Should financial aid in private school be stricter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a really complicated issue that most people of means really don’t understand. Public school is set up and resourced to provide a social safety net that poor kids need. Things like free breakfast and lunch, free after care, school funded interventions for special needs that arise, free transportation, childcare during some breaks, free summer camp etc.

I’ve seen first hand through family members how much of a struggle it is to place a truly poor kid in an expensive private school. Most schools do not give full aid, and even in cases where a school gives 99% aid, a truly poor family will struggle to pay that 1% b/c they can barely keep the lights on. And that’s before they even can think about covering all those other services that I mentioned public schools provide.

That’s not to say a poor kid cannot benefit from a private school education, but it’s a lot more complicated than people on this thread realize and if a school is going to take that on, it’s a much bigger commitment than just providing tuition.

beyond financials, truly poor families are also going to be more likely to have other social issues like unstable housing that might impact the child’s ability to get to school. The parents are less likely to be highly educated and may not be able to help provide academic support themselves and at the same time, they also don’t have the resources to pay for tutors.

People with means in private school have no idea the level of support the public school system provides to poor kids. It’s above and beyond what private schools provide.

I understand that, but you are generalizing that poor families won’t be able to cope with private schools. Certainly some might not. But I truly believe that talented hardworking kids not only could benefit from financial at private schools but also could be a very positive addition to the community. Most families in dc do live in a bubbly and are not really interested in interacting with people outside the bubble. In response to your point. You can get poor kids that are a mismatch for the school, but it is the responsibility of the admission office to get a good match. Might it be hard to recruit kids from low income families ? Yes. Then school should work harder to get them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really complicated issue that most people of means really don’t understand. Public school is set up and resourced to provide a social safety net that poor kids need. Things like free breakfast and lunch, free after care, school funded interventions for special needs that arise, free transportation, childcare during some breaks, free summer camp etc.

I’ve seen first hand through family members how much of a struggle it is to place a truly poor kid in an expensive private school. Most schools do not give full aid, and even in cases where a school gives 99% aid, a truly poor family will struggle to pay that 1% b/c they can barely keep the lights on. And that’s before they even can think about covering all those other services that I mentioned public schools provide.

That’s not to say a poor kid cannot benefit from a private school education, but it’s a lot more complicated than people on this thread realize and if a school is going to take that on, it’s a much bigger commitment than just providing tuition.

beyond financials, truly poor families are also going to be more likely to have other social issues like unstable housing that might impact the child’s ability to get to school. The parents are less likely to be highly educated and may not be able to help provide academic support themselves and at the same time, they also don’t have the resources to pay for tutors.

People with means in private school have no idea the level of support the public school system provides to poor kids. It’s above and beyond what private schools provide.

I understand that, but you are generalizing that poor families won’t be able to cope with private schools. Certainly some might not. But I truly believe that talented hardworking kids not only could benefit from financial at private schools but also could be a very positive addition to the community. Most families in dc do live in a bubbly and are not really interested in interacting with people outside the bubble. In response to your point. You can get poor kids that are a mismatch for the school, but it is the responsibility of the admission office to get a good match. Might it be hard to recruit kids from low income families ? Yes. Then school should work harder to get them.

What is the school/school community getting out of all this work to bring in more poor students? I live in DC, I can interact with poor kids anytime. Why should I subsidize their tuition at my children’s private school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really complicated issue that most people of means really don’t understand. Public school is set up and resourced to provide a social safety net that poor kids need. Things like free breakfast and lunch, free after care, school funded interventions for special needs that arise, free transportation, childcare during some breaks, free summer camp etc.

I’ve seen first hand through family members how much of a struggle it is to place a truly poor kid in an expensive private school. Most schools do not give full aid, and even in cases where a school gives 99% aid, a truly poor family will struggle to pay that 1% b/c they can barely keep the lights on. And that’s before they even can think about covering all those other services that I mentioned public schools provide.

