Reply to ok, don't crucify me.. question about financial aid.

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I agree that the pool of applicants applying to private schools is more than likely not the people anyone would agree are "deserving" of FA. Over the years, I have participated in numerous school fairs representing my DC school and I have given admission tours. If the applicant pool is representative of those I have spoken to when doing either I can tell you the poor and middle class are not applying in high numbers. There a few programs out there whose mission is so increase the number of lower income families applying but again, I don't think the impact they are having is so overwhelming such that they are being denied FA because a school is choosing to give more to the middle class. If I had to guess I would bet that the lower range of income at an elite private school (excluding teachers who teach for the school and send their kids there) is probably $150k-$250k. The overwhelming majority of parents at these elite private schools are law firm senior associates, partners, corporate business owners, corporate lobbyist, doctors, etc. The next range are high level government employees, nurses, federal law enforcement etc. these people are in the $150k-$250k depending on whether both spouses earn about the same. I think a combined HHI of less than $100K is an anomaly at these elite private schools, -!: typically will be single parents when they are present. I can't speak to why that it is, but I can only assume it might be a lack of interest, unawareness that FA exist, no desire, etc. I'm having a hard time believing it's because they did not get FA though. [/quote]

This. Why aren't more truly low income families applying?  We already see the [b]middle[/b] class families on the board constantly posting about "will we fit in".  Can you imagine the challenges for lower class families?  There are families who will choose to take chances in the familiar environment of public with vs subjecting their child to being a token.  I know because I was one of those kids.   There will be some who don't care and will hustle to get their child the best opportunity regardless and there are others who will not want to deal with the social challenges of navigating a private school world.   Parochial or trying for a lottery or magnet school maybe, but not an elite private.   The families I know under $100k in PG where I live the majority are focused on trying to get into a good lottery or charter school....private is not even being considered.  For the few that are...low cost schools whose cost is comparable to the daycare bill they were already paying that are close to home and affiliated with churches are the main option being considered.  When I get with other moms the conversation is dominated by the lottery and charter options.  I have one friend in DC who applied and needed 100% aid for her child to attend K and when they didn't get in she assumed it was because they needed so much aid and they gave up on applying again and went with a charter school where they plan to stay.[/quote]

Low income families don't consider top privates because they cost $40k. Would anyone ever really get 100% aid? If it is theoretically possible, how would they know that? At our k-8, 20% of kids get any aid at all. I'm pretty sure the number getting 100% aid are vanishingly small. I don't see why families would want to move their kids out of their communities and drive long distances to go to a place where they won't fit in and don't know anyone and probably can't afford it anyway.[/quote]

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