2021-22 How to Navigate Admissions & Financial Aid at Private Schools

HOW TO NAVIGATE

Admissions and Financial Aid at Private Schools

P R EPAR ED BY

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Welcome!

Dear Prospective Families,

As a parent, you undoubtedly want the best possible education for your child. When researching and selecting a private school, your criteria for the “perfect fit” are likely as unique as your child. And, although the journey is very personal for each family, understanding the process can help smooth the way.

This guide draws on the Landon School team’s combined 60+ years of private school admissions and financial aid experience. In it, you’ll find answers to many questions about admissions and financial aid. These tips and strategies for navigating the process will empower you to find the best possible fit for your child, and for your family’s future.

Sarah Powers

Director of Admissions, Outreach and Enrollment Russ Gagarin ’77

Director of Financial Aid

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Finding the Right School

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Navigating the Application Process

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Making the Best Decision for Your Student

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Applying for Financial Aid: An Overview

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Tips for Financial Aid Success

20 Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

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Finding the Right School A great education can inspire a child’s love of learning, fuel the imagination, and lead to achievement in school, career, and life. Finding a school that will challenge and support your child’s unique needs is the first step.

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Finding the Right School

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Start Early

Begin researching and applying to private schools a full year before your child would attend, starting by late summer. This will give your family time to research and identify the prospective schools you would like to visit during the open house events schools host, traditionally in the late fall.

If you wait until the end of the current academic year to start applying to private schools for the following fall, schools will have filled most of their slots. Applying at the last minute also can create unnecessary stress for you and your student.

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Identify Your Top Priorities

One significant step in the private school search process is to make a list of the top five most important things you look for in a school. You will want to consider your student’s interests, as well as important measures of the quality of education offered. Once you have this list, visit the websites for prospective schools to get a sense of their programs, values, and community, and see which institutions check your boxes.

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CONSIDER THESE FACTS: Mission and philosophy Class size and studentto-teacher ratio Academic rigor Flexible scheduling Art, music, and extracurricular offerings Athletic options Elective or advanced classes Social-emotional learning Community Diversity, equity, and inclusion College and career counseling College admissions track record Bus transportation After-school care

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Finding the Right School

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Talk to Friends and Family

Friends or colleagues whose children attend a school you are considering can be an invaluable source of information and insights. Some good questions to ask are: Is your child happy at the school? Why or why not?

What programs set the school apart from others?

Do you feel like your child gets personal attention from teachers and coaches?

Does the school cultivate a strong sense of community?

How does the school welcome new families and integrate them into the community?

Whether your friends rave about the school or not, don’t let their opinions be the final say. Wait until you have visited the campus and met with admissions officers, teachers, and students before formulating your opinion.

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Request Applications Once you have identified which schools seem to fulfill your student’s needs and passions, fill out the school’s admissions inquiry form. Visit the school’s website and look for navigation labeled “Admissions” or “Apply,” to find staff contacts, request or download the admissions packet, and learn details about the school’s admissions process. Some inquiry forms or applications require you to make an account and complete the entire process online.

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Finding the Right School

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Attend Open House Events

Almost every school will hold open houses or virtual information sessions throughout the year. While a campus tour is not usually a part of the session, these open houses are a great opportunity for you to get a sense of a school’s program, strengths, and priorities. It is also the perfect time to ask any general questions you had while browsing the website or reading the admissions packet. You will want to save any questions that are specific to your child’s needs for later, when you meet privately with an admissions officer.

Pursue Teacher Recommendations

Most private schools require students to submit teacher recommendations as part of their applications. Obtaining recommendations can take some time, so it is imperative to give teachers at least two to four weeks to complete the documents.

Teacher recommendations are important because they reveal volumes about a student’s potential and character. Most admissions applications require current teachers to complete these forms. If there is another teacher, counselor, music instructor, or athletics coach who can share insights about your child, you may want to ask them to write a recommendation as well. An influential person who does not know your child is not a good choice.

