@catzxo – yes we are in Nashville. Kind of bummed but S is in at UVA and UT Austin and invited to scholarship weekend at Miami and he’s waiting to hear from 9 other schools! He WILL go to college. Lol. And yes he is NMSF
The vagueness about the Deans is because USC does not know exactly how many students will accept their offer of full and 1/2 tuition yet. Also, after the interviews some will get their original scholarship they interviewed for bumped up or bumped down. After all the interviews and as students start to enroll USC can then offer more Dean’s scholarships with the merit money that was not committed. So yes there is still a possibility of Deans or other small scholarships in March/April.
It sounds like there are a lot of NMSF’s on this forum who did not get admitted or invited for scholarship interviews. And from what I’ve read if an NMF is admitted, the NMF presidential scholarship is NOT stackable with the Dean’s scholarship. But there is still other university aid they can possibly receive. Unfortunately, I’ve read about so many NMF’s not being admitted to USC even after naming it first choice, so we are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst for our D. She also applied last year as a junior for the Resident Honors Program which lets you skip your senior year. She got a Skype interview with SCA but ultimately did not get accepted, so been through this once already. BUT I am so grateful they sent out the initial scholarship rejection email this morning, because last year they didn’t until such later and my D’s portal never updated at all and our mail is almost a week behind everyone else. Glad to know, even if it’s a negative. I wonder how many NMSF’s even get offers to interview for a presidential scholarship since it is the same and not stackable. Unless there was a chance they thought the student could be bumped up to a full-tuition scholarship, what would be the point? @madbean have any thoughts on this?
So, yes or no: if you received the email stating that you are not being considered for the big four, does this mean that you will not receive an acceptance with a dean’s scholarship in January?
Great questions @catzxo. I was not aware that NMF presidential isn’t stackable with regular presidential or deans. That kind of makes me feel better as it sounds like the only scholarship they prob seriously consider NMSFs for is Trustee and we def weren’t holding our breaths for that one.
@tennessee1 omg, UVA is a fabulous school, great spirit, great academics, everything! (I don’t knokw much about UT except it is a fab school and town!) Great options and it sounds like he is still likely to be admitted with the 1/2 at USC. But the wait is brutal. Funny to see kids change their perspectives over the next few months as options become reality (or not) and their friends start making choices. This ride has just begun for you, hang on!
@pterosprite yes, if you got that email, you will not receive an acceptance in January. The only possibility of any more Deans being given out is in March / April.
Thanks @CADREAMIN !!! This is definitely a roller coaster ride and I’m sure you are right – he’s going to change his mind multiple times between now and the end of April!!!
oh and @tennessee1 - we live in Franklin. so who knows maybe our kids will meet up at USC later 
@catzxo – is USC your D’s 1st choice?
@tennessee1 yes, she wants to do film, either production or screenwriting, and LOVES USC. She spends the summers working in LA and is on campus a lot! She has met some of the professors and been used as an actress in films for the summer program at USC. She will be very disappointed if she’s not accepted but she is very aware how difficult it is.
As a parent speaking here, so probably a bit different perspective, but I found the subject line of the email somewhat disappointing (“Information About the Scholarship Process”). I bet my student thought they might have gotten one based on the subject line. The student has not been on CC like I have, so she did not really know this stuff has been pending the last few days, so this email was the first she’s focused on it (she thought it was more like early February). I think that subject line could be interpreted as how to “process” your scholarship or that maybe you got one. I think something like Merit Scholarship Update or something may have been better wording. Guess I am just read things too closely and have an eye for wording.
I did not receive any email but I was accepted on my portal. Also, Presidential Scholarship Finalist!! Congrats to everyone. It said my decision was posted January 22 but I checked today around 11am.
@collegecurious12 Congrats! Are you by chance a NMSF?
