A very technical scholarship question

FauxNom · 05-09-2008, 05:36 PM

I ran across a FAQ page and last year's USC Competitive Scholarship Guide today, and need help understanding something. My S will receive a National Merit Presidential scholarship, which has not yet posted to his account. His current award shows a $4k annual award called a "University Scholarship." What I wonder is whether the Univ. Schol. is considered a USC scholarship, or whether it is classified as Tuition Assistance Benefits. I'm pretty sure it's not considered need-based financial aid, but that's another possibility.

You may be wondering why I ask such an obscure question. There's an explanation in the Guide that says you can combine the Presidential award with only $2500 in extra USC scholarship money, but you can combine it with a lot more in Tuition Assistance Benefits. I'm trying to predict what S's eventual award will be. (This also has implications for Trustee Scholarship recipients, who cannot combine their award with any other "USC scholarship" but can receive additional Tuition Assistance Benefits.) So, does anyone know what the "University Scholarship" really is???

Here's the language USC uses at this link: http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/a...008_Policy.pdf

"Trustee Scholarships
Students receiving Trustee Scholarships are not eligible to receive any other scholarships
from a USC source.

Presidential, Leadership, Deans, Directors, Associates and Trojan Scholarships
If you are awarded any other scholarships from USC sources, you may retain up to $2,500
of those combined awards in addition to the Presidential, Leadership, Deans, Directors,
Associates or Trojan Scholarship.

Tuition Assistance Benefits
A student who receives USC tuition assistance benefits may also receive a USC Competitive Scholarship provided that the total amount of tuition assistance benefits, when combined
with the USC Competitive Scholarship, does not exceed the student’s USC tuition by more
than $6,000."

jbusc · 05-09-2008, 05:46 PM

Tuition assistance benefits are something very specific and are not the same as scholarships or regular need-based aid.

If you're not sure whether what you have counts as a tuition assistance benefit, then it's almost certainly not. TAB is for very specific groups of students only.

Columbia_Student · 05-09-2008, 05:51 PM

I believe the $4K comes with the Presidential Scholarship(NMF Scholarship), ie if your son doesn't have a Corporate Sponsor NMS Award. It came with the financial aid letter to my daughter before she received her Corporate Sponsor NMS Award. If your son has a Corporate Sponsor NMS Award then I really don't know what it's for.

Tuitionsaver · 05-09-2008, 05:57 PM

FauxMom: I sent you a PM

FauxNom · 05-09-2008, 06:01 PM

Thanks to both of you. Columbia - do you remember if your D's award was called a University Scholarship? USC did not have S's NMF notification when they awarded this, so I kind of doubt it would be that $4k bump everyone talks about. Plus this is $4k per year, instead of total. If jbusc is right and it's not TAB, then it seems it would go down to $2500. It's still not bad, but one can always hope!

Columbia_Student · 05-09-2008, 06:04 PM

If it's $4K/year than it's not with NMS then.

FauxNom · 05-09-2008, 06:06 PM

I guess it's considered merit aid - maybe a consolation prize for being a spring admit

Columbia_Student · 05-09-2008, 06:07 PM

That is still a lot of money. $4K X4 = $16K. I did not file for FAFSA. Too lazy.

Now I wish I did. Maybe if I did, D might get something.

madbean · 05-09-2008, 06:14 PM

Just piping in. My s got the Trustee and also the University Scholarship which was figured at an additional $2500/year. I believe that your s's University Scholarship might be refigured at $2500/year when they update his account to reflect his NMF Presidential.

On the other hand, I have heard of other NMFers getting an additional $1000/year for their NMF. So... with that he'd be up to $3500? I am really amazed at how generous USC can be--and so grateful.

Tuitionsaver · 05-09-2008, 06:22 PM

What FA office explained to me was "The $4,000 amount is for students who are not already receiving any other type of competitive scholarship from USC. This amount is reduced to $2,500 if you receive a Presidential or Trustee Scholarship".

Columbia-you should go ahead and file FAFSA, even if you don't qualify for need-based aid, these $4k or $2.5K seem to be entirely merit based.
I agree with madbean; USC is very generous.
Also, the delay in posting might be because the NM corporation takes 2 weeks to process the requests after your kid names his/her top choice school. And after 2 weeks the NM Corp. sends the schools a letter by snail mail

Columbia_Student · 05-09-2008, 07:14 PM

Thanks tuitionsaver for the suggestion. I called USC and they said if I did not file for FAFSA, I'll never know whether D would receive this scholarship. So I guess after months of avoiding this painful process(FAFSA that is), I'll get my husband to do it because I have other pain to deal with this weekend(study for my final).

I hope D will be receiving a University Scholarship when it's done. The good new is for freshman, it's never too late to file for FAFSA/financial aid.

Tuitionsaver · 05-09-2008, 07:26 PM

Filling up and filing FAFSA is actually not too bad. As long as you have all your tax papers in front of you. Good luck!

FauxNom · 05-09-2008, 08:03 PM

Wow, Columbia - if USC will allow you to do that, I will be even more impressed with their generosity! Not that you don't deserve the extra help, of course, but just that they would be so open to adjusting merit awards this late in the process. Not many schools would do that. Good luck! (It's true that FAFSA is a piece of cake, relative to the CSS Profile (which I assume is not needed)).

And if Madbean is correct and we get to keep Presidential plus the $2500 plus the $1000 per year for National Merit, I will be truly shocked!

Sequoia · 05-09-2008, 08:05 PM

The UCs give something called the "Scholarship Recognition Award" amounts of which vary, but which are tied into financial aid. Could this be similar? If your EFC is in the range where aid is needed above the Presidential, and loans etc are deemed too high, maybe this is an extra "grant"?

Regarding the no USC scholarships in addition to Trustee/Pres I was surprised to learn that the Trojan League scholarship is not included, as this was given to my D on top of the Trustee, ...nice surprise. I also thought the extra and outside scholarships could not total > $8000 above tuition.

Columbia: do file the FAFSA, as you never know if you need aid in future years due to unforseen circumstances. I believe you must file the first year in order to be able to file in subsequent years.

Columbia_Student · 05-09-2008, 08:37 PM

I think I have to do the CSS as well. It's not a piece of cake, it's a royal pain(IMO)(I'm doing it now, can't seem to delegate this task).

At least I have Turbotax 2007 for help.