Stanford vs UCLA vs USC

A learner’s future is a commitment. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider a university’s prestige, finances, and opportunities for leadership and learning before Stanford University putting money into education. This article will explore Stanford, UCLA, and USC, three of California’s top universities, in-depth to determine which school is best for the learners.

Stanford Overview

Leland and Jane Stanford established Stanford University in 1885 to memorialise their only child, Leland Stanford Jr. The institution began operations on Stanford’s former Palo Alto estate in 1891.

The major eastern universities, notably Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, inspired Stanford to design their institution. Because a large portion of Stanford’s faculty were former Cornell affiliates (professors, alumni, or both) in 1891, along with its first and second presidents, David Starr Jordan and John Casper Branner, Stanford was referred to as the “Cornell of the West.” One of the first universities to make higher education available, non-sectarian, and acceptable to both men and women was Stanford, followed by Cornell. Cornell was one of the first American institutions to accept that extreme break from conventional instruction, and Stanford soon followed.

UCLA Overview

To provide a facilitator for Southern California’s expanding population, the California State Legislature granted Reginaldo Francisco del Valle’s application in March 1881 to establish a southern branch of the California State Normal School (currently San José State University) in downtown Los Angeles. In what is presently the location of the Central Library of the Los Angeles Public Library system, the Los Angeles branch of the California State Normal School first opened its doors on August 29, 1882. The building featured a demonstration school where aspiring educators could test their strategies on young learners. That elementary school would later develop into the UCLA Lab School of today. The branch institution changed its title to Los Angeles State Normal School as it became independent in 1887.

The school relocated to a new campus in East Hollywood in 1914, on Vermont Avenue, which is today the location of Los Angeles City College. Edward Augustus Dickson, the only UC Regent at the time who represented the Southland, and Ernest Carroll Moore, the Director of the Normal School, started lobbying the State Legislature in 1917 to allow the school to serve as the second campus of the University of California, following UC Berkeley. Alumni of UC Berkeley, state legislators from Northern California, and the then-UC President Benjamin Ide Wheeler vehemently opposed the notion of a southern school faced resistance. Wheeler disagreed with these ideas, but David Prescott Barrows, the University of California’s new president in 1919, did not.

USC Overview

Judge Robert M. Widney worked to secure donations from several significant figures in the early history of Los Angeles, including a Protestant nurseryman named Ozro Childs, an Irish Catholic former governor named John Gately Downey, and a German Jewish banker named Isaias W. Hellman. As a result, the University of Southern California was established. The three donated 308 parcels of land to start the university and gave the money for the initial building costs.

The institution, which was initially affiliated with the Methodist Church, established an early policy that “no learner would be refused entry based on race.” After formally severing links with all churches in 1952, the university is no longer associated with them. Fifty-three learners and ten faculty members were enrolled at USC when it opened its doors in 1880. Three people made up the school’s first graduating class in 1884—Minnie C. Miltimore, the valedictorian, and two males.

The Best Of The Three

The admission procedure at Stanford, UCLA, and USC is complicated. Stanford is relatively difficult to enter, although UCLA is significantly easier than USC, based on the admission rates for the Class of 2025. No matter which university one decides to apply to, learners must stand out and present a comprehensive application demonstrating the qualifications for admission.

One will receive a high-quality education regardless of which top US university learners choose. Remember to prioritise academics while limiting university choices; carefully review each institution’s course details and consider attending open houses to get a sense of them. To get their opinions, it’s a great idea to get in touch with Stanford, UCLA, and USC alums in the desired fields of study.

Conclusion

Even though many prestigious American universities have high tuition costs, they also provide considerable financial aid. Fees, lodging, travel, and personal costs are additional expenses. These prestigious universities range in price from $51,252 to $85,648 annually.