How much do you donate to your school’s annual fund every year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We used to donate 1K to 2K at our first school which claimed $2500 was the 'gap' amount between the actual cost of educating a child and the tuition. That was in another city. Now we are at a different private school that is more established (with an endowment). No pressure to give a certain 'gap' amount. We gave only $500 because of an unexpected financial situation.

Heard of this a lot, but never understand. Is the $2500 gap for a full pay student? Is the gap also $2500 for a financial aid student? or ($2500+amount of aid) for a financial aid student?

For example, if the tuition is $45,000, then for a full pay student, the actual cost of education should be $47,500 based on the claim of the $2500 gap. A FA student gets $20,000 on aid and pays $25,000 tuition. What the gap for the FA student? $2500 or $22,500? Sounds like $22,500 because the actual cost of education is $47,500 and the student pays $25,000 in tuition.

Can anyone explain this to me?

It’s the same about for all students it’s the cost to educate each student minus the tuition. At some of the big 3 schools the gap is $5000

[Anonymous]

We pay full tuition ($48k or so this year) and donate about $250 on a $400k income. My kid is at or near the top of the class academically (straight As at a Big3 high school) and is a top athlete. he/she earns his keep for the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We pay full tuition ($48k or so this year) and donate about $250 on a $400k income. My kid is at or near the top of the class academically (straight As at a Big3 high school) and is a top athlete. he/she earns his keep for the school.

This makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These numbers are high, OP. The schools publish a book of annual fund donations and the vast majority are smaller donations. We used to give $5-10k and eventually aligned our philanthropy to organizations we connected more with. Now we give $100 to the school so they have their participation numbers. If you’re budgeting, budget $100 and be done with it. Nobody will care either way!

Wait, what? Is this all schools? They don’t list by name of donor, right?!
New private parent, who has now found one more thing to worry about.

I think it is fairly standard, and yes they list the donor names. But you can donate anonymously, and I promise you nobody is judging where you are in the book if you don’t donate anonymously. Don’t spend a minute worrying about it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We pay full tuition ($48k or so this year) and donate about $250 on a $400k income. My kid is at or near the top of the class academically (straight As at a Big3 high school) and is a top athlete. he/she earns his keep for the school.

This makes no sense.

This. What does your child's grades or athleticism have anything to do with amount of donation? Does that mean a introverted artist struggling in math should feel obligated to carry more of the financial burden of the school? A family should give in support of the school out of generosity in spirit, whatever the amount may be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We pay full tuition ($48k or so this year) and donate about $250 on a $400k income. My kid is at or near the top of the class academically (straight As at a Big3 high school) and is a top athlete. he/she earns his keep for the school.

Won’t know for sure until they get accepted to college. If they get an HYPMS on the roster of accepted colleges, *that’s* when they’ll have earned their keep 😀

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$2,000 - two in the same private school

Us too. Not we will have only one in private and will give 1k or less.(not very happy there)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We pay full tuition ($48k or so this year) and donate about $250 on a $400k income. My kid is at or near the top of the class academically (straight As at a Big3 high school) and is a top athlete. he/she earns his keep for the school.

What a pompous asshat reply. And so typical of a certain set of parents at any top private. You, PP, are a complete TOOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We give about $250. We have HHI 400K and are full pay for one kid ($50K).

That's not very much. You should at least be covering the gap between the tuition and the actual cost of the education on that HHI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We donate $2500 for 2 kids at the same school. This year they will be at two different school so I will probably do $1000-$1500 per kid. Our donation is high for most parents. The average family probably donates $250-$500. Don't sweat how much you donate. Just donate immediately as soon as the Annual Fund starts so you won't get calls and emails. After you donate, no one is going to come and ask if you will give a higher amount. They will say thank you, check you off the list, and leave you alone. Unless you don't plan to donate, you will get hounded until they receive a no or a donation.

"probably" means you actually don't know. It really depends on the HHI, but most people who can, give well into the 4 figures, and then obviously there are big hitters who give into the 5 and even 6 figures (capital type donations)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These numbers are high, OP. The schools publish a book of annual fund donations and the vast majority are smaller donations. We used to give $5-10k and eventually aligned our philanthropy to organizations we connected more with. Now we give $100 to the school so they have their participation numbers. If you’re budgeting, budget $100 and be done with it. Nobody will care either way!

Wait, what? Is this all schools? They don’t list by name of donor, right?!
New private parent, who has now found one more thing to worry about.

You can always ask to be listed anonymously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These numbers are high, OP. The schools publish a book of annual fund donations and the vast majority are smaller donations. We used to give $5-10k and eventually aligned our philanthropy to organizations we connected more with. Now we give $100 to the school so they have their participation numbers. If you’re budgeting, budget $100 and be done with it. Nobody will care either way!

Wait, what? Is this all schools? They don’t list by name of donor, right?!
New private parent, who has now found one more thing to worry about.

Yes, all schools do this by name. It’s called peer pressure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We used to donate 1K to 2K at our first school which claimed $2500 was the 'gap' amount between the actual cost of educating a child and the tuition. That was in another city. Now we are at a different private school that is more established (with an endowment). No pressure to give a certain 'gap' amount. We gave only $500 because of an unexpected financial situation.

Heard of this a lot, but never understand. Is the $2500 gap for a full pay student? Is the gap also $2500 for a financial aid student? or ($2500+amount of aid) for a financial aid student?

For example, if the tuition is $45,000, then for a full pay student, the actual cost of education should be $47,500 based on the claim of the $2500 gap. A FA student gets $20,000 on aid and pays $25,000 tuition. What the gap for the FA student? $2500 or $22,500? Sounds like $22,500 because the actual cost of education is $47,500 and the student pays $25,000 in tuition.

Can anyone explain this to me?

The gap does not include FA, so is still that hypothetical 2,500.

If one is on FA, then they should give whatever they are comfortable with. The participation numbers for FA families is VERY important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We pay full tuition ($48k or so this year) and donate about $250 on a $400k income. My kid is at or near the top of the class academically (straight As at a Big3 high school) and is a top athlete. he/she earns his keep for the school.

You are really stingy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We pay full tuition ($48k or so this year) and donate about $250 on a $400k income. My kid is at or near the top of the class academically (straight As at a Big3 high school) and is a top athlete. he/she earns his keep for the school.

Won’t know for sure until they get accepted to college. If they get an HYPMS on the roster of accepted colleges, *that’s* when they’ll have earned their keep 😀

You realize that isn't how high schools work, right?