草榴社区

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草榴社区 School May Be Free If You Make Less Than $100,000
This article explores how prestigious private schools are making education accessible to families earning under $100,000 through generous financial aid programs. It highlights specific income thresholds at top boarding schools like Phillips Exeter ($125,000), Groton, St. Paul's ($150,000), and Deerfield ($150,000), explains the shift from exclusivity to inclusivity, and provides practical advice for families seeking financial assistance. The piece also covers completely free private school options and the innovative Cristo Rey work-study model.

草榴社区 School May Be Free If You Make Less Than $100,000

Over the past two decades, private schools have developed very generous financial aid programs.

  • This has happened for a variety of reasons.
  • But the most compelling reason is that private schools want to diversify their student bodies.
  • They want to attract academically well-qualified applicants whose families cannot afford the enormous expense of sending their children to private schools.

Generous financial aid programs are one way of helping schools achieve that goal.

Here's how Exeter the very generous financial aid it does:

"Socioeconomic diversity has been a characteristic of Phillips Exeter Academy from our founding. It's built into our ethic鈥攖o attract and teach 'youth from every quarter'鈥攁nd it's crucial to the nature of our community and our classrooms."

St. Paul's School, Concord, New Hampshire, to financial aid as follows:

"We are committed to making St. Paul鈥檚 an affordable option for families."

To honor this commitment, we will:

"Consider a household income of $80,000 per year or less as qualifying for full financial aid. Families with an annual income of less than $200,000 will not pay more than 10% of their income toward tuition per year."

Deerfield Academy xplains its financial aid as follows:

鈥淒eerfield鈥檚 commitment to affordability and access in the form of need-based financial aid is historic, deep, and central to its educational

. . .read more

Regional Associations

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Regional Associations
Some states do not have their own private school associations. Schools band together across state lines forming regional associations. These associations have the same purpose as state associations. More here.

Some states do not have their own private school associations. Schools band together across state lines forming regional associations. These associations have the same purpose as state and national associations which is promote private schools and to share latest and best practices. Also included are several associations in major metropolitan areas.

  • Fairchester Independent Schools
  • Los Angeles Area Schools

State Associations

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State Associations
Do the schools you are researching belong to state independent school associations? If not, find out why not!

Most private schools belong to state associations. Besides the 'strength in numbers' which benefits them in state and local issues, schools learn from each other through seminars, workshops and conferences. State associations often provide listings of open houses and employment opportunities. Find out whether the schools in which you are interested belong.

National Associations

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National Associations
As you research schools, check the national and state associations. Is the school you are considering a member? If not, why not?

Most private schools will claim to be a member of several national associations. These links will help you do your own due diligence to confirm that claim. They are also very useful for finding a specific kind of school in your area. Schools which are members of national associations inspire confidence because they are privy to the latest and best in private education.

This short video featuring a prominent private school head of school illustrates the purpose of private school education.

  • National Association of Episcopal Schools
  • National Lutheran School Association
. . .read more

Do Ranks Matter?

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Do Ranks Matter?
How do I know how this school compares with the others I am considering? Has anybody ranked private schools?

You would think that finding out how one private school compares to another would be a no-brainer, right? In a consumer-driven age where we can find out information instantly, it is still very difficult and very tedious to find out how one private school compares to another. In other words, there is no easy answer to the question parents ask most often: 鈥淲hat is the best school in _______?鈥

Why is it so hard to get answers? For two reasons. First of all, the private schools themselves circle their wagons and will not participate in any survey which tries to rank schools. The private school community refuses to engage in the sort of annual publicity stunt which U.S. News and World Report and other publications put out for colleges and universities every year

Secondly, private schools don't receive any direct public funding. As a result, they are not subject to the kind of reporting requirements with which public schools must comply. NCLB (No Child Left Behind) does not apply to private schools, only to public schools.

The federal Department of Education does maintain data on private schools. The (PSS) supplies statistical information about K-12 private schools. The PSS does not rank schools. It merely helps you determine how many Montessori schools are located in Montana. It is useful for policymakers and planners who need to know how many students go to private schools as opposed to public schools. It will not help

. . .read more

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