Do any truly needy children get FA at top private schools in DC area?

[Anonymous]

It seems like the ones receiving FA are families that make a decent income already. Is this your experience?

[Anonymous]

How do you even know who is getting FA? Stop it.

[Anonymous]

What is your definition of needy? My husband and I have an HHI around $150,000 and would not even consider a top private because it does not fall in line with our financial goals. I know two families with similar incomes-- who only have one child-- who send their child to privates. They do receive financial aid. I know them well enough to know how much they get, and it is not enough to convince me to make a switch to private.

I do know one family (single mother, income around $65,000) who receives an extremely generous financial aid package to a top private. It is still a stretch for her-- even with a "full tuition scholarship". Tuition is not your only expense. She is still trying to decide if she can afford to send number two, even with another full scholarship.

I say all this to point out that "truly needy" people may not be able to afford a private school even with tuition covered because of books, fees, uniform costs, transportation costs to get to school, etc.

Families that you judge as "not needy" are likely receiving only a small amount of financial aid.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I am truly needy on Medicaid, single mom no degree and two of my three kids go to a top 3 school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I am truly needy on Medicaid, single mom no degree and two of my three kids go to a top 3 school.

Then you should receive financial aid for sure. I think op is talking about people that live in million dollar homes and don't want to sacrifice that lifestyle as others do. Btw people do know who receives aid - not sure how but they do. I realize homes in many neighborhoods begin at 1 million but I think op is saying they should sacrifice and move to a less expensive neighborhood etc… so that FA money can go to people that truly need it. Op, what schools are you referring to? I hope at our Big 3 this isn't the case or I will definitely stop contributing. As we sacrifice to pay full tuition and ALSO sacrifice to contribute to FA fund.

[Anonymous]

Yes, a few but not many. Most truly needy families are completely unaware that private schools might even be an option ... Just not on their cultural radar. Also, their children were not given very possible advantage growing up (nutrition, cultural enrichment, lots of reading and verbal interaction, excellent preschool and of course connections) which makes admission tough except for the the truly gifted kids.

Most schools require most FA families to pay at least 50 percent of the tuition and truly needy families by definition do not have the other half.

[Anonymous]

Most private schools want parents to contribute something to tuition so there are very few full scholarships. So truly needy people, depending on how you define that, may have priorities bigger than private school tuition even if it's only 10% of list price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I am truly needy on Medicaid, single mom no degree and two of my three kids go to a top 3 school.

Then you should receive financial aid for sure. I think op is talking about people that live in million dollar homes and don't want to sacrifice that lifestyle as others do. Btw people do know who receives aid - not sure how but they do. I realize homes in many neighborhoods begin at 1 million but I think op is saying they should sacrifice and move to a less expensive neighborhood etc… so that FA money can go to people that truly need it. Op, what schools are you referring to? I hope at our Big 3 this isn't the case or I will definitely stop contributing. As we sacrifice to pay full tuition and ALSO sacrifice to contribute to FA fund.

You're right. This post is inspired by the post about the woman who was dreading telling her DC that they could no longer afford private school. Then it turned out they could afford it, they just did not want to take equity out of their house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I am truly needy on Medicaid, single mom no degree and two of my three kids go to a top 3 school.

Then you should receive financial aid for sure. I think op is talking about people that live in million dollar homes and don't want to sacrifice that lifestyle as others do. Btw people do know who receives aid - not sure how but they do. I realize homes in many neighborhoods begin at 1 million but I think op is saying they should sacrifice and move to a less expensive neighborhood etc… so that FA money can go to people that truly need it. Op, what schools are you referring to? I hope at our Big 3 this isn't the case or I will definitely stop contributing. As we sacrifice to pay full tuition and ALSO sacrifice to contribute to FA fund.

You're right. This post is inspired by the post about the woman who was dreading telling her DC that they could no longer afford private school. Then it turned out they could afford it, they just did not want to take equity out of their house.

You clearly don't understand the concept of being able to "afford it." I agree with you that the poster on the other thread (the one who was going to pull her child from private instead of tapping her home equity) should not qualify for FA in order to pay for private. Of course, she should tap her equity if she chooses to keep her kid in private. That said, if she has to tap her equity in order to write the tuition check, she can't AFFORD private school! There is a difference between being able to cover the tuition (by hook or by crook) and actually being able to AFFORD it. Affording it means not jeopardizing retirement savings, college savings, etc.

I'm quite sure there are plenty of families who think they can afford private school just b/c their tuition check doesn't bounce. But, jeopardizing your financial security in order to make sure that check clears is not the same as being able to afford to write that check.

[Anonymous]

Yes. A lot of the schools have their median awards listed on their website. St. Albans has a range of awards up to 95% of tuition, and the median award is over 50% of tuition. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I am truly needy on Medicaid, single mom no degree and two of my three kids go to a top 3 school.

Then you should receive financial aid for sure. I think op is talking about people that live in million dollar homes and don't want to sacrifice that lifestyle as others do. Btw people do know who receives aid - not sure how but they do. I realize homes in many neighborhoods begin at 1 million but I think op is saying they should sacrifice and move to a less expensive neighborhood etc… so that FA money can go to people that truly need it. Op, what schools are you referring to? I hope at our Big 3 this isn't the case or I will definitely stop contributing. As we sacrifice to pay full tuition and ALSO sacrifice to contribute to FA fund.

You're right. This post is inspired by the post about the woman who was dreading telling her DC that they could no longer afford private school. Then it turned out they could afford it, they just did not want to take equity out of their house.

Right. I know a family applying for financial aid to our big 3 and I know for a fact from them that they have more equity and college savings than we do and we are not only paying full tuition but also contribute to the fa fund. I hope they don't receive financial aid, as I think that money could go to other children that truly need it.

[Anonymous]

I sure hope so! I hope that people that are truly truly struggling to pay their tuition are receiving financial aid! We are struggling and would never think of applying for financial aid because we go on vacation once a year and do a few other things. I would feel too guilty. It surprises me how some people have no shame applying for fa and still belonging to expensive gyms, going on vacations, lots of galas etc… but claiming they can't afford it. They COULD afford it but it would mean they would have to struggle like we do. I sound bitter I know but I have been shocked at what I am reading on here. I have several friends that can't afford to go to a big three and they are single moms and REALLY need the aid and their children are bright. It makes me sad that they can't afford it, as they don't have an room to adjust their budget. I hope people living in expensive neighborhoods are not receiving FA.

[Anonymous]

In response to OP's question, I have to wonder unfortunately.

I am absolutely dumbfounded by the families in my DC's class who make good salaries and apply for financial aid. I am talking Doctors, Lawyers, etc.

We pay full tuition and need to make sacrifices to afford tuition. It would never occur to me to ask for financial aid unless I truly couldn't do it any other way.

Makes me think twice about what we donate to school....

[Anonymous]

I stopped giving to the annual fund because I do not want to subsidize folks with HHI of $150,000 receiving aid.

[Anonymous]

P.S. I know a girl with a single mother who works a minimum wage job who got a full scholarship to a top school. The school also subsidizes field trips and school activities.