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5 Financial Aid Dos and Don'ts

Dealing with private school financial aid can feel like conducting a complex symphony - each section must be perfectly timed and harmoniously arranged. From understanding why costs vary dramatically between institutions to knowing exactly when to submit your applications, the process requires careful orchestration. Whether you're considering a prestigious boarding school or a specialized day program, this guide will help you master the intricate movements of financial aid applications, revealing key strategies and common pitfalls to avoid.

1. DO Understand Why Some ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Schools Cost More Than Others

Several factors drive tuition costs. Location, facilities, and type of school are three of the most important factors.

Location

Some schools cost more than others simply because of where they are located. Real estate prices vary widely throughout the United States, as you well know. For example, it costs considerably less to rent space in Butte, Montana, than in Los Angeles, California. Insurance costs vary from locality to locality as well. Schools need comprehensive liability and property insurance. That's not an expense a prudent private school business manager will stint on.

Facilities

The school facilities vary widely as well. A K-6 school with twelve classrooms located in the 10-year-old education wing of a church or temple will cost less to run than a similar school housed in a 1930s mansion set on 30 private acres in the countryside. A school with extensive sports fields, riding stables, a natatorium, and a hockey rink, together with

1. ²ÝÁñÉçÇø schools are really private.

By design, American private schools are really private. While in most cases they observe applicable state laws with respect to minimum requirements concerning what is taught, private schools are answerable to their boards and their clients, i.e., the families who send students to them.

2. ²ÝÁñÉçÇø schools are more affordable than you think.

Granted, some private schools are very expensive. Especially boarding schools. However, since they generally seek to attract a diverse student population, most private schools offer generous financial aid packages.

3. Several private schools are free.

This video gives an overview of one of the free schools, Girard College in Philadelphia.

Years ago several benefactors established schools that will cost eligible students virtually nothing to attend. In more recent times the Cristo Rey Network of schools has made a private school education almost free for families of limited means.

4. Some private schools are residential.

Residential private schools are known as boarding schools. Your child will attend classes as well as eat and sleep at the school. Professional, experienced adult supervision ensures the safety of your child 24/7.

5. Most private schools are day schools.

In a day school your child attends classes during normal daytime hours. Extracurricular activities and sports are typically included within that day time schedule.

6. Some private schools offer a blend of day and boarding options.

Boarding schools located in a

You and I can understand the average cost of tuition of private schools as detailed in ²ÝÁñÉçÇø School Review by being aware of a couple of factors. We will take a look at those factors and also show you how the cost of a private K-12 education varies from region to region. That way, if you have to move from one location to another, you will have a general idea of what to expect as far as your private school expenses go.

We will begin with a look at how the cost of elementary schools compares with schools offering high school grades.

Costs subsidized by religious organizations

Let's examine one reason why average tuition costs can be less in one area than in another. That has to do with the number of religious schools included in the statistics. I am not being negative here. Just factual. Faith-based schools, be they Roman Catholic, Jewish or Christian, or any other religion, tend to be subsidized by their religious organizations. For example, a temple that establishes an elementary school will do so to serve its congregation in the first instance and then as an outreach to the wider Jewish community in the second instance. The tuition generally will be discounted for families who are members of the temple. This practice is similar to how state universities charge less for students who are state residents as opposed to students who are from out of state.

This video offers an overview of

Why would anybody want to teach girls in a single sex setting? Aren't girls' schools quaint and out of touch? Aren't girls more likely to succeed in a coeducational setting? Are there advantages to educating girls in a single sex setting?

The answers to these and similar questions are varied, contradictory and subjective. Furthermore, the amount of research into girls' education is fairly limited. With those caveats in place let's explore some sources and resources for those special corners of the education world which are girls' schools.

Organizations which promote girls' schools

A good starting point for our exploration of girls' schools is the National coalition of Girls' Schools. Just like the International Boys' Schools Coalition is one of the major umbrella organizations for boys' schools, so the is one of the major umbrella organizations for girls' schools around the globe.

The NCGS champions girls' schools. And it champions them better and more vigorously than any other organization I know. The NCGS encourages research on the education of girls. It offers an Advanced Professional Certificate in Girls’ Education. "This unique blended learning program, which includes a separate track for STEM and for humanities faculty, helps teachers gain the expertise needed to forge a contemporary approach to teaching girls. It is intended for girls’ school educators who have distinguished themselves in classroom teaching and learning and wish to both learn from experts in the girls’ school community and connect with fellow