Los Angeles, CA – On Thursday, February 20, 2020, the University of Southern California (USC) announced plans to phase in free tuition for students of families with annual incomes of less than $80,000—homeownership will not be calculated when determining a student’s financial need. The change will be phased in over time beginning with first-year students entering the school during the fall of 2020 and the spring of 2021. “This significant step we are taking today is by no means the end of our affordability journey,” explained USC President Carol L. Folt. USC said it also plans to increase undergraduate aid by more than $30 million annually. After being caught up in the 2019 college admissions scandal, USC appears to be charting a new way forward.
USC Offers Free Tuition—Mea Culpa?
