My D is interested in pursuing the TTP next year (was not admitted this year). However, a friend of mine who has a child graduating this year had an experience with FA that is very concerning to me. She has twins, both going to expensive private schools. USC gave them $19K freshman year, then was cut to $8K, $4K and then nothing at all senior year. Financial circumstances were unchanged. I hesitate to promote a school to my kid that would pull the rug out, financially, that way. You’re already sucked in to the school and then the aid disappears. (For the record, the other child’s school did not decrease aid at all during the 4 years; if tuition went up a certain percentage their amount paid also went up, but aid did not disappear). Has anyone else had this experience with USC?
We are full pay aside from merit, so I am no financial aid expert - but unless you have all their financials - bank statements, tax documents, etc - how can you be sure something didn’t change? USC uses CCS so home equity, retirement accounts are all fair game. And their other child must have graduated - assuming they weren’t triplets - so that one being out of school would certainly have a large impact on financial aid.
No, they were twins. Both are graduating this year. My friend told me nothing changed, why would she lie?
I didn’t start at USC as a freshmen (I was a junior transfer). However, my financial aid package for my junior and senior year were identical. I believe the university grant was something like $23K. In my senior year, I had somehow lost Cal Grant eligibility, but to make up the difference, USC added more to my university grant award. There was absolutely no change at all in the amount of aid I received. I have to agree with blueskies2sday. If there was such a drastic change in aid, there must have been something in your friend’s finances that affected her child’s aid. I don’t believe you/your daughter have to be concerned about such a bait and switch 
The aid awarded should remain consistent.
Understand which portions of any award are merit and which are need based.
Some merit awards renew for four years, some are only for a year or two, and many require a minimum GPA or credit load to keep.
If finances stay the same, need based award usually stays about the same. If it does not, generally you should contact the financial aid office and possibly appeal.