Wow, @Jktnyc and @Justinhope, thank you both for your firsthand insight! We have lots of decisions to make within the next month and are furiously researching both options of studying abroad, going the Gateway, or doing CC here at home. Sounds like both your options will provide a great experience for our D21.
On top of this, we have to weigh in all the advantages/disadvantages of choosing one of her other school options that she was also admitted too in the Fall.
And I thought March 30 was the day we’d be able to move on with it.
The nice part is that the table has turned. Instead your daughter trying to convince the schools to accept her, now the schools will be trying to convince your daughter to attend. The ball is in her court. Enjoy!
My D21 in the exact same position. Happy be be admitted to USC at all but was all set to commit for fall at another university when she received the spring admit offer. Plot twist!
I know right?! My daughter is in slight shock right now, 1/2 from the sheer shock she got into dream school USC, 1/2 from the Spring admit option. Right now we’re doing the research to pursue the best option. But feel like it’s groundhog’s day in terms of college decisions, and having to weigh the pros and cons of each school…again!!
My D has got the the half tuition at USC Viterbi - disappointed at not getting the full tuition. she has full ride from Delaware for engineering thru the du pont Merit scholarship. USC is her dream school but now it’s tough decision / any views ?
No, not so far. My understanding is that if any are offered at this point, they will be much smaller awards than those offered in Feb. I have not really heard of anyone getting scholarships for the USC BFA programs, certainly not here on CC. Have you? Now it is a tougher decision for us as my son was offered great merit aid at Chapman and Emerson. But I can’t imagine how we can say no – USC has been his dream school forever.
We are in a similar situation - although I’d rather be in your shoes ; )
My daughter received the Telkes Scholarship at UDel (so almost full tuition). We visited this past weekend and she loved it so much more than she thought she would and really appreciated how much they want her and all of the opportunities they’ve given her. Then she was shocked to be accepted to USC this week and it’s been a dream school for her too - but no merit and a tiny bit of financial aid that makes it almost $80k/year whereas Delaware would be less than $20k/year. Also, we’re in the Northeast so travel to USC would also be significantly more expensive than Delaware and at USC she’d be just one of the crowd - but USC is for sure a much better school in rankings - about 100 spot higher than UDel…tough decision. UDel would cost about $80k total (and they’d take all of her AP credits so she could probably triple major - and she’s doing World Scholars so she could go abroad twice) and USC would cost about $350k total!
Rankings are very confusing and vary so much from one ranking entity to another but honestly across the board I think USC is in whole different league.
I have been closely watching the CC posts past week, and I want to share my roller coaster experience.
Prior to admission date, there were many people debating whether having been contacted by the FA is an indication of acceptance. I filed the FARSA but not the CSS and didn’t get contacted by the FA for missing documents. I thought that I would not get accepted based on the speculation theory.
Since I already got accepted to UC Berkeley, I wasn’t feeling too bad if USC rejected me. While I was emotionally prepared, I actually got accepted to Dornsife. So to future applicants, don’t bother to be contacted by the FA or not.
The next day after receiving the admission, I received the email about being selected as the Dean Scholar. I was a little bit shocked because I was not the group that being selected for I earlier this year.
Then came yesterday, in addition to the Dean Scholarship, the FAST posted the University Scholarship on top of the Dean Scholarship.
Since the Dean Scholarship is 1/4 tuition off, I have a hard time to choose between USC and Cal. I am in Bay Area, money wise, of course, Cal makes sense. But seems social life at USC is better. Any advice??
Appreciate the info on the Dean’s scholarship, if not bumped down to those in merit round, they do regularly give them as a surprise in April - so thanks for confirming they did again this year, and congrats on that and two great choices.
What is your major? Both elite schools, but the public/private experience varies greatly. That was incredibly important to us, but you have to decide if the differences are imporant to you. Just one way to look at it…Being from the bay area - might it be great to get out of here (me here too) for a few years and see something else? College is a time to grow and do something different before chained to a job and house payments. Do you like a more competitive (some even call it cut-throat) environment or collaberative? USC is a great blend of both, high standards but other students/staff/profs are very supportive.
I had two with Cal as a choice and obviously went USC and loved every minute. The connections are crazy as are the internship opportunities. But it’s a personal choice - just trying to give you different things to evaluate. Good luck deciding and let us know what you do!
Rankings matter some, but it depends on major/career. For engineering/CS rankings mean very little. The big advantage USC has for eng/cs is being in a great location for internships and jobs.
When was her FA info in her FAST? We have been getting daily doc requests for weeks many of which they have in FAFSA and CSS His still says Application in review.
His still says Application in review.