@lkg4answers In previous years IIRC USC would tell you which scholarship you’re interviewing for (and would give you one level lower if not selected,) that must have changed this year.
Yes, they changed it this year. You do not interview for one specific scholarship.
Thanks for clarifying @lkg4answers !
Lots of posts so easiest to just sum up than comment on other posts.
She will not be accepted or notified early (January notification) based on NMF status. (Most students do not have their formal NMF status until after that date anyway.) Regardless, NMF has nothing to do with January notifications. She is interviewing for scholarships that have nothing to do with whether she is NMF and she will be considered for the same half (Presidential) valued scholarship that NMF offers. If she is accepted in January, she is invited to interview for a scholarship which could end up being the Pres (1/2), Trustee (full tuition), Mork, Stamps (full+). In the past you could interview for one and be bumped up or down, even way down. In some rare situations, they they received the Deans (1/4) or even Directors (4k) rather than the Pres on up. One Trustee interviewee was given the Directors, but that poster admitted their heart wasn’t in it, as they knew they were attending elsewhere and just came for the free weekend. Just 1200-1500 of the almost 60K that apply will get notified of interviews.
If she doesn’t get in through the January process, she will wait till March to hear with most (55,000+) of the applicants that didn’t hear in January. If she is accepted and is NMF and lists USC as #1 choice with NMSF by May 1 (verify date incase it changes) then she is guaranteed half tuition. Many NMFs are accepted, many do not get accepted as well (because many NMFs apply).
Scholarships above do not stack with NMF scholarship. She gets one or the other.
@PikachuRocks15 As a side note, I have been on here for 10 years with several students at USC the entire time and I can’t figure out what “llRC” USC is. ???
@CADREAMIN IIRC it was ~1000 finalists/37,000 early applicants. If selected as a NMF, you will NOT directly be notified: your school will provide you with a finalist certificate from National Merit. The NMSC first-choice college deadline is May 31st, not May 1st (likely to account for wait lists.)
If admitted to USC, your kid will also be eligible to live in Honors housing (McCarthy for freshmen year.) There are also a few Honors programs that ANY admitted student meeting the listed requirements can apply to, such as Freshmen Science Honors and Thematic Option in Dornsife (Arts & Sciences.)
If selected to interview for a scholarship, you will receive a physical admissions package from USC and a notification in your online applicant portal (applyto.usc.edu/apply/status ) If not selected, you will receive an email. Explore USC (interview day for finalists) is on-campus in February, I believe.
Typically, USC physically mails admissions packages in late March and electronically releases decisions via the applicant portal near April 1st. However, due to COVID-19, decisions were only released electronically on March 26th at 4 pm (Ivy Day,) although this will likely change.
“IIRC” means “If I remember correctly.” Has nothing to do with USC, just quicker to type that the full phrase. 
Hope that helps @nanosec ! Good luck with decisions!
They did not mail packages with notifications this year. First time ever. Sad because they are glorious. Online notifications only.
Notifications have been on or around March 23 -25th for last 10 years. January notification is around Jan 23rd. Will be interesting to see what changes given the current state of things.
@CADREAMIN They did mail physical packages to finalists, but not to those admitted during the [general] RD round. From watching college decision reaction videos on YouTube, I’ve observed that USC’s admissions packages are extremely nice, and kind of wished I could have received one in the mail this year. However, I chose not to attend USC, so I can’t complain too much lol.
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@CADREAMIN do they interview for Stamps at Explore USC? It didn’t indicate that in this year’s packet. I know of a student who interviewed this year and was awarded the Deans scholarship so although Deans wasn’t mentioned in the packet, that is what the kid ended up with.
@lkg4answers
Stamps scholars are also chosen from the pool of applicants that apply by December 1st. So while it doesn’t specifically say they are interviewing for Stamps, in a sense they really are. One of the Stamps scholars I know got that result after their interview for a Trustees when they specified the scholarship you interviewed for. And agree, Deans is def possibility for those interviewing, as is Directors. I may not have said the clearly above. They often indicate one is interviewing for the big 3, but don’t often elaborate that it includes the others as well.
