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Understanding Private School Financial Aid

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    www.admissionsquest.com sss.nais.org

    Understanding

    Private SchoolFinancial Aid:

    What it is & How to Applyby: Brian Fisher, AdmissionsQuest

    http://www.admissionsquest.com/http://sss.nais.org/http://sss.nais.org/http://sss.nais.org/http://www.admissionsquest.com/http://sss.nais.org/http://www.admissionsquest.com/
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    iUnderstanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    Acknowledgements:

    Tis booklet is an amalgamation o more than just our writings andthinking about the private school nancial process. It is a collection oshared thoughts and works collected over the years by our colleaguesand us. We do not stand alone as experts in the private school nancial

    aid process. We reely admit that we stand on the shoulders o thosewhove come beore us.

    AdmissionsQuests niche in the process is bringing thethinking surrounding nancial aid as ar as we can into the open.

    Beyond our own letters and works, this booklet draws rom workspublished bySchool & Student Services By NAIS (SSS)and SewicklyAcademy. We believe that the best insights and understandings o thenancial aid process come rom some o the best people andorganizations in the business.

    Our goal or this booklet is to present the process just as we would i wewere talking to a amily in the oce or the cofee shop. We use nancialaid, nancial aid process, and FA interchangeably.

    AdmissionsQuests

    niche in the process is

    bringing thethinking surrounding

    financial aidas far as

    we can into the open.

    http://www.admissionsquest.com/~financialaid/index.cfm/articletypeid/7http://sss.nais.org/http://www.sewickley.org/http://www.sewickley.org/http://www.sewickley.org/http://www.admissionsquest.com/~financialaid/index.cfm/articletypeid/7http://www.admissionsquest.com/~financialaid/index.cfm/articletypeid/7http://www.admissionsquest.com/~financialaid/index.cfm/articletypeid/7http://www.admissionsquest.com/~financialaid/index.cfm/articletypeid/7http://www.sewickley.org/http://www.sewickley.org/http://sss.nais.org/http://www.admissionsquest.com/~financialaid/index.cfm/articletypeid/7http://sss.nais.org/http://www.admissionsquest.com/
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    iiUnderstanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    Table of contents

    Tings to know about fling or fnancial aid. . . . . . . . . . . . 1

    Eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

    questions and topics that you might be asking . . . . . . . . . . 1

    Primary fnancial aid questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

    rue cost o attendance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

    Honesty, openness, and accuracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

    Te fnancial aid process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

    Seeking fnancial aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

    Financial aid is a fnite resource . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

    Expect to pay something . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

    Admission and fnancial aid decisions are independent. . . . 4

    Admissions and nancial aid: concurrent processesbut diferent deadlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

    School ft comes frst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

    Need help with school t? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

    Educate yoursel about what fnancial aid means. . . . . . . . 5

    alk with your school(s). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

    Do NO become angry or rustrated with the schoolor the nancial aid ocer working with you. . . . . . . . . . . . 6

    Te two ways to learn i you qualiy or nancial aid . . . . . 6What i youre still just not sure whether to go throughthe aid process? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

    Tird party nancia l a id services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

    Examples o third party nancial aid processors . . . . . . . . . 7

    What does the nancial aid processing company do?What does a school learn rom mynancial aid application? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

    School loans: three important thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

    Financial aid realities or the late applicant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

    Te fnancial aid package. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

    Need-based nancial aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

    Merit awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

    Sibling discounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

    Employee discounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

    Payment plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

    Loan programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

    Case studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

    Apply or fnancial aid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

    Start early . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

    Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

    Deadlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

    An idea l nancia l a id timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

    August-December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

    Questions or the Financial Aid Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

    What about schools with rolling admissions? . . . . . . . . . . . 13

    Financial aid deadlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

    November or December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

    January or early February . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

    January or February . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

    Late February or early March . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

    March or April . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

    April, May, June. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

    For your records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

    Additional resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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    1Understanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    Where shouldwe start?

    Are weeligible forfinancial aid?

