USC Class of 2027 — Regular & Early Action Decisions

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
2299

Friday and Saturday should be ok, it doesn’t get below freezing and sun is out all Saturday and Sunday over Grapevine.

But even in great weather it is always good to check traffic conditions on the Grapevine - one accident and you can be stuck for quite awhile.

We had to take 101 to LA a couple weeks ago cause Grapevine was closed for snow - it adds 35 - 45 minutes normally for us over taking 5, but it is such a pretty drive, you def want to do that at least once. To be transparent, we left at 4:30am and were in West Hollywood in about 5 1/2 hours. If you leave later (say 8am like normal people do) 101 can take a bit longer cause it gets busier in SB and Thousand Oaks later in the day.

They re-opened Grapevine at 2 on Sunday so we waited till then to head out of LA, and it was a glorious drive with all the snow (on the hills, none on the road)!

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2300

Oh my goodness. Thank you so much for the warning! We are driving down Saturday and back up Sunday. We’ll keep an eye out both days and reroute if necessary.
We’ve only had bad luck with taking 101 especially in Santa Barbara, but will do it if we have to!
I grew up in SF and am one of four kids. We went to UCSD, UCI, UCSB, and Cal Poly, so I’ve made these drives dozens of times, but it’s been quite a while…would never have thought to have to look out for landslides!!

2301

I don’t think you need to watch out for it. It sounds like they closed the lane(s) in that portion of the highway. Traffic will likely back up but, if you know it is ahead, you can prepare for it. Apparently there are also a lot of potholes and slow downs for pothole repairs on both the 5 and the 99.

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2302

I keep them”town” of Lebec on my weather app on the phone. If it’s below freezing there, it will be colder above that. It’s a good gauge of temp over Grapevine.

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2303

Did he submit scores to Stanford? Congrats on his acceptances!

2304

Thank you! Looks like a fantastic program—and something my son would enjoy. He’s now leaning towards applying. Fingers crossed!

2305

No, he didn’t submit scores anywhere he applied. He decided to focus on school and his EC during junior year instead of test prep.

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2306

Congratulations! What major did he apply for at Stanford? I have a 9th grader who would love IYA.

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2307

That’s awesome. My daughter did not submit scores as well and has received acceptances to Cal (early acceptance in Feb), UCLA, UCSD, and UCD. She has one more to go, Stanford. I’m glad to hear that Stanford is accepting students who did not submit scores. She has a chance!

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2308

Does anyone know when USC will start sending out financial aid packages for RD applicants?

Also, I applied to the SDA, meaning I couldn’t apply early action but am still supposedly eligible for the USC scholarships - does anyone else who applied to a non-early-action school in USC know when we can expect to hear back about scholarships since we haven’t had the opportunity to interview like those that applied EA did?

2309

It usually takes USC Financial Aid about a week, after an admitted applicant’s FAST profile is deemed complete, to start rolling out the FA offerings. They will email you to let you know when the offering is available to view within the portal. I would recommend just checking the FAST portal daily to make sure there are no outstanding or new requests pending.

I would expect that all merit announcements should be made by April 1st… or very close to that date.

Good luck with both…

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2310

Good luck everyone on Ivy Day! May all your dreams come true wherever they are. :slight_smile:

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2311

His interest is Product Design. Ninth grade is definitely a good time to start thinking about the process. Good luck to your son!

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2312

EA applicant (accepted)
FAST shows
University Scholarship $2000
Presidential Scholarship $33,320
resulting in Estimated Net Cost as $56,051

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2313

And so I then assume that the UT Austin COA is looking rather favorable. But did that also include On-Campus room/board in Austin? Or would she only be commuting if you opt for the In-State option?

Glad to see the FA offerings are rolling out now…

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2314

UT Austin COA is about $33k (on campus living)

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2315

I second this. I did this morning, and there were several new things they were missing. After a brief panic, I talked with the FA office and got it all finished. I think. I’d like to add that every person I’ve spoken to at USC has been kind and helpful.

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2316

Congratulations!

Where does it say these things? We just see our financial aid “under review” list when we open FAST, and then a planning worksheet tab that does not go anywhere. I’ve heard Thornton scholarships are rare and in the low thousands, so it’s not something we are depending on, but I know there are several Thornton parents who’d sure love to know if there’s anything offered.

2317

Since the Estimated Net Cost was mentioned, it was within the actual FA offering. It will appear within the FAST portal when completed and ready for review. You are likely still days away from that based on your prior post today.

You will notice it clearly. You won’t be able to miss it.

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2318

And here is what to expect within those FA offerings…

Basically, the FA office will first come up with an estimate for Tuition & Fees and your Estimated Other Costs. And it is an average, based on the average freshman’s set of circumstances. It is not your actual expenses. So, to many, it is an advantage. If you choose a room and board scenario that costs less than what the average freshman chooses, you benefit. Some also pay less for some of the items thrown into the calculations. That total estimated cost of attendance usually includes Tuition & Fees, Mandatory Fees, Housing, Dining, Books & Supplies, Transportation, Personal & Miscellaneous and Other Educational Costs. But again… it is an average and not based on you in particular.

The FA office will then make adjustments for any Gift Aid, including any and all scholarships or other grants. They will deduct all gift aid from the total cost of attendance and that will leave an Estimated Net Cost #. So, any merit scholarship plus any other scholarship monies that they are aware of will be deducted first from the Estimated Cost of Attendance.

And that is when FA will determine your ability to pay that estimated net cost #. They could determine that your family can afford to pay it all. You will then have to decide if you can do so. Or, potentially, other gift aid may be offered, including an university grant or federal grants. It will all come down to their calculation of estimated family contribution… which normally does not compare well to the EFC generated with a FAFSA report. It is USC’s calculation that matters.

Ultimately, they could also offer loans or work study to help you cover your final Estimated Net Cost.

Before an admitted applicant panics after receiving an unexpected FA offering, maybe ask yourself as a family some key questions… Does the college or university truly understand your financial situation fully? Have you actually listed every known or projected liability? Have you made them aware of every recurring monthly or yearly expense? Is there a medical condition that they need to be made aware of… or an obstacle with your family business, if applicable, etc? Is your income situation somehow untenable moving forward, possibly reducing your projected income?

Any extra potential relief from the cost of attending for a family will come via an analysis of income, assets, liabilities and the like. So, just make sure that they fully understand your family’s financial condition now and projected moving forward before you abandon all hope.

In my family’s case, USC was at least generous enough in terms of financial aid to allow both of my daughters to attend, including one overlap year. Hopefully such will be the case for others on this thread this cycle.

Good Luck…

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