<p>Matrix123, I am very sorry you did not get the news you hoped for recently. However, for you to call others who did receive good news “less qualified,” and even worse terminology, “lesser,” is unneccessary, unkind, and uninformed. You have no idea what might have been in those applications and what the unique qualifications of those applicants might have been.</p>
<p>As financial aid applications are not even due yet, it shows a lack of critical thinking skills to say that applying for financial aid is the reason students were selected for MERIT scholarships.</p>
<p>Again, I am sorry you are unhappy right now and feel free to rant all you want at USC, but please do not attack those who have received the news you hoped to hear.</p>
<p>Dear alamenon,
I put the word “qualified” in quotes for the express purpose of indicating irony and not insulting anyone. Sorry you didn’t catch that. The term “lesser” can simply be objectively quantified. A student with a 2100 and gpa of 3.6 clearly has lesser stats than a 4.0 and a 2350. No offense was intended to anyone and I have repeatedly congratualted those who did got in in past posts. I appreciate that an application is more than stats and all of us have worked hard on our ECs, letters of rec, and other app issues but I don’t think anyone can deny that in some respects the admissions decisons appear confusing. So it seems to me it is you who needs to lighten up. Also, why is it that you feel compelled to comment on near every post and criticize those who express an opinion you don’t agree with? Really, get a life.</p>
<p>I would further note that an applicant is asked in the USC application whether they intend to financial aid. Thus, the fact that the FA applications are not due yet is irrelevant. Perhaps you should get your facts straight before jumping to criticize someone’s “critical thinking skills.”</p>
<p>Alamemom is the patron of this group (and Georgia Girl!)! We love her!!! I am sincerely disgusted that you would reply like that. She helps us so much - she is a wealth of information, and we are lucky to have her help us.</p>
<p>Your post came across as entitled and a bit rude. You don’t know my exact stats or what I have done. We have said over and over, stats aren’t the main focus anymore with any college admissions. Speak to any professor, the real indicator of success in college is not GPA/ACT/SAT, but what you’ve done. Yes, college admissions are rough and can be frustrating and disappointing, but we’re all going to (or already have) rejections/deferred statuses.</p>
<p>USC is need blind. Maybe your arrogance showed in your application? It sure is showing through here.</p>
<p>I got a letter of acceptance on Sat, but no scholarship. I applied as an English major with stats of ACT 34 GPA 3.9, lots of APs EC with leadership, NMSF etc. I also indicated I was not appling for financial aid. I know this is all very stressful and there is no way we can see what the admissions office is using to decide. Everyone on this site are very qualified. Also I appreciate all the help alamemom provides</p>
<p>jasondvm
Sorry that you were offended by my post. Apparently the fact that alemamon launched a direct attack on me is of no import. As to my purported arrogance, I can assure you that is not the case. I am well aware that USC has many amazing candidates to choose from. But I, like several others who have posted as I am far from alone in this, have expressed some disbelief, confusion and yes, disappointment, over the admission decisions and I think that is our right, just as it is your right to express happiness over being chosen. Even some of the admittees themselves have joined in these posts expressing confusion over why they got in. So please do not take my comments as a criticism of any particular admitee or group of admittees as that is not the case. I’m quite sure that if you were on the other side of the fence, you would be having these same feelings, in other words, wondering why not me?</p>
<p>Again, matrix123, I am sorry you are disappointed. It is very hard for you students who have come to define yourselves by your “stats” to understand that USC does not offer “stats-based” scholarships. There are many schools that do offer scholarships guaranteed for a certain combination of test scores and GPA, but USC is not among them, and they plainly state that in their merit scholarship brochure.</p>
<p>Requesting financial aid is not a factor in merit scholarship invitations, and that is very clear from the fact that many applicants who have not requested aid have received invitations. In addition, applicants who do not check off that they are not applying for aid are free to change their minds and apply, just as applicants who check that they will apply for aid are free to choose not to. </p>
<p>It is fine if you do not agree with my posts, and College Confidential provides a feature on your account that will allow you to block my posts from your view. I suggest you take advantage of that feature, because I will of course continue to reply to posters who insult those invited to interview for the Presidential and Trustee scholarships. Many of those who you feel are “lesser” have pm-d me (I have to clear my PM box daily right now ) with some of the private details of their applications - non “stats” stuff that you would not find compelling - and I can assure you, USC has chosen very well.</p>
<p>Again, best of luck. I am sure with your fine record you will have many wonderful opportunities from which to chose in April.</p>
<p>I do not define myself or others only by stats. I think I have made this quite clear repeatedly so please stop putting words in my mouth. I have not posted my other qualifying information for the same reason others have not - privacy concerns - but my application was solid in every regard. Nor am I interested in privately e-mailing you my information.<br>
I’m sorry that you feel unable to accept that I do not feel anyone is “lesser” than I and was only expressing my confusion, again along with many others, regarding the basis of the admissions decisions. I think it is entirely normal for people to dissect why soem were admitted and not others.<br>
