Financial aid "dried up"

[Anonymous]

NP here. Life is all about choices.

We chose to both work full-time, live in a small house and drive older cars, etc. to be able to afford private school tuition for our DC. We also are likely only going to have one child b/c we can't afford the expenses of sending 2 to private school.

Would I love to have a different scenario. Absolutely. I would love to be a SAHM, have 2 children in private school and live in a bigger house. But, I also don't expect other people to fulfill that dream for me.

There are all kinds of people at private school. Yes, some are incredibly wealthy. But there are some of us struggling just like OP to get by. Without financial aid that is.

[Anonymous]

Agree 100% with PP. The OP on this thread wants what she wants...but she just can't pay for it. There are plenty of families at these schools who make tough choices every day to pay for school. Why exactly, special snowflake, should the rest of us subsidize you? Why don't you take on a 2nd job or work weekends in order to pay tuition. After all, you tell us that you have saved a lot, aren't financially precarious, and are firmly middle class. So great, use your resources to pay for what you want - which is, apparently, this school. Guess what, we don't want to pay your FA. Our FA money (that we work so hard for) should go to a kid who's family can't possibly make school happen but for our aid.

[Anonymous]

OP, I guess I missed your original posts and I see you are asking only about private schools.

But even so -- have you considered the PGCPS TAG magnet school? My son goes to one (after having attended parochial school) and it's been a good fit.

If you are interested, you should have your child take the placement test sometimes in Febrary, I believe -- they do a one day session for kids in private schools. Keep up with the website to be sure you don't miss the testing day, and fill out the application forms. Even if you are sure you aren't going that route -- I think it is always better to keep your options open.

You would need to fill in the application forms, and also enter the lottery. Still, if you live in College Park, I think your child's TAG school would be Glenarden Woods... they have a really good reputation. (So it's got a long waiting list) But you never know, and your daughter might really like it there.

[Anonymous]

Ignore the haters OP. Try to get what you want...nothing ventured -- nothing gained. We had only 1 kid and lived like paupers so our kid could go to Holton. We didn't get FA...but I certainly don't resent you for trying. Every kid deserves a great education.

Our kid did great at Holton. She turned out to be a superstar there. I would bet she would have been overlooked in an ordinary public school as they busy themselves with dealing with problem kids and boys. Girls get lost in the shuffle because they behave and don't cause trouble.

Holton is the best education money can buy. Good luck. If you have any questions...please feel free to ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ignore the haters OP. Try to get what you want...nothing ventured -- nothing gained. We had only 1 kid and lived like paupers so our kid could go to Holton. We didn't get FA...but I certainly don't resent you for trying. Every kid deserves a great education.

Our kid did great at Holton. She turned out to be a superstar there. I would bet she would have been overlooked in an ordinary public school as they busy themselves with dealing with problem kids and boys. Girls get lost in the shuffle because they behave and don't cause trouble.

Holton is the best education money can buy. Good luck. If you have any questions...please feel free to ask.

Oh yes, let's all inundate Holton's admissions office with demands that they pay for all of our children to go there. Great idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ignore the haters OP. Try to get what you want...nothing ventured -- nothing gained. We had only 1 kid and lived like paupers so our kid could go to Holton. We didn't get FA...but I certainly don't resent you for trying. Every kid deserves a great education.

Our kid did great at Holton. She turned out to be a superstar there. I would bet she would have been overlooked in an ordinary public school as they busy themselves with dealing with problem kids and boys. Girls get lost in the shuffle because they behave and don't cause trouble.

Holton is the best education money can buy. Good luck. If you have any questions...please feel free to ask.

Oh yes, let's all inundate Holton's admissions office with demands that they pay for all of our children to go there. Great idea.

On the basis that our precious snowflakes would be overlooked in an ordinary public school. Another great line of thought, and one that's guaranteed to turn on that spigot of financial aid.

[Anonymous]

Options are good 16:03 - we are technically in Berwyn Heights which I believe feeds into Kenmoor for TAG. Our only frame of reference on that one is a neighbor who had a very very bad experience there and pulled their child and put them in private. That would have been a couple of years ago though, so maybe things have changed. I will ask around in the neighborhood and check out the public school forum as well. We are not at all opposed to public school - we're entering the lottery for the magnets for the younger one this year. Those options (the immersion schools) were not there for my elder daughter unfortunately due to the timing of our relocation.

I'm just perplexed by the anger about the idea of financial aid. We are full pay at our current private. We also give annually to support the school. Part of that giving (and tuition) is paid with the understanding that our dollars will go towards supporting other families in the school. That has made for a wonderfully diverse community in terms of SES. (ok, we don't have any millionaires, but in terms of SES from 200K on down maybe) I don't begrudge any of those families their financial aid for whatever reason they need it. They all bring something to the school and their kids bring something to the school too. I also feel like while we pay full pay, the single mom who is heavily subsidized is paying a larger proportion of her income. That's serious commitment to the child and the school and I always appreciate having families like that at our school. Fine, maybe she can't give to the annual fund or volunteer in the school like another full pay family does, but she's a great role model in terms of working hard and making education a priority. That's powerful and that's worth something to me anyways.

