How.do you afford private school? Any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could understand giving aid to someone who had a really high hhi that had some catastrophic situation happen to them one year that depleted their savings and it was an ongoing issue, like their house burnt down, supporting older parents, spouse needed organ transplant, and an older step child got into legal trouble. This actually happened at our school to a family at our school a few years ago! So I can understand how someone needing temporary assistance one year or 2. However, schools should have a cut off and firmly state that aid applications will not be accepted from families earning more than $500k. I actually saw a small private school have on its site that it doesn't offer aid to anyone with hhi over $150k.

We have HHI of 600k and get 10% aid at Big 3 with 2dc. SAH. But a chunk of DH's income goes into retirement account automatically. When you account for that and loans, under 500k. Lots of diff situations where aid is appropriate.

I don't want to contribute to tuition assistance for that either!

This thread is really making me rethink my TA support. Do you think all the people helpfully providing you with your assistance shouldn't also have a bang-up retirement?

DH is required to put a big chunk of his income in a retirement account. You cannot access that money before retirement- there are very strict rules. I dont think its fair to penalize us for saving for retirement, esp when DH has no option.

"Fair" under what system?! No one is 'penalized' for saving for retirement; it's something everyone has to address.

The bottom line is you and others seem to think that financial aid is some carefully designed program coming from some far away, government black box. But it's your friends who donate this money so the schools can have economic diversity -- like true middle class!

I'm just appalled that someone like you even considers appyling for aid. Scary. I hope it's not our school.

What are we supposed to do? Is DH supposed to just quit his job? If he did that we would end up getting even more aid and we wouldn't be saving for retirement. You are treating retirement savings as income to us when its not -- we cannot spend it. That's unfair, esp bc we can't change it. I don't understand why people cannot understand this.

I really want to know what school is giving you FA on your income. This school can't be well managed if it is giving someone aid making you level of income.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is nauseating. Rich people taking money from slightly richer people so that their kids, who were already born on second base, take more and more resources from those who could truly benefit from any opportunity. Broadening the gaps between rich and poor, ensuring that the caste structure stays firmly "as is" in this country.

Amen sister. I knew a lot of parents had absolutely no sense of perspective (the median household income in the U.S. is $50k, people), but it's depressing to learn that there are schools out there with just as little perspective if they're willing to give aid to people with so much. Caste system indeed.

[Anonymous]

We have a HHI of $300k and pay full private tuition for 2 kids. I would be embarrassed to ask for FA when we can pay the full amount by both working full time, driving older cars, taking cheap vacations, and living in a smaller home with a reasonable mortgage. I can't believe that some of my donations might be going to a family with twice our annual income.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a HHI of $300k and pay full private tuition for 2 kids. I would be embarrassed to ask for FA when we can pay the full amount by both working full time, driving older cars, taking cheap vacations, and living in a smaller home with a reasonable mortgage. I can't believe that some of my donations might be going to a family with twice our annual income.

Spread the word. And I would also volunteer
To spearhead a committee to recruit actual "needy" students. Help those kids navigate the FA and application process. Get rid of these disgusting people.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I think only the big 3 or big 5 have the budgets to dole out financial aid to anyone with hhi over 250k. Last year I kept reading threads like this and showed them to my husband. We have income at 225 so went ahead and applied for aid at our smallish private school in VA. All we got was $3000. That's nothing and so not even worth the amount of documentation we had to submit. We will not be reapplying as the amount was so insignificant and I'm sure someone at the school is chuckling because we give 2500 per year to the annual fund and also buy stuff at the school auction so we're mortified by what the admin people at school must think of us. everyone on here said they were getting north of 10k so I just wanted to give it a shot to see for myself. It also cost $50 application fee in addition to the 3 hours I spent on the application. I'm convinced that legit needy people are getting the money at smaller schools and the big schools are the ones wasting. Wish someone from the schools would step up and comment on why there are people with not only my hhi but those with even higher hhi are getting aid. I know nearly all the schools check out this forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a HHI of $300k and pay full private tuition for 2 kids. I would be embarrassed to ask for FA when we can pay the full amount by both working full time, driving older cars, taking cheap vacations, and living in a smaller home with a reasonable mortgage. I can't believe that some of my donations might be going to a family with twice our annual income.

