I got accepted to USC and their Freshman Science Honors at Dornsife College. My intended major is biological science and I am wondering whether or not going to USC is worth it. USC is an out-of-state college for me and the cost to complete a year is still pretty high (I received 66k in scholarship and grant to pay for an annual 77k tuition). I’ve heard some pieces of advice saying that it is not worth going out of state for college and end up in high debt. Not to mention, some of the pieces advice also says that it’s more advantageous to stay near home and have support from family during the four years of undergraduate university. However, the honors program advertises that they would allow me to have more opportunities for researches, building relationship with professors and friends who are also in honors, and recognition. Considering the cost and the benefits, should I go out of state for a well-known college if I got accepted to their science honor programs?
USC is a private, so it doesn’t matter if you are OOS.
What are your other options?
What goals?
How will you pay for USC?
So your total Cost of Attendance (COA) to attend USC will be $11K per year? You do realize that is a great deal and probably much less than paying in state tuition at your flagship state school!
So…you will have about $44,000 in debt after four years? At University of Southern California?
$27,000 of that will be your Direct Loans…who will take the remaining loans out for you…or co-sign them.
That sounds like a great award to me…if you can pay the balances.
What other options do you have? Hard to say if this is terrific for you without knowing other options you have.
ETA…you have not even started college and you want to know how to transfer to Harvard? Why?
I’m currently living in Texas and my other options are to go to TCU in Fort Worth, which would cost about 44k for four years and UT Dallas, which would cost me about 38k for four years. I plan to have my parents pay for my tuition for 1 year. I want to pay the remaining years by applying to more scholarships or working. I am unsure whether or not the credential of a university can have a large impact on job prospects and can provide more opportunities like internships. What I know now is that I should stay away from debt as much as possible. Not to mention, the exact cost that I have to pay for 1 year at USC is $11,750, which would be $47,000 for the entire four years.
Do you have the $11,750 for this year at USC? Do you already have the $5500 Direct Loan in your package from them? If not…that would be worth taking…then you would have $6500 balance to pay…right?
I’m not sure this is a realistic expectation. Get a job NOW and reduce the costs your family needs to pay EACH of the four years you are in college.
How much can they pay annually? If they can pay $6500, and you take the Direct Loan, you are good to go, right?
Small loans are fine. The costs seems similar. USC has the best alumni network and national recognition of the 3. So why the hangup?
USC offered me about $8,250 in loan & work to pay, which would make the remaining cost be $3,500. My parents said that they can pay for my college this year only since my parents don’t make a lot of money each year. I hesitated because I have to travel far away from home for the first time and I was kind of overwhelmed with the cost of living in CA after graduation. USC indeed would give me a good education but I was afraid to take the risk. I want to minimize the cost as much as possible since I want to spend most of my money on graduate school (I intended to be a forensic analyst or an endocrinologist). Does anyone know how much loan is considered a lot or unreasonable?
The $27,000 total over four years in Direct Loans for you is reasonable.
You don’t have to LIVE in CA after you graduate.
No brainer. $3500 per year for USC. And similar cost vs TCU and UT Dallas? Definitely USC.
USC!
What a great package!
TCU and UTD aren’t in the same league as USC and difference between cost of attendance for you at all three is not high enough to make any compromise. In your case, minor cost difference at USC is worth it unless you prefer staying near family in Texas.
@fbnfkdgbf Homesickness is the only reason to turn down the USC offer. If that can be handled, enjoy accepting the offer and embrace the Trojan family.