    Some opening thoughts on the school searchand financial aid/things you should knowabout filing for financial aid

    We begin with some thoughts that we include in almost every note wewrite to amilies asking about nancial aid. Tese thoughts may comeacross as blunt; that is a conscious decision. Any healthy nancial aidapplication requires a realistic understanding and acceptance o theprocess, as well as an acceptance o the potential outcomes.

    Eligibility: the fundamental question

    Tis book is or parents who are interested in securing a private schooleducation or their child and who have questions about how to makeprivate school tuition a nancial reality.

    Heres a quick rhetorical distillation o the questions and topics thatyou might be asking:

    Tuition is high. We want to aord private school, but we have limitedresources. Is our amily eligible or nancial aid?

    Are we eligible or nancial aid?

    Are we likely to receive an FA award?

    Is there a way to gure out if we qualify?

    Who can help us? To whom should we speak?

    Where should we start?

    Placing your amily in the nancial aid continuum to determinewhere you stand and the likelihood o FA eligibility isnt as dicultas you might think.

    Many amilies mistakenly believe they will not qualiy. However, nospecic income level disqualies a amily rom nancial aid. FA eligibilityis based on many actors. Always investigate the possibility o receivingnancial aid i you eel you cannot pay all o the costs yoursel.

    Who canhelp us? Towhom should

    we speak?

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    2Understanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    Know howmuch it coststo attend

    (everythingincluded) theschool(s) towhich youreapplying.

    Your financial aid conversation beginswith these primary financial aid questions

    What percentage of students receive nancial aid?

    What is the schools average grant?

    If your child receives nancial aid for one year, what is the schools policyor renewing granted aid in subsequent years? I you are separated ordivorced, how does the school evaluate your amilys nancial status andability to pay?

    What options exist if you dont get the aid you need?

    True cost of attendance: a number you must know

    Once you know the list o schools to which you will apply, do yournancial homework. Ask the school about the ull cost o attendance.

    Know how much it costs to attend (everything included) the school(s)to which youre applying.

    At some schools, tuition or tuition, room, and board, includes everythingor it includes everything but books and incidentals.

    At other schools, tuition or tuition, room, and board covers only that withextra, required charges that will be billed later or items such as books,supplies, transportation, athletics, eld trips, weekend activities, etc. Tesecharges can quickly add up to large numbers, pushing the true cost o

    attendance quite a distance beyond quoted tuition numbers.

    Honesty, openness, and accuracy

    Honesty among everyone involved, openness in communication, andaccuracy in reporting are the hallmarks o a sound nancial aid application.

    As a amily, its paramount that you work with nancial aid ocers ina orthright manner. We will do the same with you, our readers. With

    realities in the daylight, we can ofer the best suggestions we knowregarding school nancing, scholarships, and nancial aid.

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    3Understanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    Dont becomediscouraged or giveup on the financialaid process.

    The financial aid process is thorough and rigorous

    A successul nancial aid application requires planning, attention todetail, and tenacity. Be prepared to commit your time and be ready touse a ne toothed comb as you gather your nancial inormation andanswer questions.

    Dont become discouraged or give up on the nancial aid process.

    Financial aid is a signicant part o the decision to provide your child withthe best educational opportunities you can nd.

    Be prepared to spend time and efort on all phases o the nancial aid processcommunicating with schools, gathering documents, and entering data.

    Dont leave parts o the FA process undone until the last minute.

    Seeking financial aid is a process, not a recipe

    Financial aid is a processoten with a good number o dead ends beorending what you need.

    Teres no ready money. Te best approach to any process is tounderstand it, to harness it or use, to be at peace with the possibleoutcomes, and to breathe.

    Completing the FA process will not produce a specic result. Each schooladministers its own nancial aid program, making awards and grantsbased on the competition or need-based nancial aid. Te amount o aidyou might receive varies rom school to school based on how much aid theschool has available and the quality o competition or each available dollar.

    Prepare yoursel to be told no or to receive nancial aid packages smaller thanwhat you believe you need or qualiy or.

