Making $220K - any chance for FA at DC Privates?

[Anonymous]

DH is in real estate. The market has been crappy for years so our properties aren't really cash flowing. Some are even losing money. Can we get FA?

His net worth is several million dollars, but we don't really want to sell anything right now. You'll subsidize me, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH is in real estate. The market has been crappy for years so our properties aren't really cash flowing. Some are even losing money. Can we get FA?

His net worth is several million dollars, but we don't really want to sell anything right now. You'll subsidize me, right?

perfect!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here - thanks for all the comments and insights from all perspectives. It's interesting that some people immediately think one is entitled because one makes a certain amount of money. Far from it. My husband and I each owned our own homes before we got married. We lived in one initially and rented the other. We bought a house in NE DC a few years later together that cost $200k and was not habital. No functioning electric, plumbing etc. we bought it with a 203k renovation loan which allowed us to do $100k worth of renovations. Some may know that making a 3 bedroom 1 bath home liveable costs more than $100k when one needs everything (and I mean everything - hgtv has nothing on us). We've made some of what we hope are wise choices and have lived extremely frugally throughout. I still drive my very first car out of college which was 15 years old last year. My husbands car is 11 years old. Entitled we are not. Determined to continue to make wise choices we are. Hence my post asking if we'd qualify for any FA as our neighborhood schools aren't quite where we'd like them to be.

What I gather from your posting here, you just are cheap ("frugal") and don't want to pay the hefty price tag that comes along with private school. You want to get a deal on private school like you did your houses, car, etc. You will not be happy paying for the tutition plus all the other expenses that will come along with private school.

If you really believe that high school is most important than why even bother sending your kids to private now. Use public and supplement or pick a Catholic school and continue to save.

And yes, you are truly entitled.

I get FA for my child - single income, just under 6 figures, cheap, older car, renting a cheap, older house - plus little to no savings, no down payment for a house, no vacations, I barely even buy new clothes, can't eat out, - and the list go on. So you have no idea what it means to be frugal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I bring in $220k and live in a row house in the atlas district in NE DC. We are looking at CHDS for prekindergarten/kindergarten. Do we have any chance at all? We live pretty modestly and have two kids. Drive 15 year old cars. Have some rental properties that take a lot of our money when it comes to repairs. That's about it.

If private school is important - prioritize it and be ready to pay.

Given your income it is highly unlikely that you will get FA. You will be expected to reduce savings before you get aid and since your monthly savings is so high, you can decide if allocating funds to the school in lieu of savings is worth it for your family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here - thanks for all the comments and insights from all perspectives. It's interesting that some people immediately think one is entitled because one makes a certain amount of money. Far from it. My husband and I each owned our own homes before we got married. We lived in one initially and rented the other. We bought a house in NE DC a few years later together that cost $200k and was not habital. No functioning electric, plumbing etc. we bought it with a 203k renovation loan which allowed us to do $100k worth of renovations. Some may know that making a 3 bedroom 1 bath home liveable costs more than $100k when one needs everything (and I mean everything - hgtv has nothing on us). We've made some of what we hope are wise choices and have lived extremely frugally throughout. I still drive my very first car out of college which was 15 years old last year. My husbands car is 11 years old. Entitled we are not. Determined to continue to make wise choices we are. Hence my post asking if we'd qualify for any FA as our neighborhood schools aren't quite where we'd like them to be.

What I gather from your posting here, you just are cheap ("frugal") and don't want to pay the hefty price tag that comes along with private school. You want to get a deal on private school like you did your houses, car, etc. You will not be happy paying for the tutition plus all the other expenses that will come along with private school.

If you really believe that high school is most important than why even bother sending your kids to private now. Use public and supplement or pick a Catholic school and continue to save.

And yes, you are truly entitled.

I get FA for my child - single income, just under 6 figures, cheap, older car, renting a cheap, older house - plus little to no savings, no down payment for a house, no vacations, I barely even buy new clothes, can't eat out, - and the list go on. So you have no idea what it means to be frugal.

Op here - no I don't think you get me at all. I want to be sure that before we commit to something that we can afford it long term. So I don't want to start something and then two-four years from now realize we can't afford it. I don't equate my children's education to getting a cheap deal on something. I want to be sure we make the best long term choices for our family and our children's education.

You don't know where we've come from and what it's taken us to get where we are. Are you the only one who can claim they are frugal because of your specific circumstances? I don't want to get in a dcurbanmom tit- for-tat with you because I have no clue what your situation is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the rental properties a business? No school expects you to sell your business.

