Deadlines

[bessie]

<p>The kids who apply by the early deadline and are offered merit scholarships are kids the university is recruiting to attend there. The merit scholarships are a tool that admissions uses to increase the probability that top students will choose USC over other colleges. Putting your name in for a merit scholarship will not affect your chances of admission at all. It is a completely separate process from need based aid. Even if you do not believe USC’s claim that they are “need blind” in admissions, applying early enough to be considered for merit aid cannot in any way hurt your chances of admission. Conversely, not applying early in order to be considered for merit aid will not help your chances of admission. You have absolutely nothing to lose by applying by applying by the early deadline. You may gain something, though! Good luck, I hope you get in!</p>

[nanaboom]

<p>alamemom / bessie : I think I had some misunderstanding with what merit-scholarships meant. Thank you so much straigtening me out!!</p>

[nanaboom]

<p>by the way, i think i’ll be applying by the earlier deadline. if it doesnt hurt, might as well just apply early and see what happens! thanks!!!</p>

[alamemom]

<p>Great idea! Good luck!!</p>

[bmom]

<p>(USC assists in paying for your trip if you are invited, so don’t rule it out)</p>

<p>Better double check on that. They only subsidized domestic flights. My s’s flight was never subsidized even from Canada.</p>

[alamemom]

<p>I didn’t know they excluded international flights! In D’s letter it says:</p>

<p>“Just book your flight through USC’s official travel agency and we will pay for up to half of your ticket price (to a maximum of $60 if you will be flying from California, Nevada or Arizona or to a maximum of $200 from anywhere else).”</p>

<p>To me “anywhere else” should include international flights! Did you book through USC’s travel agency? That does not seem fair. The USC travel agency also had some rooms at the Radisson set aside at a special price for parents who were traveling with students (the students stayed overnight with a host).</p>

[victoria2]

<p>cc411… here are some quotes I read about how how to get in (clearly stating that money improves your chances)</p>

<ul>
<li>as read on the website of ************** -</li>
</ul>

<p>In addition to a good academic record: Do not ask for financial aid! They like student s to pay full tuition, which is VERY expensive. A diverse background aslo helps.</p>

<p>Just do well on your SAT’s and have a decent GPA (as long as it’s over 3.0). Suck up to the interviewer too. Oh, and have a huge positive balance in your checking account…this is also a big admissions factor.</p>

<p>I achieved a straight A average, paid my tuition in full and obtained a good SAT score.</p>

<p>I gave the admissions committee my credit card number, the expiration date, and the three digit security number by the signature on the credit car</p>

[alamemom]

<p>victoria, was that a college confidential post, an individual’s web page, or what? In any case, whoever posted that is very misinformed. USC is need-blind in admissions AND guarantees to meet 100% of USC-determined need* for accepted students.

Despite global economic uncertainty, said USC administrators, student interest in USC remains very strong – in part because of the university’s need-blind admissions policy, which offers the prospect of financial aid to match demonstrated need of every student.

[Applications</a> Strong for Fall '09 USC Freshman Class: News Release](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/uscnews/newsroom/news_release.php?id=538]Applications”>http://www.usc.edu/uscnews/newsroom/news_release.php?id=538)</p>

<p>*USC determines need using the CSS/Profile + FAFSA, so your USC-determined need may be different than calculated using the FAFSA alone. The amount you believe you need is almost always more than universities determine you need!</p>

[victoria2]

<p>Thanks for the info!</p>

<p>The posts were from the website Studentreview. Students were giving tips on “how to get in.”</p>

[Columbia_Student]

<p>

@studentreview

I gave the admissions committee my credit card number, the expiration date, and the three digit security number by the signature on the credit car

</p>

<p>Too funny! Should have given cash, admission decision would be instant. :D</p>

[cc411]

<p>

In addition to a good academic record: Do not ask for financial aid! They like student s to pay full tuition, which is VERY expensive. A diverse background aslo helps.</p>

<p>Just do well on your SAT’s and have a decent GPA (as long as it’s over 3.0). Suck up to the interviewer too. Oh, and have a huge positive balance in your checking account…this is also a big admissions factor…

</p>

<p>Thanks for that, victoria2. I’m sure now that you read that again, you can see it doesn’t make sense. USC’s Freshman Profile showing high stats could not be maintained with a policy like that.<br>
<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/private/0910/FreshmanProfile2009.pdf[/url]”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/private/0910/FreshmanProfile2009.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Since that is from a blog/forum site and not an official post, announcement, news story, etc., this is one person’s opinion not based on fact. Believe me, if it were true, the whole admissions process would be turned upside down. Think about it.</p>

[victoria2]

<p>Yes, I believe you. Thank you!</p>