    Dont leave partsof the FA processundone until thelast minute.

    Financial aid isa processoftenwith a goodnumber of deadends beforefinding what

    you need.

    Prepare yourselfto be told noor to receivefinancial aid

    packages smallerthan what youbelieve you needor qualify for.

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    4Understanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    Financial aid is a finite resource

    Financial aid monies are nite and scarce. A school doesnt want to limitthe ability o any good student to attend. However, a school must allocateits resources (nancial aid dollars in this discussion) in the best way that itknows how and in accordance with its nancial aid policies.

    Expect to pay something: private school is a partnershipbetween school and family

    In the spirit o partnership between school, student, and amily, when aschool makes a nancial commitment to support a student, it wants to seea similar promise rom a amily. Tis establishes a shared seriousness andcommon bond.

    Even i your amily qualies and receives a substantial aid package, beprepared to pay something.

    Admission and financial aid decisionsare independent of one another;they are not connected

    Your admission application and nancial aid application are twocompletely separate entities. A schools Admission Committee knowsnothing about, and does not have access to, nancial aid inormation.

    Its perectly possible to be accepted to a school and then receive a nancial aid

    package too small to support matriculation.

    Admissions and financial aid: concurrent processesbut different deadlines

    Admission deadlines can difer rom school to school. Some schoolsuse a process called rolling admission, under which they make a decisionregarding an applicants admittance a short time ater the studentsapplication is complete. Know the processes and the dates thatyour school uses.

    Financial aid deadlines. Know each schools nancial aid deadlines.Again, they can difer rom school to school. However, they tend to bemore uniorm, all on the same date or earlier than application deadlines,and most importantly or the applying amily, nancial aid deadlines tendto be hard and ast.

    I you miss a nancial aid deadline, you are likely to miss out on aid.

    Its perfectlypossible to beaccepted to aschool and thenreceive a financialaid package toosmall to supportmatriculation.

    If you miss afinancial aiddeadline, you

    are likely tomiss out on aid.

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    5Understanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    School fit comes first: all the financial aidin the world will be of no benefit if theschool fit isnt good

    Even though a nancial aid application can take on a lie o its own andbegin to overshadow the admission process, remember that the processis about your child and nding the school that will do the best job ocultivating him or her.

    Your rst order o business must be to seek and identiy schools that best twhere your child stands in his or her educational path.

    Find the school(s) that best ts then make nancial aid part o theapplication process.

    Need help with school fit?

    You can nd our resources covering school t atwww.admissionsquest.com.

    Educate yourself about what financial aidmeans: what are we talking about when weuse the term financial aid?

    Were oten talking about a combination o diferent types o aid: need-based merit scholarships, grants, and loans combined into a single packagethat can make school tuition afordable or a given amily.

    Financial aid is not simply a grant or a lower tuition numberawarded by a school.

    A amilys nancial aid package is exactly thata series o diferentsolutions in the orm o grants, loans, or maybe a tuition paymentplanwoven together to build a package that makes a particular schoolafordable or a amily.

    Your nancial aid application should include a conversation with theschool. Do research and make yoursel knowledgeable about the kindso aid and nancing available rom each school such as grants, tuitiondiscounts, merit awards, student prole scholarships (geographic, socialaliation), achievement/merit awards, and loans. More on each typeo assistance ollows later.

    Loans are not nancial aid, but a school may actor them into a amilysexpected contribution (see below).

    Financial aid isnot simply a grantor a lower tuitionnumber awardedby a school.

    Loans are notfinancial aid but,as we cover below,a school mayfactor them into afamilys expected

    contribution.

    Find the school(s)that best fits

    then makefinancial aid partof the application

    process.

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    6Understanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    Talk with your school(s): a healthy financial aidapplication begins with an open, honest dialogbetween family and school

    Start with your school(s). Te number one resource regarding nancialaid policies, requirements, and resources is the nancial aid ocer ordirector at a school.

