are World Bank families at an advantage?

[Anonymous]

Perhaps this post shoud be closed now. The answer to OP's question is ...

No, World Bank families are not at an advantage because they don't get allowances for private school and therefore don't save on tuition.

What more is there to say ... ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Just curious, do you think schools like World Bank families (who fit the criteria for tuition reimbursement) more than other applicant families because tuition is a given, they instantly add an international flair to the parent body, and they are more likely to donate to annual giving since they save on all that tuition?

In answer to the part of the question about donating, I don't think the WB families who get subsidized for their tuition are likely to donate the extra cash that they don't pay in tuition. Other than for the Americans working there, the people from outside the US come from countries where it's the families or government who take care of their needs, not donations from strangers, voluntary organizations.

[Anonymous]

But World Bank families do not get payment for private schools, whether they are American or from overseas.

IMF families do, though ...

And Americans are not the only people who make donations to private schools!

[Anonymous]

Ahem. I think there is some confusion.

SOME World Bank staff do get tuition reimbursements, up to 75% of the tuition (or $22,000, whichever is less). The ones who DO get the tuition reimbursement are NOT Americans or US Nationals. They have to be here on a G4 Visa. Even among those who are NOT Americans or US Nationals, some do not get tuition assistance, since the World Bank has phased that entitlement out (but has grandfathered those already in). Bottom line: Non US citizens and nationals who joined the Bank before they phased out the tuition reimbursements get SUBSTANTIAL assistance with paying for private schools.

However, I don't think that in any way impacts admissions. For one, the people who donate large amounts of money are not the WB people. Even with tuition assistance, the World Bank staff remain salaried, and unable to contribute in the ways truly wealthy Washington families can. Second, those who get tuition reimbursement are, de facto, not as invested in the DC community as these wealthy Washington families (given that this is a temporary home). So the incentive to contribute is lower. The huge donations made to schools are made by families who want to impress others in the school and community, but that is partly because they are going to remain within this community for a long time. This is a long-term investment. Finally, the PP is right that this anonymously directed charity is an American phenomenon. Around the rest of the world, contributions are made more often to families and people in their own communities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps this post shoud be closed now. The answer to OP's question is ...

No, World Bank families are not at an advantage because they don't get allowances for private school and therefore don't save on tuition.

What more is there to say ... ?

Not strictly true. There are several families receiving the education benefit. This benefit was stopped and grandfathered in 1998. Alot of people work at the bank for their whole professional lives so many were there when the benefit was still awarded and still receive it today. In addition expats now receive a mobility premium which is a decent amount that can be used towards tuition.

However I do not know whether this benefit gives them a comparative advantage. Only a member of an admissions department at one of the schools can answer that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But World Bank families do not get payment for private schools, whether they are American or from overseas.

IMF families do, though ...

And Americans are not the only people who make donations to private schools!

At the world bank this expat benefit has been replaced by a mobility premium which is received over 10 years and can be used towards tuition.

[Anonymous]

Wow. Sorry your experiences have been so negative, but I work in an profession with lots of high earners, and I've also worked in the public interest field with lots of smart people who didn't earn that much, relatively speaking, and each group has jerks, nice people, insecure people, et al. Having money doesn't mean you're a snob, and not having it doesn't make you a nicer person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
And Americans are not the only people who make donations to private schools!

I am not a flag waver and don't believe that Americans are the "best in the world", however, volunteerism and donations are a strong component of the American culture. I haven't witnessed it anywhere else in the world. Elsewhere in the world (outside of Western Europe), I see a lot of financial help for other family members, whether it's to put a roof over their head or help in starting a business or helping elderly parents or they have the government taking care of the social welfare needs of its citizenry.

Many non-Americans at the WB hang out with the other (recent or long-term) expats, generally part of their own familiar cultural/ethnic group. They may be here for 5 years or 25, they still stick to their own communities. That's true of Americans living abroad also. So in sticking to their own communities, they don't embrace the local community to consider making donations. Americans also make donations for tax deductible reasons. This tax deductible benefit is irrelevant to those WB staff in the US on G-4 (diplomatic) visas since they do not pay any income tax in the US.

