| Many parents believe that asking for tuition | | | | also varies from school to school. The finance |
| assistance from a private elementary, private | | | | committee then offers tuition assistance based on |
| middle or private high school will affect their child's | | | | the amount requested by a family, a family's |
| chances for admission. But they are often | | | | financial situation, the diversity needs that a school |
| mistaken. More and more schools are using a | | | | desires to fill and how much the school has |
| method that determines who gets admitted to | | | | available in its financial aid budget. |
| private school before they decide how much | | | | When this method it used, a family will be |
| financial aid a student can receive. | | | | accepted into the school but may receive less aid |
| The effect of asking for private school tuition | | | | than they requested and in some cases (rare), a |
| depends on the kind of admission process the | | | | family may not receive any financial aid at all. |
| school uses. Most independent private schools in | | | | METHOD #2 -- The Committee Method |
| the United States use one of two methods to | | | | If a school uses this method the applications are |
| determine the amount of financial aid a family | | | | reviewed by an admissions committee that |
| receives. | | | | includes the Director of Admissions, Director of |
| METHOD #1 -- The Need Blind Process | | | | Finance and the Headmaster of the school and |
| This method has NO AFFECT on your child's | | | | maybe a few other members. |
| acceptance. It involves the Director of | | | | With this method, the committee reviews each |
| Admissions, Headmaster, Director of Finance and | | | | application and decides who will be accepted and |
| a finance committee which is made up of a small | | | | acceptance is partly based on how much tuition |
| select group of board members. | | | | assistance a family asks for. They balance the |
| First, the applications are reviewed by the | | | | need for financial assistance with a family's |
| admissions committee, which includes the | | | | application. It is possible for an applicant to be |
| admissions director, usually the head of school and | | | | moved from the accept pile to the non-accept |
| perhaps other members of an admissions team. | | | | pile simply based on their need for financial aid. |
| (The size and members vary from school to | | | | But..... here's the key. If the school thinks your child |
| school and largely depend on the size of the | | | | and family are a perfect fit for them, they will |
| school.) The committee looks for candidates who | | | | give you the financial aid you desire. Strong |
| they feel will fit the school. The application is | | | | applicants get in and get the money they need! |
| accepted based on the match with the school | | | | Make sure your application is a solid one! |
| only. | | | | In the end, your ability to get into the private |
| It is only after the candidate is selected that the | | | | elementary, private middle or private high school |
| application is then passed to the Director of | | | | and get the financial aid you need is about your |
| Finance and the finance committee, whose size | | | | application first, the request for funding is second. |