How.do you afford private school? Any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Go back to work in a higher paying position. Use you salary for tuition and retirement only. Daycare comes out of your DH's salary.

[Anonymous]

And what constitutes "real need"? If you're living in poverty and barely putting dinner on the table, maybe you deserve financial aid but probably aren't able to spend ime and energy applying to private schools. Does a family with lower paying jobs that's otherwise financially stable but can't afford private school not deserve financial aid? Isn't that what it's for? It's clear that you don't support the idea of financial aid in general, but fact is that it exists. I guess you don't like the "riff raff" going to a "rich people school"?

[Anonymous]

what's turning people against OP is the SAHM part, because many of us would like that luxury as well but realize that we can't afford both that luxury and the luxury of private school. so it's galling to be asked to fund someone else's luxury good (private school) so she can keep her existing luxury (not working). we all want the best for our kids OP, and most of us have to make some choice about our priorities.

OP - i think you should really consider looking into the teacher remission and FA policies at the schools where you are interested. Many of the teachers at my kids' school send their kids there, so I'm pretty sure they are getting some assistance. You wouldn't be able to stay home with your 2nd, but you might be able to financially swing it that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmmm...all these arguments against OP are also arguments against any financial aid at all whether for private school or college.

College financial aid is not the same as private school K-12 aid. Full stop. Not the same sources, no option for student loans, a K-12 child can't work nights and weekends to pay for room/board, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmmm...all these arguments against OP are also arguments against any financial aid at all whether for private school or college.

College financial aid is not the same as private school K-12 aid. Full stop. Not the same sources, no option for student loans, a K-12 child can't work nights and weekends to pay for room/board, etc.

Also, the college pricing model is actually based on charging differential rates according to what people can afford. Few people pay the sticker price.

[Anonymous]

OP- people are born with the disposition to win The Hunger Games of life or not. You were born to be a yoga teacher. When I wake up each day, I want to defeat everyone that I see. There's nothing wrong with being a yoga instructor, but your kids pay for it with a poor education. You should to try to rent a house or apartment in Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmmm...all these arguments against OP are also arguments against any financial aid at all whether for private school or college.

College financial aid is not the same as private school K-12 aid. Full stop. Not the same sources, no option for student loans, a K-12 child can't work nights and weekends to pay for room/board, etc.

Also, the college pricing model is actually based on charging differential rates according to what people can afford. Few people pay the sticker price.

Also, K-12 is not optional like college is and there is not a free college for every student available like there is for K-12.

[Anonymous]

OP I have participated in this thread and will let you in on what secret I have to pay for my kids private school.

I stay home with my kids like you do.
My husband works a reasonable job with steady hours and decent work/life balance.

However, unbeknownst to the littlest one and poorly understood by the older two, I work.
I creep out of the house every Fri and Saturday night and work a 12 hour shift at your local hospital.
I sometimes work overnight Sunday and just don't sleep until Monday night.
But I'm there during the week for all the same reasons you are, and feel it's important to stay home with my kids, just like you do.
I give up my sleep and circadian rhythm and my weekends with my husband and countless parties and concerts and beach trips to send my kids to private school.
So yes, it does rub me the wrong way when someone like you who is actively choosing not to work wants financial aid.
I'm more than happy to pay full freight to a family trying their best and sacrificing but falling short.
We donate heavily to our church for the same reason.
But you and Chicago "I can buy a million dollar house and have $350k saved up" begging for financial aid just rubs me the wrong way.

[Anonymous]

I don't get how it is different from FA in college (meaning outright grants, not loans). Very few colleges are absolutely free but there are many that are low cost. Full resident freight at City College of New York and UDC for example is less than $7500 a year.

It's the same principle--those paying full freight are subsidizing those who are not, at least to some extent. Of course many colleges have larger endowments than private schools and some aid comes from that, but still some students are subsidizing others. It's just a question of degree. That more people pay the full sticker price at private schools than at colleges is irrelevant to the principle.

I am wondering why people are protesting this point. Is it because they are paying full freight for private but are hoping their DCs get financial aid for college and somehow this is different so they can freely attack OP?

Where is the outrage that a child of a SAHM gets financial aid for college but the child of two full-time working parents who also scrimped and saved does not?

[Anonymous]

Maybe this is the wrong place for this comment, but our "best for our family" compromise is that we live in a good public school district, but not in a "cool city." I only work part-time so that we can supplement with a lot of "mom and dad" school, music lessons, trips to museums and historic sites, and rec sports.

I basically agree that you don't get to have everything. Nor that I think a private school education is the right thing for everyone either. My kids are thriving in public, but maybe its
Because we do so much to supplement and I volunteer as much as I can at school? I do t know. But they are very happy and very smart. Am I taking in the big bucks at my part time job. Hella no!! But my husband's career is thriving. Maybe someone had it all worked out, but we just so the best we can with what we've got.

[Anonymous]

OP,
Part of doing "what's best for your family" and staying home with them should have included not being able to pay for private school.
I'm sure you did a cost/benefit analysis, looked at housing choices, retirement accounts, college savings, vacation and extra curricular costs, etc and made it work to stay home, per your own account.
I'm wondering why it never occured to you that part of that choice was public schools?
I'm genuinely asking, you seem like you made a thoughtful decision, but that needed to include schooling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't get how it is different from FA in college (meaning outright grants, not loans). Very few colleges are absolutely free but there are many that are low cost. Full resident freight at City College of New York and UDC for example is less than $7500 a year.

