<p>I have a quarter tuition scholarship, but I am wondering if I would not be the norm at USC since I will be paying almost 50k. That’s not full, but are most people at USC receiving significant financial aid? Is it unusual to be paying this much for USC?</p>
<p>I’m paying full tuition, as an international. Most internationals pay full tuition, minus the few who attend on a merit scholarship.</p>
<p>I’m paying full, but I’m only out of state. I feel like since they give good aid, a lot of people don’t have to pay as much. You’re definitely not alone though.</p>
<p>Yes. International students pay full tuition except a very small percentage of the foreign students receive scholarship. That’s why USC likes to admit foreign students, especially when those countries already trained good students. One good thing about this is the name recognition of USC is outstanding in foreign countries, much better than most of other top 25 schools except top Ivys & Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA, and MIT.</p>
<p>USC gives out very little merit aide, in general. They tend to give larger scholarships to a select few Presidential Scholars. Most schools give a little money to a lot more people.</p>
<p>my essential question is: are most people willing to pay almost full for USC if they could financially?</p>
<p>of course they are…if i recall correctly, around 20% of USC students are international. It’s a safe bet to say that 90% of the international students don’t get merit aid, which means they are paying full tuition.</p>
<p>"my essential question is: are most people willing to pay almost full for USC if they could financially? "</p>
<p>Only just. It’s not that we can’t afford it, but there are usually some better options. For example, I could attend a Canadian school for a third of the cost. I’d say MOST international students who have the money ultimately choose to attend, since most international students who apply in the first place expect to pay full tuition and are already financially prepared. What you end up having is a lot of wealthy international students on campus!</p>
<p>Ok, but I am talking about everyday students from the U.S.</p>
<p>Would you go to USC with no aid?</p>
<p>ripemango - Yes. I’m a US student and I am going to USC with no aid. It’s not like I’m choosing it over other schools that gave aid, though. I just don’t qualify.</p>
<p>You’re only one person, but I should stop being concerned about this. I already sent in my deposit, it’s May 1st, and who am I kidding? USC is going to be great academically, a hel lot of fun, and I can’t have any regrets about my college choice. LETS GOOOO</p>
<p>Off-topic for the thread, but I wanted to respond to 2011rocks comment (post #5) about “very little merit aid” at USC:</p>
<p>
2011rocks, you have a very different definition of “very little” than I. Approximately 25% of USC udergraduates are currently receiving merit aid. To put it in perspective for you, here is how much merit aid USC awarded in 2010 alone:</p>
<p>Trustee Scholarships:
146 scholarships at $42,000/year = $6.1 million 1st year, $24.5 million over 4yrs.
Presidential Scholarships:
399 scholarships at $21,000/yr = $8.4 million 1st year, $33.5 million over 4yrs.
Dean’s Scholarships:
121 scholarships at $10,500/yr = $1.3 million 1st year, $5.1 million over 4yrs.</p>
<p>All together, USC awarded scholarships of $63.1 million to 666 (24%) students in the Fall 2010 entering class.
<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/private/1011/FreshmanProfile2010.pdf[/url]”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/private/1011/FreshmanProfile2010.pdf</a></p>
<hr>
<p>There are FOUR classes of undergraduates at USC at any given time, so that means undergraduates currently studying at USC have been awarded:</p>
<p>$252,504,000. **Two hundred fifty-two million, five hundred four thousand dollars in merit aid **. (And that doesn’t include transfer merit scholarships or continuing student scholarships - only freshman awards.)</p>
<p>And now to leave a note about the topic of the thread :)</p>
<p>Approximately 60% of USC undergraduates receive need-based aid, and that aid ranges from only a $3,500 subsidized Stafford to packages of over $50,000. There is some crossover with the 24% of undergraduates receiving merit scholarships, so my informal estimate is that about 30 to 35% of USC undergraduates are paying full-cost at USC without need-based or merit-based aid. Some of those receiving need-based aid are paying as much or more than you because the basic need-based component, the unsubsidized Stafford, is less than your 1/4 tuition award.</p>
<p>You are in very good company :)</p>
<p>alemom’s math is probably a decent guess. That said, it would be interesting to know what % of the student pop is paying full boat if you eliminate gov backed student loans. Quite literally…students pay those back so the practical person doesn’t count that as financial help. I’ll bet if you took out loans, and took out those receiving say $2500 or less per year in merit money…that you’d have way over 50% paying full boat. You’re not only in great company, you’re in the majority.</p>
<p>well i’m not totally paying full, i got like the 5000 loan but even with that, i’m paying like 53k. And loans you have to pay back so yeah. I’m from California and not international!</p>
<p>Alamemom only posted the amounts of university merit scholarships. Individual schools at SC such as Annenberg, Marshall and Viterbi also give merit scholarships or grants to incoming students. There are some memorial scholarships given in memory of a former student or faculty member.</p>
<p>Alumni clubs around the world donate partial scholarships. Certain alumni groups sponsor scholarships such as the Asian American Alumni Club and the Black American Alumni Club. Other donors of partial scholarships or grants are Town & Gown, Alumnae Club, Jewish Leadership, Topping Scholars and Panhellenic. </p>
<p>I will try to pull up the list of continuing student scholarships posted on an earlier date.</p>
<p>Mitch,</p>
<p>Have you compared the total amount of aid SC gave last year with other large private universities with an endowment similar to SC’s?</p>
<p>No, I haven’t G-Girl. is it high? The only point i was trying gto make is that many students/families are paying 75 to 100% of full tuition. At USC even at 75% with expenses all in…a family will pay $45k…at many schools that would be 100%. Not complaining at all. D is thrilled to be going to USC in the Fall. I am too. I just think she’ll have plenty of company paying $45k, $50k or more. </p>
<p>D did get small schol from her major department, and we’ll be pursuing alumni schol next year, and who knows what else might be available, so we’ll keep looking for those. In the meantime…see you (and others here) at orientation, or in the fall. It’s an exciting time.</p>
<p>After searching I found this source: National Center for Educational Statistics. According to the center University of Southern California does give a large amount of student aid.</p>
<p>Freshmen who receive financial aid directly from USC—63%</p>
<p>Although we were fortunate to receive significant merit aid from USC, I frankly believe that the school gives out too much merit aid and makes up for it by “gapping” students who have financial need. I have heard stories on this site, as well as within our community, of students accepted at USC but not given sufficient need-based aid to be able to attend. Many of these students received more need-based grant money from every other school to which they applied than they did from USC. </p>
<pre><code> One way USC could cut back on the merit money excess is by refusing to let students “stack” scholarships in excess of the cost of tuition. I also think their enrollment management advisors could do a better job of predicting how much money it will take to lure particular students away from higher ranking schools (e.g. some students who received a Trustee scholarship would have been just as willing to attend had they received a Presidential).
</code></pre>