<p>just a heads up the loan cousneling is a giant group meeting in a lecture hall where they talk to you about what your loan is and that kind of stuff. you have to stay til the end because thats when they have you sign the paperwork saying that you attended</p>
<p>unknownpleasures, I am not certain what amount you should put there. I would tend to be cautious and put the largest amount that might not be covered as of August 20th - you can always pay more than the payment due, and they may have a very sensible process already figured out to adjust the amount you specify. Maybe one of you will call in on Moday to ask what amount you should put for your payment plan and come back and post the definitive information :)</p>
<p>Randy1991,</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I dunno. If you turned in the request, USC is usually very good at guiding you through the steps and probably would have emailed you if you needed to do an online application. This is probably worth a call to financial aid to find out - especially since you may be applying for an additional Stafford and will need time for that loan to fund. Post with the definitive info when you get it!</p></li>
<li><p>No, the deadline has not passed - in fact you can apply for Stafford and Plus loans even after school has started. The only hangup is that as it gets closer to August 20th, the loan may not fund in time for that first payment. Be sure to sign up for the payment plan if you think your loans will be late.</p></li>
<li><p>If your parent is denied for PLUS loans you become eligible for an additional Stafford unsubsidized loan of $4,000. When you call to ask about the progress of your PLUS loans (be sure your mom is with you when you call - the PLUS loan is actually her loan, so they may not be able to give you any information about her loan) also ask if you need to submit another Stafford request for that extra $4,000.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Hmm, I see , but would it just be easier if I sign up for the 5payment plan on the 16th/17th (the time the loans would be disbursed)?</p>
<p>My only concern with waiting until the 17th to sign up for the payment plan is that I do not know if that gives enough time for USC to process the information before the Fall payment deadline of August 20th. It may be that it is no problem to wait - but it would be great if one of you called to be sure there won’t be a problem waiting that long to sign up for the payment plan.</p>
<p>In the meantime, here is a payment plan tutorial [USC-FBS</a> - sfs - Payment Plan](<a href=“Student Financial Services”>Student Financial Services) scroll about half way down and click on “Payment Plan tutorial.” It takes you step-by-step on how to sign up. According to the tutorial, there is a calculator as part of the sign up you can use to estimate your balance due after all credits and charges are applied.</p>
<p>An update on the above post:</p>
<p>Another USC mom sent me some info that she has been working with the payment plan. The enrollment seems to be instant, and the first payment is due when you enroll.</p>
<p>So it does not seem there is any problem with waiting until August 13th - 17th to sign up for the payment plan.</p>
<p>I just posted in the “billing stuff” thread the relevant tidbits from the payment plan page that support what alamemom is suggesting: it appears you still have time!</p>
<p>A few days ago I emailed the financial aid office about why I wasn’t receiving a cal grant even though on the cal grant website it said I had been granted one and they sent me this: “If you did not receive the Cal Grant at your previous institution, then unfortunately, you will not be eligible to receive it here at USC due to your high expected family contribution.” Last year I went to a community college so I was able to reserve my cal grant so I don’t know how this makes any sense. Moreover, since when is the cal grant based on efc? Any suggestions on what to do is appreciated.</p>
<p>You are correct, the Cal Grant is not based on EFC, it is based on income and asset ceilings. You are also correct that community college students can put their Cal Grant on reserve. So I do not know what the problem is. My suggestion would be to save the WebGrants for students page showing that you have been awarded a Cal Grant so that you can email it. Call financial aid and get an actual human on the phone. Explain that your Cal Grant was on reserve while you were at community college, that The California Student Aid Commission has posted on your account that you qualify and offer to email the WebGrants page directly to the person you are talking to right then.</p>
<p>Hopefully it is just a mistake.</p>
<p>Let me know what they say.</p>
<p>The only possible thing I can guess might have disqualified you (and maybe WebGrants is behind on their updates) would be if you qualified for the simplified needs test on the FAFSA and were able to exclude assets - Maybe USC is obligated to report to the California Student Aid Commission when the protected assets are above the ceilings as disclosed on the CSS/Profile? I have never heard before about any such requirement - so this is just a guess… please let us know what they say.</p>
<p>Hello everyone! I have a few questions regarding FA at USC as I had been accepted for spring admissions rather than this coming fall semester. No complaints. My FA as been determined and I must say that it looks amazing!</p>
<ol>
<li><p>How will my FA package be effected/adjusted if I choose to live off-campus rather than on-campus? Within my original application, I opt’d to have my living arrangements to be on-campus housing, but I’ve changed my mind and would much rather live off-campus (its an age thing).</p></li>
