<p>I think what happens is that first you are considered for merit aid if you apply before the Dec. 1 deadline. Then, your parent(s) have to file FAFSA and whatever else USC needs for financial aid. The financial aid office will see if you qualify for financial aid. End result can either be merit aid (first determination), financial aid (second determination), either merit or financial aid, a mix of the two, or no aid at all. In our case, my son was offered the Presidential half tuition merit scholarship, a small loan if we wanted it, and we have to pay the balance.</p>
<p>I agree with mdcissp; I believe merit aid is awarded first, and then financial aid is doled out as a supplement to the scholarship once financial records are reviewed. Don't quote me on that though! I did not receive financial aid from USC, so I don't have much knowledge of the financial aid process. :)</p>
<p>lyrical, yes, merit aid is likely to affect your financial aid. Here are some senarios (my numbers are just approximations):</p>
<p>If, for example, you have an EFC of $20,000 and a "need" of about $30,0000 (based on approx $50,000 COA), you might get loans of $5,500 and work/study of $2,500 and a grant of $22,000. If you were awarded a Trustee scholarship of $37,000, your entire need of $30,000 would be covered and you would not be offered the grant or work/study. You would most likely still be offered a loan as mdcissp's son was. In this example, your family would still have $13,000 to cover, but that would be less than the original EFC of $20,000.</p>
<p>Another example: If you were awarded a Presidential of approx $19,000, your original need of $30,000 would be reduced to $11,000. You would still get the loans of $5,500 and work/study of $2,500, but your grant would then be $3,000, leaving the original $20,000 EFC to be covered by your family.</p>
<p>At first it might seem frustrating that the grants are reduced because of the scholarships, but it is only because USC is so generous with financial aid that this happens.</p>
<p>This is a little off topic, but since you were a Finalist for the American Legion Oral Advocacy contest, did you end up speaking in front of the whole group at California Boys State? I might remember you.</p>
<p>Keep in mind the scores and statistics posted on CC are not a large sampling of scores from students who applied to SC. According to the SC profile on their website SC received 35,901 applications for the freshman class which would enter in fall of 2008. When one looks at the scores posted on the CC thread it is really a very small fraction of the applicants.</p>
<p>drbob-
the oratorical contest winners (evan larson and marik) spoke in front of everybody. i only advanced to round 2 in that contest. oral advocacy was 4 rounds in front of the city, county, and supreme court judges.</p>