Apply if you feel you can't do full pay. You might only get $500, but they only expect you to pay what you can afford based off a ton of information you give them. Chances are whatever they offer will be fair.

FA is not just for disadvantaged kids, it's to offset the huge cost of private education for anyone who can't afford full pay. Why should a middle class family of four making $120,000 in DC be expected to handle $70,000 in tuition or not have the opportunity to attend?

For the same reason that same family cannot buy a Mercedes, vacation every year in the Caribbean, eat at fancy restaurants every weekend: Private school is a luxury. A choice, and a luxury. There are public alternatives for all.

Totally disagree. It is well known that small class sizes and relationships with teachers are the most critical factors impacting education. We are talking about children, some with needs that absolutely cannot be met in MCPS, DCPS, APS, or FCS. I do not consider private schools a luxury. For our child it is a life-changer. I am one of the PPs with a $150Kish HHI. We would not choose this "luxury" if we weren't convinced it's a necessity. Small class sizes SHOULD be available in public, but they're not.

By this measure, all students attending mediocre public schools are entitled to a Sidwell education, as a matter of "rights."

It doesn't work that way. Private education is a luxury, a privilege.

This is PP. Exactly. Imagine our country if every school was like Sidwell (or even a "lower tier" private). I was SHOCKED when I saw the difference between MCPS and private. Much of what private does for kids is not "luxury" -- sure, some of it is -- but a surprising amount of the core values I appreciate at my child's private remind me more of public school, circa 1970s (except there is more racial, ethnic and socioeconomic diversity at the private, which is of course a good thing). But small classes, teachers who are valued and have autonomy to teach, healthy school lunches, reasonable school start times, outdoor recess twice daily, frequent breaks, attention to behavior and etiquette, teachers who are available for help during the school day and after school...those should not be luxuries. American taxpayers should wake up and demand this of their public schools. I'm pissed that I'm spending $30k+ for one kid - and listening to the other crying about stupid MCPS -- because our public schools no longer provide this type of an education. Oh, but ChromeBooks and Prometheon Boards and Central Office staff and a "special" curriculum: yeah, we've got that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here - thanks for all the comments and insights from all perspectives. It's interesting that some people immediately think one is entitled because one makes a certain amount of money. Far from it. My husband and I each owned our own homes before we got married. We lived in one initially and rented the other. We bought a house in NE DC a few years later together that cost $200k and was not habital. No functioning electric, plumbing etc. we bought it with a 203k renovation loan which allowed us to do $100k worth of renovations. Some may know that making a 3 bedroom 1 bath home liveable costs more than $100k when one needs everything (and I mean everything - hgtv has nothing on us). We've made some of what we hope are wise choices and have lived extremely frugally throughout. I still drive my very first car out of college which was 15 years old last year. My husbands car is 11 years old. Entitled we are not. Determined to continue to make wise choices we are. Hence my post asking if we'd qualify for any FA as our neighborhood schools aren't quite where we'd like them to be.

What I gather from your posting here, you just are cheap ("frugal") and don't want to pay the hefty price tag that comes along with private school. You want to get a deal on private school like you did your houses, car, etc. You will not be happy paying for the tutition plus all the other expenses that will come along with private school.

If you really believe that high school is most important than why even bother sending your kids to private now. Use public and supplement or pick a Catholic school and continue to save.

And yes, you are truly entitled.

I get FA for my child - single income, just under 6 figures, cheap, older car, renting a cheap, older house - plus little to no savings, no down payment for a house, no vacations, I barely even buy new clothes, can't eat out, - and the list go on. So you have no idea what it means to be frugal.

Op here - no I don't think you get me at all. I want to be sure that before we commit to something that we can afford it long term. So I don't want to start something and then two-four years from now realize we can't afford it. I don't equate my children's education to getting a cheap deal on something. I want to be sure we make the best long term choices for our family and our children's education.

You don't know where we've come from and what it's taken us to get where we are. Are you the only one who can claim they are frugal because of your specific circumstances? I don't want to get in a dcurbanmom tit- for-tat with you because I have no clue what your situation is.

Op, I think you value private education, just not at the DC-area price point. It's great you've worked hard for your assets, and understandably you'd be unwilling to liquidate to offset what you can currently contribute. I think the point people are trying to make is that private schools are going to look at your capital investments and see them as a means to fund tuition. It'll be up to you decide at that point if you are willing to make further sacrifices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the rental properties a business? No school expects you to sell your business.

Apply if you feel you can't do full pay. You might only get $500, but they only expect you to pay what you can afford based off a ton of information you give them. Chances are whatever they offer will be fair.