    Find out i the school(s) you are interested in ofer nancial aid. Visit theirwebsites or call their admissions or nancial aid oces. Each school cansend you orms on their policy and any other inormation you need toapply or nancial aid. Most schools strongly suggest that you applyonline. Its important to know the expectations o each school to whichyou are applying.

    No one will know more about aid and nancing options or their studentsthan your school(s).

    Do NOT become angry or frustrated with the school or thefinancial aid officer working with you.

    Almost to a , every nancial aid ocer is a serious proessional working tobuild a solution that works best or everyone.

    Always keep the dialog open and leave a conversation with everyone eelingpositive, even i the result was imperect.

    I a resulting nancial aid package is too small to make attendancepossible in the coming year, its not unheard o or a school to encouragea second admission and nancial aid application the ollowing year, i it

    works or the student.

    The two ways to learn if you qualify for financial aid:

    1. alk with the nancial aid ocer(s) at your school(s).

    2. Apply.

    Te aid ocers can provide you with a rough idea o whether or notyour amily ts in that schools nancial aid window.

    Formally applying or nancial aid yields a specic expected amilycontribution and a subsequent aid package rom the school

    (upon completed application).

    o denitively determine your amilys eligibility, you must ormally completethe nancial aid application at your school(s). Te nancial aid ocer(s) ateach school can provide you with their application and application process.

    To definitivelydetermine yourfamilys eligibility,

    you must formallycomplete thefinancial aidapplication at

    your school(s).The financialaid officer(s) ateach school can

    provide you withtheir applicationand application

    process.

    No one will knowmore about aidand financingoptions for theirstudents than

    your school(s).

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    7Understanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    What if youre still just not sure whether to go throughthe aid process or if you think you might not qualify?

    o get a sense o your amilys prospects, contact the admissions ornancial aid proessionals at the schools youre interested in. Tey will beable to provide guidance thats appropriate or your circumstances. Butdont be surprised i each school ofers a diferent unding strategy and aidpolicy. Tats why you need to ask each about the specics o its various

    options and see how these options t within your nancial planning.Whether you qualiy or nancial aid or not, keep in mind that othernancing options exist. Tese include tuition loan programs, paymentplans, and other personal nance alternatives such as home-equity loansor lines o credit, which many amilies use to ll gaps that their availableincome or savings cant meet. Its always a good idea, as with any majorinvestment, to check with a nancial advisor on the best strategies youmight use to manage school costs, given your resources and amily goals.(School & Student Services By NAIS (SSS))

    Honesty and accuracy are undamental and paramount in thenancial aid process.

    A third-party financial aid service company will collectand process your financial information for the school

    Schools lack the resources and expertise needed to process a amilysnancial statement and generate an expected amily contribution amount.In every case that we know, nancial aid management and data evaluationo each amilys expected amily contribution is operated and handledby a third-party companyan independent nancial aid servicing rm.Schools subscribe to one o several nancial aid service companies to assessand determine a amilys expected contribution. o le your nancialaid application, you will be directed to the web site o the nancial aidprocessing company retained by the school.

    Its conceivable that a amily applying to multiple schools may have tocomplete more than one nancial statement. Be prepared to work throughthe online ling process more than once i applying to multiple schools.

    Examples o third-party fnancial aid processors include:

    School & Student Services By NAIS (SSS)

    TADS

    FACTS Tuition Management Company

    Private School Aid Service.

    Honesty andaccuracy arefundamental and

    paramount inthe financial aid

    process.

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    8Understanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    What does the financial aid processing company do? Whatdoes a school learn from my financial aid application?

    Concisely, the nancial aid processor takes a amilys nancial data andnancial statement, runs the numbers, and produces a number known asthe estimated amily contribution, or EFC. Te EFC is an amount createdthrough the processors model that a amily could reasonably be expectedto contribute toward school tuition. I several schools use a common

    processor, the processor sends the same report to each school.

    Te nancial aid processor makes no recommendation to the school.Te school administers and constructs its own aid packages.

    Some nancial aid processors go a bit urther by providing the school withan overview, or snapshot, o the amilys nancial situation. Te nancialaid processor may also produce a concurrent report that goes to the amilyso that the amily sees, and knows, what is reported to the school.