You do not seem to understand that for some of us, not being invited to interview for a scholarship is effectively a rejection as without that money, attending USC is removed as an option completely. You are correct that I hope to have many other options, but USC was my first choice. So, I’m sorry if you find it inappropriate for me to express my distress over losing that option. I had understood that CC was an open forum which allowed feelings and opinions to be expressed. Apparently I was wrong and thus I will cease posting here.</p>
<p>Yes, I do understand, matrix, and posting your frustration is understandable and acceptable. Insulting other applicants is not. You have been an enthusiastic contributor to the forum and I hope you do not stop posting, but please aim your frustration at USC (and even at me, if you wish - fire away), not at your fellow applicants.</p>
<p>Yet again and for the last time, none of my posts were intended to insult other applicants. You seem intent on continually repeating your incorrect assumptions about my statements and my intentions in attempt to demonize me on this thread, which is hardly consistent with the maternal and caring image you otherwise strive to project. I do not find this discussion with you productive and will no longer particpate in it.</p>
<p>Maybe if you re-read my posts in a few days you will see them differently. I truly do understand your disappointment, and you are clearly a wonderful candidate for USC and for the scholarships - it just didn’t work out for you, and for many others who, yes, feel exactly as you do. Again, venting frustration is fine, but posting unkind remarks about those selected is not. I did not put any words in your mouth - you unfortunately posted them yourself for all to see.</p>
<p>If one were to read all of the posts that have come up since 1/27 one would find several which compare, question, whine, speculate and complain. Your myopic focus on my post of today is perplexing but I think it makes clear to any objective reader just how overly invested you are in being the big cheese on this site and that you are hardly as kind as you attempt to seem. Since you will no doubt respond to this, let me just say now that you can have the last word as that is obviously what you need.</p>
<p>Matrix, take a deep breath man. Everything will be fine. If you believe in karma, I bet you’ll have a nice acceptance letter from one of your high reaches to make up for this injustice. USC was my first choice too but take a look around and you’ll find a handful of amazing colleges.</p>
<p>@Jason:
The CSS Profile costs money to submit. For those of us with no chance of ever getting financial aid, it would to pay the money to submit this in. Don’t assume that we are wealthy and have money to throw around because of some EFC number. Especially with $50K+ college bills just beyond the horizon, families such as Matrix’s and mine need to save all that we can.</p>
<p>@alamemom:
I felt that I had quite special circumstances in addition to my quantitative stats. In fact, I wrote a significant portion of my main essay on them. I’m not going to go into detail, but there were some very serious health issues within my immediate family. Alas, the one thing that may have done me in was my lack of “national” recognition, but I believed - and still believe - that I had sufficient reason to be given an offer.</p>
<p>However, what’s happened is done and there’s nothing I can do about it. Here’s to hoping that one of my reach schools will be able to see my situation (I guess USC wasn’t) and it will supplement my statistic credentials. I am definitely reaching for the stars with some of the schools I’m applying to and hopefully life will throw me a bone. At the end of my journey, I very well may still end up in Los Angeles next fall. But first, a sea of college opportunities awaits me.</p>
<p>To everyone still waiting on USC, good luck!</p>
<p>To those of you who didn’t get an acceptance yet and need the merit aid to attend, please look at outside merit scholarships. There are many that you can still apply for. With your stats and ec’s, there is a very good chance you will still be accepted to USC. Perhaps if you get enough “outside” money, you could still attend. I’m a mom, but the college acceptance path has many highs and many lows. I have a daughter that is a college freshman and my other daughter is a senior this year (yep, get to go through this two years in a row). A rejection or not getting that scholarship you want will soon be followed by great news from another school. Somehow, it all works out in the end. Don’t let this get you down. I would love to be a fly on the wall of the admissions offices of these great schools. They have a tough job, trying to achieve a diverse class with so many incredible applicants. But based on what I’ve read, I feel confident you will be very happy once all your decisions come in.</p>
<p>Thanks, BigKev - my kindred spirit! Best of luck to you too! I’m trying to remind myself that often something that seems bad actually results in what is meant to be. My mom likes to remind us that because she didn’t end up attending her first choice graduate school, she met my dad and the rest as they say, is history. So there you have it.</p>
<p>The no scholarship letter does, however, say that we are still being considered for “other scholarships”. Does anyone know the history of how many kids actually receive these other scholarships after getting the no presidential/trustee scholarship letter? Or are the kids who’ve been recently admitted without trustee/prez scholarships going to receive most other scholarships (Deans, etc.) later?</p>
<p>I guess what I’m trying to say is that are the kids who’ve currently received acceptance letters without prez/trustee scholarships GOING to get notification of “other” scholarships in the coming weeks? Or are they not getting any scholarships at all? </p>
<p>I’ve received the no prez/trustee scholarship letter too, and I suppose I’m trying to see what my chances are of getting money.</p>
) with some of the private details of their applications - non “stats” stuff that you would not find compelling - and I can assure you, USC has chosen very well.</p>