FA is not just for disadvantaged kids, it's to offset the huge cost of private education for anyone who can't afford full pay. Why should a middle class family of four making $120,000 in DC be expected to handle $70,000 in tuition or not have the opportunity to attend?

For the same reason that same family cannot buy a Mercedes, vacation every year in the Caribbean, eat at fancy restaurants every weekend: Private school is a luxury. A choice, and a luxury. There are public alternatives for all.

So you've never lived in an area with terrible schools - very fortunate indeed. Never had to live somewhere you wouldn't otherwise live because your job demanded it (yes, that happens). We've had some horrible public school experiences and just because we're middle class doesn't mean my children shouldn't be afforded the privilege of a fine education for not suffering "enough" in that they are not disadvantaged in a socio-economic sense. But no, we cannot afford $40,000 a year, we can only afford $20,000. Where is the shame in paying what you can relative to your income? I don't get the logic. If you equate private education with a Mercedes, I don't think your children have attended a variety of schools. My kids have attended several of both public and private depending on where we were. Not all of public schools are Fairfax fabulous.

But OP lives in the DC area. So he/she can sell one or more of her THREE homes and pool the funds to buy something in Montgomery County, Fairfax County, Arlington or the better NW DC publics. OP has plenty of choices other than private to improve the schools her children go to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH is in real estate. The market has been crappy for years so our properties aren't really cash flowing. Some are even losing money. Can we get FA?

His net worth is several million dollars, but we don't really want to sell anything right now. You'll subsidize me, right?

Exactly. We are retired and don't have any "earned" income but have to sell stocks and pay capitol gains on it when the tuition bill arrives. Sucks. Can we get FA too? We don't have jobs or salaries after all and are frugal like OP in that we drive a 18 yr old car that we park on the street in DC. Never mind that our net worth is in the millions but if OP gets a tuition subsidy, why can't we? What kind of person who owns three houses applies for FA?!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here - thanks for all the comments and insights from all perspectives. It's interesting that some people immediately think one is entitled because one makes a certain amount of money. Far from it. My husband and I each owned our own homes before we got married. We lived in one initially and rented the other. We bought a house in NE DC a few years later together that cost $200k and was not habital. No functioning electric, plumbing etc. we bought it with a 203k renovation loan which allowed us to do $100k worth of renovations. Some may know that making a 3 bedroom 1 bath home liveable costs more than $100k when one needs everything (and I mean everything - hgtv has nothing on us). We've made some of what we hope are wise choices and have lived extremely frugally throughout. I still drive my very first car out of college which was 15 years old last year. My husbands car is 11 years old. Entitled we are not. Determined to continue to make wise choices we are. Hence my post asking if we'd qualify for any FA as our neighborhood schools aren't quite where we'd like them to be.

What I gather from your posting here, you just are cheap ("frugal") and don't want to pay the hefty price tag that comes along with private school. You want to get a deal on private school like you did your houses, car, etc. You will not be happy paying for the tutition plus all the other expenses that will come along with private school.

If you really believe that high school is most important than why even bother sending your kids to private now. Use public and supplement or pick a Catholic school and continue to save.

And yes, you are truly entitled.

I get FA for my child - single income, just under 6 figures, cheap, older car, renting a cheap, older house - plus little to no savings, no down payment for a house, no vacations, I barely even buy new clothes, can't eat out, - and the list go on. So you have no idea what it means to be frugal.

Op here - no I don't think you get me at all. I want to be sure that before we commit to something that we can afford it long term. So I don't want to start something and then two-four years from now realize we can't afford it. I don't equate my children's education to getting a cheap deal on something. I want to be sure we make the best long term choices for our family and our children's education.

You don't know where we've come from and what it's taken us to get where we are. Are you the only one who can claim they are frugal because of your specific circumstances? I don't want to get in a dcurbanmom tit- for-tat with you because I have no clue what your situation is.

No, I get you just fine, really I do. You are very obvious.

Again, you are cheap.

You want to get a "deal" on private school just like you got a deal on the house, the car, etc. If this was in fact not true, you would never even have considered the prospect of FA. You can afford the school at full pay but you don't want to afford the school at full pay. You want a discount because you don't truly believe that the school is worth the tuition.