@CADREAMIN I don’t think “IIRC” has anything to do with USC - I’ve only known it to stand for “If I Recall Correctly”
Yep @CAtransplant @CADREAMIN ! 
@CAtransplant Ya I think it threw me cause ofkept thinking IRC which is the International Residential College at USC!
Does the common app show scholarship deadline (December 1) for USC? My S21 tried but it says only Jan 15 as regular admission. So, do we assume that for scholarship consideration, we just hit the submit button by Dec 1st?
@Suave123 No, the Common Application does not indicate the earlier scholarship deadline for USC in its internal calculator, which is why it won’t tell you the application is due until the January 15th date (there will be some sort of icon change or notification on the Common App dashboard IIRC for schools that are closed to their deadline date and you haven’t submitted.) As long as you submit a “complete application” with all supporting materials (there may or may not be a grace period, but don’t risk it and submit at least a week earlier IMO,) you’ll be considered (and if a NMF, will automatically receive a half-tuition merit scholarship if you follow USC and NMSC’s deadlines.)
USC Scholarship Admissions: https://admission.usc.edu/apply/scholarships/
Hope that helps! Good luck with admissions!
These are the trademark of a USC application - individual questions have updated at times, but they are fun to do anyway:
The following prompts have a 100 character limit:
What is your favorite snack?
Best movie of all time:
Dream job:
If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
Dream trip:
What TV show will you binge watch next?
Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?
Favorite book:
If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?
[/quote]
Somehow I’m doubtful the answers to any of the above have any impact on admissions. I think they are likely just fodder for admitted students day when they powers that be discuss the diversity of the admitted students.
@vhsdad While, yes, they might not have a huge impact on Admissions, they can definitely say something about a person, which is why Admissions would take the time to read through those questions for every applicant. If they just wanted fodder for admitted students events, they could always find that information from EC lists or from the students themselves–they wouldn’t need to turn to 5+ questions for that.
I just remember a couple years ago at the admitted student event, they read out a list that included what snack was mentioned the most, and what were some the odd ball snacks that were listed, and thought, “does this really add anything to a kids application.” Kids are stressed out enough without having to worry if the snack they are eating is interesting enough.
@vhsdad It’s a little bit of both. I have been to many of those admitted events over the years and every time, Brennan refers to those questions and answers. He also clearly says they aren’t make or break questions, but they learn a little somethin somethin’ about the person and are often enterained by them. When those questions were first used (decades ago), the application process wasn’t as insane and uptight as it is now. So what started as a “fun” part of the application has turned it to over-analysis by applicants. Signs of the times.
If they kid is stressing about answering them, they are thinking about it too hard. It should be answers that come to the student relatively easy as the truest ones are better than ones students think will impress them. But every year some kids do freak out over how to approach them - the college application process is just stressful so it’s hard to relax even if you can. I remember one asking, “Do we capitilize each word in the 3 words to describe yourself, us a comma, etc?” So ya, every little thing is a worry.
Some students take a very serious approach to those questions, some simply answer them spontaneously and some make them collectively into a very creative comedy show. How they approach them does say something, but it won’t get them in or keep them out. I do think the application readers appreciate some levity within all that they have to read.
^^^ Agreed. Humor likely goes a long way. The main thing is to stand out. Be memorable. They are seeking a select few out of 55K+ applicants. Don’t just blend into the crowd.
I wouldn’t spend too much time overthinking those questions or trying to stand out. Last year the winner for favorite snacks was Cheetos with many students mentioning snacks from Trader Joes. Popular roommates included cast members from Harry Potter or Friends.
Concentrate on your essay and supplementals and be true to yourself. Show your writing to others and ask them if it sounds like you. If you are selected to interview for a scholarship, your voice in person should match the voice in your essays.