@Anewjourney you’re welcome
Regarding results of merit decisions:
Last year was the first year in more than a decade that merit decisions came out after regular decisions. Assumed that was a blip and not the start of a new pattern. Hoping to see them return to updating portals with merit results prior to regular decisions, it was always a great ramp up to decision day. I would think they would want their scholarship kids to have the great news ahead of ivy day release so they can really start “bonding” with USC and the money they are getting.
in 2019 it was the 29th - that’s too late!
2017 & 2018 1-3 days prior to regular decisions
2016 and earlier - sometimes up to a week ahead of regular decisions
Frankly, I am watching to see this site light up with posts because portals are updating with that info anytime! But they are in charge, so we wait, ugh.
Usc admissions Instagram responded to a few people’s comments confirming that merit scholarships decisions will be announced closer to the end of the month.
@CADREAMIN Are these merit decisions for already admitted students or possibly for students who haven’t been admitted yet? Also, do you have any update from your birdie on the time of day portals will be updated? Thanks!
@Benbenson For those admitted in January with merit consideration.
Would these decisions also include smaller merit awards like the dean’s scholarships and departmental scholarships?
@emiliafilms I asked a similar question a little while back and @CADREAMIN had this reply:
Does anyone know if NMF half tuition stacks up with any other school aid like Dean’s and/or departmental scholarships? Thanks!
Last I heard you can’t stack merit scholarships. You only get the biggest out of the ones you qualify for.
WHO ELSE Is terrified yeeeHAW
I am SO nervous!!! I am really hoping for the best for all of us. The fact that all of our decisions are filed away somewhere at this very moment is so nerve-racking!! But it makes me feel a little better that there’s nothing that I can do at this point…
So I have been thinking…A lot of people are losing money during these tough times (my family included)…USC is an expensive school. Also, with all of these travel bans and the overall fear of traveling during this time, I’m wondering what impact these things will have on the number of admitted international students who actually enroll at USC. I’m also wondering if less admitted students will enroll in general because of everything going on with the economy right now…So many people are getting laid off, and I’m just nervous about how this will effect college students. I’m honestly just thinking out loud right now, but I would be interested to hear other thoughts on this matter. Maybe USC has admitted more students than usual in fear of less students enrolling? Or maybe I’m overthinking it. There’s just a lot to think about surrounding this virus.
Just to clarify, merit results are only for those that interviewed. Awards like Dean’s are not part of those and are awarded just after portals update (with another portal update). Departmental or other scholarship also post after results. Decision are just decisions. Takes 3-7 days for FA to post up, although this year, lets face it, they have new criteria to put into place, so let’s hope they can keep that schedule!
They always say end of month. That’s a catch all phrase for anytime now.
Word is portal updates will be early (morning) but folks, USC hasn’t had the smoothest portal update record, so I hesitated to put that out there. They could have some misfires, ha.
Oh well, it’ not like applicants aren’t gonna start checking starting at 12:01 am on the 26th anyway no matter what, so I guess it doesn’t hurt to put that out there.
Every time I log onto FAST, I seem to find a new FA document that’s required for me to submit. If “last-minute” FA documents are not accurate indicators of admission, should I even submit it? Should I wait until decisions on Thursday to fill out the document?
Btw, it’s a Parent Income & Expense Declaration for 2018 and 2019. I was just checking the portal to see if my Veri-tax form was received, and found this in its place. I’ve already submitted 5 different tax-related documents, including the CSS, FAFSA, and a letter explaining my family’s unique situation. What more?!
If our FAST still says Application in Review, does that mean we aren’t accepted? Wouldn’t it be complete by now?
@sassycassie5896 I think everyone who has applied for FA is in the same boat. If past trends continue this year, USC won’t be sending FA packages until after decisions are released. They’d have the weekend + a few more days to complete all of the packages.
@emiliafilms Did you apply for Film/TV in those schools?
@VivienL Yeah, I applied to each school for film production. Waitlisted at Chapman and LMU, denied from UCLA, now just waiting on USC (and praying for a yes!!) But if USC is a no-go, I’ll just attend community college in the fall to save money, then transfer in as a sophomore via my local CC’s USC transfer program.
@WWWard You are so right about the unpredictability of this process. My DD has been accepted to 9 schools, WL at 1. The one wait-list is at a school that has a way higher rate of acceptance than the nine that accepted her! Go figure! However, it was for an impacted, much sought after program. I’m sure that has lots to do with it as well. We, like so many others, await USC and then she’ll have choices to make. 
But, she made it perfectly clear at the beginning of this whole process that she would not be heartbroken if any one school does not accept her. She was perfectly ready and willing to attend SMCC and transfer to UCLA, if they did not accept her, which they did not. And she was fine. I’M the one that’s the mess! LOL! Anyway, great advice you gave, Ward! Best of luck to everyone!
@VivienL curious the 9 other schools that had lower acceptance rates than UCLA which is at about 12%? This is what you said " My DD has been accepted to 9 schools, WL at 1. The one wait-list is at a school that has a way higher rate of acceptance than the nine that accepted her!." This is confusing because you state UCLA did not accept her, so I am assuming that was the Waitlist??? If UCLA is the one waitlist school that has a way higher rate of acceptance than the other 9 that accepted her - curious what those other 9 were???