<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/684027-financial-aid-package-information.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/684027-financial-aid-package-information.html</a></p>
<p>Hey so I emailed the finaid office, and they said that if you can’t see your award on OASIS yet, then they’re not done figuring it out. Your award will be available sometime w/in the next two weeks so keep checking OASIS :)</p>
<p>Re ## 37, 39:
If you want to persuasively show a lesser home value than originally submitted, I suggest you get a real estate agent to give you a letter appraisal. Many will do that as a courtesy, and almost everyone knows someone in that business. Even better, if you want something that will really make an impression, pay a few hundred bucks for a certified appraisal by an actual appraiser. Ask a title office or real estate agent for a recommendation, or just get one out of the phonebook.</p>
<p>You need something solid with which the FA officer can justify a change in aid. Going in with Craigslist ads for similar homes will not carry the day, and the FA officer will feel like you are wasting their time.</p>
<p>@ CollegeFrenzy:</p>
<p>Hmm that’s odd… it says “Estimated total for 2009-2010: $53,768.00” at the bottom of the OASIS financial aid stuff though. Maybe they had to increase prices because of budget cuts/tax increases?? (sales tax is now 9.25%???)</p>
<p>And also, I’m wondering how you would go about appealing for more financial aid… I’m getting a little bit more $ from Rice University, though their total cost is significantly lower (around $46k a year total). I only have to pay like $6k a year. How do I use this information to get more money from USC?</p>
<p>Re: #43: “Comps” are comparable sales - actual recent sales of actual homes in your area. They are not from Craigslist. They are not ads. You can easily get lists of them for free from any real estate agent. As mentioned above, real estate agents can also do a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis), the key feature of which is the “comps” listed in it. Unless the Real estate agent is a friend, it would be a bit unfair to request a CMA (which they do for potential home sellers in order to get listings) if you do not intend to list your home for sale.</p>
<p>Do not spend several hundred dollars on an appraisal unless requested to do so by the financial aid representative. That money is better spent on books, orientation, dorm supplies…</p>
<p>Try using Cyberhomes.com for an estimated home value</p>
<p>pinkie1105. I guess your right. I took those numbers from the USC financial aid website so they must have adjusted them for the 2009-10 year.</p>
<p>There is some pretty good information in the financial aid and scholarship forum:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/</a></p>
<p>Here is one thread that talks about negotiating aid:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/4786-scholarship-negotiation.html?highlight=appealing+financial[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/4786-scholarship-negotiation.html?highlight=appealing+financial</a></p>
<p>In oasis financial aid, my son received $2,500 for federal work study, can he refuse that and just pay the $2,500 ?</p>
<p>I just checked cyberhomes and my equity has gone down to $170,000 from 250,000. I’m in a not so great neighborhood, so it keeps sliding…</p>
<p>springup: you can decline any parts of your financial aid offer while accepting others. It is completely up to your son. Even if he accepts the work/study, he does not have to use it.</p>
<p>Work/study is a great award: at USC it is very hard to find a part-time job if you do not have work/study, because the majority of available jobs are reserved for work/study awardees. He does not have to use the entire amount - he could work as little or as much (up to the $2,500 award) as he wishes. If he doesn’t find a job he wants, he doesn’t have to work at all. It might be a good idea to accept the work/study, attend the job fair, and see if there is something that catches his interest.</p>
<p>Work/study wages are not included as income for next year’s financial aid calculation, while any non work/study wages (above the exemption of about $3,500) will be assesed at about 50% if earnings.</p>
<p>But no, he does not “have” to accept the award and you are ALWAYS welcome to pay cash in place of that award. (Same thing for the loans.)</p>
<p>alamemom, you are a wealth of knowledge especially when it comes to financial aid questions. Thanks for keeping us so well informed!!</p>
<p>Fight On!</p>
<p>Haha! Thanks CollegeFrenzy! It seems to be almost a full-time job during the college application process to figure out how financial aid works, apply for it, and understand the financial aid award. The students who MOST need financial aid often have to find their way through the process on their own. I am hoping that eventually there will be a checkbox on the federal tax return that will allow families to apply for financial aid while filing taxes - so many who really need fin aid don’t know where to begin! As it is now, those who figure the process out - and have the TIME to do so - tend to get the aid, while those without guidence lose out.</p>
<p>I JUST GOT MY FIN AID PACKAGE! </p>
<p>I can hardly believe it but my USC EFC is half what my FAFSA was. It is finally a number we can manage. I recieved a Trustee scholarship (interviewed for Presidential) and 5,500 in unsubsidized loans (which I am expecting to cover with several scholarships). </p>
<p>I could not be more happy with USC right now, they can sure expect a lifetime of donations from me when I get rich and famous. </p>
<p>FIGHT ON!</p>
<p>qzar, did you receive your fin. aid info in the mail or through Oasis? Also, did you get an email saying your fin aid was ready?</p>
<p>Oasis, today, no email or snail mail</p>
<p>They said on the phone that they’ll be sending those emails tonight.
My aid got posted on Oasis as well. Since I have no experience in financial aid, I don’t know if my package was good or not. I thought it was pretty good. I got Dean’s, 4k university scholarship, plus about 22k in grants. I’m in a middle-class family earning about 80k. We’ll have to pay about 12k a year. Is this considered a very good package? I’m sorry, like I said this is my first time doing this, so I’m not sure if I should be extremely happy or what. Don’t want to be greedy. :P</p>
<p>I think you should be extremely happy! That sounds like a GREAT package!</p>
<p>That’s a great package. I was recently admitted to UCSD and they’re making me pay $9,000/yr despite an EFC of 0.</p>
<p>congrats.</p>
<p>Ah, yay! Thanks, you guys. Didn’t know what the norm was, heh. :D</p>
<p>I hope USC is giving me a solid Fin Aid package, because no other school is.</p>
<p>UC Berkeley: $27k in loans
Purdue: $40k in loans.
UCSB: $25k in loans
UCI: $25k in loans.
UCR: $19k in loans</p>
<p>Those are all /year.</p>
<p>I’m so screwed…</p>