Stanford / USC / Berkeley for game programming and development?

That's a hard one. I can totally understand your dilemma cuz i'm also a game + music fanatic.
I'd choose Stanford. In my opinion game programming is a subset of cs. With a cs degree you can choose to work in either the gaming industry or other companies like FANNG. cs (games) is definitely tailored for game programming, but there could be some barriers when you want to switch to a wider cs career. It's wise to leave some space for changes. Plus, it's Stanford that we're talking about.
But after all, it's really up to you. If you are super firm about your future career as a game developer and you prefer USC's atmosphere to the rest, go to USC. Just try not to regret your choice.
I'm admitted to interactive media & game development in USC and also want to transfer to cs (games), by the way.

tysmmm for your reply! yes, Stanford's reputation, geographical location and the course content itself are basically undefeatable from the trio. It's also true that a more general major like comp sci provides a lot more career opportunities than a specialized one like game programming. however, I'm very into music performance and production as well (that's why I applied to the USC dual-degree program! also, I thought music production correlates well with game development e.g., the audio music and sound effect really matter when it comes to games like battles or wars). yet, my parents don't really support reading game programming at USC and suggest that I could study a minor in music apart from a major in comp sci at Stanford. maybe the advice made by my parents would best suit me both in terms of hobby and career prospects, and I could study for a master's in game development at USC if I was still passionate about it four years later? thanks!

thanks for your advice! I'm sorry that I forgot to note this down but tuition fee-wise, both Stanford and USC seem to have the most ideal package (free tuition throughout my undergraduate studies from scholarship and financial aid respectively!) this leads to my ultimate struggle of Stanford vs USC (and that's why I created a thread for this!)

That's the most perfect academic pathway i can ever think of for a future game designer. And i'm sure that anyone getting full scholarship from both Stanford and USC will definitely ace their future. Best of luck!!

Well USC is definitely kind of known as "the place where rich kids of Hollywood types go to college" so if hanging out with that kind of crowd would make you feel uncomfortable, worth considering. However it is well known for placing graduates into those "media" industries - the creators of ThatGameCompany went there for example, and lots of people involved in the film industry (including e.g. VFX/SFX) end up spending time there. However, you could well achieve this by doing a masters there rather than an undergrad I imagine. Also has the distinct disadvantage of being in LA

Stanford is Stanford. It's the archetypal example of the college to silicon valley/"tech startup" pipeline. Not sure how much they have in terms of video game related stuff but you may well be able to tailor your studies towards that through e.g. minors, project work, self-directed projects and so on. Note they also have other majors that may be of interest related to CS, like their symbolic systems programme. You can also double major if you want to (although that involves a lot more work than a joint honours programme in the UK - although probably a bit less than a double degree programme as at USC) so you do have additional flexibility from that.

I note you only mention financial aid in terms of tuition fees - you will also need to pay room and board though, which can often be expensive! In the US, unlike the UK, you're usually expected to live in university accommodation for the entire degree (although in both cases I doubt living out of accommodation would save you much money as they're both in very expensive areas). Definitely consider this because you don't want to accept and offer then realise you can't actually afford to take it up!