USC Trojans bRUIN the UCLA Bruin

[thinkfloyd14]

All I can say is that I have a smile on my face.

[UPDATE x3] Hey UCLA Students: Nice Job Protecting The Bruin (& Getting PWNed By*Trojans) - Bruins Nation

Bruin Ruined: UCLA Mascot Attacked by Vandals - KTLA

[McLovin]

USC students never really get over getting that UCLA rejection letter in the mail, do they?

[thinkfloyd14]

never applied

p.s. this has been an ongoing thing since 1984 when the bruin statue was installed. that's why BOTH schools do their best to guard their statue, it's just that this time they slipped.

[McLovin]

Of course you didn't.

[thinkfloyd14]

Originally Posted by McLovin

Of course you didn't.

Why is it so hard to understand? It's called school pride. My dad went to USC, my brother, I've been going to USC games my whole life, its in my blood, so why wouldn't I want to go to the school I love.

There's just something about being on campus before a game, you hear the band begin to play in the distance, and your heart starts beating faster and faster as they are getting closer. The adrenaline rush is unbelievably pleasant.

[mattdavis11]

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by McLovin

USC students never really get over getting that UCLA rejection letter in the mail, do they?

If you knew anything about So Cal universities, you would understand that there is not a single USC student or grad that would have preferred to go to UCLA. Not a single one. Ever. Never.
No disrespect towards UCLA but USC is on a higher plane, a different level.

UCLA grads work for USC grads, and Texas grads park their cars for them (that was for you and your post Matt).

[RNajarian]

I was accepted to both USC and UCLA Dental Schools . . .

I chose USC for a multitude of reasons, foremost being USC Dental School has a far superior clinical reputation than UCLA.

I usually do not get into the school rivalry frame of mind, UCLA provides a good education, but I know my choice of dental school was the right one.

[pwd72s]

But who's going to the Rose bowl? Ohio State vs ????? We won't know until Dec. 3rd. We do know it won't be UCLA or USC.

[RWebb]

Right!

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

If you knew anything about So Cal universities, you would understand that there is not a single USC student or grad that would have preferred to go to UCLA. Not a single one. Ever. Never.
No disrespect towards UCLA but USC is on a higher plane, a different level.

UCLA grads work for USC grads, and Texas grads park their cars for them (that was for you and your post Matt).

I grew up and went to HS in LA. At my HS, most of the students applied to both USC and UCLA. So I am very familiar with the admissions standards of both. Every student that got into UCLA got into USC. Not so much the other way, not even close. I know countless people that wanted to go to UCLA, but didn't get in and had to go to USC.

UCLA (undergraduate) is the higher ranked school, by far. It has higher admission standards, is in Bev Hills as opposed to the ghetto, and as a bonus costs much less (esp. for Cal residents).

Among serious academic students applying to college, USC has always been considered a good "safety school." Everyone knows that if you are a good student with good scores, that didn't quite get into Cal, UCLA or Stanford, you still will have a good chance at usc.

[McLovin]

Although it is odd how usc grads can (like oj) seem to really change reality in their own mind.

I had classmates in HS that didn't get into UCLA and had to go to USC, that, I swear to you, 10 years later are telling people they got into UCLA but chose to go to USC. So bizarre, the most bizarre part is they seem to actually have convinced themselves of it. Just like I think oj really believes he didn't do it.

[RWebb]

that's right

UCLA (tho a "branch campus") is by far the superior school academically - it is not even close
- some depts. at USC (e.g. Film) are quite good however

But, what students do get at USC is "connection" into the Cal. power structure. I've always looked at it as similar to Bucknell in that way.


A lot of the dislike for USC is b/c it is widely regarded as a "little rich kids" school (not that the Ivys aren't full of rich kids too - but are outstanding academically).

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by RWebb

that's right

UCLA (tho a "branch campus") is by far the superior school academically - it is not even close
- some depts. at USC (e.g. Film) are quite good however

But, what students do get at USC is "connection" into the Cal. power structure. I've always looked at it as similar to Bucknell in that way.


A lot of the dislike for USC is b/c it is widely regarded as a "little rich kids" school (not that the Ivys aren't full of rich kids too - but are outstanding academically).

I agree USC has some very highly rated depts and grad schools. I am talking only about general freshman admissions and students.

As a native of LA, I never quite understood why USC has the "little rich kids" rep. I know the tuition is high, but it isn't significantly diff. than other local schools like Loyola or Pepperdine, and they don't have that rep.

I also never noticed any real difference in money between the local kids going to UCLA or USC. I guess USC has some high profile alumni. But most of the kids I know who went to USC (including many relatives) were far from "rich."

[McLovin]

But don't get me wrong, I don't think USC is a bad school. And they have improved quite a bit. 20 years ago they were, quite frankly, a joke as an academic institution. Pretty much anyone could (and did) get in.

They have an excellent and aggressive marketing department that is quite effective. Thus, comments and perceptions like sammy's. But, it has worked to improve their academics and admissions standards.