Decision: Accepted
Scholarship Finalist
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 2310 (710 CR, 800 M, 800 W, 10 Essay—only sitting)
ACT (breakdown): 35 (E 36, M 33, S 35, R 35, Essay 12) —Superscored 36 with Math 36 on a different sitting
SAT II (place score in parentheses): Math II (780) Bio M(760) Chem (730) Lit(680) Physics (720) US History (740)
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0 (weighted 4.7, last year 4.86, this year 5.0)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 3/600
AP (place score in parentheses): European History (5) Statistics (5) Computer Science A (5) U.S. History (5) Psychology (5) Calculus AB (5) English Language (5) Art History (4) Microeconomics (4) Environmental Science (4) Human Geography (4) Physics I (4) Chemistry (3–dont ask )
IB (place score in parentheses): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Calculus BC, AP Spanish Lang, AP Computer Science AB (dual enrollment), AP US Gov, AP Economics, AP Physics 2, AP Biology, AP English Literature, Behavioral Neurobiology (online), Intro to Sociology (2nd semester college course)
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Honoree, National AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction, JUST Poetry National Contest (3 time finalist), Pushcart Prize in Poetry Nominee (really difficult award)
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parentheses): Academic Decathlon (40 hrs/week), Editor of HS literary magazine and 2 other international online publications, submissions reader for 3 literary publications, Co-founder and VP of Astronomy Club, CSF, NHS, Tae Kwon Do Black Belt (since 7th grade), Published Poet (18 publications total)
Job/Work Experience: Private math tutor (10, 11)
Volunteer/Community Service: Hospital Clinical Volunteer, 200+ hours (weekly); currently doing a poetry/publication internship
Summer Activities: Summer courses, travel/family, a LOT of poetry, UCLA Stem Cell Ethics class, intensive neurologist shadowing, self-studied Spanish 3
Essays: CA Essay 9/10; Supplement 9/10
Teacher Recommendations: AP Chem teacher (amazing—he extolled my writing ability especially), AP Physics teacher (good, still personalized though), English teacher (also my advisor for lit mag, didn’t read but should be pretty good too)
Counselor Rec: She really likes me but a new counselor, so probably an 8/10
Additional Rec: Sent 4: Academic Decathlon coach (probably amazing, she loves me and is known for writing great letters for Decathletes), Physician that I shadowed (very good, about my personal traits), UCLA professor (didn’t read, should be very good), Spanish 4 teacher (excellent)
Interview: interviewed by a female attorney who went to Harvard Law School
Additional Info:
—I sent in a poetry portfolio with a wonderful cover letter from one of my publishers.
—Co-wrote new organic chemistry curriculum with AP Chemistry teacher
—Researched and wrote paper on Hinduism’s incarnations of god and natural evolution
—Sole participant from Burbank High School to enter National DNA Day Essay Contest
—Personal Circumstances = autistic sibling, parent’s job transfer
—Took Intro to Philosophy and Art History in community college
–Write for feminist magazine called Her Culture
Other
Applied for Financial Aid? YES
Projected Concentration: Neurobiology our English
State (if domestic applicant): CA
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Large public (3000 kids)
Ethnicity: Asian Indian
Gender: F
Income Bracket: ~150,000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): literally none
Reflection
Strengths: SAT, ACT, and AP scores; Course Load; Interesting combination of passions, I emphasized poetry and Academic Decathlon a lot as my biggest commitments; poetry awards/publications, letters of rec were amazing
Weaknesses: I’m Asian, woohoo! Maybe lack of leadership positions in ALL my ECs, too much supplementary materials XD XD whoops, non-perfect scores, didn’t do any lab research unfortunately
Why you think you were accepted/deferred/rejected: Essays!
Where else you are applying or have already applied: Cornell, UPenn, Brown, Case Western, WashU in St. Louis, Duke, Johns Hopkins, USC, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford
General Comments/Advice/Hindsight: good luck to everyone and congratulations to those who got accepted! See you at USC Explore!
wow, @Simhadri123 ! Very impressive and congratulations! I hope it’s one of the full tuition scholarships you are up for with your accomplishments!
@catzxo No, I am not! I didn’t even know what that was back when I was taking the PSAT, I also didn’t know where I wanted to go to college. I also favor the ACT heavily.
I was accepted! I got the package yesterday, and I’m in Chicago. My portal updated today with the decision/visit info. My letter didn’t specify the scholarship info, so like y’all said it’s probably Dean’s. I applied for electrical engineering. I turned in my app really early and did an off-campus interview with Viterbi’s dean (highly recommended for future applicants!!). I’m a white female with a ton of ec’s and ap’s, GPA 3.98 US, 4.65 W, and ACT 33. i’ll post in the stats thread when i get to my computer bc i’m on my phone now.
Thanks for that info @collegecurious12! Actually my D’s ACT score was much higher than her PSAT but she still got very lucky with the NMSF. @tennessee1 did you see that?
No Problem! I received my acceptance package in the mail today as well! @catzxo