<p>When we attended orientation, we were told over and over that the tuition payment deadline is August 13. I wrote our check this morning and went to the website to get the mailing address, and my heart stopped. I had no idea (and no reason to suspect) that there is a separate deadline for check payments to be RECEIVED by USC and that it was August 1. I mailed the check this morning and called the Bursar's office when I got to work. The woman on the phone was very nice and said she didn't understand why we were told that at orientation, but that she had a list of names of parents who had called with the same problem. That, at least, made me feel better to know I wasn't alone. And, I wonder how many families may not even have realized it yet. You have to click through a couple of screens on the bursar's page to even find it. It would be very easy to see the address and look no deeper. I asked if my daughter was in danger of having her class registrations revoked and was told not at this time, so I'm hoping it will be OK, but I am really anxious about this. Anyone here dealing with this? I don't even want to tell my d... she doesn't need this anxiety. </p>
<p>Yikes! I would just keep checking online to see if account shows paid. </p>
<p>I do know that D has gotten emails about the change every few days (if your D is not checking her USC email daily have her start now), one from bursar on Tuesday and we got a letter in the mail earlier and they all had the mail-in deadline as August 1 (it’s always earlier than on-line or in person date). It’s also this way on bursar website. Hopefully they will be lenient - the biggest problem with this change is that in the past the drop dead deadline was first day of class - which means you could walk a check to the bursar when you get to town if on Friday. Now, unless you are sorority, you will not be there on the deadline day. Seems like it would have made sense to have the deadline on Aug 15 in case people still needed to take care of this.</p>
<p>I know you probably don’t want to deal with canceling a check, but you can pay fees by echeck (what we do, we are NOT paying credit card fee and my H is an on-line guy). So you could stop check and pay by echeck and not have to worry but not sure how much hassle stopping check is.</p>
<p>We’ve gotten NOTHING via US mail regarding payment and I’m pretty sure my d is checking her SC email but I will ask her when I get home. My mom makes a contribution to my d’s tuition (I mail her check and mine in the same envelope), so asking her to cancel her check would create all kinds of stress (she’s 82). Ugh. This is why I really wish they would just mail a paper bill with the deadlines CLEARLY spelled out. The woman I spoke to in Bursar did say that if d’s account gets flagged she will address it with her manager since I did call. Do you think I need to talk with anyone else at this point, or wait a few days? I don’t want to shirk responsibility, but why would I have had any reason to think there might be separate deadlines? </p>
<p>What a mess. The letters may have been a returning student thing since it is a change from past years when final deadline was first day of class. It wasn’t a bill - just a notice that deadlines were different from last year and possibly different from what current students would have seen looking at the calendar last spring. New students would never have been under that system. And the bursar email this week wouldn’t have helped you with Aug. 1 deadline. I guess it’s because they have to deposit checks and have them clear that the deadline for mail-in has always been earlier. I guess instead of saying “send your check in time to clear the bank and get posted” it is easier to give an earlier deadline. Anything they do by hand takes forever. My oldest took summer school courses we hand delivered her residency form and they still said it would take several days to show up in system since they had to enter information. Big school problems…</p>
<p>I will say that my other D’s school never sent paper tuition bills either - it’s a new world. And not always in a good way.</p>
<p>Not sure who else to talk to since your check will not even have arrived yet. Maybe start looking at your bank acct starting Monday to see if the check has cleared - if it has it seems like it they’ve taken your money, you’re good. Maybe call back at that point and be sure you’re good. My experience has been that the bursars office (and parking services) has been very helpful. So sorry this has made experience so stressful.</p>
<p>Thanks scmom12–you’re always quick with helpful information and I really appreciate it. Yes, the woman in the bursar’s office seemed like she would do whatever she could to help, so I’m going to try not to worry until I have something to worry about. Easier said than done though. </p>
<p>Just make sure to have your daughter check Self-Service Carolina on a regular basis and if it’s not fixed by Monday afternoon, I’d just call again.</p>
<p>I do think it’s silly that the pay date is by August 13, before anyone is on campus. Usually, it’s been on the first or second day of classes by 5 PM and that gives students about five days to get everything sorted. I’m wondering if they just wanted to cut down on the massive lines of students that go to the Coliseum to pay in person every day for about a week.</p>
<p>To close the loop-- just hung up with the bursar, and our checks were received in time and will be posted to D’s account this evening. PHEW!!! Now I can relax and completely enjoy packing her up, driving her down and moving her in. Thanks again for listening and talking me down when I was thinking I’d dropped the ball!</p>
<p>So happy for you…there’s enough going on this week! Good news is no rain for weekend, mid 90s but that’s SC in august. Good luck for smoothe move-in for y’all and all other freshmen Gamecocks!</p>
<p>Good news for you there…!
We’ll be packing up and heading down Friday… I’ve told son to expect some good heat for move-in, but that’s not too bad 
Thanks scmom. </p>
<p>I’d recommend wearing sunscreen! Walking around campus this week, I’ve found the sun to be pretty hot!</p>
<p>Also, it’s been REALLY muggy and humid. Just be prepared!</p>
<p>AUGirl - Thank you… weather wasn’t as bad as we feared.<br>
The move-in went very well. Nicely organized and friendly (heck, even that incredibly long line at Target Saturday moved well… lol/whew!)
Thanks to everyone for the great info getting us this far… now it’s on our son’s back! </p>
<p>Has anyone received the overage refunds yet? The Bursar calendar indicates the Financial Aid overage checks will be distributed on Aug. 15th but we haven’t received anything yet and we have direct deposit set up. </p>
<p>D did. Not sure when, but we got automatic notification on her USC email that it was being sent on 8/13 and I just asked and she said it was in her account.</p>
<p>scmom12 did your daughter have any external scholarships? They told me it could take longer for those and part of S refund is from external scholarship. </p>
<p>No hers are all through USC and state of SC.</p>