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As you review the website and admissions packet, be sure to note these important facts: Application deadlines and requirements Required interviews Financial aid deadlines and requirements Required standardized and/ or placement tests

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Navigating the Application Process Applying for admission to a private school isn’t difficult, but it can take some time.

When you prepare an organized and complete admissions packet, you give the school the best possible opportunity to get to know your child – and what makes them unique.

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Navigating the Application Process

Apply for Admission

Apply for Financial Aid

Some schools will require you to submit an application before they will schedule an on-campus tour and meeting with an admissions officer – so applications are the next step.

It is best to narrow down your list to three or four schools you think are a good match for your child and apply to them. Applying to more schools can be stressful – and applying to just one school can be risky if it is an unusually competitive year.

Be sure to fill out the application completely and to submit all of the required documents, which usually include student’s transcript, teacher recommendations, standardized test scores (where applicable), an evaluative visit/testing day, and a report the admissions officer will write after interviewing a prospective family. Most schools provide a checklist to help you keep track of these details.

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Many families assume that they will not qualify for aid and thus do not bother applying. It may sound obvious, but not applying for aid is the best way to ensure that you won’t receive aid.

Like families, schools have a limited amount of resources with which to work. That’s why schools encourage families to examine their own resources before thinking about aid.

For example, grandparents and other relatives may be able to help parents pay private school tuition, which can benefit students while also helping reduce future estate taxes.

If you have explored all options and feel you cannot completely cover the costs of a private school education, applying for financial aid is the right move for you. If you are still unsure about your financial aid prospects, it is always a good idea to talk to the school’s financial aid officer.

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If you want to apply for financial aid, apply for aid at the same time you apply to the school. Do not miss the deadline!

MORE ON FINANCIAL AID ON PAGE 13 If you delay and apply for aid later, the school may have already allocated all of its aid to families that applied earlier. And at many schools, admissions decisions are made separately from financial aid decisions, so applying for aid will not hurt your chances of admission.

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Navigating the Application Process

Meet With an Admissions Officer Once you have applied to a school, the next step is to set up a meeting with an admissions officer.

One major goal of this meeting is to get to know the student better. Students should expect a lot of questions and be ready to talk about themselves!

Admissions staff may ask about the classes they are taking, their interests outside of school, and why are they interested in attending a private school.

Although you may sometimes feel the urge to answer a question for your child, please remember to let them do the talking. Encourage your student to be as responsive and honest as possible, as this will provide a window into their personality, needs, passions, and whether the school is a good fit. Afterward, the admissions officer will write a report about the visit and include it in your admissions file.

The admissions staff will also familiarize you with the program and what a day at the school would be like. You and your child should dress neatly and comfortably for the visit. If you have any questions that aren’t answered, this is your prime opportunity to ask!

Here are some to keep in mind: What is required academically and what electives can the student choose?

Does the school require arts and athletics and until what grade?

How much time do students have outdoors and for breaks?

What kind of character, service, and leadership programs does the school offer?

How are children supported when they struggle in class, with friends, on the playing field, or in the music room?

What is the community and campus culture like?

How does the school prepare students and their parents for the college admissions process including standardized tests, academic course selection, extracurricular activities, etc.?

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Navigating the Application Process

Take a Tour

Most schools offer a virtual tour of campus through their website and oncampus tours are often part of the required interview, when conducted in person. If you have the opportunity to tour in person and while the school is in session, you should definitely take advantage of it. Seeing the school environment with students and staff in action will help you rule out schools that don’t fit and determine which schools can meet your child’s needs well.

During the tour, try to speak with teachers and students, and ask questions you might not be able to find the answers to online. Here are some suggestions: Questions for Teachers

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What are some of the things you teach that excite you?

What makes this school a great place to work?

How frequently do you/the school communicate with parents?

How much homework do students have?

How do you use technology in the classroom?

Questions for Students

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What is your favorite part of the school day and why?

What is your favorite class, sport or school activity and why?

