At this time of the year, high school seniors are faced with an incredibly difficult decision: where to attend college. When I was in this same position one year ago, I felt my future resting on this singular decision. Here, I’ll explore what factors led me to choose UCLA, and reflect on my first year as a Bruin.
Throughout high school, I always had college at the back of my mind. As I began to approach my senior year, I knew I needed to figure out which colleges were the right fit for me. Being from Southern California, I decided I wanted to stay in-state for college and even more specifically, in this region. I toured numerous schools in the area: SDSU, UCSD, UCSB, USC and UCLA. After exploring all of these campuses and the unique programs at each college, I had my mind set on either UCLA or USC as my dream school.
Of course, I knew these schools were rivals. I had my eyes set on both colleges equally, and had the end goal of attending law school. At UCLA, I was interested in the public affairs major within the Luskin School of Public Affairs, and at USC, I was interested in the legal studies major within the Gould School of Law. I applied to both colleges and anxiously awaited my decisions.
On Jan. 19, 2024, I opened my early action application decision to USC and saw I was admitted. I was ecstatic and felt that there was no decision left for me to make; I would attend USC in the fall. I knew I still had plenty more college admissions decisions remaining, specifically UCLA, but I did not think I would be admitted anyway. As I began to receive offers of admission to other colleges, I did not feel any incentive to even consider them. That is, until UCLA decisions were released on March 15, 2025.
In the minutes leading up to viewing my admissions decision for UCLA, I had myriad thoughts on my mind. I wanted to gain admission to UCLA and could picture myself being a Bruin, but part of me feared the tough decision I would have to make if I was admitted. I opened the admissions portal and saw the words “Bruin Bound” appear on my screen. I was so excited, and knew I needed to thoroughly explore my options before choosing which school to attend in only one and a half months.
To start, I compared the programs I was admitted to at both colleges.
At USC, I felt that there were many professional opportunities within the Gould School of Law, and was specifically interested in their Accelerated 3+3 Bachelor’s and JD Program. This program allows students to apply to USC’s JD program during their third year of undergraduate studies, using students’ high school SAT scores in place of the LSAT. While this program was intriguing, I had always envisioned myself spending four years on my undergraduate education. I also was not fully certain that this was the exact path I wanted to take to achieve my goals, and was concerned about my ability to double major or minor in other areas of study while still completing my degree requirements in three years.
At UCLA, I felt that the Luskin School of Public Affairs offered me a well-rounded education within the field of public affairs where I could specialize in specific areas such as data analysis and public policy. I also knew that I would be able to complete my undergraduate degree requirements and graduate within four years while being able to double major and perhaps even minor as well. I felt that although I would need to find opportunities for myself more at a large public school than at a smaller private school, this meant that there was no set path I needed to follow.
Next, I explored the student life of USC and UCLA.
When comparing the student life of both colleges, they felt very similar. UCLA and USC both have great school spirit and alumni networks, and they are both located in Los Angeles. However, they neighbor very different parts of the city. USC’s campus is located in a more central location of downtown Los Angeles, while UCLA’s campus is closer to the outskirts, but in a safer area of the city. UCLA also has Westwood located right next to campus with lots of fun places to explore that are simply a walk away from classes.
After this, I examined a major factor: the cost of attendance between the two colleges.
Being an in-state student, the cost of attendance of both UCLA and USC varies greatly. The total cost of attendance at USC is nearly $100,000 per year, which felt like a lofty price tag for undergraduate studies that would weigh heavily on my family and I, especially as I plan to attend law school as well. UCLA’s in-state cost of attendance is around $42,000 per year, which is less than half of the price of attending USC. Even with a partial scholarship at USC, I felt that it made the most sense for me to save for law school while also being able to explore other areas of study during my undergraduate career.
Overall, I chose the college that felt right for me to pursue my undergraduate education.
All of the above factors make both USC and UCLA unique, and both colleges are sure to provide you with a stellar education. In the end, I felt that UCLA was the best choice for me and my undergraduate studies. Looking back at my past year at UCLA, I do not regret my decision to come here at all. I feel that UCLA has the ideal work hard, play hard balance and I cannot wait for the next years as Bruin. USC, maybe you’ll see me again at your law school, but as far as my undergraduate education goes, fours up!
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Featured Image Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife
