Is your school “too generous”

[Anonymous]

Why only socioeconomic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve started to notice that at my kids’ school, the number of students receiving financial aid and the total amount awarded have increased significantly, by about 50 percent over that last 5 years. At the same time, building maintenance seems to be falling behind, the quality of faculty appears to be declining, the quality of the food in the cafeteria is low, and the after-school offerings are not very strong. This is a school with a tuition of $60,000.

Has generous financial aid caused similar issues at your children’s school?

Where do you find this info? In the 990?

[Anonymous]

If you are not happy with the allocation of funds, you shouldn’t contribute to them. The school will not change, but you can apply out asap

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why only socioeconomic?

I said for starters. But schools that have such high tuition never get past that important measure of diversity.

It’s how these schools are and always have been. They perpetuate the status quo. It’s only lately they have been concerned with appearing to be diverse. But they aren’t really. And as a PP said, parents are happy with the appearance but don’t want it to go much deeper.

But parents don’t want to admit that so they and their schools keep repeating this fictional mission for diversity.

Better to just own it, esp when it’s so obvious.

[Anonymous]

Why is racial diversity without socioeconomic diversity so abhorrent to you? It has value to some people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is racial diversity without socioeconomic diversity so abhorrent to you? It has value to some people.

NP, I think racial diversity is good, it’s just that can be achieved with families paying full tuition. No need to use that money for financial aid for diverse upper middle class families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve started to notice that at my kids’ school, the number of students receiving financial aid and the total amount awarded have increased significantly, by about 50 percent over that last 5 years. At the same time, building maintenance seems to be falling behind, the quality of faculty appears to be declining, the quality of the food in the cafeteria is low, and the after-school offerings are not very strong. This is a school with a tuition of $60,000.

Has generous financial aid caused similar issues at your children’s school?

Where do you find this info? In the 990?

This data is published by the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hasn't this system essentially "barbelled" enrollment? A large percentage of very poor, a large percentage of full-pay very rich, and nearly no middle/upper middle class families? I'm not sure it creates a healthy environment for kids when one half knows it's supporting the other half, but what do I know?

This is why the boarding schools with insane endowments offer tremendous aid to the MC/UMC. They do have a significant number of students whose families truly cannot contribute funds. And more than a few billlionaires’ kids to round things out. They seriously need that middle for the social cohesion. Especially in a situation where the kids all live together. So if you are squeezed for $60k, try Groton/Exeter/Deerfield/St. Paul’s. You will get amazing aid. I imagine this is also true at the very top day schools across the US, but I cannot say with certainty as I have not looked carefully at their numbers.

And before someone chimes in that this is not fair… The schools that I named (and their peers) spend between $135k to $150k per student, per year. So a wildly wealthy full pay kid at $80k is still being subsidized by an endowment at about $50k-60k per year. And no one shames them for it. So you can stop banging on about how virtuous people never accept charity.

Funds were generously given to these schools to advance their mission. Their Boards are stacked with vision, talent, and financial acumen. The Admissions teams did not come to play.

Focus on the school that can best serve your family. If you don’t want to pay $60k, look around. Choice is awesome, if you do your homework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hasn't this system essentially "barbelled" enrollment? A large percentage of very poor, a large percentage of full-pay very rich, and nearly no middle/upper middle class families? I'm not sure it creates a healthy environment for kids when one half knows it's supporting the other half, but what do I know?

This is why the boarding schools with insane endowments offer tremendous aid to the MC/UMC. They do have a significant number of students whose families truly cannot contribute funds. And more than a few billlionaires’ kids to round things out. They seriously need that middle for the social cohesion. Especially in a situation where the kids all live together. So if you are squeezed for $60k, try Groton/Exeter/Deerfield/St. Paul’s. You will get amazing aid. I imagine this is also true at the very top day schools across the US, but I cannot say with certainty as I have not looked carefully at their numbers.

And before someone chimes in that this is not fair… The schools that I named (and their peers) spend between $135k to $150k per student, per year. So a wildly wealthy full pay kid at $80k is still being subsidized by an endowment at about $50k-60k per year. And no one shames them for it. So you can stop banging on about how virtuous people never accept charity.

Funds were generously given to these schools to advance their mission. Their Boards are stacked with vision, talent, and financial acumen. The Admissions teams did not come to play.

Focus on the school that can best serve your family. If you don’t want to pay $60k, look around. Choice is awesome, if you do your homework.

