<p>Oh, actually, I’m not going to be getting any need-based aid. I’m just trying to see if I get any of those smaller scholarships. Do we get letters about those?</p>
<p>Yes, they send a letter. The letter usually arrives 2 or 3 days after the appearance on your financial aid page. Good luck!</p>
<p>@alamemom - You wrote, “I very much encourage people to post their experiences, but, after several years of this I have found there is also very often additional information when you look at past posts - such as with coperguy - that he forgot to include that helps explain the reasons his aid was what it was.”</p>
<p>You just do not like that someone posts something that doesn’t agree with your view of USC. That’s why I said you should work for their PR department. In another post, you implied that I (and others) lie about posting information, and so it becomes clear that you cannot argue the points. Please do not accuse me of lying. As I said, I am only sharing experiences. </p>
<p>In my previous posts I have thanked you for your help, and I have said repeatedly that USC is a great university. But because I posted an experience that is not in keeping with your view of things, you chose to attack me. I did not forget to include anything. I do not care to provide details about some aspect of my finances on a public board. I shared some information to provide a context for my comments, but my original point stands: in my experience (not that of others) the USC financial aid was less for my family than that offered by other universities. That seems to bother you more than it bothers me. I have moved on. You should too.</p>
<p>Check your spam folders for the USC Finaid email. I have gmail and mine was in the spam</p>
<p>coperguy, I do not feel it was an attack on you to mention your statements on another thread. I have not said that anyone was lying, I have said that people, like you, often leave things out such as your comments on that other thread. Another example from a previous year is a poster who started a big rant thread saying that even though she qualified for a full Pell grant, USC had not given her any other aid at all. She stated that USC’s aid was “crappy.” In pulling up her posts, it turned out that she qualified for the simplified needs test and her parents had been able to shield over $800,000 in cash savings accounts and nearly $2,000,000 in home equity from FAFSA-only schools, and even at USC the American taxpayers were contributing $5,500 toward her education. She didn’t lie, and I never suggested she did, but she certainly left a great deal out. And by the way, her parents wrote out a check for the balance after the Pell and she is attending. It makes a taxpayer proud.</p>
<p>I am not at all bothered by you posting that you got different aid at other schools, and I have never suggested you should not. FEEL FREE. Because what I DO here is try to answer questions and clarify financial aid for current and future applicants, I generally look very closely at posts like yours to help others understand what went into the calculation of the aid that you are unhappy with. My intent is for people to understand what to expect. Your intent is to say that USC’s aid is arbitrary and unpredictable. It is my opinion that you are incorrect.</p>
<p>NOTICE that I have never said that USC’s financial aid is “generous.” PLEASE feel free to look at my past posts looking fo that word. USC’s financial aid is predictable, consistant and accross-the-board. THAT is what I post.</p>
<p>FEEL FREE to share your experiences. Start a thread if you wish. Start a thread to tell everyone what you think of alamemom - I am okay with that. If you feel that you are helping other posters with your information, if you feel that what you have posted will provide any concrete information that will help others understand what went into their packages BY ALL MEANS start a thread and explain it to them You can call it “coperguy’s-better-than-alamemom’s-FAQ-for-USC-financial aid.”</p>
<p>Just remember that when posters come on and tell you that USC’s financial aid is unfair to them, they very likely have left something out. Enjoy.</p>
<p>The $5,500 per year isn’t a taxpayer contribution. It is a loan. Any bad debt (that is loans that go bad because borrowers won’t pay) is paid by us, the taxpayer, true. But the loan is most definitely not a contribution. My daughter certainly knows this as she’ll be the one paying it back.</p>
<p>Mitch,</p>
<p>The $5500 Alamemom is referring to in the above post is the Pell Grant. It is a grant of federal money which does not need to be paid back. This student would also presumably be eligible for $5500 in Stafford Loans ($3500 subsidized, $2000 unsubsidized.) However, her parents were able to pay the full remaining cost out of their large asset base so she did not need to take out the loan. </p>
<p>I am not sure of the reasoning behind the Simplified Needs Test, but I would say a case like this is not what it was intended for. I’d be curious to know how this student’s family has such assets, yet earns less than $50,000/yr and either files a 1040A (no itemized deductions) and/or qualifies for a means tested aid program such as free/reduced lunch, etc.</p>
<p>Edit: Actually to be eligible for the full Pell Grant this student’s family probably has an AGI below $30,000/yr. Wow! Wonder how they insure/maintain/pay prop taxes on that $2 million dollar home?!!</p>
