How much do you make and how much FA do you receive?
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Anonymous
| HHI $150k. 50% FA |
Anonymous
We are in a similar situation as the $100K HHI poster (same income, single parent of 2 who works full time) and do exactly as you suggest above. Can't speak for that poster, but this is how we "afford to live". Bought back in buyer's market and have an affordable mortgage in a decent, close-in suburban neighborhood. I rent out the legal basement apartment to help offset further. Get used clothes from family, new clothes as gifts, or buy clothes on deep discount at stores or online. Buy groceries on sale and rarely eat out, but use Groupon when we do. Drive a very reliable, but not fancy car that is kept in excellent repair. Vacays (what few there are) are to see family in other states and we drive, local staycays within driving distance like Hershey, PA, Ocean City or Six Flags and every couple of years those timeshare deals mentioned above. Take advantage of many of the great free entertainment activities for kids and families in the DC metro area. I also work a few hours several nights a week at a second job to put money away in savings and pay for the little extras for my kids like dance lessons or birthday parties. FA would be very helpful to attend a private and greatly appreciate those families who contribute. The rest of the cost would be defrayed by reallocating what I currently pay for childcare via child support ($20k) and what I kick in solo for eldest's current preschool ($10k) and putting it all toward tuition. My oldest will go to the local public for K and youngest to eldest's former preschool if enough FA isn't awarded. Both are options I'm ok with. |
Anonymous
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We have 4 kids (3 in school and one still at home in a nanny share ($18K for her care)) and total tuition at a religious private school is $42K. Our HHI is around $200K. We were offered $17K in aid. DH ended up getting a large bonus so we were able to decline the offer.
We are very involved in the school - I think that helped. |
Anonymous
That was extremely gracious of you to decline! Your honesty and using the bonus money towards tuition so another family could use the funds is very selfless and I am sure the other families appreciated your decision. (I know I would!) I would hope others would do the same in a similar scenario, but based on some previous posts by others I am guessing you are in the minority. |
Anonymous
FA recipient. If you get a large bonus, you HAVE to report it to the FA office. Ours makes us sign an agreement saying that if our income increases by more than $3k, we will notify them within 30 days. Which seems perfectly fair to me. |
Anonymous
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HHI:100k
FA: 40% |
Anonymous
| WOW. I'm really glad I saw this board. Our HHI is $220K and we have two kids. We were planning on moving to a good school district when it was time for elementary because spending $70K per year on our kid's education just wasn't doable (we have 2). If folks making a similar amount are getting FA it's definitely worth a shot to apply. Other than a 401K we don't have much in the way of savings or other assets. |
Anonymous
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Do the schools decide who receives financial aid, or does an independent agency review your file and make that determination?
(sorry if someone answered this already, haven't read through entire thread) |
Anonymous
The schools decide. SSS and the other services are first-cut assessment services. The problem is that the services are notoriously off so you have to hope that the schools themselves take that into account. |
Anonymous
God himself reviews every case, and decides. You hear via the principal or FA office. |
Anonymous
NO, IT IS NOT. SOME KIDS CANNOT MAKE IT THROUGH THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS - THE "FACTORY MODEL" OF EDUCATION. THEY GET LOST, OVERLOOKED, DEPRESSED, BORED, YOU NAME IT....THIS IS WHY PEOPLE ARE SO DESPERATE TO GET INTO GOOD PRIVATES. THANK GOD FOR FINANCIAL AID AND FOR THE SPIRIT OF GIVING, COMMUNITY AND GENORISITY THAT IS VALUED AT MOST INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS (APPARENTLY NOT YOURS, IT'S IN THE MINORITY). |
Anonymous
If you cannot afford 40K, you go to a 10K school like the rest of us. If you kid is bored, you supplement at home. You deal with it or you get another job to pay for it. The only kids who truly may need it are SN kids and financial aide is rarely available to them. I would love to send my kid to a 40+ a year SN school but we can't so we are at a small private, who is great, but doesn't fully get my child's needs. |
Anonymous
BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH |
Anonymous
The poster said they can afford to pay 50k, which is nothing to sneeze at and I pay full fare, but I can comfortably afford it so it's no skin off my back if someone's getting a discount of 10%. If there are people out there making less than $300k, I say all of you should apply for aid, just do it cause in my mind no one under HHI of $300k should be paying full fare. A while ago I saw on a new england boarding school admissions page that families making up to and even over $250,000 should apply for aid as their average award was 38%. Look, there's far fewer people like me at the school, but theres tons of people who make under 300 in this area and with a little discount/help whatever you want to call it, they too can attend the school. I'd rather have more of them because they tend to be more enthusiastic and volunteer a hell of a lot more than some of the small business owners, lawyers, or doctors who can't donate time but do donate money. Every school needs a good mix of donors and volunteers so if it takes 10k and 5 k there to get people to attend, why not? |
Anonymous
Finally a sensible opinion! |