Financial Aid. BEWARE. - Page 2

drizzit · 06-21-2009, 12:56 AM

Son's second year package was about the same as first year package. Still waiting on this years. Nothing posted yet as of Saturday

busiman · 06-21-2009, 02:57 AM

My grant increased by about 4,000 dollars, greatly decreasing what I will need in loans next semester! So I don't think USC is just blindly reducing their financial aid offers.

a.parent · 06-21-2009, 01:33 PM

My son is a senior this year. Our financial aid from USC grants dropped from $17000 to $2000! The only other grant is his Cal Grant. His senior year will cost him/me nearly $30, 000.
Clearly not an option as a single parent who retires in one year with very little in savings.
This would be less devastating if he were a junior, but to attend 3 years and then have to transfer to state college to graduate........is just devastating :-(
I'm in tears thinking about having that conversation with him.

Maybe he will have to take a leave of absence and finish his final year after a year or two of working to save up for it.

I realize USC wants to provide aid for incoming students, but perhaps a slightly smaller freshman class would have allowed them to support the students better that are currently attending.

Very disappointing and painful.

anotherasian1234 · 06-21-2009, 03:10 PM

wow, this is really scary......i didnt know this when i submitted that deposit. my package is grant heavy too....

mdcissp · 06-21-2009, 05:17 PM

To a parent and others: Did you contact USC financial aid to be sure there was no mistake on a decrease in financial aid? Before having a discussion with your child, I suggest calling USC financial aid to make sure there was no error in calculating the bottom financial line.

furyshade · 06-21-2009, 09:57 PM

i emailed them, i don't expect a response until the business week starts. also after talking to my parents we might now have even received our cal grant from last year, only adding to the issues.

Tim_ND08 · 06-22-2009, 03:56 AM

i may have to leave too now.

uchopeful73 · 06-22-2009, 04:04 AM

wow, for real?
this just sucks........

hopefully, this is a mistake. no, this HAS to be a mistake...ive never heard stories like these at ANY college.....wow, just wow.

Nester · 06-22-2009, 04:19 AM

It sounds as if a.parent's S, furyshade, and either ND-08 or his friend have seen substantial reducations in FA without significant changes in their families' financial status. The drop described by a.parent is particularly distressing. I hope that all of you will get in touch with the FA office on Monday and talk with someone in charge there, and that what appear to be huge drops in FA will turn out to be fixable glitches. Please keep us updated. It's distrubing to think that students who have met the terms of their FA/grants (as with completing the specified number of units per semester, maintaining a certain GPA, etc.) could suddenly find themselves in this position. Here's hoping that the FA office will be able to help you.

drizzit · 06-22-2009, 01:37 PM

Son's aid just posted

Presedential Scholarship was the same about 19K
Grant went down 6K from 15K to 9K
Stafford Sub Loans went up from 2.5K to 5.5K

So I see an increase of about 3K that I pay as a parent after the increasse to son of 3K in a stafford sub loan. However my son did move off campus for his Junior year and that will be cheaper so I suspect USC took that into account as well.

Overall it looks like about status quo with an increase to max for stafford loans and a reduction in grant for off campus living.

I feel better that is doable.

hyakku · 06-22-2009, 01:48 PM

I received 10k less on my grant and lost my perkins loan, I'm a sophmore and I moved into Troy east so thats a few thousand less but I'm not really sure why I received much less on my grant or lost my loan for the perkins as my stepfather only picked up a part time job towards the end of 2008 (October IIRC) and he doesn't help me out for school. Even when they made slightly more money I received more aid money so this is puzzling.

mdcissp · 06-22-2009, 02:05 PM

Is everyone seeing their expenses/aid posted? Nothing is posted on my son's Oasis account as of last night. Did any of you parents receive a letter from USC about changes in aid?

coollege · 06-22-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

i may have to leave too now.

That really sucks dude, I hope you can work things out.

DJS3CA · 06-22-2009, 06:54 PM

Yeah. I'm repealing my fin aid as well. My parents income actually decreased, around 8%, my dad works for the UCs and I was given two thousand less than last year. I'm quite disappointed because I was given a notice in the mail stating that USC increased their financial aid fund and also they have the largest fund than any other university.

Rosieoney · 06-23-2009, 01:02 PM

You have no idea what this family's actual income and circumstances are...only what your friend has told you. USC absolutely does NOT decrease financial aid. In fact...we just received a letter from USC concerning the possible loss of Cal Grants. They assured us that if Cal Grants go away they would cover the loss of that grant source. Unless you have access to your friend's family income tax returns, property owned, etc. you are doing a great disservice to a wonderful university by posting lies like this.