That’s not to say a poor kid cannot benefit from a private school education, but it’s a lot more complicated than people on this thread realize and if a school is going to take that on, it’s a much bigger commitment than just providing tuition.

beyond financials, truly poor families are also going to be more likely to have other social issues like unstable housing that might impact the child’s ability to get to school. The parents are less likely to be highly educated and may not be able to help provide academic support themselves and at the same time, they also don’t have the resources to pay for tutors.

People with means in private school have no idea the level of support the public school system provides to poor kids. It’s above and beyond what private schools provide.

I understand that, but you are generalizing that poor families won’t be able to cope with private schools. Certainly some might not. But I truly believe that talented hardworking kids not only could benefit from financial at private schools but also could be a very positive addition to the community. Most families in dc do live in a bubbly and are not really interested in interacting with people outside the bubble. In response to your point. You can get poor kids that are a mismatch for the school, but it is the responsibility of the admission office to get a good match. Might it be hard to recruit kids from low income families ? Yes. Then school should work harder to get them.

No, not at all. I’m suggesting that if private schools really want to welcome truly poor kids into their community, they need to be prepared to provide support that goes beyond the classroom and free tuition in order to ensure they’re set up for success. If you’ve ever studied anthropology, this is why they talk about getting into the “thick of it” and seeking to understand a culture before making policies that affect it. I think a lot of people are idealizing this concept of giving financial aid for private schools to the poorest kids without understanding or even considering the broader context. There’s a reason public schools, especially those in poor neighborhoods, provide all the services I mentioned and most private schools are not set up that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really complicated issue that most people of means really don’t understand. Public school is set up and resourced to provide a social safety net that poor kids need. Things like free breakfast and lunch, free after care, school funded interventions for special needs that arise, free transportation, childcare during some breaks, free summer camp etc.

I’ve seen first hand through family members how much of a struggle it is to place a truly poor kid in an expensive private school. Most schools do not give full aid, and even in cases where a school gives 99% aid, a truly poor family will struggle to pay that 1% b/c they can barely keep the lights on. And that’s before they even can think about covering all those other services that I mentioned public schools provide.

That’s not to say a poor kid cannot benefit from a private school education, but it’s a lot more complicated than people on this thread realize and if a school is going to take that on, it’s a much bigger commitment than just providing tuition.

beyond financials, truly poor families are also going to be more likely to have other social issues like unstable housing that might impact the child’s ability to get to school. The parents are less likely to be highly educated and may not be able to help provide academic support themselves and at the same time, they also don’t have the resources to pay for tutors.

People with means in private school have no idea the level of support the public school system provides to poor kids. It’s above and beyond what private schools provide.

I understand that, but you are generalizing that poor families won’t be able to cope with private schools. Certainly some might not. But I truly believe that talented hardworking kids not only could benefit from financial at private schools but also could be a very positive addition to the community. Most families in dc do live in a bubbly and are not really interested in interacting with people outside the bubble. In response to your point. You can get poor kids that are a mismatch for the school, but it is the responsibility of the admission office to get a good match. Might it be hard to recruit kids from low income families ? Yes. Then school should work harder to get them.

What is the school/school community getting out of all this work to bring in more poor students? I live in DC, I can interact with poor kids anytime. Why should I subsidize their tuition at my children’s private school?

Well, isn’t that the concept of diversity and inclusion championed by all private schools? Maybe is just façade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really complicated issue that most people of means really don’t understand. Public school is set up and resourced to provide a social safety net that poor kids need. Things like free breakfast and lunch, free after care, school funded interventions for special needs that arise, free transportation, childcare during some breaks, free summer camp etc.

I’ve seen first hand through family members how much of a struggle it is to place a truly poor kid in an expensive private school. Most schools do not give full aid, and even in cases where a school gives 99% aid, a truly poor family will struggle to pay that 1% b/c they can barely keep the lights on. And that’s before they even can think about covering all those other services that I mentioned public schools provide.