    Te report rom the FA processing company is only the starting pointin a amilys nancial aid package.

    Estimated amily contribution sets a baseline or the school. From there,each school allocates its own resources and makes independent decisionsregarding each amily.

    Financial aid packages may include grants, merit awards, discounts,payment plans, and loans.

    The report from

    the FA processingcompany is onlythe starting

    point in a familysfinancial aid

    package.

    The financialaid processormakes norecommendationto the school. Theschool administersand constructs itsown aid packages.

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    9Understanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    School loans: three important thoughts

    Loans generally enter the equation ater a school has ofered its aidpackage to a amily.

    Tree important thoughts about loans:

    1. Schools learn nothing about a amilys creditworthiness rom theFA processor. Te FA processor addresses only estimated amilycontribution. A school might believe that you have borrowing powerwhen, or any number o reasons unknown to the school, you do not.

    2. Some amilies may nd it advantageous to use a loan as part o theirnancial management.

    3. Loans must be repaid.

    Financial aid realities for the late applicantBeore embarking on the late application process, amilies need to knowa blunt act: at almost every school, nancial aid is not available or isavailable in very limited amounts. Te bulk o any schools nancial aiddollars is awarded according to the schools published nancial aid lingcalendar. I applying late and in need o aid, check with each school youare interested in prior to completing an admission application.

    Loans generallyenter the equationafter a schoolhas offered itsaid package to afamily.

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    10Understanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    The possible parts of a financial aid packageand what they mean

    Tis is a distilled look at the types o nancial aid along with inormationabout sibling discounts, employee discounts, supplemental loans andtuition payment plans written by our colleagues at School & Student

    Services By NAIS (SSS). Youll nd a more detailed version o this explicationavailable athttp://sss.nais.org/parents/.

    Need-based financial aidTis is the classic orm o need-based nancial aid. When someone says,or hears the term, nancial aid, they think o grants in the orms otuition remission, tuition reduction, or outright cash grant. For amiliesdemonstrating need, need-based grants comprise the primary orm onancial aid. Grants are made on an annual basis and could cover any, orall, o a schools tuition as well as other school expenses.

    Merit awardsMerit awardsawards based on a recognized talent o abilityare rare,though not unheard o, in the private school world. Tey are academicscholarship awards at the collegiate level given or outstanding talent inareas such as athletics, art, music, and academics.

    Sibling discountsTese discounts are based on the number o children you enroll in thesame school. Not all schools ofer these, and the trend among those that dois to phase them out or keep the discounts small. Even so, the discounts areworth asking about.

    Employee discountsMany schools also provide tuition discounts, also called tuition remission,to certain employees at the school. I you are employed at (or consideringemployment at) a school, be sure to understand your eligibility ortuition remission.

    Payment plansMost schools bill or tuition in one or two lump sums, which are due priorto the start o the year or prior to each semester. An installment plan thatlets you break those sums into several monthly payments may make tuitioneasier to manage.

    Loan programsuition loans help you spread your payments over a much longer period otime than tuition payment plans allow (spread out over many years, ratherthan several months). Because most schools do not run their own loanprograms, you usually have to get such loans rom a private lender.

    Source: School & Student Services By NAIS

    Youll find a moredetailed versionof this explicationavailable at:

    http://sss.nais.org/parents/.

    http://sss.nais.org/parents/http://sss.nais.org/parents/http://sss.nais.org/parents/http://sss.nais.org/parents/http://sss.nais.org/parents/http://sss.nais.org/parents/http://sss.nais.org/http://www.admissionsquest.com/
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    12Understanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    Apply for financial aid: a plan and a commitment

    Start early. Procrastination leads to missedopportunities and anxiety.

    Applying or nancial aid can be both stressul and time-intensive. Justas you get your ducks in a row or your admission application, youll

    do the same with your FA application.

