Is undergraduate academic advising better at USC or NYU?

For a student who wants a more centralized, campus-based advising experience and regular help navigating requirements, USC is likely to feel more supportive. USC’s undergraduate advising is organized within each school, with advisers helping students map degree progress, evaluate major or minor changes, and understand university requirements; its residential campus also makes in-person support easier to access. Advising quality still varies by department and individual adviser, but USC tends to offer a more cohesive undergraduate experience.

NYU can be an excellent fit for a highly self-directed student, especially one who wants to explore across a large urban university. Advising is also school-based at NYU, so the experience can differ substantially between, for example, the College of Arts and Science, Stern, Tisch, or Tandon. Students often need to take more initiative in scheduling appointments, learning policies, and coordinating opportunities across NYU’s many schools and New York City campuses.

For course planning and staying on track to graduate, both universities provide degree audits, faculty mentors, and professional academic advisers. At either school, the most reliable approach is to meet an adviser early each semester and use the official degree-progress tools rather than relying only on informal advice.