<p>Anyone else feel like the USC Financial Aid process is a lot more complicated/prolonged than your other schools'? I feel like you fill out one form, and then another "required" form pops up! It's so frustrating and long! I understand that USC offers some of the best financial aid in the country... but it's seriously the only college I am still filling out financial aid forms for.</p>
<p>assuming you show demonstrated need, you will be getting a lot of free money. a small price to pay for a bit of “tedious” paperwork, don’t you think?</p>
<p>Yes, but other colleges have less complicated processes. I’m just wondering why USC needs the FAFSA, CSS, and then still asks for other information that’s already on those forms? It’s repetitive in my opinion.</p>
<p>Typically, schools that grant a great deal of their own money collect more financial aid information than schools that dispense primarily Federal Financial aid.</p>
<p>If you are only interested in receiving Federal Financial Aid at USC, you may submit only the FAFSA and receive all Federal aid for which you qualify. Federal aid primarily includes the Pell Grant in amounts from $100 to $5,500 per year, the Stafford loan for up to $5,500 per year, and Federal Work/Study in amounts up to approximately $2,500 per year for freshmen. Work/study is limited and will not be offered to all applicants. For the very neediest of applicants ($0 FAFSA EFC), that adds up to about $13,000/year and will not cover the $57,000/year cost at USC.</p>
<p>If you wish to be considered for USC Grants - USC’s own money - which are offered in amounts of approximately $1,000 to well over $40,000, you must submit all of the information for which they ask. There is no requirement that you do so if you prefer not to apply for USC grants, but USC grants will only be offered to those who submit all requested information.</p>
<p>I personally found the financial aid application relatively simple compared to other schools. I really appreciate the option of uploading all forms that aren’t the PROFILE or FAFSA on one website on USConnect. Other universities required me and my mother to either mail in forms or do other tedious stuff. Also, the people who work in the FA office at SC were very friendly when I called, unlike other institutions.</p>
<p>I agree; USC doesn’t require IDOCs, which is a relief.</p>
<p>alamemom: Do Cal Grants stack on top of scholarship money?</p>
<p>^ CalGrants can be combined with scholarships up to calculated need. If together they exceed need, the scholarship may be reduced. If that happens there are some specific requests you can make (upward budget adjustments for items such as a one-time computer purchase or for study abroad travel expenses, replacing subsidized loans, etc.) that may preserve additional scholarship funds. When the packages arrive the end of the first week of April I will post some suggestions.</p>
<p>IDOCS is easy though… if you’re going to send it to one school, then it’s not a hassle to send it to multiple schools. It’s only a hassle in my opinion because only 2 of my schools require/accept it.</p>