<p>Let me know if there are any grants - in my experience it is just Staffords (up to $20,500/yr for grads) and giant Grad PLUS loans 
for graduate students, but maybe things are different at USC. Have you arranged an assistanship or fellowship? I am not trying to be negative - just realistic.</p>
<p>I need to contact my department to see if there any assistantships or fellowships-and I havenāt done that yet, will be doing it soon.</p>
<p>If anything-I plan on getting at least 1, or 2 jobs on-campus/nearby.</p>
<p>Still waiting for my FA package to be available online. Normal?</p>
<p>In the past, the packges were not ready until about the 7th or 8th of April, so yes, it is normal that you have not yet received an email saying your package is ready to view. (As far as I am aware, no one has receved an email saying their package is ready.)</p>
<p>rosyhours,
It is Sunday. When the package which has been arranged for YOU is ready an e-mail will be sent to you giving all the figures. In addition, SC will send your family a listing of your financial package IN WRITING by mail.</p>
<p>Commit day is not until May 1. You have plenty of time to look over the figures before making a decision.</p>
<p>alamemom, no, we didnāt receive an email, so maybe we jumped the gun. The Financial Aid page sets forth the whole calculation, though, of what we will be required to pay. It seems to suggest that itās complete. But, based on what youāve said, weāll hold out hope.</p>
<p>i dont mean to incite any panic with this post, but yesterday, i met in person with some of the financial aid officers and they said that most financial aid packages are indeed finished (they checked my USCID and they said that mine was final). however, i never received an email. perhaps theyre late on sending out emails this year? the officers also said that if you do see anything in the awards tab, it is most likely that its final</p>
<p>Everyone who files a FAFSA is eligible for an unsubsidized Stafford loan of $5,500.</p>
<p>If a student filed a FAFSA, they will, at absolute minumum, have an unsubsidized Stafford loan in their package - so if they check their awards tab and ānothingā is there their package is not complete. Perhaps you misunderstood. If not, then the person you spoke with is VERY misinformed.</p>
<p>Did you ask what led to your $44,000 expected contribution? Though I am confused by your posts - on one of them you say USC āgaveā you $44,000 - was that a typo?</p>
<p>Does everyone have the tab on the USConnect page? Or just those who are getting financial aid/merit scholarships have the tab?</p>
<p>Dimoret, you met in person with FA officers on a Sunday?</p>
<p>I was at the Admitted Students Reception in San Mateo yesterday, where USC had lots of Financial Aid folks on hand. So it was possible in at least one area to speak to an FA rep yesterday.</p>
<p>mine still says that my financial aid has not yet been determined 
this is really making me think i should just go with my other top option since they didnāt require any further documentation, met my demonstrated need without loans, and are ranked higher. i do still like USC so much, thoughā¦</p>
<p>@ jazz/shreddermom yes i did. as CCMThreeTimes mentioned there was an Admitted Students Reception in San Mateo (Bay Area), and i talked to the Financial Aid folks there.</p>
<p>@alamemom i did ask them about it, and they said it is most likely because we own two houses. the officer said that he understands our financial situation (we still owe $350k in payments, and the $44k EFC is more than half our income) and told me that i should write a handwritten letter of appeal re-explaining our situation and send it to the financial office. i think the āgaveā was a typo. sorry about that</p>
<p>Have all of the packages been sent out already? Because mine says yet to be determined as well. Does that mean that Iām probably not getting anything, since Iām an international? I really only qualify for merit scholarships and some SCA scholarships and if I havenāt heard back yet, is that a bad thing? I really like USC and just hope I can afford to goā¦</p>
<p>alamemom-
I have been reading through the thread- QUESTION- My daughter was admitted to USC RD. We submitted all financial aid docs late. My husband is self employed, so he just finished his taxes. Anyway We submitted the tax return 2 weeks ago. Everything else was submitted on time- How long does it typically take to hear back. I am concerned as I will have 3 in college next year. So fat my EFC which has been the same for my other children has not changed. That is I am seem to be paying the same amount as I did for 1 only X 3 now----</p>
<p>Did you double check that you listed ā3ā as the number in college* on the FAFSA and CSS/Profile? *Only full-time undergraduate siblings 24 years or under qualify.</p>
<p>Check your USConnect to see if they require any more documents/information - they may ask for the Family Member listing form with siblings in college and the income/expense form for self-employed. They will try to have it ready before the commitment deadline.</p>
<p>With three in college, many people who would not qualify for aid with one in college may qualify for some, but it all depends on the need calculation. A completely made-up example: If they calculate your family contribution at $70,000, for example, and you have one at USC ($57,000) one at your state school ($12,000), and one in graduate school (grads are not considered), the calculation would be family contribution $70,000 minus cost of attendance ($57,000 + $12,000 = $69,000) equals need. In that scenario the need is $0. ***Remember that at a CSS/Profile school assets that are not considered by the FAFSA, such as home equity, ARE considered so your expected contribution at a CSS/Profile school will likely be more than your FAFSA EFC.</p>
<p>canada, as you say, International applicants are not eligible for need-based aid. Some merit scholarships may still be awarded, but bear in mind that the ones awarded at this point generally range from $1,000/yr to $5,000/year. Good luck!</p>
<p>Dimoret, equity in both your primary residence and a second home is generally assessed at 5.6%. You entered mortgage info on the CSS/Profile, so that has already been taken into consideration.</p>
<p>Equity is value minus mortgage, which is accounted for on the CSS/Profile. Some examples: If a 2nd home is valued at $750,000 and you owe $350,000 on it, the additional contribution (in addition to your EFC from income and other assets) would be $400,000 X 5.6% = $22,400. The same calculation would take place on your primary residence. To add the approximately $29,000 in additional contributions to your FAFSA EFC of about $15,000 resulting in your $44,000 contribution, you probably have real estate (both homes) valued at approximately $850,000 with mortgages of approximately $350,000 held against them. </p>
<p>Double-check to see if you entered inflated values for the homes on your CSS/Profile - find ācompsā in your neighborhood(s). The value isnāt what you paid, it is the current market value.</p>
<p>If the values are correct there will likely not be a significant adjustment in your aid - the students receiving financial aid rarely have families that can afford 2nd homes.</p>
<p>So USC does not have a cap on home equity like some colleges?</p>
<p>I spoke with a financial aid representative from USC at an event for prospective applicants last fall. He told me they cap home equity at 2X annual income. Because they are in California they are quite familiar with situations where home values (at least in the past) went crazy beyond other areas of the country. He stressed that they donāt necessarily expect parents to borrow against their home equity, but they use it to help them get a grasp of the overall financial strength of the family.</p>
<p>So I assume from this that the amount of equity they consider is then assessed at 5.6%.</p>