Do you feel supported by your friends and teachers at the school?

If so, how?

Do you take field trips or other experiential learning programs?

If so, where?

How often do classes incorporate hands-on and collaborative learning?

Some schools, including Landon, offer “shadow days,” where the prospective student attends classes and activities with a current student for part of a day.

This is a great way for your child to get a sense of daily life at the school, to meet potential classmates, and to decide how he or she feels about the school.

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Navigating the Application Process

Be Smart About Follow Up

After your campus visit, be sure to email or write a thank-you note to the admissions officer with whom you met.

If a particular school is your first choice, mention that in your note. It is also helpful to attend school events to which you are invited. These tend to answer more questions or reaffirm your opinions about a school’s program, community, and culture. If you can’t attend, be sure to respond anyway.

Finally, after you have applied, it is perfectly fine to check on the status of your application once to affirm your interest and make sure the school has everything it needs to consider your student. After submitting their applications, families must be patient until schools make their decisions, usually in March. While you wait, keep following the school’s website and social media channels, as well as attend any events geared toward applicants. Checking in occasionally is enough: don’t over-communicate.

Stay Engaged If Admitted Admissions Offices will communicate with you directly or through their application portals about admission decisions.

The date decisions are announced may vary from school to school. You can find this information on schools’ websites or through an admissions officer.

If your child is admitted, you will most likely be invited to attend special events for admitted families and students during the next few weeks. This can include receptions with key teachers and administrators, as well as opportunities to come back to campus.

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Some families wait until they’ve heard back from all schools to rank their favorites.

Instead of stressing, use this waiting time to further research schools and to attend as many of their events as possible. Also, use your one-on-one interview time to ask those important questions.

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Making the Best Decision for Your Student It’s an exciting time when your student gets acceptance letters or emails from one or more schools! As soon as a student is admitted, most schools will also send specifics of any financial aid for which you have qualified.

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Making the Best Decision for Your Student

While it may be tempting to send your child to the school that offers the most money or the most attractive package, it is most important to first pick the school that will provide the right environment to nurture your child intellectually, artistically, athletically, socially and ethically – and explore every possible option to send your child there.

Often, the easiest and best way a parent to decide is to think back on your school visit and your conversations.

Then ask yourself two questions:

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Does the school offer the programs that interest my child now and in the future?

Can I see my child thriving at this school?

If the answer to both of those questions is yes, it may be time to write a deposit check.

If your decision isn’t yet clear, be sure to take advantage of any opportunities to get further insight into what makes the school a good fit.

For example, Landon School hosts gatherings for the parents of newly admitted students so they can meet one another, plus administrators and faculty members, before they commit to enrolling. These informal get-togethers are a great time to ask any lingering questions, and get a sense of the school community.

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Parents know best!

Have you examined the facts about each school, found the answers to your questions, and attended as many of their gatherings as possible – but you’re still not sure about your decision?

Trust your gut. If you have done the legwork, you know what you and your child want, and truly know the schools to which you have applied. Deep down you will know which school is the right fit. And the right fit can make all the difference in the world!

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Applying for Financial Aid: An Overview When you apply for financial aid at a private school, it’s important to realize that your family will pay for some of the cost.

Financial aid programs can help make the expense more manageable.

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Applying for Financial Aid: An Overview

Timing Is Everything

Begin the financial aid process at the same time you begin the application process. Do not wait until you have been admitted to a particular school to apply for aid. If you wait until you are admitted, most aid will have been distributed, and you might be out of luck.

Some families worry that admissions committees will be biased against them if their student also applied for aid. In fact, admissions applications and financial aid applications are separate. School admissions committees have no idea who is applying for aid and do not have access to a family’s financial information. An aid application does not factor into the admissions committee’s decision-making process at all.

What Does ‘Financial Aid’ Really Mean?

Financial aid is usually a grant based on proven financial need. Some schools offer other forms of tuition assistance, including merit scholarships, sibling discounts or payment plans which make the cost of a private school education affordable.

