<p>I just checked my OASIS today, and my financial aid package was up... and it was absolutely HORRIBLE. My FAFSA EFC is $24,000 per year, and it is already very overestimated since my mom lost her job and cannot contribute any money towards college (too much debt, humongous morgage payments, etc.), and the max I can get from my parents is about $18,000 per year from my dad (max they ARE ABLE to provide, not the max they are willing to provide). Somehow, USC decided to be gay and they increased my EFC to $40,000 PER YEAR! There is absolutely NO WAY I can go to USC with that. USC is my dream school, and I have ALWAYS wanted to go there. But with such a terrible aid package, I just cant... How can I appeal the decision? I am willing to do whatever it takes.</p>
<p>omg that sucks. How do you know they increased your EFC? Was this after they reviewed your profile?</p>
<p>I am sorry ranganz, I know you have been very excited about USC. You could try appealing based on your mother losing her job (assuming that information was not already included when they figured your aid), but unfortunately the debt and large mortgage payments are usually considered lifestyle choices (I know they are not always so, I am just relaying the way they are seen by financial aid) and so more aid is rarely given because of consumer or mortgage debt. To appeal your financial aid, start here: [USC</a> Financial Aid - Applying & Receiving Financial Aid - Special Circumstances](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/applying_receiving/special/]USC”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/applying_receiving/special/)</p>
<p>USC does their own calculations and puts serious emphasis on home equity and other family assets. The FAFSA # doesn’t mean much to them. We called and were told to document our financial situation and mail it in. Look, or have your parents look, at every number you put on the form. Write an explanation of income/assets and available $. There are several other threads about this very topic. Do it asap, as it will take them a while to process it! Document everything as much as you can.</p>
<p>Have you and your family explained to USC about your mom losing her job? This is important to do ASAP. Honestly, like most schools, USC does give more merit aid to those whom they are actively trying to court. It would be important for you to be as objective as possible, giving proof about your mom’s financial status and the family’s changed circumstances to ask for a reconsideration/re-evalaution.</p>
<p>Yeah, I didnt mention my mom losing her job in the original documents, so that will be the basis of my appeal. But what worries me is that, once my mom does get a job (I truly hope she does) then my cost will still go back up to $40,000 per year (whereas for other universities it will go to $24,000 per year)… I just hope everything works out. I reread my PROFILE questions, and there were a lot of “incriminating” stuff on there which made my family financial situation look a lot better than it actually is (it makes it look like my parents are living together and what not). So maybe in future years I will make sure the PROFILE is filled out more accurately and carefully. Man I really dont want to go to NYU, since its not a really good fit for me (as opposed to USC, which is a perfect fit), but if this doesnt work out, I may be forced to, since they gave me much better financial aid…</p>
<p>Are you able to provide tax returns to USC? They should show loss of job income.</p>