How should I compare scholarship value between Cornell and USC?

The biggest practical difference is that Cornell’s assistance is primarily need-based, while USC may combine need-based aid with significant merit scholarships. A large USC scholarship can look more dramatic because it is often tied to tuition, but it may still leave housing, food, health insurance, books, and travel largely uncovered. Cornell’s grant may be less visibly labeled as a scholarship yet produce the lower bill once the full cost of attendance is counted.

For each offer, start with that school’s official annual cost of attendance, then subtract only grants and scholarships that do not need to be repaid. Do not subtract federal work-study, expected student employment, or loans, since those are ways to cover costs rather than reductions in cost. Include any parent or student borrowing you would realistically need, plus expenses that vary by campus: flights or ground travel home, winter clothing and travel for Ithaca, USC-area housing choices, and health insurance if it is not waived.

Then compare the packages over four years, not just freshman year. Check whether the award is renewable, the GPA or enrollment requirements for renewal, whether the stated amount is fixed while tuition rises, and whether a need-based grant can change after annual financial-aid review.

The better scholarship value is the option with the lower realistic four-year out-of-pocket cost after nonrepayable aid, provided the renewal terms are manageable. If USC’s merit award leaves a substantially lower net cost even after living expenses, it has the stronger financial case; if Cornell’s need-based grant reduces the full bill more and is stable under your family’s circumstances, Cornell is the more valuable offer.