How stingy is USD with FinAid?

Liked everything about USD except it’s Catholic affiliation. How’s the FinAid for EFC 0, high Stat (1600SAT, 4.0GPA) students? They seem to boast a lot on their website about their average grant but other college data websites show otherwise. What has been your experience? Do they practice front loading of grants? Are there any religious requirements in the coursework and how does it’s catholic affiliation interfere with the life of an atheist college student here? How’s the student body?

There are religious requirements in the core - 2 classes, 1 lower division and 1 upper division. You get to choose the classes, though, and there are some really interesting ones!

I am an atheist at USD and have never felt out of place! It’s really easy to not be involved in the religious aspect. I just don’t go to mass and am not involved with any of the religious clubs/activities (there aren’t very many). Most of my friends at USD are not religious or not practicing…and those that are religious aren’t “hardcore”.

@catbird1, do they have Greek life on campus? Also, how was your experience with their financial aid office? Lastly, how good is their business school?

We do have Greek life, although it’s non-residential - meaning that we don’t have university-sanctioned houses. Some of the sororities and most of the frats have houses near the beach, but again, they’re unofficial. Something like 30-35% of the student body is Greek.

I can’t be of much help with FA - I have a high EFC and don’t receive anything from USD.

The business school is excellent, especially in accounting and real estate! It’s not well known outside of CA but it’s very highly regarded regionally.

My niece went to USD. She’s catholic and most of her friends at USD were also Catholic, had gone to Catholic high schools, did participate in Catholic activities on campus. It’s a Catholic school.

Top merit is $25,000. D received FA grant on top of her merit award that matched highest offers at other private schools. Her test scores were good, but nowhere near 1600. USD only uses FAFSA and they came close to EFC if you include $5500 student loan.

If you respect the fact that others have different belief systems than yours you will be fine. if you ask your classmates why they believe in 2000 year old fairy tales you will have problems.

@TomSrOfBoston, oh okay, that was a clear cut explanation. Fortunately or unfortunately, I belong to the latter, so I conclude those schools are not my cup of tea.

@GuessME5 I just received my financial aid award for the upcoming fall and in my opinion the aid is not stingy. Mind you my efc was zero but I am also a Transfer student so I don’t get the merit scholarships. I did however get my tuition covered mostly by free money. If you want me to give detail DM me

@redngoldhopeful I’m interested in USD, can you dm me please?

@redngoldhopeful I accepted my offer of admission to join the class of 2021 for the fall of 2019 semester but I am concerned about the financial aid/money. I would be interested if you could go into further detail