<p>Is it true that USC will pay for your whole tuition and costs by meeting their academic requirements and if your family's annual income is less then $60,000?</p>
<p>nope…not true but you can always check their Financial Aid page. If it’s not there, then call. That’s how you will get the honest answer.</p>
<p>Are you a National Merit finalist? Of so, I believe USC gives guaranteed HALF tuition scholarships to NMF. They also have competitive merit awards beyond that.</p>
<p>In addition, I believe the school meets full need, but I’m not sure they pay the whole cost for students with incomes under a certain amount.</p>
<p>The definition of “need” is a tricky one. It’s all in the eye of the beholder.</p>
<p>Yes! Need will be determined by USC.</p>
<p>Start with the Net Price Calculator [USC</a> Financial Aid - Planning for USC](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/applying_receiving/npc/]USC”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/applying_receiving/npc/) to get a rough estimate of the aid you might receive. Remember that NPCs are not guarantees, they are just estimates.</p>
<p>As thumper1 mentions, National Merit Scholars are awarded a 1/2 tuition scholarship IF 1 - they are accepted and 2 - if they name USC as their first-choice with the National Merit Corp by the deadline. NMF/NMS are NOT guaranteed admission.</p>
<p>USC uses both the CSS/Profile and the FAFSA. The FAFSA is used to distribute federal aid including Pell Grants, Federal work/study, Perkins loans and Stafford loans. In general, federal aid will total between $5,500 to about $12,000 (including loans and work/study) maximum. USC’s Cost of Attendance (COA) is over $60,000.</p>
<p>USC uses the CSS/Profile and their own formula, which considers assets the FAFSA does not including home equity and assets protected by the simplified needs test, to calculate USC-need and to distribute USC grants. Therefore the amount you may be expected to contribute at USC may differ* from your FAFSA EFC. (*and by “differ,” I mean it will probably be more…)</p>
<p>If you are already worried about price, please make sure you have a couple of financial safeties on your app list. </p>
<p>A financial safety is a school you will definitely be admitted to and will definitely be able to afford. In some states and for some students, this will be the local community college. </p>
<p>Good luck to you!</p>
<p>are you talking about University of Southern California (as opposed to South Carolina)? If so, i entered 59,000 of income on their Net Price Calculator for a family of 4 with zero other assets and it came back with 45,000 in gift aid, 2500 in work study, 5500 in loans, and 6692 as ‘unmet’. This is using last years tuition rates.</p>