People with $1.2M+ homes and getting significant financial aid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I hate the building a diverse socioeconomic class. I think it breeds resentment, see this thread. I think humans are really bad at it. They make mistakes. They are biased in their selections. It’s much harder to get the socioeconomic diversity right than straight academics of the child. I’ve lost this battle in DC and know I’m in the minority. But clearly lots of folks are unhappy with the status quo.

I don’t see any evidence of DMV privates building a diverse socioeconomic class? I think the point of this thread has been that FA goes to professional class families, not low income families. Or is your point that FA should not exist. (Genuine q.)

No, PP here, and I 100% agree with you that that is the actual effect of FA (it does not build a socioeconomically diverse class but goes to professionals) BUT it is 100% the stated goal of FA (to bring in needy kids from low income families who could otherwise not afford it). Listen to the people on here defending it: it’s purpose is ostensibly to build that diversity class. You and I agree that it doesn’t in fact, of course, do that. I’d be 100% behind scholarship type awards for academics and sports.

[Anonymous]

It’s the hypocrisy of the schools and some of the families who how much FA they give out and how much they care about social justice and equity when in fact, the FA goes to people making $350k and up and therefore actually perpetuates social inequities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:at our school i know 2 stay at home moms who have older kids 6th grade + that get financial aid and make over 200k a year. get a damn job! they wear nice clothes and dive similar cars to the rest of the school.

So you know these women well? Know their family situations? Know for sure they have no physical or mental health disabilities, have no elderly parents or other dependents they spend hours caring for, have no home-based or part time business on the side, don’t buy knockoffs or second-hand clothes or used cars to save money? You must be pretty good friends to know their financial situations so intimately, but you’re so condescending and dismissive. Do you treat all your friends that way?

NP, but everyone has a mental health disorder or disability in 2024. Plenty of them work. Get over yourself.

100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When we started at a private, we were full pay. Then I lost my job and thank God financial aid was there for us. I’m grateful the school kept a tight lip on who qualified.

This is a FA situation that I support wholeheartedly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we started at a private, we were full pay. Then I lost my job and thank God financial aid was there for us. I’m grateful the school kept a tight lip on who qualified.

This is a FA situation that I support wholeheartedly.

Even if they live in a $1.2 million home?

For the record, I support it too. And would point out to the haters that from the outside, you have no way of knowing this person’s situation - they’d look like just another SAH parent “mooching off the system.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I hate the building a diverse socioeconomic class. I think it breeds resentment, see this thread. I think humans are really bad at it. They make mistakes. They are biased in their selections. It’s much harder to get the socioeconomic diversity right than straight academics of the child. I’ve lost this battle in DC and know I’m in the minority. But clearly lots of folks are unhappy with the status quo.

I don’t see any evidence of DMV privates building a diverse socioeconomic class? I think the point of this thread has been that FA goes to professional class families, not low income families. Or is your point that FA should not exist. (Genuine q.)

No, PP here, and I 100% agree with you that that is the actual effect of FA (it does not build a socioeconomically diverse class but goes to professionals) BUT it is 100% the stated goal of FA (to bring in needy kids from low income families who could otherwise not afford it). Listen to the people on here defending it: it’s purpose is ostensibly to build that diversity class. You and I agree that it doesn’t in fact, of course, do that. I’d be 100% behind scholarship type awards for academics and sports.

The bolded is actually not the stated goal at our school. I haven't combed other school websites but I wonder how many of the angry PPs are making assumptions without reading the school's literature.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I hate the building a diverse socioeconomic class. I think it breeds resentment, see this thread. I think humans are really bad at it. They make mistakes. They are biased in their selections. It’s much harder to get the socioeconomic diversity right than straight academics of the child. I’ve lost this battle in DC and know I’m in the minority. But clearly lots of folks are unhappy with the status quo.

I don’t see any evidence of DMV privates building a diverse socioeconomic class? I think the point of this thread has been that FA goes to professional class families, not low income families. Or is your point that FA should not exist. (Genuine q.)

No, PP here, and I 100% agree with you that that is the actual effect of FA (it does not build a socioeconomically diverse class but goes to professionals) BUT it is 100% the stated goal of FA (to bring in needy kids from low income families who could otherwise not afford it). Listen to the people on here defending it: it’s purpose is ostensibly to build that diversity class. You and I agree that it doesn’t in fact, of course, do that. I’d be 100% behind scholarship type awards for academics and sports.

