<p>Here’s what we got today in the mail from USC:
Cal Grant $9708
University Grant $21,000
Work-study $2500
Subsidized Stafford Loan $3500
Un-Subsidized $2000
Total $39,000</p>
<p>Expected Financial Contribution from us: $14,174</p>
<p>My Fafsa EFC was $5000. I suspect they looked at our equity on our house, and upped the EFC, thinking we would borrow an additional $36,000 on top of the $22,000. If she went to USC, she would graduate with $58,000 in debt. </p>
<p>Many people think this is great, but I am anti-huge debt. It is not worth it to us or to my daughter. </p>
<p>I just want to leave this thread here, so people coming after me can read it and be warned. It has been so difficult through this entire process to get a good grip on costs of college–how much financial can a person qualify for? What does it take to get the merit based scholarships? </p>
<p>People in real life (not on the forums) aren’t willing to talk about these things. I’ve been fumbling around, coaching my daughter, hoping for the best. </p>
<p>Right now we are going back and re-checking all the other offers from other schools. But USC is no longer an option.</p>