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Financial Aid Acronyms ? EFC: Estimated Family Contribution The amount which the family can pay toward tuition ? PFS: Parent Financial Statement The financial aid application form ? SSS: School & Student Services One of the third party companies which computes the EFC for private schools

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Applying for Financial Aid: An Overview

Learn the True Cost of Attending a School

Tuition is the jumping-off point, not the true, total cost of attendance for a student to a particular school. Research which extra expenses are not included in tuition. If it is a boarding school, does tuition include room and board? Are meals and/or books included? What are the costs for transportation, field trips, athletics teams, uniforms, books, technology and school supplies? These extras can add up to a substantial amount, so it’s important to find out and plan accordingly.

Get Background Information

Before you apply for financial aid at a private school, you will want to do your homework about its aid program. Some schools will have this information listed on their website; in other instances, you may have to ask. Talking to a financial aid representative from the institution is helpful for getting a clearer picture of the process and your prospects for receiving aid. Here are some questions you could ask: What percent of the student body receives financial aid?

What is the average household income for families receiving financial aid?

What is the average financial aid award?

What is the school’s overall financial aid budget?

Are sibling discounts offered?

Are there need- and merit-based scholarships available?

Are there tuition payment plans available?

What is the school’s policy for renewing financial aid in subsequent years?

In addition, schools may be more likely to award financial aid to students entering certain grades, so be sure to ask if this applies. For example, Landon School funds more third graders than fourth graders because the third grade is the initial entry point into Landon. For the same reason, Landon gives more aid to new students entering ninth grade, the first year of Upper School, than to those enrolling in 10th grade.

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Applying for Financial Aid: An Overview

Understanding the Parent Financial Statement

When applying for financial aid at a private school, you will be required to fill out an application online. To complete the application, you will need to collect all relevant documents regarding your family’s income and assets: most recent W-2s, 1099s, 4506-Ts, pay stubs, and tax returns.

Landon and many other private schools have parents register with School & Student Services (SSS) and fill out the PFS through SSS. (There are several other financial processing organizations, such as TADS, FACTS and FAST. This ebook exclusively references SSS, which Landon uses.)

SSS computes a family’s ability to pay educational expenses for all of its children based on the financial data from the PFS. Variables include the number of children in tuition-charging institutions (as defined by the school), taxable and non-taxable income, assets, debt, and family size.

After allowances for required and basic necessities, a portion of the remaining resources is considered available for education on a sliding scale. This number is called the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC), which represents how much a family can reasonably pay toward tuition. If you are applying for financial aid at multiple schools that use the same financial processor, all of those schools will receive the same report. Each school uses the EFC to make its own independent decision about financial aid for each family. Schools may make adjustments based on policy or correcting errors.

Before you dive in to filling out the PFS, take a few minutes to read the helpful hints on the following pages. A detailed guide to filling out the PFS is also included in the Frequently Asked Questions section of this publication.

Some of the suggestions may seem obvious, but they just might save you time, stress... and money.

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Tips for Financial Aid Success

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Tips for Financial Aid Success

9 Helpful Hints for Applying for Financial Aid 1

Meet each school’s deadlines so that grants are not delayed or forfeited.

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You only have to complete one Parent Financial Statement (PFS), even if you have several children applying for aid at SSS member schools.

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If parents are divorced, each parent must complete a separate PFS.

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Do not wait to complete your tax return to complete your PFS.

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Refer to pay stubs and tax documents, even prior year documents, to help to fill out the information.

Use good-faith estimates for items where you may not know the exact number.

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Fill in whole dollar amounts only.

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Some items require a brief explanation or itemization, so please provide the detail in the spaces provided.

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Use the SSS Family Portal to keep track which required documents and due dates.

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Save your SSS login and passwords, and a hard copy of your current PFS to use in future years.