I don't know that our family brings anything "unique" to a school. I do know that we are really involved with our children's schools though and while we maybe can only do 15K a year, that's a hard earned 15K and because of that we will be chomping at the bit to be active and contributing members of that school. We can't give a lot of money, but I can give my time and service and energy. I believe there is value in that. Maybe a different 2 earner family doesn't have a schedule that would let one of the parents coach an Odyssey of the Mind team but that same family would love to have that activity available for their child. I can do that and many kids benefit from that all year for the 20 dollar registration fee. I don't know, the anger about people applying for financial aid seems to be projecting a) a lot of sinister motives and b) a lot of value judgments about worth as human beings on people you don't know. I'm sorry if you don't like the idea of FA going to anyone middle class, but it seems like then you should be angry at the school, not the people who are just participating in the system the school set up. This world needs teachers and social workers and professors and construction workers and plumbers and maids just as much as doctors and lawyers. Just because people in these professions don't make as much money doesn't mean we aren't every bit as hardworking. I could take a 3rd job I guess, but then my Scout troop dissolves and my OM team dissolves, I wouldn't be able to help out in the classroom during the day and that negatively impacts a lot of kids, not just my kid.

I don't feel entitled to financial aid at all. I was simply asking if there IS any financial aid these days because it would be a waste of application fee and could get my daughter's hopes up for something that is a total pipe dream. I'm not sure why applying for something = entitlement. I don't think my kid is "entitled" to be accepted to any school either, but I will still apply if she feels inspired by a school on a visit. That's just trying to give my child opportunities within the framework of an existing system. We're not trying to game anyone - we aren't prepping her for tests or interviews or trying to fudge our financial disclosures or anything like that. The school websites encourage people to apply for financial aid. It's up to them who gets it and we are fine with that. I was just asking if the financial aid is even available these days because a teacher friend said it was not at her school. That kept us from visiting and applying and wasting the time of an admissions person.

PP - the visit to Holton was amazing. If my daughter could design a school to her dreams and needs she couldn't have done a better job. The girls seemed kind and well-rounded and happy. If we can make it happen for her somehow, then we will certainly try.

Again, I just came here for info. I wasn't trying to play some sort of entitlement card by asking questions. I'm just trying to find some options for my child. She's a good kid and deserves to have parents that are trying to make the school situation better for her. That's what she's entitled to and that was what I was trying to do, not step on people's toes or stir up some debate about who deserves FA or not. Just wanted to know if there is such a thing as FA for new families these days.

[Anonymous]

OP- it's not a DCUM thread until the trolls come out!

[Anonymous]

OP, you have lots of time to volunteer at school - and to write really, really long posts here. Maybe if you put your time to work in your public school that school would be a good one and you wouldn't need other people to pay to send your child to Holton.

[Anonymous]

OP--it's pretty simple and will not be frowned upon if you do it nicely to call up the admissions folks at Holton and ask your question. I.e., "here are my family's circumstances. I don't want to waste your time and get my daughter's hopes up if it's just ridiculous to think she would get enough financial aid for us to afford the school." They can't promise you anything until they see the calculation from Princeton but they can give you a reality check. If it's not out of the question, apply. You obviously need to tell your daughter in any event that it's not a sure thing that she can go there--and that if she doesn't get in or finances don't work out, it's not her fault.

[Anonymous]

Our concern is for a child who was a joyful and enthusiastic learner getting the life sucked out of her by a barrage of meaningless and poorly designed worksheets. It's not about grades or cachet or some golden ticket we don't want to an Ivy, it's about making a change that lets our child be happy at school again. She's not an athlete. She's not a fantastic dancer. Her passion is in learning and building and doing. Unfortunately those activities are tied to school. Not exclusively obviously, but enough that school can kill those joys for a kid. School is her "thing."

Really, OP this is just silly. This forum is filled with people who have said the same worthless dribbble. What do you think goes on in private school? Do you think there are no worksheets? There are no books, tests? We are in a progressive school and do not think for a minute that the kids are engagned every thing single moment of every single day in things that fascinate them. It doesn't work that way. My kid does worksheets. My kid has boring text books. My kid has to study. My kid doesn't find school enjoyable every day.

And really, maybe your kid does need to get more hobbies and be a little more well rounded.

And then what happens to your other two kids? Do they get private school or is it only for the first special child?

[Anonymous]

Hi OP -
Geez, you've got some nasties on this thread. (That "special snowflake" lady turns up spewing bile a lot, apparently on a whole range of subjects, so don't take it personally.)

I agree with the pp who said nothing ventured, nothing gained. Do your best to find good schools for your kid, apply for financial aid, have a backup plan. You never know. And it is true that the bigger name schools tend to have more money to spread around.

And finally, I think there is a calculator on Sidwell's site that gives people an idea of how much aid to expect at different income levels.

I wish you and your dc well.

