<p>A FAFSA EFC of $20,000 with an income of $60,000 seems a bit high. Have you double-checked your numbers? (Unless you are talking about the College Board Institutional-method calculators for the expected contribution? Please remember that those are not USC calculators and have no effect on USC’s calculations.)</p>
<p>You can call or email (try <a href=“mailto:fao@usc.edu”>fao@usc.edu</a> ) USC and ask what they considered when calculating your need, and if the Stafford loan is your complete package.</p>
<p>ALSO check to see if they requested any additional documentation and if your CSS/Profile, paerent and student W-2s and parent and student tax returns (or student non-filing form if the student did not file taxes) were received. That could be the reason they “stopped processing” your fin aid. If you do not submit all requested documentation, you will only receive the federal aid - no USC aid.</p>
<p>Here are up to date Cost of Attendance at some other private universities for 2011-2012. Most of the sites still post the 2010 costs. Also, some only list tuition and fees, so it appears much lower.</p>
<p>These universities posted the actual cost of attendance on their sites for 2011-2012</p>
<p>Dartmouth
58,918</p>
<p>Georgetown
58,300 (Their travel estimate was 650)</p>
<p>Sarah Lawrence
58,716</p>
<p>Vanderbilt
59,204</p>
<p>Columbia
Columbia breaks their costs down for every possible item. Parents would have to select their travel costs, etc. My guess is over $60,000.</p>
<p>I thought I had done my research, but I’m confused about the COA for two students. Our USC-determined COA is $44,000. We have one student already attending and an incoming freshman. We just received the package for Freshman S2 based on the $44K (Federal loans, a 5K grant). We won’t find out about S1’s package until the summer. How will the COA factor in for him? (I’m having nightmares about having to scrape up $88,000!) Sorry for being an idiot here!</p>
<p>With two in college your contribution is spread between them, but it depends on how much USC determined your *total contribution *would be. I wouldn’t think they would present two vastly different packages, so do start checking into it now. Because the continuing student packages are so much later, I would contact USC and stress that you really need to know what to expect for your continuing student NOW, because that will impact your 2nd child’s options that must be responded to by May 1st.</p>
<p>Don’t know if this is an appropriate place to post this or not, but I wanted to say that my son’s financial aid package DID change between the time he first saw it online and the time he received the email, many days later. They added another engineering scholarship to his package in that amount of time, with absolutely no fanfare! (If he didn’t go back in and look, we never would have known!) So, that’s pretty cool. Basically, I just wanted to provide some anecdotal evidence that there is a point to waiting for the email from Financial Aid before assuming that your package is complete.</p>
<p>(My son STILL can’t afford to go. Our agreement from the start was: if you get full tuition, I will come up with the rest. He got half tuition, plus a nice engineering scholarship, plus an “okay” need-based grant. Very generous. VERY appreciated. But still not “cheap enough” to attend. And that’s okay. Since USC became his first choice school after visiting for the Presidential interviews, he was definitely disappointed. But all is well. He’s ready to move on and will be enjoying a completely free ride elsewhere. It all works out. )</p>
<p>Thanks @alamemom – much appreciated. I was very careful about noting I’d have two in college on both the FAFSA and CSS profile, and I talked to an FA rep yesterday. They had also noted in S1’s file that his brother would be attending. Still, I’ll submit the PDF you linked to, as an added measure. I’ll definitely contact them about needing to know the full packages before May 1. Until then, I’ll be hyperventilating a bit!</p>
<p>Hey, does anyone know how long it takes for USC to review documentation for financial aid? It’s been in review for 2 days and I really need to make my decision and apply for housing.</p>
<p>Before I email the FAO, does anyone know where the funds for a research scholarship would be applied? My S is a trustee scholar and also was selected as a research scholar, which adds another $3000.00 to his financial aid. However the research scholarship isn’t listed in his aid, so when it is applied will it reduce the EFC or the loans in the package?</p>
<p>I share Copterguy’s observation. Whatever USC’s formula is, the bottom line is that it’s producing financial aid offers which, in many cases, simply aren’t competitive with those of some/many schools that are similarly situated in terms of ranking, prestige, etc.</p>
<p>It’s USC’s prerogative to provide need based aid as it wishes. They can provide none at all. But, it should be clearly understood that, in many cases, when ____ says it provides “100% of need” and USC says it provides “100% of need,” the word “need” is being defined as two entirely different things, and USC’s definition often bears no resemblance to the common understanding of that word.</p>
<p>Question: is it true that your financial aid package is not complete until you receive word by email??? And/or postal mail?? Because there is an aid amount listed on my usconnect financial aid page but i feel like it is extremely low and must be incomplete and i have not received and email telling me it is complete!! So, is this the final amount on usconnect??</p>
<p>^kbpark, I wrote about this in post #145 on this thread. People have been saying that your financial aid package is not complete until you get that email. In my son’s case, that was true. It LOOKED complete prior to the email. But then, after he got the email and checked his account again, he saw that another scholarship had appeared! In other words, I’m thinking it’s true. ;)</p>
<p>Ahhhh thank you!!! That is VERY good news because I was pretty disappointed when I checked online today. Well that’s what I get for being impatient I guess :)</p>
<p>A few question about financial aid… I applied to USC in December without financial aid and I was accepted. However, things have changed financially and it will be really tough for my family to pay for USC. So my two questions are:</p>
<p>1) Should tell USC about my financial situation and ask for aid? And will they allow it?</p>
<p>2) If that’s not possible, will USC allow me to apply for financial aid in my sophomore year?</p>
<p>herpdyderp, submit the FAFSA, CSS/Profile, parent and student tax returns and W-2s as soon as possible - and by that I mean tomorrow. That is how you “tell” USC about your financial situation. You will be considered for aid this year even with late documents, and certainly will be eligible in future years.</p>
How nice that you created a screen name just to agree with coperguy!</p>
<p>And my observation is that many, many students post here that they received financial aid packages that are better than those presented by some/many schools that are similarly situated in terms of ranking, prestige, etc.</p>
<p>But it is natural that you have not made that same observation, since you only created your screen name today and are not familiar with the USC board. I assume you are here because you applied to USC this year and received a financial aid package - have you posted your results on the STATS thread? I assume you received good news, otherwise you would not have a financial aid package to compare and comment upon. Have you decided from amongst all the schools to which you applied? To what simliarly situated interms of ranking, prestige, etc. schools were you accepted with wonderful financial aid?</p>
<p>Alamemom: Would I choose USC over Harvard if the costs were the same? Maybe. I like their programs. Also a Trojans fan. And California. But turns out USC costs more than than my family can afford, so I’m no longer considering it.</p>
<p>Thanks for the answer - I am sure that there are great things ahead for you at Harvard :)</p>
<p>One more question - can you clarify the “double” family contribution a bit? It isn’t clear if by double you mean $50,000 vs. $25,000 for example, or $15,000 vs, $7,500 or $XX vs. $X…???</p>
)</p>