That’s not to say a poor kid cannot benefit from a private school education, but it’s a lot more complicated than people on this thread realize and if a school is going to take that on, it’s a much bigger commitment than just providing tuition.

beyond financials, truly poor families are also going to be more likely to have other social issues like unstable housing that might impact the child’s ability to get to school. The parents are less likely to be highly educated and may not be able to help provide academic support themselves and at the same time, they also don’t have the resources to pay for tutors.

People with means in private school have no idea the level of support the public school system provides to poor kids. It’s above and beyond what private schools provide.

I understand that, but you are generalizing that poor families won’t be able to cope with private schools. Certainly some might not. But I truly believe that talented hardworking kids not only could benefit from financial at private schools but also could be a very positive addition to the community. Most families in dc do live in a bubbly and are not really interested in interacting with people outside the bubble. In response to your point. You can get poor kids that are a mismatch for the school, but it is the responsibility of the admission office to get a good match. Might it be hard to recruit kids from low income families ? Yes. Then school should work harder to get them.

No, not at all. I’m suggesting that if private schools really want to welcome truly poor kids into their community, they need to be prepared to provide support that goes beyond the classroom and free tuition in order to ensure they’re set up for success. If you’ve ever studied anthropology, this is why they talk about getting into the “thick of it” and seeking to understand a culture before making policies that affect it. I think a lot of people are idealizing this concept of giving financial aid for private schools to the poorest kids without understanding or even considering the broader context. There’s a reason public schools, especially those in poor neighborhoods, provide all the services I mentioned and most private schools are not set up that way.

That’s a good point. Now, you could gather a lot of information about the actual behavior of low income kids in public schools and try to pick the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really complicated issue that most people of means really don’t understand. Public school is set up and resourced to provide a social safety net that poor kids need. Things like free breakfast and lunch, free after care, school funded interventions for special needs that arise, free transportation, childcare during some breaks, free summer camp etc.

I’ve seen first hand through family members how much of a struggle it is to place a truly poor kid in an expensive private school. Most schools do not give full aid, and even in cases where a school gives 99% aid, a truly poor family will struggle to pay that 1% b/c they can barely keep the lights on. And that’s before they even can think about covering all those other services that I mentioned public schools provide.

That’s not to say a poor kid cannot benefit from a private school education, but it’s a lot more complicated than people on this thread realize and if a school is going to take that on, it’s a much bigger commitment than just providing tuition.

beyond financials, truly poor families are also going to be more likely to have other social issues like unstable housing that might impact the child’s ability to get to school. The parents are less likely to be highly educated and may not be able to help provide academic support themselves and at the same time, they also don’t have the resources to pay for tutors.

People with means in private school have no idea the level of support the public school system provides to poor kids. It’s above and beyond what private schools provide.

I understand that, but you are generalizing that poor families won’t be able to cope with private schools. Certainly some might not. But I truly believe that talented hardworking kids not only could benefit from financial at private schools but also could be a very positive addition to the community. Most families in dc do live in a bubbly and are not really interested in interacting with people outside the bubble. In response to your point. You can get poor kids that are a mismatch for the school, but it is the responsibility of the admission office to get a good match. Might it be hard to recruit kids from low income families ? Yes. Then school should work harder to get them.

What is the school/school community getting out of all this work to bring in more poor students? I live in DC, I can interact with poor kids anytime. Why should I subsidize their tuition at my children’s private school?

Well, isn’t that the concept of diversity and inclusion championed by all private schools? Maybe is just façade.

Have you considered that there are limits to the level of economic diversity private schools can afford? Providing financial aid for a LMC (but relatively stable) family with a high achieving student? Sure. Providing aid for a family at risk of homelessness is another story. Once again, what is the school community getting out of having students from the latter group?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really complicated issue that most people of means really don’t understand. Public school is set up and resourced to provide a social safety net that poor kids need. Things like free breakfast and lunch, free after care, school funded interventions for special needs that arise, free transportation, childcare during some breaks, free summer camp etc.

