Page 24 - 2016octissue

Financial Aid and
Scholarships
Check out the myths and realities shared by
the National Association of Independent
schools. Also, check out their web site for
more information at www.NAIS.org.
Myth: An independent school education is
out of reach for all but wealthy families.
Reality: Tuition can be expensive. But
hundreds of private schools offer financial
assistance to make sure that the students
they’ve admitted have a realistic chance to
enroll, no matter what their families’ financial and instructions are available online. In
status. addition, many schools offer financial aid
Myth: All schools our child applies to will
offer our family the same financial aid
package.
Reality: How much aid you receive may vary
— a lot — from school to school. The
amount a school can offer depends on
factors such as the size of its endowment,
its tuition costs, and its philosophy about
providing aid. If your decision to send your
child to an independent school depends on
getting some financial help, it pays to apply
for aid at more than one school.
Myth: The deadlines for admission and
financial aid are the same.
Reality: Often the deadlines are not the
same. Check with each school (the
deadlines are usually on the school’s
website), and be sure to keep track of what
you must do when. Do not wait to begin the
financial aid process until after you receive
an admission decision. It pays to complete
both admission and financial aid applications
at the same time, even if they’re due on
different dates.
Myth: The financial aid application process SSS ­
is complicated. a must­have for financial
Reality: There’s some truth to this one, but aid
schools’ financial aid offices are working
hard to make the process as clear and More than 2,100 schools
convenient as possible. More than 2,100 use the School and
schools use SSS, School and Student Student Services by
Services by NAIS, to help them make
financial aid decisions. This means you may NAIS — known as SSS
only have to fill out one form to apply for — as an objective and
financial aid at several schools. The form
consistent way to
determine families’
workshops, and staffers welcome your calls ability to contribute to
any time you have questions.
their children’s
Myth: If we tell the school our family needs educational expenses.
financial aid, this might hurt our child’s SSS provides a variety
chances of being admitted.
of services and
Reality: The typical school will not reject a resources to make the
qualified student’s admission application process of applying for
because the child is applying for financial
aid. That said: Admission is not a guarantee aid easier.
that the student’s family will receive financial
aid. The amount of aid depends on the To secure financial aid,
family’s eligibility and the funds the school ask the finacial aid
has available.
administrator at each
Myth: It’s too intimidating to talk to the school to which you’re
school about our private financial matters. applying how you can
apply for financial aid. If
Reality: The school is your very best source the school uses SSS to
of realistic information about the procedures determine aid eligibility,
and timelines for getting aid and of advice go to http://sss.nais.org
about the types of financial assistance and click on the Parents’
available. The members of the financial aid
staff want you to turn to them for help. Financial Statement
Really. (PFS).