<p>I just wanted to share my experience. We applied for financial aid last year for my daughter who is a current USC freshman. We woke up to the email and were devastated to find that we had received no grant aid from USC, only federal loans. My daughter had received very generous packages from other schools and we would have been unable to afford USC without any further aid. We met with a lovely person in the financial aid office at USC who really helped us. She asked for information that backed up our claim that the assets USC had determined we had were not in fact real. Anyway in the end USC came back to us with a very generous financial aid package that included loans, grants and work/study. It did not make it easy for us to afford but it did make it possible. I am not in any way saying that this could happen for everyone, maybe we were just lucky to meet the right person who really wanted to help. I would have agreed that USC’s aid was much less than some other schools but in the end that was not our experience at all.</p>
<p>memama - yes, you are exactly right - it was the Pell which is a grant that does not have to paid back, and it comes from the federal government (from the taxpayers) and is meant for the neediest families. In the case of that kid, her parent had retired and had an income under $30,000 and elected to file the 1040A - they lost some deductions, but gained much more in the Pell. And yes, mitch, the kid was ALSO offered a $5,500 Stafford ($3,500 subsidized at taxpayer expense) for a total of $11,000 in Federal Financial aid, but she chose not to take the loan.</p>
<p>In my years on the forum, I have come to very much dislike the Simplified Needs Test. It does not benefit the truly needy applicants - they don’t have the giant assets that need shielding. I feel all financial aid applicants should be required to list cash assets and investments (except for equity in the primary home) on the FAFSA. I do not see the benefit of the Simplified Needs Test.</p>
<p>AnotherUscMom - thanks for sharing your story! And great job of calmly and clearly dealing with financial aid and presenting your information - I am sure that fin aid rep was as pleased to work with you as you were with them.</p>
<p>hi alamemom! i have a question. since COA is 58,026, and it includes books and supplies and transportation, do we pay that to USC? when they charge us, is it just for tuition and room and board? since i think im going to not use 1,500 for books and 500 something for transportation since i am in the la area, can i not take the 2000 unsubsidized loans?</p>
<p>Hello hellokitty!</p>
<p>I am going to answer your question on my <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/839970-faq-usc-financial-aid-2010-a-52.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/839970-faq-usc-financial-aid-2010-a-52.html</a> thread to keep things consolidated for future applicants.</p>
<p>Hi alamemom, regarding my post on 154, should I just send in the appeal form or should I call the financial aid office and explain my situation?</p>
<p>Hi! I’m a fall 2011 freshman admit who submitted everything on time…can anyone suggest a reason why I’ve heard nothing from the FAO yet? My mother called today and was told we would hear by Monday, 4/25…but that’s SO close to the enrollment confirmation deadline. Any advice/suggestions? Thank you!</p>
<p>I just submitted everything last week so…at least there are some behind you :p</p>
<p>LOL - are you attending regardless?</p>
<p>I already get half off for being a National Merit Finalist 
so yea
But i have low family income too so i expect at least 10k in financial aid</p>
<p>Congrats!! <em>waiting patiently</em></p>
<p>We just learned something more about USC Financial Aid …</p>
<p>Apparently, they sometimes add scholarships and other goodies, even after they notify you that your financial aid package is complete.</p>
<p>My son was fortunate enough to receive the Presidential award in late March. Shortly after that, he noticed that a financial aid package was available online, but we learned here on CC that packages should not be considered complete until FA sends an email saying as much.</p>
<p>After he got the email, he logged back in and saw that he was also awarded a generous Engineering Merit Award. That was super nice. But we still couldn’t afford attendance.</p>
<p>He chose a state school last week, which he does like a lot, but which was admittedly chosen over USC because of cost. (The state school will pay HIM several K a year to attend.) He sent in all his “thanks so much, but no thanks” letters last weekend – including to USC.</p>
<p>This week, he got another email from USC notifying him that his financial aid package has been updated. When he logged back in, he saw several changes. They added a very generous University Scholarship, increased his University Grant by $5K, removed his small work study option, and added a fairly large Subsidized Stafford!! Wow. We are stunned!</p>
<p>Last night, the admissions counselor from another private school called and brought that scholarship package up from 2/3rds tuition to nearly full tuition. My son is very happy with the state public (there are lots of things he likes about it), but he would very likely have chosen USC or the other school over the public had costs not been such a factor. These last minute awards are really nice! We are honored! But, we both wish they had come earlier. I’m guessing that the schools are redistributing money that other students have declined?? It’s all very interesting. It’s hard to change gears, especially after all the celebration with the other school and all the plans made with friends, etc. – all the relief of a “final” decision. This whole process is like a roller coaster ride!</p>
<p>Good luck to all as you make your final decisions! :)</p>
<p>I’m scratching my eyes out over how long it’s taking them to make my aid award.</p>
<p>^Oh my gosh, thenextbigthing. Less than 2 weeks until the big decision day, and you still don’t have your aid award?! I’m sorry – I haven’t been keeping up with the entire thread – did you already call FA to ask about the delay? I’d be scratching my eyes out too! If you haven’t called yet, you should.</p>