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History
Greenhill is need-blind, meaning that students are admitted without the school’s knowledge of their financial status. Once a student is accepted to Greenhill, the financial-aid application process can begin. Based on demonstrated need, Greenhill awards families tuition grants, money the family can use for that year’s tuition that they do not have to repay. Greenhill does not award merit or athletic scholarships; The Evergreen covered this subject in the May 2012 issue. Students do not have to meet a certain GPA to continue to receive funding. “We expect all students to work hard to achieve academic success, therefore we have the same expectation for the students on financial aid,” said Amy deBorst, Director of Financial Aid. With the student’s application, the family must submit the Financial Aid Application Request Form. A committee consisting of Ms. deBorst, Angela Woodson, Director of Admission, and Melissa Orth, Chief Financial Officer, determines the financial award for each student. Head of School Scott Griggs has access to the information discussed at the committee meetings, but does not participate in the decision-making process. To determine a student’s financial need, the committee looks at the family’s combined income, business cash flow, and assets. They also consider the cost of the family’s other children attending private schools. While in the past, a financial aid award might cover the entirety of tuition, now all families contribute a minimum of $100. That said, Greenhill meets 100 percent of demonstrated need and awards more than $3 million in financial aid every year. The percentage of students receiving financial aid has increased in the past decade. In the 2000-2001 school year, 11 percent of students received financial aid. This year, that number is 16 percent. Families receiving financial aid reapply every year. They are revaluated, and if nothing changes, their financial award remains the same or is increased to cover additional need incurred by an increase in tuition. If something changes in the family’s financial status, the committee reevaluates their award. The majority of students who qualify for financial aid are students new to Greenhill; however there are cases when current students who have not qualified in the past suddenly meet financial-aid criteria. This is often the result of a family member’s job loss, an increase in tuition, or the acceptance of another sibling to the school. The financial-aid process is primarily funded through the operating budget and supplemented by funds from the endowment. Ms. deBorst said the goal is for all financial aid to be funded through the endowment. During the financial crisis of 2009, the Board of Trustees adjusted other items in the budget in order to help fund financial aid.
The financial aid program started the year Greenhill was founded, when one student’s tuition was waived. That first year, some teachers did not even accept their salary, in part because they wanted to ensure that students who could not afford it, could still attend. “It has definitely been ingrained in Greenhill from the beginning,” Ms. deBorst said. According to Ms. deBorst, the financial aid program reflects the core values behind Greenhill’s mission statement. “We want to have a diverse campus, and diversity includes socioeconomic diversity. We want to provide opportunities for families who wouldn’t otherwise have them,” Ms. deBorst said. “This was always important to Greenhill and part of [Bernard] and [Helen Fulton’s] mission.”
Supplemental Support In addition to tuition, some families qualify for supplemental support, which constitutes ten percent of Greenhill’s annual budget, around $400,000. Supplemental support covers required items not included in tuition, such as books, athletic equipment, advisory and team meals, and technology. “We are constantly reviewing and making sure that we are able to cover those items that enable students to fully experience Greenhill,” Ms. deBorst said. “But that doesn’t mean that we cover everything.” Supplemental support has always included a desktop computer for families that do not own one. However, for the first time last year, Greenhill started to offer Netbooks for students in grades seven through twelve. Not all families that receive financial aid qualify for supplemental support. If a family does not, supplemental funds are considered when their need for tuition is determined. For example, if the family’s contribution is set at $12,000 total, Greenhill may ask them to put $10,00 towards tuition and set aside $2,000 for the extra expenses. Supplemental support does include funds to cover tutors, subject to the approval of Honelynn Parker, Upper School Learning Specialist. Additionally, if a student’s college counselor feels he or she would benefit from standardized test prep, Greenhill can help cover the cost. While the Financial Aid Committee intends students to fully experience Greenhill, the school cannot provide everything. “We can’t equalize everything,” said Ms. deBorst. “In their transition to college, it is not going to necessarily be as personal of a process; colleges may not give the same level of support we provide.” Art Hall, Director of Equity and Inclusion, emphasizes that receiving financial aid helps students become aware of socioeconomic realities. “It will prepare you for a much better financial life,” Mr. Hall said. “It truly does explain to you the value of a dollar. For example, when buying a textbook, you are forced to think, do I really need the new text book or can I go with the used one?” In order to regulate supplemental costs for families, a clearinghouse committee meets every spring. Anybody on campus who intends to ask families to purchase something outside of tuition must submit a proposal to the committee.
Family Income & Cash Flow 2012-2013 Below is this year’s breakdown of financial aid awarded to families based on their income.
Family Income $ 0 - 50, 000 $50,000 -100,000 $100,001-150,000 Over $150,000
# of Awards/ Total Grant Requests Dollars Awarded 20/20 $436,250 78/79 $1,474,400 622/65 $796,300 36/68 $299,850