Don't do it. The tuition is just the starting part. There are other expenses and you will not be happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here - thanks for all the comments and insights from all perspectives. It's interesting that some people immediately think one is entitled because one makes a certain amount of money. Far from it. My husband and I each owned our own homes before we got married. We lived in one initially and rented the other. We bought a house in NE DC a few years later together that cost $200k and was not habital. No functioning electric, plumbing etc. we bought it with a 203k renovation loan which allowed us to do $100k worth of renovations. Some may know that making a 3 bedroom 1 bath home liveable costs more than $100k when one needs everything (and I mean everything - hgtv has nothing on us). We've made some of what we hope are wise choices and have lived extremely frugally throughout. I still drive my very first car out of college which was 15 years old last year. My husbands car is 11 years old. Entitled we are not. Determined to continue to make wise choices we are. Hence my post asking if we'd qualify for any FA as our neighborhood schools aren't quite where we'd like them to be.

What I gather from your posting here, you just are cheap ("frugal") and don't want to pay the hefty price tag that comes along with private school. You want to get a deal on private school like you did your houses, car, etc. You will not be happy paying for the tutition plus all the other expenses that will come along with private school.

If you really believe that high school is most important than why even bother sending your kids to private now. Use public and supplement or pick a Catholic school and continue to save.

And yes, you are truly entitled.

I get FA for my child - single income, just under 6 figures, cheap, older car, renting a cheap, older house - plus little to no savings, no down payment for a house, no vacations, I barely even buy new clothes, can't eat out, - and the list go on. So you have no idea what it means to be frugal.

Op here - no I don't think you get me at all. I want to be sure that before we commit to something that we can afford it long term. So I don't want to start something and then two-four years from now realize we can't afford it. I don't equate my children's education to getting a cheap deal on something. I want to be sure we make the best long term choices for our family and our children's education.

You don't know where we've come from and what it's taken us to get where we are. Are you the only one who can claim they are frugal because of your specific circumstances? I don't want to get in a dcurbanmom tit- for-tat with you because I have no clue what your situation is.

No, I get you just fine, really I do. You are very obvious.

Again, you are cheap.

You want to get a "deal" on private school just like you got a deal on the house, the car, etc. If this was in fact not true, you would never even have considered the prospect of FA. You can afford the school at full pay but you don't want to afford the school at full pay. You want a discount because you don't truly believe that the school is worth the tuition.

Don't do it. The tuition is just the starting part. There are other expenses and you will not be happy.

This is OP and this will be my last comment to this poster. So what do you do pp when something goes wrong and you have no savings? When an aging parent needs assistance or if a spouse loses a job? We've had to deal with these types of things as most have or will have to at some point. Life happens. You seem to equate cheap to what others would consider sensible and prudent. My parents sacrificed and that is something we are doing for our kids. But our parents weren't faced with $60k plus per year for two kids starting in kindergarten.

To all the posters who've made good points I appreciate the perspectives. We would like to stay in the district if possible and selling one of the homes isn't an option. We'll see how our chances go with the lottery and see how we fare with the private school applications. I understand that the chance of getting FA from privates is slim to none and so we will factor that in to our planning and approach as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here - thanks for all the comments and insights from all perspectives. It's interesting that some people immediately think one is entitled because one makes a certain amount of money. Far from it. My husband and I each owned our own homes before we got married. We lived in one initially and rented the other. We bought a house in NE DC a few years later together that cost $200k and was not habital. No functioning electric, plumbing etc. we bought it with a 203k renovation loan which allowed us to do $100k worth of renovations. Some may know that making a 3 bedroom 1 bath home liveable costs more than $100k when one needs everything (and I mean everything - hgtv has nothing on us). We've made some of what we hope are wise choices and have lived extremely frugally throughout. I still drive my very first car out of college which was 15 years old last year. My husbands car is 11 years old. Entitled we are not. Determined to continue to make wise choices we are. Hence my post asking if we'd qualify for any FA as our neighborhood schools aren't quite where we'd like them to be.

What I gather from your posting here, you just are cheap ("frugal") and don't want to pay the hefty price tag that comes along with private school. You want to get a deal on private school like you did your houses, car, etc. You will not be happy paying for the tutition plus all the other expenses that will come along with private school.

If you really believe that high school is most important than why even bother sending your kids to private now. Use public and supplement or pick a Catholic school and continue to save.

And yes, you are truly entitled.

I get FA for my child - single income, just under 6 figures, cheap, older car, renting a cheap, older house - plus little to no savings, no down payment for a house, no vacations, I barely even buy new clothes, can't eat out, - and the list go on. So you have no idea what it means to be frugal.

Op here - no I don't think you get me at all. I want to be sure that before we commit to something that we can afford it long term. So I don't want to start something and then two-four years from now realize we can't afford it. I don't equate my children's education to getting a cheap deal on something. I want to be sure we make the best long term choices for our family and our children's education.