Spread the word. And I would also volunteer
To spearhead a committee to recruit actual "needy" students. Help those kids navigate the FA and application process. Get rid of these disgusting people.

Judgmental.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a HHI of $300k and pay full private tuition for 2 kids. I would be embarrassed to ask for FA when we can pay the full amount by both working full time, driving older cars, taking cheap vacations, and living in a smaller home with a reasonable mortgage. I can't believe that some of my donations might be going to a family with twice our annual income.

Spread the word. And I would also volunteer
To spearhead a committee to recruit actual "needy" students. Help those kids navigate the FA and application process. Get rid of these disgusting people.

Judgmental.

I absolutely will judge you if you're taking my money while in the top 1% of us incomes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a HHI of $300k and pay full private tuition for 2 kids. I would be embarrassed to ask for FA when we can pay the full amount by both working full time, driving older cars, taking cheap vacations, and living in a smaller home with a reasonable mortgage. I can't believe that some of my donations might be going to a family with twice our annual income.

So glad you are embarrassed to apply. Leaves more in the pot for the rest of us. LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a HHI of $300k and pay full private tuition for 2 kids. I would be embarrassed to ask for FA when we can pay the full amount by both working full time, driving older cars, taking cheap vacations, and living in a smaller home with a reasonable mortgage. I can't believe that some of my donations might be going to a family with twice our annual income.

So glad you are embarrassed to apply. Leaves more in the pot for the rest of us. LOL

NP here.

Do you have no sense of shame?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a HHI of $300k and pay full private tuition for 2 kids. I would be embarrassed to ask for FA when we can pay the full amount by both working full time, driving older cars, taking cheap vacations, and living in a smaller home with a reasonable mortgage. I can't believe that some of my donations might be going to a family with twice our annual income.

So glad you are embarrassed to apply. Leaves more in the pot for the rest of us. LOL

NP here.

Do you have no sense of shame?

Absolutely. I would be ashamed if I were dancing on the pole at night to pay for private school or only marrying a rich man to finance my lavish lifestyle. Applying for and accepting financial aid? Nope, not an ounce of shame! I'm also not ashamed when I use a coupon to offset the cost of merchandise that I can afford to pay full price for. Why in the heck would I be ashamed of accepting financial aid to pay for a school I can't afford to pay full price to? You all act as if those of us in financial aid actually have the money stuffed under our mattress but refuse to spend it. Or is the real issue that we don't feel undeserving? That's your problem if you look in the mirror and say my kids don't deserve this because I didn't choose a job that pays me enough to drop $30K a year on school. Your problem, not mine. My kids are deserving for of me doing whatever it takes to make it happen including applying for and
Accepting financial aid.

[Anonymous]

The why -- poor/middle class professionals fit in, poor uneducated non-professionals don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a HHI of $300k and pay full private tuition for 2 kids. I would be embarrassed to ask for FA when we can pay the full amount by both working full time, driving older cars, taking cheap vacations, and living in a smaller home with a reasonable mortgage. I can't believe that some of my donations might be going to a family with twice our annual income.

So glad you are embarrassed to apply. Leaves more in the pot for the rest of us. LOL

NP here.

Do you have no sense of shame?

Absolutely. I would be ashamed if I were dancing on the pole at night to pay for private school or only marrying a rich man to finance my lavish lifestyle. Applying for and accepting financial aid? Nope, not an ounce of shame! I'm also not ashamed when I use a coupon to offset the cost of merchandise that I can afford to pay full price for. Why in the heck would I be ashamed of accepting financial aid to pay for a school I can't afford to pay full price to? You all act as if those of us in financial aid actually have the money stuffed under our mattress but refuse to spend it. Or is the real issue that we don't feel undeserving? That's your problem if you look in the mirror and say my kids don't deserve this because I didn't choose a job that pays me enough to drop $30K a year on school. Your problem, not mine. My kids are deserving for of me doing whatever it takes to make it happen including applying for and
Accepting financial aid.

