Job loss and after-the-fact financial aid. Possible?

[Anonymous]

School has started, we are committed to a full year's tuition per the contract. DH just lost his job and -- because the gods clearly hate us -- I have been demoted to independent contractor status.

Our household income has dropped by 90%. Yay!

No seriously, has anyone ever heard of a (formerly middle class) family asking for and receiving financial aid after the school year was well underway? Do schools keep an emergency kitty, do you think? For the sake of discussion, the school in question does not have a Big3 endowment; rather, it is a well-known K-8.

And to all the haters who would like to point out that THIS is why your kids go to public, well, you're right. We gambled and lost.

[Anonymous]

Talk to the school. They may be able to help you even though it is mid year but it might not be much since they do not have to and legally you are committed to the full year tuition now anyway. One simple way to help might be that instead of paying for a lump sum for your Nov. installment you could move to monthly payments. It will still be the same amount but will be a lot less painful but painful nonetheless...... best of luck to you.

[Anonymous]

I think many do have emergency funds available. However, I'm not sure how it works to actually get money, and I doubt it would cover all of tuition. However, I know you're not alone. I just spoke with our K-8's financial people (I am helping them with something) and it sounds like there are several families dropping out of our school right now because things have changed and its just not working anymore for them. The school is not happy about losing these great kids either. But its silly to be practically homeless and still sending your kid to private school when public is an option.

[Anonymous]

bump. help?

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry for the situation. I am guessing you don't have tuition insurance.

Is it critical for your child to continue at the private school? You are paying high taxes wherever you are to support the public school. Even if it is for just 2-3 years, it might be worth your mental sanity to withdraw him/her and try public school so you can focus on how to stabilize the household income situation.

[Anonymous]

You should definitely go talk to the school. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain by doing that. I'm sure you are not the first family to have this happen.

Good luck to you!

[Anonymous]

Have you talked to the school and let them know your changed situation? Did you take out the tuition insurance? I'm sure the school has some type of plan for situations like this.

[Anonymous]

So sorry to hear that your family is going through this. Take comfort in the fact that the gods clearly hate a lot of us right now.

Talk to the school. We were in the same situation earlier this summer, and the school stepped up with a 2/3 tuition grant. It's still not easy given our loss of income, but we can handle the other 1/3.

However, if the school doesn't give us another grant of this size for next year (because we've had to take money out of retirement to get by), we will be switching to public school.

[Anonymous]

When the markets took a dive last year, a number of families went to our school for help. They got it. School proud that no one had to leave. All schools try to have some reserve on hand. The bigger and more established ones have better resources and more capable of helping.

[Anonymous]

Independent school teacher. You are NOT alone; life happens. Go and talk to the school rather than waste another night of worry-then you will have the facts and what you can/can't control. Good luck to you. You will bounce back in a better place.

[Anonymous]

Sell your house, and your car. Max out the credit cards.
You have no choice. The school does not have to help. These are institutions for the ruling class