It's the same principle--those paying full freight are subsidizing those who are not, at least to some extent. Of course many colleges have larger endowments than private schools and some aid comes from that, but still some students are subsidizing others. It's just a question of degree. That more people pay the full sticker price at private schools than at colleges is irrelevant to the principle.

I am wondering why people are protesting this point. Is it because they are paying full freight for private but are hoping their DCs get financial aid for college and somehow this is different so they can freely attack OP?

Where is the outrage that a child of a SAHM gets financial aid for college but the child of two full-time working parents who also scrimped and saved does not?

Because there are no 529's with tax advantages and breaks for private.
Because there are no federally backed loan programs for private.
Because there are no tax relief statutes for paying for private from an IRA.
Because there are no taking into account the 1st graders savings for private.
Because it is not reasonable that a 20 year old starts saving for the next 18 years to send their "not conceived yet" child to private school like the parents of a newborn can
Because college is optional
Because college can be delayed while 1st cannot
Because college education is not requires by law
Because a 3rd grader can't work nights and weekends to offset the cost of private
Because there are no RA's in 5th grade, or work study programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP apply to the school's you like and apply for aid. There are one too many FA haters on this board who have nothing better to do but tell you what's not possible. #250KHHItwokidsandreceiving50%FA

I agree with this poster. OP, apply for aid and you will be pleasantly surprised. Our HHI is 250 as well with both spouses working and we receive $15k in aid for 2 kids. Annual tuition is 56k for 2 kids. We could make it work without the aid, but the aid allows us some breathing room. I truly believe everyone with hhi of 350k or less should apply for aid. The schools recognize that these tuitions are ridiculous even for those who make a ton of money.

Such entitlement. You do know you are taking it away from the truly needy, right?

What truly needy? Lol. I seriously doubt your statement is correct. Show me the truly needy family that applied and didn't get any? Chances are the truly needy they admitted is getting 97% FA and this poster is probably getting a much smaller percentage, but a percentage that helps. I think you are bit delusional about who is exactly applying to private school. LOL

+1

If the truly needy aren't applying, the schools should be out recruiting. Otherwise, what exactly IS their mission? We "provide good educational options to people who would have gotten a pretty good education anyway"

There mission is to provide an education to bright motivated children whose parents believe in the school's mission. Where exactly do you suggest they go and recruit? LMAO. I'm sure a "truly" needy or two people apply but on the whole educated professionals are the ones who are interested in private school education for their children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again.

I know it won't change your mind, but fwiw, I think you should know that I chose to be a SAHM because I felt it was the very best thing for my kids and made sacrifices to make it possible (including giving up a career I very much valued). I don't feel I'm wasting my time at home with them, and what drove me to stay at home with them is exactly the same interest in why I'd like to consider private school -- I want what's absolutely best for them. I strongly believe that me working and most of my paycheck into childcare would not be serving them nearly as well as being home with them.

Do I plan to stay at home once they are in school full-time? No, I don't, and then I will have an income that could be put toward their education. But there will be a few years when my youngest is at home with me and the other is in school already. And even if I put my entire income toward their schooling, I probably could not afford the price of two kids in an expensive private school (I know some may be more affordable than others, though).

You are delusional if you think that my DH and I can magically get higher paying jobs. Don't you think a lot of people would get those jobs if they could? It's not like government work is necessarily my DH's "dream come true." If he could get a higher-paying job, he would have it. What government does provide, however, is stability and guaranteed income (i.e. not consulting or contract work).

And you don't know me enough to say I'm not working my butt off. I have a baby at home right now and thus am not working, but prior to this, while SAH, I was working a PT teaching position in the evenings and doing freelance work on weekends and evenings. My capacity to earn a higher salary, however, is just not there. I have a master's degree and great experience, but my field is not one that pays high salaries.

OP you don't owe these idiots on this board an explanation. The only people you owe an explanation is the admissions and financial aid team at the school you choose to apply for. None of these opinionated fools have a say in what any school will award you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP apply to the school's you like and apply for aid. There are one too many FA haters on this board who have nothing better to do but tell you what's not possible. #250KHHItwokidsandreceiving50%FA

I agree with this poster. OP, apply for aid and you will be pleasantly surprised. Our HHI is 250 as well with both spouses working and we receive $15k in aid for 2 kids. Annual tuition is 56k for 2 kids. We could make it work without the aid, but the aid allows us some breathing room. I truly believe everyone with hhi of 350k or less should apply for aid. The schools recognize that these tuitions are ridiculous even for those who make a ton of money.

Such entitlement. You do know you are taking it away from the truly needy, right?

What truly needy? Lol. I seriously doubt your statement is correct. Show me the truly needy family that applied and didn't get any? Chances are the truly needy they admitted is getting 97% FA and this poster is probably getting a much smaller percentage, but a percentage that helps. I think you are bit delusional about who is exactly applying to private school. LOL

+1

If the truly needy aren't applying, the schools should be out recruiting. Otherwise, what exactly IS their mission? We "provide good educational options to people who would have gotten a pretty good education anyway"

There are several post of people saying that they needed too much aid and the school awarded zero even though DC got in. In most cases FA is a gap pay, maybe in high school you have a super star with a full ride but that's not how the funds are allocated from what I have seen.

Not from what I have seen. My DC is in K with a 60% financial aid award and our HHI is $225K. I know of at least two other families at my school with similar income and financial aid award. I think it all depends on the school you apply to.