<p>"I think your question doesn’t bode well for your future because you appear stuck on putting people into “better than” and “less than” buckets to bolster your case. Absent of any qualitative data, you can’t be sure what those stats really mean. You don’t know anything about the people that are included in those stats.</p>
<p>Again - USC isn’t “making” money off any of the students they accept even as Freshman. The tuition even for full-pays does not completely cover the cost of operations. Hence fundraising. And some of the donors may have also put stipulations on how their money is to be allocated. Certainly I designate dollars for scholarships at my alma mater. But some of my peers make their bequests more specific.</p>
<p>Here’s the deal. As a private institution, USC can take whomever it wants and under what ever circumstances it wants. It has many more applicants than slots and can afford to be choosy. And this year USC turned tens of thousands of qualified applicants away. Some may have made the calculation that knocking out GE’s at a community college was a way to save money (considerable cost differential between the two) and jump in just as many majors are ramping up the degree requirements. Frankly, it’s a risky but smart move for those who don’t have options.</p>
<p>But not everyone can go to a BC (et al.) Without significant aid, many are left only with a CC option (and that includes a lot of middle class students). They’re all bright and capable of doing the work.</p>
<p>USC has many wealthy alum. And frankly - a lot of hard working students who need aid the beginning turn into future donors after graduation.</p>
<p>So you might want to rethink your current position as being a “get into USC with ease” pass. It’s not. What you might want to ask is “what did those students have that makes them attractive - aid or no aid.” I suspect it goes beyond stats. I suspect its their attitude and approach to life."</p>
<p>Outstanding post</p>