A parent’s decision to send their child to a private or independent school often boils down to financial expenses.
There are around 40 private schools in Santa Barbara County, serving students ranging in grade level from kindergarten to high school, and the cost of tuition can be expensive for many families.
“The single biggest concern (for parents) is ‘how much of a (financial aid) award would I qualify for?’” said Joyce Balak, director of financial aid at Laguna Blanca School in Santa Barbara.
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about financial aid for private and independent schools with insight from Laguna Blanca School and Providence School in Santa Barbara.
Would my family qualify for tuition assistance? Should we even bother applying?
“Every family should apply,” said Elaine Rottman, the director of strategic communications at Providence School, which has two campuses — preschool through sixth grade at 3225 Calle Pinon and the middle school and high school campus at 630 E. Canon Perdido.
“They might be surprised at the assistance offer.”
At Providence, where tuition ranges from $4,000 to $20,995 per year based on grade level, 61 percent of families receive some form of tuition assistance. The average award is approximately $9,000, and each year, $1.54 million is granted in financial aid.
While some parents are “reluctant” to apply for financial aid, Balak said the cost of tuition can be mitigated for many families at Laguna Blanca through assistance.
“We have students who receive almost full aid,” she said. “We like parents to contribute something, even if it’s a small amount. We do have some families that come from low income (backgrounds) and their students go to school here.”
Laguna Blanca School’s Lower School campus for preschool through grade four is at 260 San Ysidro Road in Montecito, and its Middle and Upper school campuses are at 4125 Paloma Drive in Hope Ranch. Tuition costs $28,000 per year for early kindergarten to sixth grade and $33,250 for seventh through 12th grade. The average financial aid award is $16,000 and each year, about $1.4 million in aid is granted.
What kind of criteria do schools consider in financial aid awards?
At Providence School, the tuition assistance committee considers a family’s cost of living, if the family has other children living at home or if the family cares for elderly parents. When applying for financial aid, families can provide additional information about their financial situation or why they want to attend the school.
“We always encourage families to enter their ‘plea’ here,” Rottman said. “It is truly helpful to see a family’s narrative information about why they want to be part of the school community.”
Can I appeal my tuition assistance offer?
Yes, applicants can appeal the offer at both Laguna Blanca and Providence schools. Rottman said Providence encourages appeals if parents believe anything was overlooked in the tuition-assistance application process.
What is the process for applying for tuition assistance?
Laguna Blanca School uses School & Student Services, a financial aid application program similar to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FASFA, that universities use.
Parents must submit a financial statement that includes information on their income and spending and the cost of living in Santa Barbara. School and Student Services will then calculate a recommended family contribution.
“Laguna tries but doesn’t always meet a family’s demonstrated need,” Balak said. “We’re a need-aware school. Because we try to meet as close to (the recommended family contribution) as possible, it may affect a few families but not the majority.”
Does the school provide scholarships?
Providence School and Laguna Blanca School provide need-based tuition assistance. Laguna Blanca, however, does provide one full-ride scholarship that is available for seventh- through ninth-graders.
What if I’m saving money for my child’s college education?
While the cost of higher education has grown increasingly expensive, Balak said parents should not forgo an independent school education because they are saving for college. Colleges have bigger endowments and more scholarship opportunities than independent schools, she said.
“I would be worried less about saving for college because if you have a good student, that student will be eligible for multiple scholarships,” she said.
— Noozhawk contributing writer Maura Fox can be reached at news@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, and connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.