The bolded is actually not the stated goal at our school. I haven't combed other school websites but I wonder how many of the angry PPs are making assumptions without reading the school's literature.

This. I’m paraphrasing, but our school encourages families to apply for FA and has language to the effect of: even if you’re not sure you qualify, apply for aid because a wide range of financial situations get something. And they provide examples of HHIs and numbers of kids, etc, that might receive aid - with HHIs listed that would make steam come out of the ears of several folks posting on this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I hate the building a diverse socioeconomic class. I think it breeds resentment, see this thread. I think humans are really bad at it. They make mistakes. They are biased in their selections. It’s much harder to get the socioeconomic diversity right than straight academics of the child. I’ve lost this battle in DC and know I’m in the minority. But clearly lots of folks are unhappy with the status quo.

I don’t see any evidence of DMV privates building a diverse socioeconomic class? I think the point of this thread has been that FA goes to professional class families, not low income families. Or is your point that FA should not exist. (Genuine q.)

No, PP here, and I 100% agree with you that that is the actual effect of FA (it does not build a socioeconomically diverse class but goes to professionals) BUT it is 100% the stated goal of FA (to bring in needy kids from low income families who could otherwise not afford it). Listen to the people on here defending it: it’s purpose is ostensibly to build that diversity class. You and I agree that it doesn’t in fact, of course, do that. I’d be 100% behind scholarship type awards for academics and sports.

I honestly don’t think most current families who are wealthy enough to give large sums of donations truly want that money going to academic high flyers or standout athletes who will push their own kids down in the rankings. Just being honest. Alumni might donate with this intent but not current families. Just think about it…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I hate the building a diverse socioeconomic class. I think it breeds resentment, see this thread. I think humans are really bad at it. They make mistakes. They are biased in their selections. It’s much harder to get the socioeconomic diversity right than straight academics of the child. I’ve lost this battle in DC and know I’m in the minority. But clearly lots of folks are unhappy with the status quo.

I don’t see any evidence of DMV privates building a diverse socioeconomic class? I think the point of this thread has been that FA goes to professional class families, not low income families. Or is your point that FA should not exist. (Genuine q.)

No, PP here, and I 100% agree with you that that is the actual effect of FA (it does not build a socioeconomically diverse class but goes to professionals) BUT it is 100% the stated goal of FA (to bring in needy kids from low income families who could otherwise not afford it). Listen to the people on here defending it: it’s purpose is ostensibly to build that diversity class. You and I agree that it doesn’t in fact, of course, do that. I’d be 100% behind scholarship type awards for academics and sports.

This. In my experience, the highest flyers at the top schools are usually the kids of parents who are middle to upper middle class professionals--the kids of 2 engineers vs. the kids of the guy in investment banking.

I honestly don’t think most current families who are wealthy enough to give large sums of donations truly want that money going to academic high flyers or standout athletes who will push their own kids down in the rankings. Just being honest. Alumni might donate with this intent but not current families. Just think about it…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:at our school i know 2 stay at home moms who have older kids 6th grade + that get financial aid and make over 200k a year. get a damn job! they wear nice clothes and dive similar cars to the rest of the school.

So you know these women well? Know their family situations? Know for sure they have no physical or mental health disabilities, have no elderly parents or other dependents they spend hours caring for, have no home-based or part time business on the side, don’t buy knockoffs or second-hand clothes or used cars to save money? You must be pretty good friends to know their financial situations so intimately, but you’re so condescending and dismissive. Do you treat all your friends that way?

NP, but everyone has a mental health disorder or disability in 2024. Plenty of them work. Get over yourself.

I quit when my kid was born as they had health and other issues. They were in therapies for 10 years. During that time, for 6 years I cared for my mil with severe dementia at first in our home then a nursing home (there multiple times a week for doctors appointments, check in as the facility was terrible). Now I have my own health issues. I haven't worked in 12+ years so I'd have to start over and earn $60K a year max, not including hiring someone to drive my kids to activities (though they miss a lot due to health issues) and buy a car for that person which would probably be equal to my take home after taxes. So, is that really worth me working?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MIT is offering free tuition to those making under 200k a year. So the value of the house isn't the reason to deny aid.

https://news.mit.edu/2024/mit-tuition-undergraduates-family-income-1120

*with typical assets*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:at our school i know 2 stay at home moms who have older kids 6th grade + that get financial aid and make over 200k a year. get a damn job! they wear nice clothes and dive similar cars to the rest of the school.

