I am an architect in the Los Angeles area, have worked people from all 3, and have occasionally been part of hiring decisions for people from all 3.

Your employment prospects from all 3 will be quite good - no big difference except that SC or SciArc might be a little bit better if you're looking to get into a "starchitect" office.

Quality of education is very good at SC and SLO - SciArc is a little too one-sided on the abstruse design and a little weak on the realities of architectural practice, but that's actually true of most architecture schools in the US and SciArc is only a little bit more that way than the average.

Consider cost of living - if you're paying in-state tuition at SLO, with a lower cost of living than LA, it could be more cost effective than the others even after whatever scholarships you get. No architecture degree from any school, no matter how prestigious, is worth being in debt until your 40s (or longer).

My experience is the programs are less likely to make the students than the other way around. I think CPS has the "best" students going in since it's more selective, so it tends to have the best average batch going out, and maybe gets the most credit as a result. Doesn't mean they do the best job elevating their students though... 

Realistically, the people who can hack it in the profession afterward all end up about the same in my eyes. Know some great people and awful people from each...

Free is a very good deal and if Wes Jones is still at USC, that's someone you should look up, a great speaker and interesting thinker.

I work nowhere near southern California and have never met a SLO grad. The sciarc grads were popular in my corporate office because they could churn out models quickly. The USC b.arch grads (both mid career) were well rounded excellent colleagues. One went on to be partner at a mid size design oriented firm, the other is in senior management at a top international AE.

so that's my biased anecdote. getting a b.arch free of debt will open up a lot of opportunities. as to how creative your work will be, you are actually in charge of that. you probably have some talent to get these offers, good luck.

I can only speak to CP SLO because I'm a graduate of that school, but I have been able to work with graduates from the other 2 schools in question.

First, I would suggest making a list of pros and cons for each school BUT leave the money out of this list. This would allow you to weigh each option on a somewhat even field. If money is a deciding factor, then right off the bat I would choose USC, CP SLO, and SCIARC in that order.

There are two big items on this list that you should seriously consider per my experience.

1.Whether you want a true college experience vs a commuting college experience (if you're considering commuting the 40 mins for the LA options).
2.Opportunities for international exchange programs.

As you might notice, the 2 items above are pretty much related to one's social life and not necessarily architecture. I want to emphasize this because I am 100% positive you will have great career opportunities and end up in any firm you want with any option you choose as long as you challenge yourself through your college career. That said, I see college as a personal growth opportunity above all else, so not to convince you, but I also had the choice of commuting and let me tell you... I would have regretted it knowing what I know now. I would highly recommend living on campus for at least the 1st year not only for social opportunities, but to truly focus on your studies and the high work demand that all architecture programs require. I know that in CP SLO you are required to live on campus for the first 2 years with your architecture peers. This may seem like a bad thing, but it's definitely not! Best social experience! Second thing is study abroad opportunities. CP SLO makes it so easy and affordable to participate during the 4th year of the program. If for some reason you are not able to study abroad during your 4th year, a whole bunch of international students replace your classmates in the exchange so you will still be able to get that experience. Here is their list: https://architecture.calpoly.e...

Architecture school is meant to challenge you and help you develop critical and creative thinking. It is a fast pace working environment where one can easily build stress and hate things from time to time, BUT well worth the headache at the end. This is why it is important to balance those 5 years with fun and friends!

Wish you the best in your journey!

I used to think otherwise but after 20 years in this profession - choose your school based on what you'd end up spending. In the short term, one school may seem better than another based on the "star" factor, and whos teaching there, but after a few years, all of that fades.

You'd probably meet cooler people at Sciarc, but theres a lot to be said for being in a university setting as well. Even though you may not have much time slogging away as an architecture student, there are some opportunities for cross-pollination from other departments, which you'd miss at sci-arc.