Financial Aid Report by SSS

[Anonymous]

I just checked mine out online. It is laughable. We have some equity in the house we just bought, with help from our families! They didn't help us buy a house so that we could then go further into debt to put our DC in private school! We do have some investments, but DH is a SAHD (we have a younger sib) and I only make $60K. They said we could afford $59K per year. I don't know what they were smoking. We'd be 100% out of money in about 2.5 years if we did that. This is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

PP- Are you sure they didn't mean you can afford $1000 per year? I doesn't make sense if your income is $60K that you could afford that much. I'd give them a call and look at the numbers you provided to them.

[Anonymous]

I really don't mean to be snarky here, but why would you buy a house in a neighborhood with poor public schools if you can't afford private? And to the posters with 3 kids, why should the rest of us subsidize your decision to have 3 kids if you can't afford to educate them all? We have two, which is what we can afford.

[Anonymous]

17:56 -- the hospital would not let us give back the second baby (twins) the second time around. Two kids was the plan, but clearly life doesn't always go as planned.

[Anonymous]

Great response PP 22:47!!! People on here are so stuck on themselves sometimes. They expect everyone to make 400,000 a year and have 2.5 children and make all the right choices! Great response!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don't mean to be snarky here, but why would you buy a house in a neighborhood with poor public schools if you can't afford private? And to the posters with 3 kids, why should the rest of us subsidize your decision to have 3 kids if you can't afford to educate them all? We have two, which is what we can afford.

You're just rude - I'm so happy you got the answer to this question you deserved.

[Anonymous]

16:45 here ... the public schools are fine but we had hoped for private. And not everyone can afford a house in a neighborhood with good public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don't mean to be snarky here, but why would you buy a house in a neighborhood with poor public schools if you can't afford private? And to the posters with 3 kids, why should the rest of us subsidize your decision to have 3 kids if you can't afford to educate them all? We have two, which is what we can afford.

This was such a nice, caring, helpful thread about an important and sensitive subject to those of us who get financial aid, until you came along. If you didn't mean to be snarky then I think you need to work on your social skills. Do you get financial aid? Did you spend hours filling out the SSS and days worrying about what the result would be? If not, I don't know why you are on this thread.
Probably the reason someone buys a house in a neighborhood with poor public schools is that's what they can afford. How many children someone has is their business. It's not like the poster is requesting food stamps - - educating a child is free. The poster wants a private school education for her child and because it is the mission of most private schools to have economic diversity and provide financial assistance to those they determine need it, please don't try to make her feel bad. This thread is for those of us who want to share our concerns about the SSS report.
If you want to complain about people who have more than two children or how unfair financial aid is, then start your own thread or take it up with your school.

There were some other nasty comments about financial aid on another thread. Below is the response from a school administrator.


I work in a top school and am compelled to write by the nastiness on this board.

We WANT to attract families of all income levels. Our school is extremely expensive, so if a family of middle income or extenuating circumstances applies for aid, they will receive it. It's part of our school's philosophy and it was made abundantly clear to you during the open houses, playdates, and orientations.

So, we're going to ask you to contribute from time to time. IF you have the means and inclination, do so. If you don't, don't. No one is holding a gun to your head, and it won't affect your child's education. But we do notice.

Please note that your annual fund giving does NOT support financial aid. It is an attempt to close the gap between the cost of your child's education and your tuition. Unless you're giving above the gap number (which your development office can identify), then your donation is actually keeping the lights on and not subsidizing one of those parasite families you seem to have such disdain for.

I have news for the more self-righteous on this board. If you're attending a top school that has been around for more than 20 years, you are receiving a form of aid.

It comes in the form of very large contributions made by past and present donors. As high as your tuition is, it would be higher if not for them. Do you like the beautiful facilities? They were made possible by past donors, and not past tuition. Do you appreciate your child's science teacher? He was attracted to your school by the Chair that subsidizes his salary -- again not being paid by your tuition, but by a past alum or other supporter.

These donors didn't question (or if they did, overcame their doubts) whether you deserve the top faculty, the most beautiful buildings -- because after all, you are all earning $200K plus and should just pay for them yourselves.

[Anonymous]

PP...... I love it!! Tell it!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I really don't mean to be snarky here, but why would you buy a house in a neighborhood with poor public schools if you can't afford private? And to the posters with 3 kids, why should the rest of us subsidize your decision to have 3 kids if you can't afford to educate them all? We have two, which is what we can afford.

Dumb, stupid, ignoramus without a teaspoons' worth of brains. One wonders whether her children will inherit the same stupidity ... or get a real education.

[Anonymous]

I know this board is a microcosm and not representative of all private school parents. However, I wish I had never found it but now it's like a traffic accident -- I can't look away.

We are a middle income family with one child in a public program and the other who just seems to need something different. I identified a couple of privates that I thought would work well for DC and applied. We are hoping to get some FA -- not a full ride but some assistance so that we can send her.

One of my objectives was to choose a private school environment without the pressure cooker atmosphere and ambitious, snobby parents. I hope I've chosen well. But the tone on this board is really unbelievable -- nasty, entitled posters (many of whom profess high flying degrees but can't spell!) that I would not want to come into contact with on a daily basis.

And it's not CD Urban Moms in general -- the other boards have mostly helpful and kind posters. but this -- it really shows an awful about our culture and society.

Lately I've been thinking that the US is in danger of becoming like Argentina or other S. American countries, with an insular, entitled upper class and millions of poor people without a real hope to better their circumstances -- and nothing in between. This is more evidence that I'm not far off base.

[Anonymous]

...And it's not CD Urban Moms in general -- the other boards have mostly helpful and kind posters. but this -- it really shows an awful about our culture and society.

Lately I've been thinking that the US is in danger of becoming like Argentina or other S. American countries, with an insular, entitled upper class and millions of poor people without a real hope to better their circumstances -- and nothing in between. This is more evidence that I'm not far off base.

You need to watch the road and not get distracted by traffic accidents while you pontificate about poor spelling and English usage (ouch).

"but this...it really shows an awful about..." (ouch!)

Are you an immigrant who has not learned proper English language, usage and syntax ... or are you like the rest of the posters, folk who are lazy about proofreading? Don't throw stones in glass houses. Your writing leaves much to be desired!

[Anonymous]

Lately I've been thinking that the US is in danger of becoming like Argentina or other S. American countries, with an insular, entitled upper class and millions of poor people without a real hope to better their circumstances -- and nothing in between. This is more evidence that I'm not far off base.

Now, what camp do you purport to fall into?

[Anonymous]

Why does everyone have to be mean?!? For heavens sake, I think we've all made a typo or two in our lives. I wish we could have the administrator of DCUM delete threads like this when they turn into feeding frenzies.

[Anonymous]

@11:09 Neither camp. More towards the insular, entitled upper class, certainly.

My point, though, is how mean and nasty people are on this board, and my concern that it reflects the general attitude of private school mothers. I think that point has been proven once again, above. The "immigrant" comment just underlines it.

And I think I'm a pretty good writer, thank you very much.