Just wanted to clarify, that I am ok paying 60k, but the school gives way more financial than the peers and that decision is clearly visible in the quality of the services. But at the end you are right. I am looking for other options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve started to notice that at my kids’ school, the number of students receiving financial aid and the total amount awarded have increased significantly, by about 50 percent over that last 5 years. At the same time, building maintenance seems to be falling behind, the quality of faculty appears to be declining, the quality of the food in the cafeteria is low, and the after-school offerings are not very strong. This is a school with a tuition of $60,000.

Has generous financial aid caused similar issues at your children’s school?

Snob.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve started to notice that at my kids’ school, the number of students receiving financial aid and the total amount awarded have increased significantly, by about 50 percent over that last 5 years. At the same time, building maintenance seems to be falling behind, the quality of faculty appears to be declining, the quality of the food in the cafeteria is low, and the after-school offerings are not very strong. This is a school with a tuition of $60,000.

Has generous financial aid caused similar issues at your children’s school?

Consider that the causal arrow may point in the opposite direction. If your school is declining and underperforming, then it needs more generous FA to attract families. Schools can get in a bad spiral of compromising admissions standards to get tuition dollars, and compromising financially to maintain academics. It's hard to stop once it starts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve started to notice that at my kids’ school, the number of students receiving financial aid and the total amount awarded have increased significantly, by about 50 percent over that last 5 years. At the same time, building maintenance seems to be falling behind, the quality of faculty appears to be declining, the quality of the food in the cafeteria is low, and the after-school offerings are not very strong. This is a school with a tuition of $60,000.

Has generous financial aid caused similar issues at your children’s school?

Snob.

I would say the same thing if someone stopped providing funds for my kids tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve started to notice that at my kids’ school, the number of students receiving financial aid and the total amount awarded have increased significantly, by about 50 percent over that last 5 years. At the same time, building maintenance seems to be falling behind, the quality of faculty appears to be declining, the quality of the food in the cafeteria is low, and the after-school offerings are not very strong. This is a school with a tuition of $60,000.

Has generous financial aid caused similar issues at your children’s school?

Consider that the causal arrow may point in the opposite direction. If your school is declining and underperforming, then it needs more generous FA to attract families. Schools can get in a bad spiral of compromising admissions standards to get tuition dollars, and compromising financially to maintain academics. It's hard to stop once it starts.

Not really. The admissions rates is about 3 to 5 percent currently. They can totally cut funding and still remain in high demand but providing a much better service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve started to notice that at my kids’ school, the number of students receiving financial aid and the total amount awarded have increased significantly, by about 50 percent over that last 5 years. At the same time, building maintenance seems to be falling behind, the quality of faculty appears to be declining, the quality of the food in the cafeteria is low, and the after-school offerings are not very strong. This is a school with a tuition of $60,000.

Has generous financial aid caused similar issues at your children’s school?

Consider that the causal arrow may point in the opposite direction. If your school is declining and underperforming, then it needs more generous FA to attract families. Schools can get in a bad spiral of compromising admissions standards to get tuition dollars, and compromising financially to maintain academics. It's hard to stop once it starts.

Not really. The admissions rates is about 3 to 5 percent currently. They can totally cut funding and still remain in high demand but providing a much better service.

Sounds like you do not have confidence in the leadership of your school. Or they think the FA is worth it and you don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What a bizarre thread. Schools provide financial aid because it's consistent with their missions to establish a student body that is as diverse as possible (socially, economically, culturally, racially). People from different backgrounds contributing to discourse is a key part of successful education.

That said, if you don't like is no obligation to support that diversity with contributions. If you don't like the concept at all, there is no obligation to send your kid to any kind of school that supports it.

We are full-pay and also make a sizable contribution. I like the school and support them in allocating the money as they see fit. The school is very diverse but also has significant wealth. I'm not losing sleep concerned that my donation is going to the wrong place. Is it possible that wealthy families are taking advantage of financial aid? Sure, same as any government aid, private charity or anything else.

Do the right thing, whatever that means for you, and move on with your life.

Oh my, no.

No school charging 60k is sincerely interested in diversity and neither are most of the families whose kids attend.

I obviously can’t comment on your school. Ours recently sent a photo of the graduating class, of which 50% or so were kids with skin colors other than white. To me, that’s pretty good diversity. Our tuition is a shade less ($55K) but I’ve been perfectly happy with the administration, my kid’s education and the kids with which he has surrounded himself. Said differently, it’s been a good investment.

If the schools are charging $60K to 50-65% of the families so that 35% of kids pay less, so be it. Don’t like it? Seek education elsewhere.