<p>damn i really shouldn't have worked... got around 6k less than i did last year and nothing changed.</p>
<p>Freshman to Sophomore Financial Aid</p>
<p>Presidential Scholarship: $16,657 / $17,606
Federal Work Study: $2,500 / $2,750
Subsidized Stafford Loan: $2,625 / $4,500
University Grant: $15,357 / $16,620
Additional Loan Eligibility: $9,967 / $8,122</p>
<p>FAFSA EFC: $10,662 / $14,433</p>
<p>We were expecting less grant money because the EFC was higher this year, but USC hooked it up proper and came through with the funds. A little more on the Subsidized Stafford and Work Study, but that's cool. Looks like I can continue another year as a Trojan!</p>
<p>Uh oh, I got my financial aid in paper form and it's missing my scholarship. Time to fire off some emails then.</p>
<p>Anyone else get their Stafford Loan doubled and workstudy tripled? Not exactly fair in my mind.</p>
<p>Daughter called Fin Aid today after the hard copy arrived in the mail and was told some merit scholarships are being added in later. I don't understand why they would go to all the expense of mailing out only partial info. I could understand gradually updating OASIS, but sending out an incomplete mailing?</p>
<p>Also although we are certain she should have the scholarship as it's renewable based on GPA, we really would like the written confirmation as we have to make a decision about a loan for next schoolyear.</p>
<p>Exactly. My parents flipped out when they saw that my total scholarship and grant money are actually less than last year. Which makes no sense considering my parents made almost the same amount as last year, and they shelled out a huge amount of money for tuition.</p>
<p>^ yeah I agree. My stafford loan went up from like 2250 to 4160! (although perkins dropped from 2250 to 1160 or something) and then my workstudy went up from 2500 to 2750 which I guess isn't TOO bad... but I made 1600 dollars last year from workstudy so I have to work hundred+ hours to make that much more money... yeah no way I can study then since 10 hours a weeks actually too much for me sometimes.</p>
<p>"then my workstudy went up from 2500 to 2750 which I guess isn't TOO bad..."</p>
<p>Same for my daughter...last year she earned about $2000 out of $2500...she had a job where her boss made it possible for her to study on the job when needed (i.e., the day before a midterm), but still it was hard to do more than 10 hours a week. It's a Catch-22, because if you spend too much time earning work study, then your grades might suffer and you lose money somewhere else!</p>
<p>My workstudy jumped from $1000 to $2750. I only made ~$600 last year.</p>
<p>Did they post the scholarships yet?</p>
<p>My daughter's merit scholarship still isn't up. She's going to call again if it doesn't show up in a couple days -- on the one hand we absolutely know she should have it but on the other hand we really want to see that written confirmation so we can firm up the rest of our financial plans (i.e., size of loan) for next year. </p>
<p>Kinda frustrating as July is ticking away!</p>
<p>so the grant went in today and i just realized..</p>
<p>07/16/2007 UnderGrad Tuition, Flat Fee Fa2007 17,606.00</p>
<p>07/19/2007 Scholarships, Grants, Fellowships 17,606.00</p>
<p>huh i dun have to pay anything for my school tuition. Thank you USC!
Is everything I have to pay posted yet? because i only have 1,112 dollars I have to pay for and my scholarship/loans/workstudy haven't kicked in yet... I guess its because my housing isn't up there yet?? But it can't be more than like 2500 a year...?? and living expenses I can take care of (sorta)</p>
<p>^ It's awesome isn't it?</p>
<p>Yeah its a good feeling.
Are the scholarships in yet? because mine still isn't.. which is messing up my work study money. (i have to send a letter to my boss pretty soon)</p>
<p>So not fair that you guys get full tuition while my sister has to have my parents get loans to pay full tuition.</p>
<p>To freesn3:</p>
<p>Trust me, your sister is not the only one. I know plenty of people who are in the same or similar circumstance. Full-tuition scholarship recipients aren't the exception, but they aren't the rule, either.</p>
<p>My sister is a top student there and still does not get more than a few thousand. She is going to have to pay off the loans my parents are taking out. How is it fair that my sister has to end college in debt while others do not? </p>
<p>I am not trying to say that less fortunuate people should not be allowed to o go to college. THat is not at all what I am saying. I am sayign that just because you have less money does not mean you should get free tuition or more a lot of financial aid, where as someone is too rich but yet cannot afford college. Sorry, life sucks, Im taking this out on you guys, sorry</p>
<p>To freesn3:</p>
<p>It's OK to let out a little steam, and I think I understand your sentiments. In fact, I am in a similar circumstance (I'm "only" getting $4K a year in scholarships). I say "only" because I am fully aware of people who get less or absolutely no financial aid because they are deemed "too rich," yet cannot comfortably make school-related payments. Ultimately, there is a price that one pays to attend a university (whether that cost is partially, fully, or not funded for by financial aid). When people make the decision to attend USC, I am sure that most of the people who do make that decision are fully aware of what obstacles they may face (such as paying back loans). If incoming students didn't think that USC was worth its tuition and other school-related costs, then I don't think those students would have opted for USC in the first place. Coming in, I knew that attending USC would, more or less, be a financial burden upon my family and me. However, I made the decision that attending USC would provide me with a better education and better career prospects in the long run. Although it might sound like a terrible clich</p>
<p>freesn3-
Do you think I'M not taking out loans? My brother now has a 40K loan from his school and I'll have 20K by the time I graduate. (i can't even think about grad school right now) You do realize the average college student graduates with 20K in loans? By giving people financial aids, they average out the loan people will have in the end (because otherwise I would be 120K in debt by the time I graduate while some people would have 5k in debt)</p>
<p>the reason your sister doesn't get money is probably because your family's efc is MUCH higher than mine. If you are deemed too rich for any financial aid, that pretty much means your efc is 3-4 times the amt of my family's whole entire income. we aren't poor because we don't work or anything, my dad used to work for TX instruments, he just decided to pursue his dream job instead. My state college cost about the same as USC after the financial aid though, that's the only reason I was able to come. (and none of my state schools are that fantastic) most colleges want some kind of diversity so they have to extend financial aid to people who need it.</p>
<p>My parents can't even take out the loans your parents are taking out btw because its impossible for them to pay it back. EVER.:P</p>
<p>
[quote]
So not fair that you guys get full tuition while my sister has to have my parents get loans to pay full tuition.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>While I feel for you, what's not fair is living in a family of four on $12K a year struggling to make morgage payments on a doublewide. Remember, being poor is only starting to pay off NOW. Being middle class has payed off your whole life.</p>
<p>don't complain about it "not being fair". each person has a different situation, socioeconomic background, etc.
there are many students at every college paying off loans, and it doesn't help to gripe about it.
instead of griping about it, do something about it, and be thankful you're even ATTENDING college.</p>