USC Financial Aid vs. NPC

[emmastevens]

Hello! I was just recently admitted to USC, but have yet to recieve a financial aid package. I ran the Net Price Calculator and while MyInTuition returned a normal result, the other USC net price calculator gave around $35K before loans and work-study (SAI between 9K and 11K), which is around $15K higher than the amount given by other meets-full-need but not no-loan schools. Is this accurate, or just a glitch? There already any additional or unusual sources of income present…

Also, does anyone know how the USC National Merit Scholarship would affect need-based aid if it far exceeds the $20K amount of that scholarship? Thanks!

[tsbna44]

Use the NPC. The My Intuition is a generic type thing that isn’t dialed in.

Hopefully it will be affordable for you. But you’ll never know til you see the offer as all schools calculate need differently.

Your question about “stackability” - could easily be asked. So write or call the financial aid department and ask.

Good luck - I hope the price comes in right for you or that you have affordable alternatives.

Best of luck.

[Mwfan1921]

I agree with tsbna to only use the NPC, do not use MyIntuition which doesn’t have as many inputs and can return an unhelpful COA range.

USC does tend to be less generous than many other meet full need schools. The NPC does seem high for someone with your SAI

@emmastevens

There already any additional or unusual sources of income present…

I’m not sure what this means? Does your family have high assets? USC doesn’t consider home equity, but is there a second home or investment property? Other things that can cause curious results are if the parents are divorced, or if a parent owns a business…are any of those the case for you?

Here’s USC’s stacking info, but I agree best to talk with someone there: https://financialaid.usc.edu/undergraduate-financial-aid/admitted-and-continuing-students/scholarship-guide/