<p>So I've been perusing different forums and I can't really figure out exactly how USC aid works. I've read they cover 100% of student need, but I don't really understand exactly how this works? Do they pay everything other than the EFC? I did their calculator thing, and my estimated EFC is 0 (I know, I'm really poor), but at the end of the calculator it says there's still about $2500 left AFTER loans.. So would they pay this left over cost? I have literally 0 savings and my parent has 0 income. Despite having stellar grades and scores, somehow I feel cost will be a deterrent to attending the college I will like :(</p>
<p>It sounds like USC would expect you to contribute about $2500/year after loans, which is completely understandable and eminently doable through employment during the school year (part-time) and/or during school breaks.</p>
<p>That 2500 is considered to be your “student summer contribution.” That means that schools expect students to work during the summer and earn/save that money.</p>
<p>If you look over the cost of attendance, there are line items of : travel and personal expenses. These probably total 2500 or more. If so, the school is expecting that YOU cover the costs of your toothpaste, shampoo, and your trip to school. </p>
<p>You need to start looking for a job that you can work part time now, and more hours in the summer. </p>
<p>If your household has NO income, then how are you living? how are you eating? how is rent getting paid? </p>
<p>Using <a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/applying_receiving/npc/”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/applying_receiving/npc/</a> , I put in a household of 2 with 1 college student with zero for all income and assets.</p>
<p>The result is that the estimated net price was $10,500. This is composed of:</p>
<p>$2,500 federal work study
$5,500 federal direct Stafford loan
$2,500 estimated remaining costs</p>
<p>Presumably, they expect you to come up with the estimated remaining costs from additional summer or school year work earnings, or parent contribution (perhaps they expect your parent to contribute the money otherwise spent on your food and utilities at home).</p>
<p>If you are a resident of California, USC’s crosstown rival UCLA usually gives a slightly lower net price. <a href=“http://www.fao.ucla.edu/aid_estimator/”>http://www.fao.ucla.edu/aid_estimator/</a> estimates a net price of $8,600 using the same parameters for a California resident.</p>
<p>It sounds like USC expects a student contribution…which is common amongst schools that meet full need (as well as many others). The student is expected to earn this amount of money to put towards the cost of attending USC. As an FYI, the student contribution typically increases for each of the undergrad years.</p>
<p>Some of the costs to attend can actually be reduced with careful spending…things like personal expenses, books, travel. </p>
<p>It’s very common for schools to expect a student contribution despite a zero EFC. Even Harvard does. It does put an onus on those who truly need every cent. </p>
<p>Yes this sounds about right in my experience with other low income students. You should get a summer job and save. But it isn’t like you have to come up with the 2,500 to hand to the school as a direct expense, though you may need that much to get by with indirect expense like books, personal, travel. However you can rent books instead of buy etc.</p>
<p>However, you should be aware that you will also likely have to buy health insurance. Most colleges don’t include this as COA. (UCs do however.) At USC this will cost 1,700 per year. You can only opt out if you have comprehensive care with an LA area network provider. So that is something else you will have to pay up front before each semester starts.
