<p>A note in response to takmuieo’s post:</p>
<p>Something I often repeat when talking about financial aid is the purpose of financial aid. Financial aid is NOT meant to make college “affordable.” It is not meant to make paying for college “easy,” or to allow you to keep earmarked funds for other purposes. Financial aid is meant to make college, with significant scrimping, saving and sacrifice, just barely possible.</p>
<p>It seems that, since takmuieo is able to attend USC, that USC’s financial aid offer made college, with significant scrimping, saving and sacrifice, just barely possible for takmuieo.</p>
<p>This is not meant to make light of or discount the financial struggle takmuieo and others have chosen or to say that he/she is wrong, I just see SO many posts where the poster states that USC’s financial aid isn’t enough, yet they are able to attend. The fact that they are able to attend means that with significant scrimping, saving and sacrifice, college was just barely possible and USC provided just barely enough. That is the purpose of financial aid.</p>