I’ve seen first hand through family members how much of a struggle it is to place a truly poor kid in an expensive private school. Most schools do not give full aid, and even in cases where a school gives 99% aid, a truly poor family will struggle to pay that 1% b/c they can barely keep the lights on. And that’s before they even can think about covering all those other services that I mentioned public schools provide.

That’s not to say a poor kid cannot benefit from a private school education, but it’s a lot more complicated than people on this thread realize and if a school is going to take that on, it’s a much bigger commitment than just providing tuition.

beyond financials, truly poor families are also going to be more likely to have other social issues like unstable housing that might impact the child’s ability to get to school. The parents are less likely to be highly educated and may not be able to help provide academic support themselves and at the same time, they also don’t have the resources to pay for tutors.

People with means in private school have no idea the level of support the public school system provides to poor kids. It’s above and beyond what private schools provide.

I understand that, but you are generalizing that poor families won’t be able to cope with private schools. Certainly some might not. But I truly believe that talented hardworking kids not only could benefit from financial at private schools but also could be a very positive addition to the community. Most families in dc do live in a bubbly and are not really interested in interacting with people outside the bubble. In response to your point. You can get poor kids that are a mismatch for the school, but it is the responsibility of the admission office to get a good match. Might it be hard to recruit kids from low income families ? Yes. Then school should work harder to get them.

What is the school/school community getting out of all this work to bring in more poor students? I live in DC, I can interact with poor kids anytime. Why should I subsidize their tuition at my children’s private school?

Well, isn’t that the concept of diversity and inclusion championed by all private schools? Maybe is just façade.

Have you considered that there are limits to the level of economic diversity private schools can afford? Providing financial aid for a LMC (but relatively stable) family with a high achieving student? Sure. Providing aid for a family at risk of homelessness is another story. Once again, what is the school community getting out of having students from the latter group?

I meant to say that providing aid, and wraparound services, for a family at risk of homelessness is another story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really complicated issue that most people of means really don’t understand. Public school is set up and resourced to provide a social safety net that poor kids need. Things like free breakfast and lunch, free after care, school funded interventions for special needs that arise, free transportation, childcare during some breaks, free summer camp etc.

I’ve seen first hand through family members how much of a struggle it is to place a truly poor kid in an expensive private school. Most schools do not give full aid, and even in cases where a school gives 99% aid, a truly poor family will struggle to pay that 1% b/c they can barely keep the lights on. And that’s before they even can think about covering all those other services that I mentioned public schools provide.

That’s not to say a poor kid cannot benefit from a private school education, but it’s a lot more complicated than people on this thread realize and if a school is going to take that on, it’s a much bigger commitment than just providing tuition.

beyond financials, truly poor families are also going to be more likely to have other social issues like unstable housing that might impact the child’s ability to get to school. The parents are less likely to be highly educated and may not be able to help provide academic support themselves and at the same time, they also don’t have the resources to pay for tutors.

People with means in private school have no idea the level of support the public school system provides to poor kids. It’s above and beyond what private schools provide.

I understand that, but you are generalizing that poor families won’t be able to cope with private schools. Certainly some might not. But I truly believe that talented hardworking kids not only could benefit from financial at private schools but also could be a very positive addition to the community. Most families in dc do live in a bubbly and are not really interested in interacting with people outside the bubble. In response to your point. You can get poor kids that are a mismatch for the school, but it is the responsibility of the admission office to get a good match. Might it be hard to recruit kids from low income families ? Yes. Then school should work harder to get them.

What is the school/school community getting out of all this work to bring in more poor students? I live in DC, I can interact with poor kids anytime. Why should I subsidize their tuition at my children’s private school?

Well, isn’t that the concept of diversity and inclusion championed by all private schools? Maybe is just façade.

Have you considered that there are limits to the level of economic diversity private schools can afford? Providing financial aid for a LMC (but relatively stable) family with a high achieving student? Sure. Providing aid for a family at risk of homelessness is another story. Once again, what is the school community getting out of having students from the latter group?

