??

As a USC M-Arch graduate, I can tell you that USC has a solid program.  It’s not the most progressive or inventive in the academia realm.  But I think you are asking all the right supplemental question regarding financial viability and career opportunities. 

In terms of career opportunities:  The advantage of a Penn degree over USC is probably more towards starchitect firms.  “Standard” firms sometimes don’t prefer overly theoretical educations in new hires, most of them want to know if you can do bathroom details and use Revit (slight exaggeration, but you get my idea).  A degree from USC says to potential employers that you had a solid education, is creative, but can also work hard and make “real” buildings.  It’s also not a turn-off to starchitect firms.  I have classmates from USC doing extremely well at Morphosis, Gehry, Foster, etc.  And all of my graduating class (from 2008) are gainfully employed. 

There are many posts here about the horror of student loans from IVY.  You know best what you can afford or not.  One thing to also consider is the cost of living.  I don’t know about Penn, but southern California (rent, food, gas, everything…) can be pricy. 

What you might also miss out at USC is the large university campus experience.  USC is landlocked south of downtown LA.  The campus itself is OK but small.  And the extended surrounding neighborhood can be a little sketchy.  But being so close to downtown LA (where dozens of firms are located), you have good chance for internships /mentoring connections etc.

I’m not bias towards USC.  I’m just sharing what I know about USC for your reference.  Be sure to get feedback from Penn graduates before you decide.  Best of luck!

Thanks for your reply crazyhousecat. This really helped! How is the USC alumni network? I have heard alot about the TROJAN family? Does is really help for architects? Again I am comparing it to PENN, ivy's are said to have the best alumni network!

USC has a really good alumni network and support system.  I'm a bit socially challenged myself so I don't take full advantage of it.  But even as a total introvert, I have been invited back to lecture a couple of classes.  I teach an ARE class there few times a year (free program put together by one of the profs to benefit the young professionals around town), and I've given presentations at symposiums put together by USC department of architecture.  My firm has hosted USC student and participated in their crits.  The school is really VERY connected with the profession and the many firms in LA.  

The studios also have a friendlier atmosphere (not super competitive and potentially back stabbing as horror stories you hear from some IVY programs).  We did team projects for studio and people helped each other out on individual project as well.  Because of this studio culture, we tend to stay connected more and help each other out post graduation.  I have helped classmates returning from overseas find work at my firm a few times, and we've been able to stay employed through the recession largely due to our connections with each other, the profs (most of them at leadership level at their firms), and the school.  Hope this helps.

you don't hear architects saying this much, but people applying to grad school in other disciplines often say "go where the money is." This isn't just because of anticipated debt load and quality of life after school, but because if a school is willing to pay for your education, that means they really want you there and are going to do their best to support you with opportunities. If a school is offering you average scholarships, then you're just average to them, and there are other students they care more about that are going to get the best opportunities there. I know around here we usually look at the flipside of that and think a school must be desperate if they're offering that much, but there's something to be said for the other approach too.

This is Post-Prof. program comparison so it's not like we're talking about $100,000 difference, rather it's somewhere around $20,000~$40,000? Money difference to me seems not that significant. I'd go to Penn without hesitation if I were you. Penn has connections in LA as well, indeed USC's dean is from Penn.

I don't necessarily agree with rationalist's approach. If you were offered full tuition from an institution, that means you are way better than the average so therefore you really should be at a higher institution. Is it true that school gives you more chance/support because you are there with full tuition? I'm not sure. I'd think that once you are in, you have equal opportunity. Just think about it, if you blow, who cares if you are there with $$$$ or not? It's how you perform at the institution that determines your chance of receiving attention/support, not what you did before elsewhere.

Go to Penn