<p>Deidre, perhaps they are asking for a supplemental essay explaining what your son would do with that $20?</p>
<p>Seriously, I think it got put into the wrong envelope, but you should call.</p>
<p>I think it's a ploy to get you to call the Aid Office.</p>
<p>Deirdre - have your S call the office. It was clearly a mistake, and your S's letter got stuffed into someone else's envelope. The school won't know that unless they're told.</p>
<p>Hope you get some good news, and please share it with us.</p>
<p>LOL. That is so weird. Call the office or something. "WHY DID YOU SEND ME A SLIGHTLY CRUMPLED $20 BILL?!"</p>
<p>It would be a clever ploy if the message said, "come to USC and there's more where this came from...."</p>
<p>But I think your son's name and address got onto that envelope by mistake. Maybe someone who works in admission put the blank page and the $20 into one of their office envelopes to contribute to a birthday gift, or pay for an office pool...something like that and somehow it ended up with your son's address on it. I'd send an email to admissions and ask what's up.</p>
<p>Are you sure they didn't use invisible ink? If not I would send the paper back to them along with a note that says "Write with this" and a pen. Keep the 20.</p>
<p>Is the post mark from L.A.?</p>
<p>this is more creepy to me than anything :p</p>
<p>call them...& report back, obviously : D</p>
<p>Wow, I've been paying my son's private school tuition for three years and they have never sent me a dime! I'm gonna call and complain.</p>
<p>Son sent an email just now-- I am waiting with baited breath for the school's reply!</p>
<p>Japher- it is metermailed from the same zip as the school.</p>
<p>send back 20 with note: thank you for 20 bill received on xxx. more financial aid will be required, but thank you for a downpayment.</p>
<p>USC email usually takes 1-2 days for a response. I can't WAIT to hear the reply. Be sure to post so we can all have good chuckle.</p>
<p>The auto reply did say a reply would come in 1-2 days, there was also a phone number for urgent questions, but I have been unable to convince son that solving this mystery is urgent.</p>
<p>some poor admissions employee at USC went home that day wondering where that $20 went he/she had set on the desk for lunch........ "now where did that $20 go, I could have sworn I left it right there on my desk"</p>
<p>I would donate it to there endowment and try to get your student labeled as a development case :D</p>
<p>Perhaps that's why its nickname is u$c? hahahaahahaha</p>
<p>This is really funny. I agree with others that someone was probably collecting for a birthday/wedding/shower gift or maybe betting on basketball playoffs and somehow stuck the money in your envelope which then someone else saw and mailed. I can't wait to hear what you find out. </p>
<p>I think this ranks up there with the clam fart posting as one of the funniest posts I have read on CC.</p>
<p>Could be for the lottery club of calif MEGA millions/SuperLOTTO. My group of friends just chipped in $30 each person last Saturday. If we hit the numbers, I don't have to frequent here anymore. Wish us luck :)</p>
<p>Yes, it's right up there, but clam fart definitely takes top honors. I laughed till I cried over that one. Priceless.</p>
<p>How would those of us who missed it search for that thread? Keyword "clam fart"?</p>