When we went through the process, we received emails from the university, the department/college and from financial aid. At times, our (my) head was spinning. For the larger merit scholarships, we received a congratulatory email from USC. An additional fellowship opportunity, that included a stipend, was sent by the department. Notification that our FAST portal was updated seemed to be the last email we received. Outside scholarship checks took weeks to months to post and often took a phone call (waiting up to an hour on hold) to get them to find the check and process it. USC has many, many positive attributes but, in my opinion, the financial aid office is not one of them.
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When USC hotel not available, there are a ton of hotels downtown by LA Live and Staples Center, so that’s the closer option. We tend to stay in Manhattan Beach and Marina Del Rey (Marriotts) cause we like being in a nicer area and close to beach. Trade off is we have to deal with the drive but we think it’s worth it. Ymmv.
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What is your daughter’s instrument? What other schools did she consider? My son is PM guitar…USC was the ONLY choice for him although he was admitted to Berklee with scholarship…
For a special occasion, you may wish to stay at Shutters or Casa. They are sister properties in Santa Monica. Full disclosure: I used to work for the GM back in the day and may be a bit partial. Still, both are iconic beachfront properties and the experience is magical. We celebrated our son’s college graduation there just last year and will do same when our daughter graduates!
Daughter got admitted but no financial aid. What are our options?
Is it worth spending $75K+ per year for undergraduate studies?
Just curious what people think.
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Did you get any other financial aid. My daughters fee and other expense are about $75K/year and now we are not that excited of getting in.
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The $3750 University scholarship is an extra scholarship USC has been giving out for a while. Are you a NMF? My kids who were NMF all got this same University scholarship from USC, and I always assumed it was tied to NMF status.
Have you received your financial aid packet? I thought they had not been sent?
We are still being asked for document after document — including 2021 tax forms etc. I am trying to bite the bullet. NPC showed we would get NO financial aid so I wonder if we are doing this for nothing. Still, we have to have aid to make it work.
No, that was it, unfortunately
Does the number $75K/year as expenses sound real?
I graduated 30 years ago with less than 10K loan.
Have things become so crazy expensive or are they asking us to subsidize others?
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Need clarification— are people actually getting information about financial aid or merit scholarships? Or, is it the same document?
What other schools did she get into and what is her major?
Waitlisted in UCSD and Michigan. Waiting on others.
So not many choices in hand but CC doesn’t sound bad now 
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I think it is same.
Ugh same here! She got the $3750 scholarship but costs still $80k+! Viterbi spring admit. Really weighing the other options now…
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It is crazy. The school I went to also about 30 years ago and at today’s rates I could have put myself through college multiple time!!
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Did your notification about the scholarship also include information about financial aid?
USC is one of the most expensive schools in the country and pretty much always has been. And yes, it is expensive and full pays are subsidizing others to some degree at any school. I’m sorta surprised the cost is a surprise. But I do get that the calculation and determination of aid isn’t something well understood until one goes through the process. I remember our first to college sticker shock reaction as well. Whether one can afford it or sees the value in it is an individual thing. Just like any purchase.
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It was in the FAST portal
Right, but it’s not the same as financial aid. Did you hear about financial aid as well?