<li><p>After I’ve accepted my loans (Stafford and Perkins) will they be credited to my personal account bank account or to my USC account? Or do I have an option to choose?</p></li>
<li><p>If for some reason that my semester expenses did NOT exceed my financial aid award, will USC take back the remaining amount or will it be credited back to me in the form of a refund check/direct deposit to my personal account? And how will that effect future award amounts (i.e. receiving less for future amounts)?</p></li>
<li><p>I’ve also been awarded financial aid for fall semester at my community college (pell grant and SEOG), will enrolling to receive this aid effect my eligibility/amount for USC in the spring?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I’d call and ask the FA office myself, but it’s a little too late in the day to do so at this time.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your admission!</p>
<ol>
<li><p>There does not seem to be any adjustment between living on campus vs. off. Serapher (post #480) called the financial aid office to verify this information. So feel free to live off-campus.</p></li>
<li><p>Your loans will credit to your USC student account and be applied to your charges. If your financial aid is more than your billed amout you request a refund. They can issue a check or deposit to your USC Credit union account. You can also set up and automatic deposit to your credit union account anytime there is a credit balance on your student account.</p></li>
<li><p>You keep your excess financial aid. Incentive to live frugally!</p></li>
<li><p>No, receiving financial aid at your community college in Fall will not effect your Spring award. The only effect will be that will count toward any undergraduate limits (on Stafford loans, for example).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you, Alamemom! We are truly grateful for the invaluable information and time that you provide for us. I’d pay you, but I would need more loans =(</p>
<p>@alamemom Thank you for your help and information on the subject. I contacted the financial aid office and was told that it was a mistake on their part because they had presumed that I had not received the cal grant in my previous institution. They said they would update it as soon as they can verify with the email I sent them other than that hopefully it works and thanks again.</p>
<p>Hi alamemom!
Regarding your point #2 in post 530…setting up an automatic deposit system to a bank account for any credit balance, one is not required to have a USC Credit Union account. This works for any bank one has an account with. My D has automatic deposits into a
B of A account.
Just wanted to mention that, if students here do not bank with the USC Credit Union.</p>
<p>Has anyone heard back about the Perkins loans yet? I did all the necessary MPN etc stuff for Federal loans a few weeks ago.</p>
<p>I got an email Saturday about the Perkins loan. I received my financial aid package early in the process, though, so that probably effected the timing.</p>
<p>@alamemom
I already got an appeal approved last semester from USC saying they’ll grant me financial aid this year. Waseda program costs LESS than USC and both the finaid officers and study abroad advisors told me that my finaid difference should stay about the same. I think this is mostly due to my brother working now opposed to studying and my parents paying for his tuition. Sigh. Still, they used up all the money they had for his tuition and their new house (first actual house in their 50’s!).</p>
<p>My mom didn’t write down the new house purchase in the FAFSA or CSS (didn’t buy it then) but in the income and expense form… Should I tell the financial aid office anyhow?</p>
<p>I don’t need 6 years to graduate, I already figured out everything and got my schedule completely down awhile back. Since this is for my double major, I can technically abandon my major and just graduate solely from the Cinema School… however, I already paid my study abroad deposit (800!) darn!</p>
<p>uyulove - I think you are right about the difference being caused by your brother not being in school - that makes a BIG difference in how much families are expected to contribute.</p>
<p>It can’t hurt to tell them about the house - it might not make a difference, but if you sadly mention you might have to abandon the idea of study abroad because of the lower aid this year they might add a tiny bit to your package.</p>
<p>Hi Sequoia! Thanks for the info - I was thinking they could probably deposit to any bank, but I was too tired to search for the info - thanks for helping!</p>
<p>striker15 - GREAT news - what a relief. And good job following up and knowing all the Cal Grant details. If you hadn’t known that it wasn’t attached to EFC and that you could keep it on reserve, their mistake would have cost you $9,708 per year! I am impressed!</p>
<p>Budlightyear - awwwww 
Thanks!</p>
<p>So I am going over my statement for the fall semester and I was wondering what the Student Programming Fee of $56.50 is for? Also, would you happen to know how long it takes them to take out the charge for Student Health Insurance on my statement since I just had it waived during transfer orientation last Friday? Thanks!!!</p>
<p>Student programming fee is for the activities your RA will have going on in your dorm.</p>
<p>They are usually fairly prompt on removing the health insurance - if it hasn’t been credited back within about a week of submitting the form you might give them a call. Sometimes the insurance cannot be waived if the plan does not meet USC minimums, and they will let you know by mail if that is the case.</p>
<p>But i will be living off campus so is the student programming fee still necessary? </p>
<p>As for the insurance being waved, it hasn’t been a week yet so i will wait first. If a week has passed already and it’s still on my statement, then i’ll just give them a call thanks!</p>