I think the point they were making is that you at $250k are taking money from other parents who make less and nonetheless manage to find the tuition money. It's like starting a GoFundMe and asking your neighbors and friends to pay for your child's education, when they don't make any more than you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a HHI of $300k and pay full private tuition for 2 kids. I would be embarrassed to ask for FA when we can pay the full amount by both working full time, driving older cars, taking cheap vacations, and living in a smaller home with a reasonable mortgage. I can't believe that some of my donations might be going to a family with twice our annual income.

Spread the word. And I would also volunteer
To spearhead a committee to recruit actual "needy" students. Help those kids navigate the FA and application process. Get rid of these disgusting people.

Judgmental.

I absolutely will judge you if you're taking my money while in the top 1% of us incomes.

We are not wealthy. Close to $100,000 goes straight into retirement account. We both have student loans. Right there before we even pay the mortgage we are near $450k. Other people who have HHI at $300k, I bet are not required to stick almost 100k into retirement. Our aid is not much in the $10-15k. You act like we are stealing money when we are not at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a HHI of $300k and pay full private tuition for 2 kids. I would be embarrassed to ask for FA when we can pay the full amount by both working full time, driving older cars, taking cheap vacations, and living in a smaller home with a reasonable mortgage. I can't believe that some of my donations might be going to a family with twice our annual income.

So glad you are embarrassed to apply. Leaves more in the pot for the rest of us. LOL

NP here.

Do you have no sense of shame?

Absolutely. I would be ashamed if I were dancing on the pole at night to pay for private school or only marrying a rich man to finance my lavish lifestyle. Applying for and accepting financial aid? Nope, not an ounce of shame! I'm also not ashamed when I use a coupon to offset the cost of merchandise that I can afford to pay full price for. Why in the heck would I be ashamed of accepting financial aid to pay for a school I can't afford to pay full price to? You all act as if those of us in financial aid actually have the money stuffed under our mattress but refuse to spend it. Or is the real issue that we don't feel undeserving? That's your problem if you look in the mirror and say my kids don't deserve this because I didn't choose a job that pays me enough to drop $30K a year on school. Your problem, not mine. My kids are deserving for of me doing whatever it takes to make it happen including applying for and
Accepting financial aid.

+1 well said. If someone has enough to pay the school doesn't give aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a HHI of $300k and pay full private tuition for 2 kids. I would be embarrassed to ask for FA when we can pay the full amount by both working full time, driving older cars, taking cheap vacations, and living in a smaller home with a reasonable mortgage. I can't believe that some of my donations might be going to a family with twice our annual income.

So glad you are embarrassed to apply. Leaves more in the pot for the rest of us. LOL

NP here.

Do you have no sense of shame?

Absolutely. I would be ashamed if I were dancing on the pole at night to pay for private school or only marrying a rich man to finance my lavish lifestyle. Applying for and accepting financial aid? Nope, not an ounce of shame! I'm also not ashamed when I use a coupon to offset the cost of merchandise that I can afford to pay full price for. Why in the heck would I be ashamed of accepting financial aid to pay for a school I can't afford to pay full price to? You all act as if those of us in financial aid actually have the money stuffed under our mattress but refuse to spend it. Or is the real issue that we don't feel undeserving? That's your problem if you look in the mirror and say my kids don't deserve this because I didn't choose a job that pays me enough to drop $30K a year on school. Your problem, not mine. My kids are deserving for of me doing whatever it takes to make it happen including applying for and
Accepting financial aid.

I think the point they were making is that you at $250k are taking money from other parents who make less and nonetheless manage to find the tuition money. It's like starting a GoFundMe and asking your neighbors and friends to pay for your child's education, when they don't make any more than you.

The point is incorrect. If they make less than we do and can afford to full pay then they obviously have discretionary income that I do not. The HHI is irrelevant. The real question should be after you pay all of your mandatory bills how much do you have left over at the end of the month. I have substantially less discretionary income than people who make a lot less than me.