I assume that you are talking about HSCP. For a school as expensive as USC, I would not even consider HSCP over HPSP. Unlike HPSP, HSCP does not pay your tuition. It simply puts you on active duty and gives you the salary and benefits of an E-6. Assuming you are an unmarried USC student, you would receive $4,382.24/month ($52,586.88/year) before taxes. That sounds like a lot, until you realize that your tuition will cost you $300,000, and you still have to pay Southern California living expenses. HSCP recipients do not receive a signing bonus and will not make O-4 any faster, though time spent in dental school while on HSCP does count toward longevity pay increases and retirement. HSCP is much better suited for people that are attending cheap state schools. Go with HPSP.