    Chart a plan and a calendar to guide your financial aid application

    Remember, learn your fnancial aid deadlines and ollow these tips:

    Be accurate and precise in all reporting and dealings

    Be open

    Be honest

    Ask questions

    Follow up with your schools

    Deadlines

    Admission and FA applications, because they are separate andindependent processes, require two separate applications that otenhave diferent deadlines.

    Request inormation early and be sure to contact each schools nancialaid ocer with any questions.

    FA deadlines come early and they are hard and ast. You put your chanceo receiving an FA award in mortal jeopardy by missing a deadline.

    Hear from TaborAcademysDirector ofFinancial Aid as

    he share the stepsyou must takeas you apply forfinancial aid.

    FA deadlines comeearly and they arehard and fast. You

    put your chanceof receivingan FA award in

    mortal jeopardyby missing adeadline.

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    13Understanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    A template for an ideal financial aid timeline

    August-December

    Find the best school t for your student.

    Begin the application process.

    Begin an open, honest dialog about your nancial aid application.

    Introduce yourself to the Financial Aid Director at each school.

    Let them know that FA will be part o your application. Ask them abouttheir nancial aid process. Do they have an FA application package thatthey can send? Do they have any school specic processes or requirementso which you need to be aware?

    Pose these questions to the Financial Aid Director:

    Whats the realistic full cost of attendance?

    Whats the FA application deadline? What types and combinations of FA does the school oer?

    What (if any) additional information or forms are required of smallbusiness or arm owners?

    Do you have any special procedures for separated/divorced parents?

    Does the school require a minimum contribution from families, or, cannancial aid cover all school costs?

    If my child receives nancial aid for one year, what is the schools policyor granting aid in the ollowing years?

    What about schools with rolling admissions?

    Some schools dont set one admission deadline but continue to acceptapplications until their classes are lled. Ask them about their nancial aidtimeline and expectations.

    August -December

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    14Understanding Private School Financial Aid: What it is and How to Apply

    Learn your financial aid deadlines

    Learn which nancial processor each school uses. Remember: dierentschools use diferent nancial aid servicing companies; i applying tomultiple schools, you might have to provide data to multiple nancialaid servicers.

    Conrm the most recent tax year for which you must provide data.

    Some schools use the previous tax year in their evaluation; some schoolsuse current tax year data.

    Learn and gather required documents.

    Start this process early; it takes time. Each school will have a list ofrequired nancial documents or their nancial aid application.Financial aid documentation includes but is not limited to:

    Federal Income Tax Return

    State Income Tax Return

    W-2 Forms

    Various IRS Forms

    Learn the requirements and start early.

    Be prepared to le your current year income tax returns early.Schools may want these included with your application.

    Financial aiddocumentationincludes but isnot limited to:

    Federal Income

    Tax Return

    State Income Tax

    Return

    W-2 Forms

    Various IRS

    Forms

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    November or December:

    Begin the nancial aid application process.

    Complete Your Tax Return. Know which year each school requires.

    Check in and communicate with the FA ocer at your school(s).Do they have everything they need? Do they need anything else?

    Be accurate in all reporting and data entry.

    January or early February:

    Your admissions applications are due.

    January or February:

    Your nancial aid applications are due.

    Late February or early March:

    Schools send out admissions decisions.

    March or April:

    Schools send out nancial aid decisions.

    April, May, June:

    Schools require your nal enrollment decision and tuition deposit toreserve a spot in the class.

    Apply early. Be on time. Follow up. Make sure that everyone has allinormation and documentation needed. Wait patiently.

    For your records:

    Keep copies o all documentation submitted. You may need to reer backto them at various points in the admissions, or in the nancial, processes.

    Additional resources

    School & Student Services By NAIS (SSS): http://sss.nais.org/parents/

    Financial Aid Section:http://www.admissionsquest.com/~nancialaid/index.cm/articletypeid/7

    Private School Lenders:

    prepGATE: http://www.prepgate.com/

    Your Tuition Solution: https://secure.yourtuitionsolution.com/

    November or December

    January or earlyFebruary

    January or February

    Late Februaryor early March

    March or April

    April, May, June

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