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Tips for Financial Aid Success

Accuracy and Clarity Pay Off Accurately reporting family financial information, such as income and assets, will go a long way to making the process smooth and worry-free. Be sure to briefly explain anything unusual or unclear on the PFS. Note the line item called “additional/unusual expenses;” this is where a family may list unusual expenses in a particular year. Some examples might include lawyer fees, settlement fees for refinancing a mortgage, or funeral expenses. When irregularities go unexplained on the PFS, they are less likely to be taken into account when calculating the amount a family can pay toward tuition.

Be Willing to Stretch The PFS form asks outright how much you think you can pay and requires you to enter a dollar amount.

Be honest about what you think you can pay; avoid low-balling the amount.

While schools are interested in your opinion of the amount of tuition you think you can afford, an unrealistically low estimate will not receive much consideration. A realistic number can help ensure that your aid request is given the consideration it deserves.

Don’t Fear the Zero The PFS asks a lot of questions, and some things will not apply to your family.

Don’t be afraid to put “0” on your PFS if something doesn’t apply to you. People are often afraid that if they put “0” on the form, they will not receive aid, but that is not the case. When in doubt, always opt for honesty.

Don’t Forget Non-Taxable Income Be sure to include your contributions to Keogh, 401(k), and 401(b) plans.

Also include your contributions to any Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) or Health Savings Accounts (HSA).

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Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

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Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

Is receiving financial aid guaranteed?

How do I apply for financial aid at a school which uses SSS?

Qualifying for aid does not mean that schools will meet your full need. Just as parents have limited resources, schools have limited resources, and schools struggle with difficult decisions about how to allocate those funds.

1. Go to Solutions by SSS at https://www.solutionsbysss.com/.

Parents may ask, “Why didn’t my son get financial aid funds?” or “Why am I on the financial aid waiting list?” Often, the answer is simply that the school ran out of financial aid money. Most schools also consider financial aid for returning students before offering financial aid for new students.

What does SSS do?

SSS uses a methodology to compute a family’s ability to pay for educational expenses for all their children in tuition-charging institutions. The methodology uses taxable and non-taxable income, assets, liabilities, family size, and the number of children in tuition-charging institutions. After allowances for required and basic necessities, a portion of remaining resources are considered available for education on a sliding scale.

2. Be sure to submit your Parent Financial Statement (PFS) by the appropriate deadline. By signing the PFS electronically, parents indicate that they have filled out the PFS with the best available knowledge.

They agree to inform the school of any changes in their financial situation and submit information as requested. Any variance may jeopardize a student’s financial aid grant, no matter what stage they are in during the process. The preliminary financial aid grants may be adjusted once the file is complete with the required documentation.

3. By the date specified, upload to the Family Portal W-2s, 1099s, 4506-Ts, and most recent pay stub and tax return (if applying for financial aid for the first time).

4. By the date specified, upload to the Family Portal the just-completed income tax return for the previous year, including all schedules, and forms. (W-2s and 1099s should have already been submitted online.)

Schools will often reserve the right to request additional financial information from financial aid applicants or their parents.

You may call 800-344-8328 with any questions about your PFS or about SSS.

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Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

What is a “tuition-charging institution?

The definition of “tuition-charging institution” can vary by school.

At Landon, we define tuitioncharging institutions considered in the determination of aid as daycare for preschool-aged children through the first four years of undergraduatelevel college.

Will applying for financial aid have an impact on the admissions decision for my child?

At most schools, the Admissions Committee is not aware of who is applying for financial aid, and financial aid decisions are made separate from admissions decisions. Many schools try to notify of admissions and financial aid decisions on the same day. For this reason, you should apply for financial aid at the same time that you start the admissions application process at a school. SSS will compute the amount your family can pay toward tuition and, once you are admitted, the Financial Aid Committee at the school will take this number into consideration when calculating your child’s financial aid grant.

What is the range of aid that is given?

Aid varies by school, but awards can range from a small percent of tuition to almost full tuition, depending on the proven need of individual students. It is important to note that all families will pay some tuition.

