Tuition Assistance

amother

Wed, Jan 31 2024, 4:01 pm

amother Apple wrote:

Quote:

Question: If you have children in multiple schools, and up until now, you've always paid full tuition, how do you answer the following question on a tuition assistance application: "How much of this child's tuition can you pay?"
In other words, do I write what we can pay assuming the other schools give us no tuition break, or do I write what we can pay assuming the other schools will give some break?

The way tuition break requests works in Baltimore is there is one form for all the schools. You just check all the schools you are requesting a break from. Put in what you think you can pay per school. In the comments you can mention this is pending a break from the other schools.

TY. But what if you are also sending to schools outside of Baltimore, such as for sem, yeshiva, college, etc.?

amother

Chicory

Wed, Jan 31 2024, 4:31 pm

amother OP wrote:

If you live in Baltimore, at what point would you seek tuition assistance? We have 3 kids in real school (elementary/middle) and our income is about $140k. Next year we'll have 4 in school beH.
We prided ourselves on always paying full tuition, but it is getting harder and harder to do so, to the point that we're no longer putting anything away in savings. Are we being silly for not asking for tuition assistance at this stage? I just don't understand how even bigger families are able to pay full tuition.

Definitely ask! The tuition committees in Baltimore are very fair. We have 5 kids and make $151,000 and get discounts from all 3 schools we send to. If there are any extenuating circumstances, such as high medical bills or tutoring expenses, please include that info on the tuition form as they will take it into consideration. They really make it easy - just fill out the form, attach tax returns, and they adjust the tuition amounts.

B'Syata D'Shmya

Thu, Feb 01 2024, 12:35 am

amother Caramel wrote:

Yes. We have some savings and although we're living month to month otherwise, we do have those savings we can dip into...We also always prided ourselves on paying full tuition, and it was hard to ask, but it's so much easier to breathe now that we did. One school gave us a small break, one a much larger one.

There's something that is important to understand about Baltimore, at least about the two community schools (TA and BY). They don't believe in turning people away because they can't pay. So they charge everyone more than their child's schooling actually costs, and they also fundraise a lot. Which means that unlike in many NY schools, where if you get a tuition break, you are paying less than it costs to educate your child, in these schools you are already paying more than it costs to educate your child. They may give you a break so that you're paying the amount that it actually costs, instead of above and beyond.

Knowing that made me feel less guilty about it. Please do apply for a break.

Ask your Rav re using more maaser money on tuition. You are literally covering a strangers Torah learning.