So you know these women well? Know their family situations? Know for sure they have no physical or mental health disabilities, have no elderly parents or other dependents they spend hours caring for, have no home-based or part time business on the side, don’t buy knockoffs or second-hand clothes or used cars to save money? You must be pretty good friends to know their financial situations so intimately, but you’re so condescending and dismissive. Do you treat all your friends that way?

NP, but everyone has a mental health disorder or disability in 2024. Plenty of them work. Get over yourself.

Your opinion of whether someone *should* work has no bearing on whether their health actually *allows* them to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I hate the building a diverse socioeconomic class. I think it breeds resentment, see this thread. I think humans are really bad at it. They make mistakes. They are biased in their selections. It’s much harder to get the socioeconomic diversity right than straight academics of the child. I’ve lost this battle in DC and know I’m in the minority. But clearly lots of folks are unhappy with the status quo.

I don’t see any evidence of DMV privates building a diverse socioeconomic class? I think the point of this thread has been that FA goes to professional class families, not low income families. Or is your point that FA should not exist. (Genuine q.)

No, PP here, and I 100% agree with you that that is the actual effect of FA (it does not build a socioeconomically diverse class but goes to professionals) BUT it is 100% the stated goal of FA (to bring in needy kids from low income families who could otherwise not afford it). Listen to the people on here defending it: it’s purpose is ostensibly to build that diversity class. You and I agree that it doesn’t in fact, of course, do that. I’d be 100% behind scholarship type awards for academics and sports.

I honestly don’t think most current families who are wealthy enough to give large sums of donations truly want that money going to academic high flyers or standout athletes who will push their own kids down in the rankings. Just being honest. Alumni might donate with this intent but not current families. Just think about it…

DP, but those kids benefit the school in terms of scores and placement. So the interests of big donors and the school are not entirely aligned there. Schools don't piss off donors but they aren't owned by them either, and can prioritize different things.

Like a PP said, anecdotally the high flyers are often the kids of dual income professionals or similar families who struggle with full pay. Modest FA to these families - who typically are not poor, just not very rich - brings up the school's standing without forgoing a still-healthy tuition payment. You can see why the school would have incentives to partially fund several students instead of using the same money for one free ride for any one kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know of multiple kids who get 50% off and they live it 1.5M homes and higher in McLean and Bethesda and are receiving significant financial aid for their kid in a top school. Also worthy of note- these are not top athletes, students, etc.

Anyone else seeing this?

We stopped giving money to financial aid after seeing the lifestyle some of the families are keeping. Trips, only working part time, etc… They make every single game and event at the school and those the st are actually working are missing their kids events because they must work full time to pay full tuition. Seems unfair. We are paying for you to attend and enjoy all of these events at school while my spouse is missing events to pay full tuition?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:at our school i know 2 stay at home moms who have older kids 6th grade + that get financial aid and make over 200k a year. get a damn job! they wear nice clothes and dive similar cars to the rest of the school.

So you know these women well? Know their family situations? Know for sure they have no physical or mental health disabilities, have no elderly parents or other dependents they spend hours caring for, have no home-based or part time business on the side, don’t buy knockoffs or second-hand clothes or used cars to save money? You must be pretty good friends to know their financial situations so intimately, but you’re so condescending and dismissive. Do you treat all your friends that way?

NP, but everyone has a mental health disorder or disability in 2024. Plenty of them work. Get over yourself.

I quit when my kid was born as they had health and other issues. They were in therapies for 10 years. During that time, for 6 years I cared for my mil with severe dementia at first in our home then a nursing home (there multiple times a week for doctors appointments, check in as the facility was terrible). Now I have my own health issues. I haven't worked in 12+ years so I'd have to start over and earn $60K a year max, not including hiring someone to drive my kids to activities (though they miss a lot due to health issues) and buy a car for that person which would probably be equal to my take home after taxes. So, is that really worth me working?

DP. I am sorry for your situation but you still have not justified why others should pay for your child's education? We have a slew of reasons why we should not work etc...