What does financial aid cover?

Again, this varies by institution.

Is there a financial aid waiting list?

Most schools have more students who qualify for financial aid than the school is able to fund, and therefore they do maintain a financial aid waiting list in the event that funds become available.

Do I have to reapply each year for financial aid?

At most schools, a student’s need is recalculated annually. Therefore, parents are required to submit the PFS along with the other required documentation each year for review by the school’s Financial Aid Committee.

If only one parent works outside of the home, will the student be considered for financial aid?

This varies by school. At Landon, we recognize that families have the freedom to make choices regarding their financial status. If only one parent works outside of the home, the Financial Aid Committee, according to Landon policy, will add to the income of the family. An exception to this policy might occur if the parent at home is caring for a preschool-aged child, a child with a disability, a seriously ill child, parent or grandparent, or if there are other special circumstances. Parents should present these possible exceptions at the end of the PFS before submitting.

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Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

If I am single, divorced, or no longer living with my son’s other parent, what information will the Financial Aid Committee require in order to determine an award?

This policy varies by school. At Landon, we believe that all parents have the primary obligation to contribute to the expense of educating their children. Assets and incomes of all natural and adoptive parents will be considered in making a financial aid award. All parents/guardians must complete the PFS and submit the required documentation in order for the school to gain a realistic picture of family resources. The Financial Aid Committee will not be bound by the assertion that one parent has disclaimed responsibility for educational expenses.

If the custodial parent and child have not had contact with the noncustodial parent for a period of time to be determined by the Financial Aid Committee or the involvement of the non-custodial parent is not in the best interest of the student, the above requirements may be waived. A letter of explanation and verification from a third party such as a minister, attorney or social worker will be required.

If either parent has remarried, the need analysis will consider the assets and earnings potential of the step-parent in conjunction with the natural parent, keeping in mind the step-parent’s responsibility to his or her own children.

If my student lives with his guardians, what information will the Financial Aid Committee require?

Children who are living with guardians are usually reviewed on an individual basis. If the parents are still living and are claiming their child on their tax return, the parents and, possibly, the guardians must complete the PFS and submit the required documentation.

If other family members have custody, they must also complete the PFS and submit required documentation. The school’s Financial Aid Committee may require proof of custody.

If we are awarded financial aid but cannot pay the “family contribution” noted in the award, is there an appeal process?

This varies by school. At Landon, if a family has new information, which was not included in the PFS and might have some bearing on the financial aid award, parents should share that information in an email to the Director of Financial Aid.

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Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

How do I fill out the Parent Financial Statement if I do not have my W-2?

If you do not have a W-2 handy, you can figure out your income/wages and salaries for the PFS by using year-to-date information from your most recent paystub. This can be done by following these steps: 1. Find gross regular earnings yearto-date from paycheck stub.

2. Subtract pre-tax contributions, for example: flex plan/125 contributions; 401(k) or 403(b) contributions; other pre-tax income deductions.

If my child starts the admissions application after the regular admissions season, is financial aid still an option?

In most instances, financial aid is not an option for late applicants. Almost every school taps its financial aid resources in allocating money to those who applied in accordance with the deadline. So, if you are considering filing a late admissions application and believe you will need financial aid, you should check with the financial aid office at the school to ask about the availability of financial aid before submitting an admissions application.

3. That figure should be close to what would appear in Box 1 of the W-2.

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CONTACT INFORMATION We’re here to answer your admissions or financial aid questions.

Sarah Powers Director of Admissions, Enrollment and Outreach sarah_powers@landon.net

Russ Gagarin ’77 Director of Financial Aid russ_gagarin@landon.net

A Private School for Boys Grades 3–12

301.320.1067 6101 Wilson Lane Bethesda, Maryland 20817

In its admission of qualified boys, and in the administration of its educational policies, financial aid, athletic, and other student programs, Landon School does not discriminate on the basis of color, race, national origin or ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, or disability unrelated to a particular activity.

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