My kiddo has gotten 4 emails from FA since Tuesday (including one that came overnight so we’ve just been assuming they are all auto-generated), but I would be happy to post back with his results. He has some fantastic options already and is feeling fine/excited/realistic about tomorrow so I would have no problem sharing his results if it helps future applicants!
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Ya that Trojan family is on joke, no matter where you are. Some think it’s a ‘west coast school’ but mine have used the benefits of the Trojan network all over the world - from CA to NY to Europe to Middle East to Asia to places above and below! Trojans are everywhere. It’s very cool and very real.
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So sorry that you are in this predicament. You are obviously a very intelligent, industrious young person. While my children are not FG, my husband and I were and we are both professionals with graduate degrees. The information regarding the Early Action Deferral Reply Form came in the sentence immediately after “we’ve decided to defer…” As a parent who’s been in your shoes, I’d like to offer you the same advice I give my own children: read, read, read every detail and go back and check if you’ve missed anything. More importantly, stop making excuses. Don’t blame your family situation or the “system” or guidance counselors. If you’ve made a mistake or missed something, take responsibility and try to rectify it. If it doesn’t work out, so be it. Move on and learn from it. Like I tell my own children, the world doesn’t owe you anything, you must make your own way. You are fully capable and you will find success!
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A few weeks after both my sons applied, I got a bunch of requests from the FAO, including submitting extra forms and our W-2s. One son was deferred, the other is a SDA applicant. Not sure if there’s anything else they would need to ask me late in the game. 
I hope people really pay attention to your comments and take notes as I appreciated all your seasoned advices in the class of 2024 cycle with my older daughter. We received FA emails that we needed extra forms, etc. in early 2020 but she was already selected and advanced as a full scholar finalist at another selective school (she didn’t make USC January merit scholar list but she was NMF) so we didn’t bother to submit the USC FA forms they kept requesting after initial submission. She was accepted to USC in March and we kept receiving “confirm your Presidential scholarship” emails until May. So I know FA and Admissions don’t talk to each other.
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We haven’t gotten anything from FA, so assuming a no. Oh well, it was worth a shot.
You may have submitted everything they need. Way too early to tell. Answers tomorrow!
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does USC take financial aid appeals? Would they care if you told them that you were their first choice school but were being offered better financial aid packages from “more prestigious schools” that made you unable to attend USC?
any speculation? is financial aid at USC stingy or are they trying to hold onto their admitted students and will offer more if a student compares offers?
I don’t go anywhere near my kid when decisions come out. I let him tell me. Honestly, I miss the days when decisions came in the mail and people weren’t hovering around their portals non-stop. I remember being a nervous wreck waiting for news from USC for kid #2. (#1 and #3 both got in early/earlier. But we had to sweat it out for #2 and we’re sweating it out for #4.)
I was working from home, with my window facing the mailbox, when I saw that big glorious white package being loaded in the mailbox. It was the biggest relief.
I have been equally nervous the past week or so. But, tonight, we just found out that our son got into WUSTL. And, while USC has been his dream since he was 8, this came as a huge relief to all of us. (He was awarded generous scholarships, it is very close to home for us and one of his best friends is going to WashU.) So, now, the pressure is off. If he gets into USC, it is a good problem to have. If not, he is thrilled with Plan B. (As a USC alum/parent my pride may be hurt a bit if he doesn’t get in. But I am going to sleep well tonight and I’ve been anxious since he was deferred in Jan!)
Good luck to all. And, no matter what happens, there is a plan and a path for you all. Fight On!
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No I don’t think so, with # of applicants and how hard it is to get in, I imagine it’s just a take it or go to another crazy good school.
I feel like this decision is a bit anticlimactic. Being deferred for EA means no scholarship. Full boat for us may not be worth it when he has other good choices. USC would be such a good fit on so many levels. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.
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I’m feeling what you’re saying.
What are the other choices for your child? Initially, USC was tops on my list for my son but he got into UC Irvine and as I researched UCI more, I feel its a better fit for him for many reasons (and half the costs for me)
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Our son is weighing UC Davis and Cal Poly SLO. They are less than half to a third the cost of USC. Our son would have a small scholarship even at SLO, bringing the cost to 27k a year. 39k a year for Davis.
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Congrats, great options all around. SLO is the best value in CA imho, (my son didn’t get accepted.)
I was thinking UC Irvine was $35k all in compared to $70k at USC so whatever happens tomorrow happens, its not close to the same level of stress as last Friday.
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Appeals from the sense that they don’t have the whole picture of your financial situation, yes.
The “we are getting more from another school” threat? They don’t care about that, at all.
We’re comparing 27k at SLO, 39k at Davis, 90k at USC. 
Our daughter went to SLO and got an excellent education, but I think our son is leaning toward Davis.
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@legacymom1 Congrats on WashU - that’s fantastic! Students seem super happy there and it’s an amazing school, quite a “B” plan. Actually you could have two A plans on your hand. Any chance he could get into USC but choose WashU? But since 8 is a long time so prob not likely. 
Best to yours (and you!) tomorrow!
Things will be flying on here.
Love SLO! Great town. Great choices, good problem to have!
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hello, i submitted a css nc profile waiver but i never got notification that it was accepted even after emailing multiple times. all the other schools i applied to did in face accept the waiver so i am assuming (more hoping) that USC did as well. However, in the FAST portal it still says that my FA is incomplete, saying that i need to submit the CSS profile for the non-custodial parent. ive emailed the FA office multiple times about this, all giving me very vauge answers. does anyone know anything about this? will my FA need still be considered if i’m accepted? i am in a loss for other words “f-ed”
Well, I would disagree (although I have no skin in this game) that “first generation” has nothing to do with anything. Perhaps a first generation kid doesn’t have parents who can support them in this process (maybe don’t speak the language, have no experience with higher education, etc.). No one is looking for “excuses”, but why don’t we give everyone the benefit of the doubt that they are all trying their best and if they need assistance or some accommodations that kids whose parents/grandparents/etc who went to college and/or are well-acquainted with the college process do not need, doesn’t it help us all?
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