<p>@alamemom Hmm would Freshman Science Honors be treated the same way? Maybe that’s why my work study was so low. 
Also, it turns out that they did take my Cal Grant…would that have to be replaced completely before loans/work study? :o Sorry for bugging lol</p>
<p>CalGrant is a tuition-only grant and the Trustee completely covers your tuition, so in your case, no it cannot be used to replace work/study or loans - when you say that they “took” it, I am not sure what that means. When you log in here <a href=“CSAC - Student Landing Home”>CSAC - Student Landing Home; does it show that you have been awarded a CalGrant? If so, you will receive it. However, because both the Trustee and CalGrant are tuition-only, the Trustee will be reduced by the amount of the CalGrant.
<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/programs/ugprograms/aif/Documents/2013_2014_ScholarshipPolicy.pdf”>http://www.usc.edu/programs/ugprograms/aif/Documents/2013_2014_ScholarshipPolicy.pdf</a></p>
<p>Email to ask to have some of your subsidized loan converted to work/study - it never hurts to ask. Note to those who will need work/study funds to help cover billable costs (rather than travel and personal expenses): be sure to establish a payment plan (info included with your financial aid materials) as your work/study funds will be paid as you earn them rather than up-front.</p>
<p>:) You are no bother at all! You ask great questions!</p>
<p>@alamemom Yeah, they’re using the Cal Grant & filled in the difference w/Trustee lol. What I meant, though, was if outside scholarships would have the replace the CG before hitting any loans? 
I’ll ask them about changing some to work study, though. Thanks! :)</p>
<p>@alamemom Sorry! I meant USC scholarships (like the University one). I know that outside ones won’t take the grant lol. But I see now that you already answered that they do affect all need based aid. :P</p>
<p>Yes, University Scholarships may be used to replace work/study or subsidized loans. Outside scholarships may also be used to replace the loans and work study, and then they DO reduce grants - but they WON’T reduce the Trustee Scholarship (hopefully that isn’t too confusing!).</p>
<p>@alamemom Oh I see now lol. Thank you :)</p>
<p>We were looking at the USConnect Portal. Our son got his letter for the Presidential Award. However nothing shows up under USC FAST. He did not apply for FA. We had assumed merit awards would also be displayed under FAST. However all we see is the following</p>
<p>"We have not received any application documents for federal or USC need-based financial aid programs. </p>
<p>To initiate an application for federal or USC need-based financial aid, please submit a FAFSA. We will notify you if any additional documents are required. </p>
<p>If you wish to be considered for only a Federal Parent PLUS Direct Loan, please submit a FAFSA and complete an Enrollment & Housing Form. </p>
<p>If you are not applying for financial aid but are expecting to receive a scholarship, please direct any questions to the department or organization issuing the scholarship."</p>
<p>Is this correct? </p>
<p>@biomedFather I didn’t apply for financial aid, got the merit scholarship, and am in the same situation as you with regards to the FAST summary. I wouldn’t worry!</p>
<p>The Stamps enrichment fund is a one-time thing, right?</p>
<p>I have not heard of that scholarship specifically, but in general the named scholarships will be for 4 years. The name may change year-to-year, but the $ amount remains constant. There are a few named scholarships that are for one year and require a reapplication, but those are generally among the continuing-student scholarships. You should call or email to verify that the scholarship is for four years. Congrats!</p>
<p>Oops! I meant the $5,000 enrichment fund that’s a part of the Stamps Leadership Scholarship, my bad!</p>
<p>!? I thought I saw a post where you said you received the Trustee! Were you awarded the Stamps full-tuition+$5,000? If so, it is DEFINITELY for all four years! Congrats!</p>
<p>I interviewed and received Trustee, but was later notified that I was also being considered for and would be interviewed again for Stamps (by Mr. Stamps himself!). I heard somewhere that the $5,000 enrichment fund was a one-time thing, thank you for clarifying! :)</p>
<p>Hmmm… I don’t want to lead you astray - I had the Mork in my head when I amswerd. In looking at the scholarship guide <a href=“https://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/docs/uscScholarships1415.pdf”>https://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/docs/uscScholarships1415.pdf</a> , you are right, it is worded differently - “…access to a $5,000 enrichment fund…” Better call to be sure</p>
<p>Reporting for son: accepted to viterbi BME. Received Associates and a university scholarship, both of which did not show up on his FA page until April 7th. We had already taken USC off the list when 4//1/14 (USC’s posted merit aid notification date) came and went with no word from them. We bought non-refundable tickets to other accepted student events and he will decide after those visits. I’m not sure why USC can’t send the FA package (need plus merit) with the admission packets like other schools. </p>
<p>Congrats! I try and try each year to be sure that applicants know that financial aid is typically posted by the end of the first week of April (so April 7th is right on target) and that scholarships may show up throughout April - this year I posted that information at least 10 times on various threads including on this very thread 
. I am sorry you missed that information.</p>
<p>Again, congratulations on your son’s wonderful options!</p>
<p>Thanks @alamemon! We saw lots of varied postings, including yours, so we went with the information posted on the USC website, which says all merit scholarship recipients will be notified by 4/1/14: <a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/firstyear/prospective/scholarships.html”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/firstyear/prospective/scholarships.html</a>. It was a nice surprise on 4/7/14, but it is a long time to wait. Hopefully USC can start including FA packages with admission packets sometime in the near future, or at least change what is posted on their website! ;-)</p>
<p>My sense is that they won’t include financial aid with the admission packets any time soon - they seem to want to guard closely the secret of who has and has not been admitted, so currently even financial aid doesn’t know who has been admitted until the packets are sent/decisions posted. To have the financial aid info included in the packets would necessitate letting financial aid know at least 10 days to 2 weeks in advance of the mailing/posting and that would make it even harder to guard the info (this year clever applicants tiptoed in and got clues on the FA page a day early, so my guess it that avenue will be closed off even more tightly next year rather than being sent early).</p>
<p>As for merit aid, I have seen additional University Scholarships added even as late as the third week of April (some - but not all - of those accepted to TO may get some additional good news, for example).</p>
<p>It just seems confusing why the USC FA process would be so different than other universities - both public and private. My son had no idea about admissions or FA info (and was not able to peak) at USC or any other schools he applied to until the official admit notice went live. All other schools he applied to posted and mailed his full FA award packet with his admission packet, or within 1 day. I’m not trying to start a big debate or get anyone ruffled, but USC was the only school that left us in FA limbo for 9-10 days. In the meantime, admitted student events are taking place all over the country, airfares are going up, and, in our case he cannot attend USC without some need and merit aid. So we did take it off the list and book admit events at other schools. It’s back on now, though, but is still a big stretch for us. ;-)</p>
<p>@corclan, if it’s any consolation - we just looked and continuing student FA won’t post until July. Sigh. Not very helpful for budgeting purposes for sure.</p>