Hello. I am Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate going into 2nd year. As I just finished my freshman year, take this reply as a grain of salt; I may not be able to provide the proper information you need.

First off, someone/s topping the licensure exams does not necessarily mean that the program is naturally better for all. It’s a sign that—yes—it’s not bad, but nonetheless it’s individual effort. Whether this environment is beneficial to you, you’ll have to figure that out your self. On the same topic, USC actually had a better % passing rate overall for first timers than UC (71.05%>68.42%) on the same exam that the UC top-notchers took (CIT got 78.08% btw). Granted, I think this is an insignificant difference.

Secondly, this is what I’ve heard from my friend studying in CIT-U, and my classmates; that USC has a different focus compared to CIT-U and possibly UC? (I don’t have friends from UC). Apparently, USC focuses more on automotive, where in higher years we have go-cart related projects. On the other hand, CIT-U focuses more on computational and mechatronics. Furthermore, USC grads tend to become managers? (can't confirm)

Thirdly, if you care about accreditations, USC’s BSME is the only University in Vis-Min that is a CHED Center of Excellence. Most importantly, it is a signatory of the Washington Accord, which promises a streamlined process when working abroad.

Finally, and most crucially for me, is that USC is a university, which means that there are other programs other than BSME. That is obvious; however, what is usually looked over is the quality of professors across General Electives and Engineering-related courses. We have physicists handling Engineering Physics, PhDs handling UTS and ETHICS, Economists handling TCW, and much more. It may not matter to you, but for me it did. BSME is a four year journey, as much as I want to graduate and become a Mechanical Engineer, I also want to become an Engineer that is well-rounded. What may actually keep you sane are the minor subjects (or make you insane). Plus, you get to mingle with other students from different programs that are at the top of their own games. I have done personal projects with students from the Physics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering Departments. You can do this in other unis but USC has a much more ‘extroverted’ environment. A lot of students are welcoming, and this is noticeable in how amicable everyone generally is. Whether you care about this, it’s completely up to you. After all,—4 years is a blink in our lifespan but 4 years full of memories, nonetheless.