The University of Southern California (USC) was founded in 1880, in beautiful and sunny Los Angeles, California. With rigorous academics and a strong student life scene, USC enables students to enjoy the experience of furthering their education. 

USC consists of 23 schools, each focusing on a different field of study. This ranges from the USC School of Cinematic Arts to the USC Gould School of Law. With a variety of these colleges to choose from, USC allows students to study their field in a more refined way.

There are a total of 128 total majors to choose from. These range from jazz studies, to aerospace engineering, to gender and sexuality studies. The sheer quantity of majors ensures that students can study their field of interest with a specific lens. They also offer a variety of minors to choose from as well, which is a great way to broaden one’s academic horizons. 

In my opinion, another huge positive of USC is its pristine campus. The campus is very large – covering 226 acres of land – and is full of classrooms, libraries, housing, and shopping facilities. All of these options contribute to the thriving social climate of the school. When I visited during the school year there were many students on the campus who gave me a positive initial impression of student life. The huge campus also allows for the creation of many student-run clubs and social groups. The increased ability to connect to other students with similar interests potentially makes being sociable much easier than it would be at other colleges.

USC is also well known for their sports and marching band programs. Their extremely competitive football team makes student life even more fun, creating an electric atmosphere on game days. The huge marching band program plays at a variety of different events, and is recognized as one of the best in the nation. One of their most popular songs, “Fight On,” has been adapted by our very own Jesuit Marauder Marching Band, showing how influential they are to other schools throughout the nation. Marching Band is open to all people even with zero experience. As a member of the marching band myself, this is a huge pull factor.

Although there are many positives, USC comes with a high cost. According to the official USC website, the estimated cost for the 2024-2025 school year comes out to be about $95,225. This includes tuition, extraneous costs, housing, meal plans, books/supplies, transportation, and other costs. This is a heavy price to pay but there are opportunities for financial aid. Even though the cost is high, I believe that the many positives about the school makes up for this.

USC is an incredibly strong school, both academically and athletically. The thriving student life and beautiful campus make it obvious why so many students choose to apply there every year.