Still, to try to claim they are academically (general undergraduate) at the same level as UCLA, Cal or Stanford, is just not true. To claim that that has "always" been the case is esp. laughable, at least to anyone who grew up and was schooled in LA.

[Noah930]

Having grown up in L.A., I'd have to agree with McLovin that overall, UCLA has a higher level of academic prestige than USC. Obviously that's not true for all departments, and the prestige ranking of a school doesn't equate the quality of education you actually take home after 4 years. But from an objective, nerdy, no legacy, academic perspective, UCLA rates higher than 'SC. At the same time that doesn't necessarily mean 'SC kids wished they went to UCLA, instead. It's school pride. For the most part, 'SC kids are happy at 'SC, and UCLA kids are happy over in Westwood.

Some non-academic benefits to attending the "lesser" school: USC has a tremendous alumni presence. Far greater than anything UCLA has got going. I've certainly met more people who would admit that purely for alumnus reasons they'd hire an 'SC grad over a UCLA grad, rather than the other way around. Not saying that's a smart/successful way to do business--it just is. We live in a world where it's far easier to succeed based upon who you know, as opposed to what you know. And while I knew non-rich kids who went to USC, there's a reason it's nicknamed the University for Spoiled Children. Take a look at the student parking structure. Plenty of cars that are nicer than what most of us are driving, now. Finally, I'm sure RNajarian knows what I mean when I say the quality of eye-candy walking around the 'SC campus is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

In the end McLovin, mascot sabotage is just part of school pride. It's meant in good, sneaky fun.

Fight on.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by McLovin

I grew up and went to HS in LA. At my HS, most of the students applied to both USC and UCLA. So I am very familiar with the admissions standards of both. Every student that got into UCLA got into USC. Not so much the other way, not even close. I know countless people that wanted to go to UCLA, but didn't get in and had to go to USC.

UCLA (undergraduate) is the higher ranked school, by far. It has higher admission standards, is in Bev Hills as opposed to the ghetto, and as a bonus costs much less (esp. for Cal residents).

Among serious academic students applying to college, USC has always been considered a good "safety school." Everyone knows that if you are a good student with good scores, that didn't quite get into Cal, UCLA or Stanford, you still will have a good chance at usc.

I think you overlooked one little thing. UCLA is cheap compared to USC. That is the ONLY logical reason anyone would prefer to go to UCLA vs. SC, the cost savings.
I will have to disagree with you on the rest of your claims. I do not believe what you says to be true re: UCLA being better than SC at anything. USC grads have a much higher tendency to end us as business leaders.

Of course, 18 year old kids can be pretty darned stupid and are very easily brain-washed, so I guess it is possible some might prefer UCLA.

I'm not bagging on UCLA at all, that is not my intention. UCLA is a fine public school.
But SC is a private school. An expensive private school, and has a very highly regarded reputation. It's up there with a Notre dame.
An SC business or engineering degree means a great deal more than an equivalent degree from UCLA. No offense to any UCLA grads out there, but that is reality.
And no, I am not one of these silly-azzed alumni who think my school is the best ever. I have never applied for enrollment at or attended either USC or UCLA.
I'm the guy who interviews and hires the grads. I'm the one who takes the credit for picking out a good candidate or the one who takes the heat for hiring someone who doesn't quite work out.


BTW, Matt if you're out there here's an anecdote you might like (or maybe not):

I was at the in-laws yesterday for dinner. My wife's aunt and uncle were there, They're both Texas alumni, he still plays sax in the Texas alum band (didn't even know they had one of those ).

The wife's aunt started in about how much she loves the university of Texas and doesn't like USC. I was polite and just nodded. I offered up a subtle mention of how I was a USC fan, but she kept going.
She couldn't leave well enough alone. On and on she went.
Eventually she started telling me that whenever she sees a car with a USC license plate holder she does this ( that really stupid hook em horns gay thing).
I played dumb and asked, "what's that, how people in Texas brag about having a double-wide?
that pretty much ended the Texas vs. SC discussion.

[Moses]

Originally Posted by thinkfloyd14

There's just something about being on campus before a game, you hear the band begin to play in the distance, and your heart starts beating faster and faster as they are getting closer. The adrenaline rush is unbelievably pleasant.

Most of that rush is gone by half time. USC 20 Oregon 47

[Moses]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

Of course, 18 year old kids can be pretty darned stupid and are very easily brain-washed, so I guess it is possible some might prefer UCLA.

Here's one. This is my daughter Anna. She's a high school senior. 4.3 GPA, 2150 SAT. She has worked 16 hours/week all through high school and does lots of volunteer work and sports.

I told her she could go anywhere she likes for college. ANYWHERE.

Her top 4 choices in order...

1) Stanford
2) UCLA
3) UC Santa Barbara
4) University of Oregon

She's not even applying to USC. No interest. The average GPA admitted to UCLA is 4.3. At USC it's 3.7. The USC mystique lives only in the hearts of USC alums.

[RNajarian]

Can anyone explain why UCLA "borrowed" their fight song from Cal? You would think they could write an original tune.