a whole lot more interesting. So if you are a sports fan, a politician, economist, investor, IBer, high school student, college student or anything else for that matter, than take the time to read my blog. Basically, if you are anyone who is anyone than follow this blog because all the cool kids are doing it. And the beauty of irrelevance, is that it makes everything relevant once more. It makes sense the less you think about it.          Ciao

So who am I?

Hello this is Yousuf Hafuda and I am a 16 year old junior currently attending Claremont High school. For those of you that do not know where Claremont is, it is basically a small college town located in suburbs of Los Angeles. I am ethnically mixed as I am part Arab(Iraqi and Libyan), white(Austrian), and Turkish. I speak Arabic quite fluently despite being born in the US and more recently I have been teaching myself some Turkish. I am also proficient in Spanish and am taking my third year of that language. I have many interests and am very opinionated which is precisely the reason why I'm creating a blog. I play many sports including soccer, basketball, and tennis, although the only sport I play for my high school is soccer. I am also a huge soccer fan and am a big fan of the team Manchester United. I also watch basketball and occasionally football as well, where my favorite teams are the Lakers, and the Colts respectively. I consider myself liberally minded although I am still trying to acquaint  myself with polotics more fully. I am quite knowledgeable in the field of economics and have read various books about both the stock market and the economy in general. I am also an avid follower of the stock market although as a result of my busy schedule I have not found time to form my own portfolio. However, I plan on investing some of my money in mutual funds for the time being until I enter college and have more time. Hopefully this is a sufficient enough introduction to myself but in any case I have deemed it sufficient so it will have to make do. Also, please follow me on bleacherreport.com where I am attempting to begin my career in journalism.                                                                                                           Ciao