<p>Hello, all! As I plan to apply to USC this fall, I was wondering how much merit aid to expect (if any) from USC. If anyone could help me out with their own personal experiences that would be great. Thanks!</p>
<p>Intended Major: Chemical Engineering
Resident: OOS</p>
<p>Leadership
Officer in Service Club
Senior Citizens Prom Chairperson
Chairman of Safe Driving Campaign
Coordinated a program for high school students to play with urban children
YMCA Basketball Team Captain</p>
<p>EC's
Hospital Volunteer (100 hrs.)
Service Club (50 hrs.)
Cross Country/Track/Baseball
Mock Trial
Ski Club
Parking Attendant at a music venue (15 hrs./week)</p>
<p>Awards
AP Scholar with Honors
National Chemistry Olympiad Qualifier
Art Scholarship Award Winner
Volunteer Excellence Award
Cross Country Letterman</p>
<p>Schedule
Most Rigorous</p>
<p>AP Scores
Chemistry-5
Psychology-4
US Government and Politics-5
US History-4</p>
<p>It is best if you expect none. It is a very subjective process, which they call holistic. Means subjective. Your marks and ECs, while impressive, are similar to many other engineers I know that didn’t receive any merit $. Nada. Met many of them during move-in with same story. Included is a 4.6/4.0, 2300 SAT, NMS, 4 year tech internship, similar ECs, 780/760 on Chem & math II subject tests, 8 APs with five 5s and three 4s. So maybe the essay wasn’t just right, or race quota, who knows? Some kids with lower scores get money so maybe it is their major, or race, gender, essay…again, who knows? That is what holistic gives them, an easy way to justify giving it or not giving it for any reason, then saying the applicant pool was very competitive this year (hit rewind next year). I would hope not too much is put on the essay because I have heard many students pay someone to write their essays and/or have people edit it for them till it is unrecognizable as original, etc, but I think they do. So figure out how to be unique and I would add the Math II subject and more science to those APs or subject test areas. But don’t expect any and you can only get good news from there. </p>
<p>You may want to consider looking at other schools where merit is more definable based on your scores, they are out there. USC is a crap shoot where merit is concerned.</p>
<p>Just remember, a NMF isn’t even guaranteed entry, if you read through these posts you will find some that were not even accepted to qualify for the merit money. While USC comes off generous to those that receive it, many people with great stats don’t, and it is not all just scores and grades to determine it (there’s that holistic thing again). I think the danger is assuming or believing you will get one. Apply but don’t count on it, just hope for it. And beware, on this forum, it seems like everyone gets merit money. But know that more people do not get merit money than get merit money, and many really deserving students do not. Just a fact. Not meant to be discouraging, just to keep it real and help you plan around things you cannot control. USC is same price as Ivy’s (maybe a bit more even), if you have to pay for one, you can pay for the other is something to keep in mind with good stats.</p>
<p>Last year about 28,000 seniors applied for the limited merit scholarships awarded by USC. Keep in mind the funds for these are donated by alumni or friends of the university. Of that number close to 700 received one of the larger merit scholarships. That does not include scholarships given by Coca Cola, Gates or other organizations. There were far more highly qualified scholarship applicants than funds available. The merit scholarships are generous for those who “stand out” from a highly talented pool. The Mork and Stamps merit scholarships are worth around $200,000.</p>
<p>It is very difficult to be admitted to SC. Unoffficial numbers indicated out of each 100 applicants for the entering class 81 applicants were sent letters of regret. It is difficult to guess these days who will be selected.</p>
<p>My advice is to apply. A student has nothing to lose by sending in the application by December 1. Just remember the competition for a merit scholarship is intense.</p>
<p>In my opinion merit scholarships are there to lure students away from higher ranking schools to better the stats of the school giving the scholarship. If the student is “better” than the school then a merit award is more likely. My daughter received merit scholarships from U of C Irvine and Marquette but chose to attend USC. (She did get a $5K continuing student scholarship this year though. It only makes a small dent in her tuition but it is a nice gesture).</p>
<p>Honestly I didn’t see your ethnicity, but if you are not a minority and are middle class or above you basically can forget about it. When it comes to merit aid, it doesn’t necessarily go to those with the best stats. USC targets the students they most want and use merit aid as the tool.</p>
<p>southerncalimom, I agree with your last two statements. However, I have not seen any sort of ethnic/URM biases in the top merit awards. On the contrary, I’ve actually seen a lot of upper middle income students getting the Trustee/Presidential awards and, yes, it may lure them away from full-pay schools that rank higher on some lists. As you say, it’s part of USC’s long-time programs of increasing their student profile. At this point, the scores/gpas of the overall incoming student body have become, in fact, so extremely competitive that it takes ivy-league level stats FOR MOST MAJORS to be invited to interview for the top scholarships. Females in predominantly male majors, talented students with creative accomplishments/honors/inventions or businesses to their credit may be rewarded in those particular majors, even above students with higher gpas, if USC feels they bring the sort of leadership/excellence that School covets.</p>