<p>@alamemom, thanks for your answer. Or pointing me to the answer.
Seems like there has been a lot of debate over the years about this, and it seems that in the past people who got the $2500, missed out on the $1000/year.</p>
<p>Seems to me that the bigger risk is to decline it.
Also, my son is not 100% settled on USC, and the $2500 needs to be declined/accepted by April 9. He will not be decided by then.</p>
<p>He is 40% UCLA, 40% USC and 20% UCSD</p>
<p>and since $2500(will get no matter where he goes if accepts, and changes school in time)
is greater than
40% of $4000(would get if declines $2500 and goes to USC)</p>
<p>Then mathematically I think I have convinced myself of advising him to accept the $2500
By the way, the % numbers above are a guess, but the conclusion is still correct.</p>
<p>All this and it does not even take into account the time-value-of-money, discounting of future cash flows. :-)</p>
<hr>
<p>By the way I called, and they confirmed my son will get the 1/2 tuition scholarship.
Letters will go out Friday by Postal mail to the recipients.
Will be visible by Monday on usc connect.</p>