I stand by my statement that the majority of the non-American WB people do not make regular donations to (affluent) private schools and local non-profits serving the underprivileged.

[Anonymous]

So they're at a disadvantage for getting into schools (since their not likely to donate) .... ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So they're at a disadvantage for getting into schools (since their not likely to donate) .... ?

Yes and no to this query. And yes and no to the OP.

It is one way a school can build up diversity in a "safe" way (there has to be a better word, sorry). You don't have to dip into your financial aid coffers. You don't have to think about taking a DC with slightly lower test scores. On the other hand, no one wants to become the "international" school, even WIS. They want a core group of quintisessentially American (WASPs or approximations), well connected insiders (which very few World Bank/IMF employees are), who will stay the duration (13 years in some cases), contribute gobs of money, have graduates who go on to all the best US colleges and universities, give money back to the school, who in turn breed, continue to give money to the school, send their DCs to the same school, and continue the cycle over and over.

So the bottom line is that all of the fancy privates will scramble to take a number of these World Bank families, but only up to a point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
And Americans are not the only people who make donations to private schools!

I am not a flag waver and don't believe that Americans are the "best in the world", however, volunteerism and donations are a strong component of the American culture. I haven't witnessed it anywhere else in the world. Elsewhere in the world (outside of Western Europe), I see a lot of financial help for other family members, whether it's to put a roof over their head or help in starting a business or helping elderly parents or they have the government taking care of the social welfare needs of its citizenry.

Many non-Americans at the WB hang out with the other (recent or long-term) expats, generally part of their own familiar cultural/ethnic group. They may be here for 5 years or 25, they still stick to their own communities. That's true of Americans living abroad also. So in sticking to their own communities, they don't embrace the local community to consider making donations. Americans also make donations for tax deductible reasons. This tax deductible benefit is irrelevant to those WB staff in the US on G-4 (diplomatic) visas since they do not pay any income tax in the US.

I stand by my statement that the majority of the non-American WB people do not make regular donations to (affluent) private schools and local non-profits serving the underprivileged.

At my son's school the donations are published at I often see the names of my WB/IMF fruends who do donate a good deal of money. I am an expat at one of those institions ans we always donate at the very least as much as the tuition gap but mostly more.

[Anonymous]

I love all the WB/IMF families at Washington Episcopal. They really do enhance my children's learning experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
And Americans are not the only people who make donations to private schools!

I am not a flag waver and don't believe that Americans are the "best in the world", however, volunteerism and donations are a strong component of the American culture. I haven't witnessed it anywhere else in the world. Elsewhere in the world (outside of Western Europe), I see a lot of financial help for other family members, whether it's to put a roof over their head or help in starting a business or helping elderly parents or they have the government taking care of the social welfare needs of its citizenry.

Many non-Americans at the WB hang out with the other (recent or long-term) expats, generally part of their own familiar cultural/ethnic group. They may be here for 5 years or 25, they still stick to their own communities. That's true of Americans living abroad also. So in sticking to their own communities, they don't embrace the local community to consider making donations. Americans also make donations for tax deductible reasons. This tax deductible benefit is irrelevant to those WB staff in the US on G-4 (diplomatic) visas since they do not pay any income tax in the US.

I stand by my statement that the majority of the non-American WB people do not make regular donations to (affluent) private schools and local non-profits serving the underprivileged.

At my son's school the donations are published at I often see the names of my WB/IMF fruends who do donate a good deal of money. I am an expat at one of those institions ans we always donate at the very least as much as the tuition gap but mostly more.

So do you represent the majority of WB/IMF families donating? Or are you one of the handful?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most people making 800K per year do not have 4 children. Most of them have only 1 child.

A club of overindulged pampered kids whose parents think the sun shines from their bottoms

And you are spitting cliches out of your bitter mouth !