You don't know where we've come from and what it's taken us to get where we are. Are you the only one who can claim they are frugal because of your specific circumstances? I don't want to get in a dcurbanmom tit- for-tat with you because I have no clue what your situation is.

No, I get you just fine, really I do. You are very obvious.

Again, you are cheap.

You want to get a "deal" on private school just like you got a deal on the house, the car, etc. If this was in fact not true, you would never even have considered the prospect of FA. You can afford the school at full pay but you don't want to afford the school at full pay. You want a discount because you don't truly believe that the school is worth the tuition.

Don't do it. The tuition is just the starting part. There are other expenses and you will not be happy.

This is OP and this will be my last comment to this poster. So what do you do pp when something goes wrong and you have no savings? When an aging parent needs assistance or if a spouse loses a job? We've had to deal with these types of things as most have or will have to at some point. Life happens. You seem to equate cheap to what others would consider sensible and prudent. My parents sacrificed and that is something we are doing for our kids. But our parents weren't faced with $60k plus per year for two kids starting in kindergarten.

To all the posters who've made good points I appreciate the perspectives. We would like to stay in the district if possible and selling one of the homes isn't an option. We'll see how our chances go with the lottery and see how we fare with the private school applications. I understand that the chance of getting FA from privates is slim to none and so we will factor that in to our planning and approach as well.

Well this might shock you but to cover such expenses - adjust the budget and cut out fluff to pay for those unexpected expenses, use meager savings that I have and lastly use a credit card if needed.

FA does not go to people with significant savings. The expectation is you will use your savings to pay for education.

Again. You are cheap. There isn't anything inherently wrong with being cheap but in terms of your original question, no, being cheap isn't a reason for you to get FA.

[Anonymous]

Just drain your savings, mortgage your self up and you can get it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the rental properties a business? No school expects you to sell your business.

Apply if you feel you can't do full pay. You might only get $500, but they only expect you to pay what you can afford based off a ton of information you give them. Chances are whatever they offer will be fair.

FA is not just for disadvantaged kids, it's to offset the huge cost of private education for anyone who can't afford full pay. Why should a middle class family of four making $120,000 in DC be expected to handle $70,000 in tuition or not have the opportunity to attend?

For the same reason that same family cannot buy a Mercedes, vacation every year in the Caribbean, eat at fancy restaurants every weekend: Private school is a luxury. A choice, and a luxury. There are public alternatives for all.

Totally disagree. It is well known that small class sizes and relationships with teachers are the most critical factors impacting education. We are talking about children, some with needs that absolutely cannot be met in MCPS, DCPS, APS, or FCS. I do not consider private schools a luxury. For our child it is a life-changer. I am one of the PPs with a $150Kish HHI. We would not choose this "luxury" if we weren't convinced it's a necessity. Small class sizes SHOULD be available in public, but they're not.

By this measure, all students attending mediocre public schools are entitled to a Sidwell education, as a matter of "rights."

It doesn't work that way. Private education is a luxury, a privilege.

This is PP. Exactly. Imagine our country if every school was like Sidwell (or even a "lower tier" private). I was SHOCKED when I saw the difference between MCPS and private. Much of what private does for kids is not "luxury" -- sure, some of it is -- but a surprising amount of the core values I appreciate at my child's private remind me more of public school, circa 1970s (except there is more racial, ethnic and socioeconomic diversity at the private, which is of course a good thing). But small classes, teachers who are valued and have autonomy to teach, healthy school lunches, reasonable school start times, outdoor recess twice daily, frequent breaks, attention to behavior and etiquette, teachers who are available for help during the school day and after school...those should not be luxuries. American taxpayers should wake up and demand this of their public schools. I'm pissed that I'm spending $30k+ for one kid - and listening to the other crying about stupid MCPS -- because our public schools no longer provide this type of an education. Oh, but ChromeBooks and Prometheon Boards and Central Office staff and a "special" curriculum: yeah, we've got that.

I attended MCPS in the 60s and 70s and believe me, it was not the nirvana you describe here. My fifth grade class was held in the BOILER ROOM of the school because of overcrowding. Children were hanging from the rafters. It was not unusual to have a class with 30 students in it. Outdoor recess (CROWDED) ONCe a day. And the system was hiring teachers of all stripes, qualified or not, because of the extreme population demands.

My kids now attend MCPS and IMO it is better than it was when I attended. It may not be to your standards, but I am happy with the education they are receiving.

Private education is a PRIVILEGE and a LUXURY.

[Anonymous]

OP,

People like you who expect -- and asking the question implies an expectation -- private schools to underwrite your lifestyle and investments infuriate me. The sense of entitlement! You have no idea, none whatsoever, what FA is about.