<p>What is your EFC? And aren’t you Presidential?</p>
<p>well my fafsa EFC was 20K, but I guess they bumped my USC EFC up an additional 28K? Idk I called them and all they could say was I could submit an appeal letter, but it’s not even worth the effort. I’ll get at best like 5K extra?</p>
<p>Is it incomplete? Mine only says presidential for 19k, nothing else. No cal grants, no pell grants, 0 EFC, 0 COA, although I am receiving pell/cal grants at other colleges, so I’m guessing mine is incomplete. I was too impatient to wait and confirm that on the phone though.</p>
<p>I agree longnguyen, yours does sound like its incomplete. You should have a COA. Have you contacted Financial Aid?</p>
<p>nate, it must be due to your home equity and/or the other assets you listed on you CSS Profile. Our EFC was hiked up by about $14,000. It won’t hurt to appeal, but you will probably need your EFC to be reduced back down to the $20,000 range to make a meaningful difference.</p>
<p>I’m going to call back and see if it’s incomplete.</p>
<p>I called and they said it’s complete so I guess that’s that. I really like USC so maybe I’ll apply as a transfer next year or go for grad school but with this package there is just no way I can pay 200K flat out.</p>
<p>I got an extremely good offer, but they thought I was commuting.</p>
<p>Called just now and they said that the updated offer would be available Friday. Hopefully it’s not too much more.</p>
<p>I’m expected to pay 1800 + 5500 in loans, so I’m extremely happy with that.</p>
<p>Bummer nate. That is a drag, I’m really sorry to hear USC is out of the picture for you now. Does that mean you are headed to NYU?</p>
<p>yah I think so. I think hearing back from USC was really all I needed to push me toward NYU. I was considering Bard, but I know at heart I need the city.</p>
<p>Not a bad option at all. NYU is a great school and they have a great communications program. Stick to the large metropolitan markets for Journalism, its all about connections.</p>
<p>It’s halfway through April and my Dad STILL hasn’t turned in his 2008 tax return. I’ve been asking him to do it for months, told him the due date was March 2nd, but he just keeps pushing it off…</p>
<p>My questions:
1] Am I going to get horrible financial aid? My EFC is like $300, so money’s a huge issue.
2] If my Dad were to turn it in sometime soon, would I even hear back from USC before May 1st?</p>
<p>ugh I had a dream that I got 0 financial aid and I started crying in my sleep hahah 
this waiting sucks! coz my parents aren’t gonna be able to pay for USC when making 37k a year :(</p>
<p>fyi, just called USC financial aid office to inquire about my package. they put me on hold, then came back to say, there was a “computer glitch” and my file was not reviewed yet. told me i would have info in 2days… CALLLLLLL!!!</p>
<p>Yeah I just called about 5 minutes ago too. My file was incomplete, they said it’d hopefully be done by Friday. On another note, the USC staff is really nice, and I almost felt bad for bothering them.</p>
<p>longnguyen- are you a spring admit or fall???</p>
<p>I was a presidential scholar, so fall. Surprisingly, I received a 2009 Spring Reception card today. Must of been a mistake, but I forgot to ask them about it. I turned in a few of my fin aid documents late though, if that makes a difference.</p>
<p>wait, quick finanial aid question. i read earlier in this thread that outside scholarships are not meant to reduce the COA… is this true?</p>
<p>longnguyen: the spring reception card is the admitted students reception. its just called that because…well, its spring :)</p>
<p>Hm. Then my spring admitted friend got one by accident. haha</p>