<a href=“https://engemannshc.usc.edu/insurance/waivers”>https://engemannshc.usc.edu/insurance/waivers</a></p>
<p>@mom2collegekids ,my parent has zero income because he is unemployed. I live with my grandmother. Not everyone has a perfect life…</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies everyone. Wow, this makes things a lot harder. Everyone suggests getting a summer job like it’s such an easy thing to come by lol. Well, shoot. Covering “100% of need” seems like a misnomer. </p>
<p>Poma…listen again. Look at the billable costs to attend USC. These would be tuition, fees, room, board, and health insirance if you can’t get that waived because you have other coverage. Look at your net price for USC per their calculator. The amount of your projected aid likely meets these billable costs at least, right? The college does not meet your personal expenses and books. Those are areas where you CAN and SHOULD conserve costs. You can buy used books, or rent books. Some schools use electronic books and they also are a fraction of the cost of new. You can conserve on your personal expenses as well. Look for either free on campus entertainment, or very inexpensive things to do. Try to stock up on persoanl need items before you leave for college. </p>
<p>If all you have to pay $2500, that is $1250 per semester. Any chance you could babysit starting now…or pet sit, or something? Ask around. Talk to family and friends. If you earned $50 a week, you would have the first semester at least covered by the time you start. If your family gives gifts for holidays and birthdays, you should be asking for spending money for college books or the like. </p>
<p>USC would be giving you just under $60,000 in aid. The reality is that if you stay at home, you will have personal expenses. Colleges assume that you, the student, will contribute to meet these costs.</p>
<p>USC, like all colleges which meet need, have their own formula/definition of need. Thus, their institutional EFC won’t necessarily be the same as the FAFSA EFC. However, since their cost of attendance is inflated, all you have left to pay for is personal expenses and books. You can cover those easily by working/saving right now & then getting a summer job. </p>
<p>Are you listening to anything anyone is saying? Do you not realize the massive aid they would be giving you? Hard to have sympathy for such an entitled attitude, you really have no idea what you are talking about.</p>
<p>And yes, we know that $2500 is a LOT of money for some families…too much. But the choice to go to USC is also a choice. With an EFC of $0, you would be entitled to,the full $5730 Pell Grant, and $5500 in Direct Loans. That $11,000 will pay your full cost to attend a community college (tuition, fees, and books most likely) if you commute from home. </p>
<p>Of course, you will have to pay for commuting costs…gas, car maintenance, or public transportation, and you will also have to pay for things like your clothing, school supplies, personal items like toothpaste, shampoo, soap, haircuts, etc. so probably, you will end up paying $2500 a year out of pocket anyway.</p>
<p>So…you can pay $2500 out of pocket to attend USC, or $2500 out of pocket to attend you local CC…these are for PERSONAL expenses. Not for tuition, fees, room, board.</p>
<p>As discussed in this other thread, USC may not be among the better schools for financial aid among those which claim to “meet full need”.
<a href=“"Meet full need" schools can vary significantly in their net prices. - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1675058-meet-full-need-schools-can-vary-significantly-in-their-net-prices-p1.html</a></p>
<p>OP there is very good advice here. We don’t make up the ‘rules’. If you are smart - good stats (GPA and standardized test scores) - you need to progress with intelligence in your information seeking and turn over every stone to make your college dreams a reality.</p>
<p>We understand you are coming from a very economically disadvantaged situation. If you take the information graciously, that will go a long way. Also the case when you are looking for odd jobs - maybe school GC can point you in some directions about this. Even a very busy store during the holidays may be willing to take on temp help. Check temp agencies. Check with relatives, friends, church. Adults will help you - some may not, but you have to persevere.</p>
<p>If you have a good attitude, good things will come your way. If you lash out in your personal encounters, why would anyone want to assist you - they would write you off as angry and a time bomb.</p>
<p>Life is not fair. If you are healthy, that is a blessing. As you are becoming an adult, best to think like an adult and act like you would want to portray yourself.</p>
<p>As far as getting the first job, if you have done any volunteer work and someone can give you a good personal reference. My DD’s first job was obtained because she wasn’t paid for her volunteer work and was very reliable. Employer said to reference that it said a lot to be a reliable unpaid volunteer; the paid job is babysitting at a church nursery where they are paying well (she had volunteered for years in church Sunday education). So her volunteer work matched up with the paid job.</p>
<p>Dishwasher, bussing tables. Restaurants have turnover.</p>
<p>Look at the busy places in your area. Maybe a busy CPA that has some receptionist/clerk work. </p>
<p>When at school, there are some jobs that can work around your class schedule. I didn’t qualify for a campus job, but when all the students filled the jobs, there was a dishwasher job - rinse, stack, load commercial dishwasher, unload commercial dishwasher (it took two people - gathered off conveyor line, and each worked on the dishwasher ends) - so I worked the dinner hours M - F. Many schools have the food service contracted out.</p>