[Anonymous]

For what its worth, FA usually means a discount of 25% to 50%, at best. So, if you make 80K( before taxes) a year and your kid's Tuition is 30K, that means in order to pay $1,500 a month in Tuition or $2,000 a month in tuition you do work two or three jobs because you must also pay: rent,health insurance, utilities and food for two people on the 30K a year that is left. Think about someone willing to live on $2,500 a month for rent, utilities ,food,and health insurance for the 14 years of Pre-K through 12 and imagine their child is the top of his/her class. Do you really resent their 50% discount on tuition?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Options are good 16:03 - we are technically in Berwyn Heights which I believe feeds into Kenmoor for TAG. Our only frame of reference on that one is a neighbor who had a very very bad experience there and pulled their child and put them in private. That would have been a couple of years ago though, so maybe things have changed. I will ask around in the neighborhood and check out the public school forum as well. We are not at all opposed to public school - we're entering the lottery for the magnets for the younger one this year. Those options (the immersion schools) were not there for my elder daughter unfortunately due to the timing of our relocation.

I'm just perplexed by the anger about the idea of financial aid. We are full pay at our current private. We also give annually to support the school. Part of that giving (and tuition) is paid with the understanding that our dollars will go towards supporting other families in the school. That has made for a wonderfully diverse community in terms of SES. (ok, we don't have any millionaires, but in terms of SES from 200K on down maybe) I don't begrudge any of those families their financial aid for whatever reason they need it. They all bring something to the school and their kids bring something to the school too. I also feel like while we pay full pay, the single mom who is heavily subsidized is paying a larger proportion of her income. That's serious commitment to the child and the school and I always appreciate having families like that at our school. Fine, maybe she can't give to the annual fund or volunteer in the school like another full pay family does, but she's a great role model in terms of working hard and making education a priority. That's powerful and that's worth something to me anyways.

I don't know that our family brings anything "unique" to a school. I do know that we are really involved with our children's schools though and while we maybe can only do 15K a year, that's a hard earned 15K and because of that we will be chomping at the bit to be active and contributing members of that school. We can't give a lot of money, but I can give my time and service and energy. I believe there is value in that. Maybe a different 2 earner family doesn't have a schedule that would let one of the parents coach an Odyssey of the Mind team but that same family would love to have that activity available for their child. I can do that and many kids benefit from that all year for the 20 dollar registration fee. I don't know, the anger about people applying for financial aid seems to be projecting a) a lot of sinister motives and b) a lot of value judgments about worth as human beings on people you don't know. I'm sorry if you don't like the idea of FA going to anyone middle class, but it seems like then you should be angry at the school, not the people who are just participating in the system the school set up. This world needs teachers and social workers and professors and construction workers and plumbers and maids just as much as doctors and lawyers. Just because people in these professions don't make as much money doesn't mean we aren't every bit as hardworking. I could take a 3rd job I guess, but then my Scout troop dissolves and my OM team dissolves, I wouldn't be able to help out in the classroom during the day and that negatively impacts a lot of kids, not just my kid.

I don't feel entitled to financial aid at all. I was simply asking if there IS any financial aid these days because it would be a waste of application fee and could get my daughter's hopes up for something that is a total pipe dream. I'm not sure why applying for something = entitlement. I don't think my kid is "entitled" to be accepted to any school either, but I will still apply if she feels inspired by a school on a visit. That's just trying to give my child opportunities within the framework of an existing system. We're not trying to game anyone - we aren't prepping her for tests or interviews or trying to fudge our financial disclosures or anything like that. The school websites encourage people to apply for financial aid. It's up to them who gets it and we are fine with that. I was just asking if the financial aid is even available these days because a teacher friend said it was not at her school. That kept us from visiting and applying and wasting the time of an admissions person.

PP - the visit to Holton was amazing. If my daughter could design a school to her dreams and needs she couldn't have done a better job. The girls seemed kind and well-rounded and happy. If we can make it happen for her somehow, then we will certainly try.

Again, I just came here for info. I wasn't trying to play some sort of entitlement card by asking questions. I'm just trying to find some options for my child. She's a good kid and deserves to have parents that are trying to make the school situation better for her. That's what she's entitled to and that was what I was trying to do, not step on people's toes or stir up some debate about who deserves FA or not. Just wanted to know if there is such a thing as FA for new families these days.

IMHO you put way too much personal info on here, especially when it will be duplicated on your DC's applicatrion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the "diversity" of which you speak?

Go on a tour and see for yourself. AD's spend a great deal of time and energy striking a balance. To answer your question I would say that in DC's school there are the floowing kids of diversity: ethnic,racial,economic,sexuality,native language. A sample of five families might be: a bi-racial couple one of whom is an alum and can private pay and donate, an ethiopian child who may get some FA, a lesbian couple who are both white,but full pay, a child who comes from a diplomatic family and primarily speaks Spanish at home,Middle eastern royalty, an AA child , on and on like that, just like Washington in general.

Then I guess we're out: typical McLean Republican (full tuition paying) white man married to white woman.

actually that means you would fit the mold of the other half of the school. Every school has a mix and full pay families are needed more than ever now. It's just thatI don't think its so bad that we are going back to a solely private pay only system. I think privates probably gave that up for a better tax status years ago and can't ever go back on that.