<p>Yes, Rosieoney, that's exactly what it means.</p>
<p>mdcissp, it depends on the area. Some areas in CA are richer than others. Still recently, there are still people plunging down $2-$3 million to all cash for a house around here(info from a realtor friend).</p>
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it just feels like there are enough wealthy in California who can afford the USC tuition
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mdcissp, I am glad that USC does not share your view that they don't need anyone but the "rich" kids. I know you did not intend to be hurtful, but I am hurt by your statement.</p>
<p>Your assumptions about Californians (we are all millionaires and movie stars???) are incorrect.</p>
<p>I apologize if my perception hurt your feelings or sounds wrong. Of course, USC does not want only "rich" kids. The university impresses me as looking for a wide variety of highly intelligent kids interested in different areas of study from around the world. What I meant to say is that there appears to be enough wealthy people in California to be able to afford USC education despite the terrible economy. I did not intend my statement to mean that USC only wants rich kids. My husband and I started out buying a very small two bedroom house on a half lot. Despite my working two jobs, and my husband working as a full time engineer, we decided that we just could not save enough money to buy a 3 bedroom house and moved out of state. Thank you for correcting me that Californians are all millionaires is an incorrect assumption, although I wonder how it is that starter homes are asking over one million dollars.</p>
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although I wonder how it is that starter homes are asking over one million dollars.
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<p>In the past you could buy anything with zero income hence we have the housing bubble. I heard from a realtor that one person lives across the street from him bought 19 houses in the San Jose area with no money.</p>
<p>As I said, a nearby community (of over 300,000) has a median home price of $165,000. So half the houses sold are BELOW that number. Prices are in that range throughout California's Central Valley. (The entire inland area that falls between the San Francisco Bay Area and the Greater Los Angeles area.)</p>
<p>In one way you are right, California's home prices make it even harder for ordinary people with ordinary incomes (all of us non-movie stars and millionaires) to afford to eat, let alone pay $52,000 in tuition/room/board. As financial aid numbers are figured for nationwide averages, Californians have to deal with home prices higher than averages, but financial aid that does not take that into account.</p>
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The Cal Grant program (California's college grant program) has been suspended .... At USC, the Cal Grant is worth $9,708.
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<p>According to College</a> Navigator, 9% of USC undergrads get State/Local grants, averaging $9663. This looks like the Cal Grant program. 9% of USC students getting shorted $9,708 would surely leave a mark.</p>
<p>Although USC does not want only rich kids, it would be foolish to say they don't get plenty of them. Obviously you could never stereotype the USC campus, but when I went to visit, my friend was telling me how it's known as the University of Spoiled Children. I'm not going to lie, I could definitely see where he was coming from. I also understand where mdcissp is coming from her statement about how there seems to be enough wealthy people in California who can afford USC's tuition. Regardless of what anyone says, USC does attract a large amount of wealthy kids. Considering that a degree from USC is on the rise, I could see why more wealthy families would want to send their kids to USC as well.</p>
<p>I have to honestly say that my kids have met equal amounts of wealthy kids at their respective colleges: one at USC and one at a UC. Don't forget that high school academic achievement, especially on standardized tests, is correlated to family income levels. It figures that top tier schools would get affluent kids because those are exactly the kids who have benefitted from a home environment that affords success in the college prep arena and they have the grades and test scores to get in.</p>