Financial Aid & Scholarships

<p>Unfortunately, as socalpatty accurately pointed out, USC does not look at FAFSA EFC. They have their own formula. They use the CSS profile (see my post about 4 entries above this one). In addition, they ask for a copy of the Parent's 1040 Tax Return. Lastly, they have one last set of formulas that are outside of the CSS and Tax Returns. This was explained to us when we went down for the Explore USC Scholarship Interviews, by the head of the Financial Aid dept.</p>

<p>With all of the above stated as to how they get to the number. If your number (which USC calls something like "USC-Need") is still 750.00, then you could expect large grants. If you search the USC threads from a year ago April, and look at the posts from students who actually received their Fin Aid packages, then you will see some large Grants. However, you will also see some unhappy people, who did not agree with USC's USC-Need value. You'll just have to wait and see.</p>

<p>Good luck to you, and best wishes.</p>

<p>I'm one of those unhappy people. :( lol.</p>

<p>lovetocamp: Do you know if this USC EFC is ever lower than the FAFSA EFC? I mean, is there anything that USC emphasizes less than FAFSA?</p>

<p>Shirobot - "that" is the million dollar question. No, i do not know, and i don't think that i will know until the paperwork comes in the mail, or when it is posted online.</p>

<p>well for me, the fafsa EFC was about 15k lower than the USC EFC.</p>

<p>Wow, my FAFSA EFC was only 1k lower than the USC EFC.</p>

<p>not to be too personal, but do your folks have equity in a home? that seems to be the problem............</p>

<p>eddiee: i called the financial aid office today.. they said they haven't finished putting together my financial aid package because they still need to hear about scholarships from the admissions office... i already know i've received the dean's scholarship, so i don't know what this means. maybe i'm being considered for others? anybody have any experience with this? he says i'll receive my fin aid package by the first week of april.</p>

<p>if you can log in to oasis, does that mean that you've been accepted</p>

<p>sarahjhansen: there's lots more money in scholarships available besides trustee/presidential/deans. if your financial aide page is not up it is because they are still putting a package together for you because they have submitted your application to other committees for review for $$ and it will be sometime the 1st week of april when you hear. congrats, you are being considered for more money!</p>

<p>to answer you question eminem, no. Sorry :(</p>

<p>socalpatty: my financial page is up now, so it looks like i didn't receive anything else : ( however, the page says
"You must inform the Financial Aid Office in writing if you receive additional resources or awards from any USC or other source, e.g., grants, scholarships, fellowships, Tuition Assistance Benefits, assistantships, or agency awards, or if your enrollment or housing plans change."
so who knows? i guess there's a possibility that there might be more, but i doubt it. i haven't received any paperwork yet.</p>

<p>What the FA office told you on the phone makes sense with how I know USC to work, although it's been 7 years since I was on the scholarship committee and things may have changed. If they told you on the phone that your file is still in review, they are still considering you for various scholarships and grants they have. Dean's is 1/4 tuition, you may end up with more. You definitely will not get less. Good luck!</p>

<p>so you think there's still a chance i'll get more, even though my financial page is up? well hopefully things HAVEN'T changed since you were on the committee.. : )
thanks so much for your help by the way : )</p>

<p>""You must inform the Financial Aid Office in writing if you receive additional resources or awards from any USC or other source, e.g., grants, scholarships, fellowships, Tuition Assistance Benefits, assistantships, or agency awards, or if your enrollment or housing plans change."</p>

<p>my page says exactly the same thing. I thing it has to do w/ merit scholarships for specific programs, like music...</p>

<p>sarahjhansen:</p>

<p>This is what happens when the scholarship folks from many
colleges get together and talk to each other. Collusion?</p>

<p>The trend seems to be to give a lot of small awards and grants
(read $8K to $10K) and few large grants or multiple grants to the
same student. Multiple awards would likely have one grant, one
work-study, and two loans (student, parent) rather than two
or more grants.</p>

<p>If your family has heartache with the USC EFC price tag, perhaps
I'll see you at UCLA?</p>

<p>blaw: just received my financial aid package... i received the dean's scholarship (which i knew about before) and i'm eligible for a stafford student loan of about $2,000. i'm not suprised, really... my dad makes about $200,000 a year, but its just that we'll have 3 kids in college next year and we have a ton of medical bills (my mom has diabetes, i have pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, and my dad has something that even stanford can't figure out). however- i've officially decided i love my parents A LOT. even though i got into ucla as well and got davis regents, they're totally okay with me going to USC. they're just gonna take out some loans, and i'll take some community college courses and work part time over the summer so hopefully i can graduate a semester early... i don't know why i typed all this out haha but ummm now you know the plan for my life! : )</p>

<p>****, the merit scholarships for Thornton are based on financial need!!!!</p>

<p>Best wishes to to you, sarahjhansen!
Perhaps the Trojans will do fine even after Reggie Bush.
Can you believe it, the Bruins in the final four!
As for me, I'll likely land up in Westwood or
Bekeley ... with a remote chance that I may go
to Wharton if I get accepted there!</p>

<p>I don't think everything was completed for financial aid for me. Are the deadlines the websites have actual deadlines, or just guidelines? Do I still have time to subit information and qualify?</p>