I understand that you have a preference for a members of the community. I am UMC and donate money for financial aid. The question is if it’s acceptable a system that provides financial aid to UMC families with good salaries. Or you start to prioritize low income families. This is nothing crazy. It’s what many Ivy League universities do.

[Anonymous]

I am “LMC” and my kid benefits from financial aid. It’s very uncomfortable to ask for aid. But I do it anyway, and the result is that this school has been lifechanging for my child.

That said, I have no idea who else receives aid much less if they are UMC or not. I can’t imagine having the nerve to do that! If I had the money I would just pay, but I don’t.

How do people claim to know who receives aid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am “LMC” and my kid benefits from financial aid. It’s very uncomfortable to ask for aid. But I do it anyway, and the result is that this school has been lifechanging for my child.

That said, I have no idea who else receives aid much less if they are UMC or not. I can’t imagine having the nerve to do that! If I had the money I would just pay, but I don’t.

How do people claim to know who receives aid?

Most people assume that families are on FA based in where they live or the houses they live in, conversations about career/jobs, what the kids share with each others regarding club sports, vacations, and gifts etc. A few family may actually share that received FA but I think this is rare.

My brother received FA at a boarding school in the Northeast. They made him work part-time on campus as part of the FA package, so it was very clear we were on FA. They don’t do that anymore. Regardless, it was very clear we were not like the others.

[Anonymous]

FA policies at university and college are different than what can reasonably be expected at small private schools like those in the DMV. The private schools do not have the endowments to be able to offer admission need blind and many cannot even offer full scholarships. I'm not sure why PP keeps bringing back the comparison to what the Ivys are doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of schools devoting a lot of effort in fundraising for financial aid, and the importance of financial to support diversity and families in need.

However, when I see the families that are using financial aid I see only upper middle class families with several children, and not even top performers.

Shouldn’t fínancial aid be stricter (let’s say truly low income households) and perhaps the brightest or athletic chidlren from middle class families.

In its current form (at least in my children’s school) the financial aid looks pretty much like a giveaway for well off parents. Does anyone observe the same pattern?

Yes! They should be Stricker. Now families who are not US citizens , lived their live outside of Us, are coming to receive FA and then returning to home country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FA policies at university and college are different than what can reasonably be expected at small private schools like those in the DMV. The private schools do not have the endowments to be able to offer admission need blind and many cannot even offer full scholarships. I'm not sure why PP keeps bringing back the comparison to what the Ivys are doing.

That’s precisely my point. FA aid resources are limited. Should priority be given to low income families? What’s so difficult to understand?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of schools devoting a lot of effort in fundraising for financial aid, and the importance of financial to support diversity and families in need.

However, when I see the families that are using financial aid I see only upper middle class families with several children, and not even top performers.

Shouldn’t fínancial aid be stricter (let’s say truly low income households) and perhaps the brightest or athletic chidlren from middle class families.

In its current form (at least in my children’s school) the financial aid looks pretty much like a giveaway for well off parents. Does anyone observe the same pattern?

Yes! They should be Stricker. Now families who are not US citizens , lived their live outside of Us, are coming to receive FA and then returning to home country.

So only FA to families born in the US? Even if the kids are legal residents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of schools devoting a lot of effort in fundraising for financial aid, and the importance of financial to support diversity and families in need.

However, when I see the families that are using financial aid I see only upper middle class families with several children, and not even top performers.

Shouldn’t fínancial aid be stricter (let’s say truly low income households) and perhaps the brightest or athletic chidlren from middle class families.

In its current form (at least in my children’s school) the financial aid looks pretty much like a giveaway for well off parents. Does anyone observe the same pattern?

Yes! They should be Stricker. Now families who are not US citizens , lived their live outside of Us, are coming to receive FA and then returning to home country.

So only FA to families born in the US? Even if the kids are legal residents?

US citizens? Yes!
Legal residents, green card and visa holders, and undocumented residents? No. Public school or pay the full tuition.