[PeppyGPhiB]

I wasn't aware that any of the UC schools guaranteed admission. Some of them are much easier to get into than others. The hardest ones are UCLA, UC Berkeley, UCSD, UC Irvine and UCSB. But really a big reason why those are the hardest to get into is just that so many kids apply to each one of those schools...they're all in very desirable locations.

Anyway, USC's entrance requirements are no different than what most schools recommend - really require - for kids to get in today. It's just that the kids that actually get in far exceed the minimums. And yet even with all those requirements, I know my high school still required stuff like drama, speech, art or special elective vocational classes just to graduate...and that was in 1996. And I think that's a good thing...we need creative people in this world, too.

Auditions for theatre, music, voice, etc. majors is also pretty typical, but it's especially hard to get into USC's film school, which is arguably the best in the country.

Believe it or not, my school (Pepperdine) cost even more than USC, so I know how financial aid works these days! USC does offer plenty of need-based grant aid, too...it's just not called a "scholarship." But it's still free money. And just because it costs a fortune doesn't mean it's all rich kids that go there. USC has a huge endowment.

I think most greeks in Calif. would agree that USC has the strongest greek system in California. Berkeley is an old system, but it is not as popular at the school as at USC.

Football Fan, obviously USC is smaller than almost any flagship public university. But it is still much larger than many private schools.