How old do you have to be to be considered independent for financial aid purposes from USC?

Who told you that you will get “tons of financial aid”?

If you are broke and you are a freshman student, you may get some money, but you are a returning transfer.

Do you actually believe they will fund you for $72K per year as an independent student? Have they promised you more money, as an independent student? I don’t believe that to be true.