<p>Does submission of the enrollment deposit constitute automatic acceptance of the FA offer from USC, or is there a separate process for that? How does one apply for the loans offered in the package? Tried calling the FA office to get answers, but after 30 minutes on hold I lost patience.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if the enrollment deposit means an automatic acceptance of the FA offer but if you go to OASIS, there's a new link below the "My Financial Aid Award." I think you can accept and decline your FA offers there. I hope that helps!</p>
<p>I just spoke with a rep at the USC FinAid office who said the deadline for returning the scholarship acceptance form is not a cutoff deadline. In other words, no scholarships are revoked because of late paperwork. They want to have the signed document on file to represent that the student understands the terms and conditions of the scholarship. In addition, I wondered about paying the $300 enrollment deposit which is credited to tuition (from the website). I was told this $300 is credited to the student's account, to be applied to any fees, etc. In the case of Trustee scholarships, the $300 would be used to pay for fees, etc. as they come up. Hope that isn't too confusing. In any case, I was relieved.</p>
<p>well, that's a different answer than what Sequoia got from another finaid person who said that it has to be post marked May 1 for the scholarship form.</p>
<p>madbean, what your finaid person said makes more sense to me, that signing the agreement is more important. Thanks! I was having anxiety attacks all day.</p>
<p>Perhaps Sequoia asked the rep a more specific type question like: does the signed scholarship document need to be <em>received</em> or <em>postmarked</em> by May 1? My guy said it was not a contract that needed to be received in order to award the scholarship, but more of a paperwork-in-order type file document (I can imagine if there is a dispute down the road regarding any of the terms, the FinAid office wants to be able to produce the form, signed by the student, that they had been informed of the gpa and units reqs, and so on when they were awarded the scholarship). He even said if it gets sent May 5 no big deal. I joked that I didn't want to mess up with this sort of award at stake and he laughed and said--not to worry as that wasn't the point of the form at all. Anyone can call FinAid to verify all this sort of thing as they seem most open to questions. Had to wait on hold about five minutes.</p>
<p>i read the form again, and it actually said that:
"to ensure that I receive the scholaraship, I will return my Enrollment Commitment Deposit Form with my $300 enrollment deposit by May 1, 2008.<br>
I feel better now, thanks madbean =)
Now if I can only get over my anxiety thinking of s actually going away in Aug...</p>
<p>Ok, last night at a reception there were 2 finaid people, a senior one and a younger one who appeared to be an aide. It was the younger one to whom I posed the question regarding the scholarship form. I asked whether I should have sent it certified (as many have done, and I didn't). She responded that "don't worry, deadline is postmark May 1", not actually answering my question, then said I should call admissions (not finaid) to find out if it had been received.
I think she may not have been all that familiar with that form, and I think madbean's contact at USC appears to know what he's talking about. It makes more sense to me too. I highly doubt USC would revoke a scholarship if the form was missing. I'd think USC would contact the recipient first.
After all, USC has been so flexible in other matters, in finaid docs and in application materials. Why would they be rigid with a scholarship acknowledgement form? That the signed form is necessary regarding understanding the terms the terms sounds right, and no doubt USC is just trying to get that paperwork there as soon as possible without needing to chase after us.</p>
<p>
[quote]
to ensure that I receive the scholaraship, I will return my Enrollment Commitment Deposit Form with my $300 enrollment deposit by May 1, 2008
[/quote]
Argh, it gets muddier with every new post :D. The above would imply that committing to attend = accepting the scholarship offer. So technically those that commit online automatically acknowledge the terms of the offer, or so it would seem. However, I do not recall seeing any verbiage to that effect at <a href="https://camel2.usc.edu/AdmCertification/Default.aspx%5B/url%5D">https://camel2.usc.edu/AdmCertification/Default.aspx</a> ...grrr... must... send... paper... form... too... If only the FA office replied in less than 50 minutes to their phone calls!</p>
<p>what are we doing to ourselves? I'm sure that committing online is equivalent to returning the Enrolment commitment form and deposit, right?</p>
<p>by the way, thanks to all of you for answering my queries, I can't afford to call them long distance every time I have a question.</p>
<p>oh, the package that was sent out yesterday via DHL (son checked tracking) has been sent to the wrong place so it hasn't arrived yet.</p>
<p>
[quote]
by the way, thanks to all of you for answering my queries, I can't afford to call them long distance every time I have a question.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Since you have an internet connection, you may want to look into Skype</a> official website – free download and free calls and internet calls VOIP, computer-to-landline calls for a penny or two a minute to most of the world, no extra equipment or contracts.</p>
<p>Well, I, for one, am refusing to worry on this one! After all, we're talking about accepting a crazy generous merit scholarship and they are not trying to ruin our lives by removing the offer without so much as a warning note. So I invite you to join me in an alternate emotion: excitement.. Our kids have weathered the toughest application year on earth. They have made excellent college decisions. They'll be going to U-freakin'-S-C next year. Let's raise a glass of (juice? something more bubbly?) and celebrate our great kids and their good fortune.</p>
<p>Raise my glass to University of Superior Choice. D is incredible happy with her decision.</p>
<p>At the reception last night, it was stated that this was THE most selective class they've ever admitted.
Yes bubbly sounds great!</p>
<p>yay, s is ecstatic that he is going to his first choice university and program so I will join in the celebration.</p>
<p>groovygreek, thanks, I've heard of skype but haven't looked into it yet.</p>