Financing Basics

No doubt about it, private school tuition costs are rising. Some schools seem to be rising at a faster rate than others. Why? What's behind those tuition increases? Unfortunately for many private schools costs of basic goods and services have risen dramatically. Energy costs alone chew up a major part of any school's budget. Faculty and staff salaries and benefits are a substantial part of budgets as well. In order to attract and retain qualified, skilled and experience personnel, you need to offer a decent compensation package with annual increases. Most schools also offer free or substantially reduced tuition for children of faculty and staff.

This video from ABC News discusses the benefits and costs of private school.

Reasons why private school tuitions are on the rise

Administrative costs are one reason private school tuitions increase year over year. Everything from employee compensation to insurance plays a part in this situation.

According to HowMuch.net: "The average cost of private school tuition has grown at a rate that is higher than inflation over the past 20-years. While there are several cost increases that have led to the rise in private school tuition, administrative employee compensation has been the main catalyst for the increases in private school expenses. The rise in the volume of employees who have a larger compensation package than a typical teacher has created the upward trajectory in private school tuition

Whether you are a parent looking to send your child to a private K-12 school or your child is currently enrolled in one, you are probably exploring your options for how to pay for tuition and the other costs associated with a K-12 school. The following information will guide you as you consider the many loan program options available to help you pay for your child's private education.

Tuition Planning

Advanced planning is your best option for financing a private school education. The first step in planning for education financing is to contact the admissions or business office at your child's current or prospective school. The financial aid officers at the school can help you learn about available financing options. Waiting until the last minute is never a good idea regarding financial matters. By starting your research early, you give yourself time to plan to pay for this major expense on the best terms possible.

Today a large number of private school students receive financial aid. Many schools offer financial aid through merit awards and need-based scholarships. Based on eligibility, these awards can help make private school education more affordable. Financial aid grants may cover a significant portion of your child's tuition, depending on the school and eligibility. Knowing what a potential award might be helps you plan your borrowing.

About Private School Student Loans

In addition to scholarships and grants, there is another valuable resource to help you pay for your child's education, particularly when grants and

You have just paid $45,000 for a year's tuition and fees at St. Sedgewick's. You are all set, right? Not exactly. What happens if your child suddenly takes sick before the end of the school year? What if circumstances beyond your control force you to withdraw her from school in March? What if he is expelled? In brief, you are obligated for the entire year's tuition and fees regardless of whether your child completes the year or not.

What Are My Options?

The only remedy you have is to sign up for the school's refund plan. It typically acts like insurance in the event that your child withdraws before end of year. The insurance plan will pay for the unused/remaining portion of your child's time at the school. You contracted to pay for an entire year when you signed the contract with the school at the time she was accepted. You do not want to be out of pocket. Neither does the school. This is why tuition refund insurance is an important part of your planning for a private school education. Tuition refund policies are in place at every private school regardless of whether it is day or boarding, large or small, elementary/nursery school or high school.

St. Mary's policy is the sort of thing you can expect at most schools:

"To minimize the loss to a family due to early departure or change in boarding status, Saint Mary’s School has established a Refund Plan. Under ordinary

Over the past two decades private schools have developed very generous financial aid programs. This has happened for a variety of reasons. But the most compelling reason is that private schools want to diversify their student bodies. They want to attract academically well-qualified applicants whose families simply cannot afford the enormous expense of sending their children to private school. Generous financial aid programs are one way of helping schools achieve that goal.

Here's how Exeter describes why it offers the very generous financial aid it does:

"Socioeconomic diversity has been a characteristic of Phillips Exeter Academy from our founding. It's built into our ethic—to attract and teach 'youth from every quarter'—and it's crucial to the nature of our community and our classrooms."

St. Paul's School, Concord, New Hampshire expresses its commitment to financial aid as follows:

"We are committed to making St. Paul’s an affordable option for families.

To honor this commitment we will:

• Consider a household income of $80,000 per year or less as qualifying for full financial aid.
• Families with an annual income of less than $200,000 will not pay more than 10% of their income toward tuition per year."

Deerfield Academy outlines its full-need grants as follows:

In 2012-2013 over 28% of our financial aid recipients received full-need grants. These full-need grants include 98% or more of tuition coverage as well as other forms of assistance. These can include coverage for laptop and schoolbook purchases, travel allowances, stipends

Some people can write a check for a year's tuition and never miss it. But with private school tuitions running into the $ 30s for day school and getting close to $50,000 for boarding school, we must be creative.

Here are some options for paying for a private school education.

• Pay the fees in two installments.
• Sign up with a tuition payment service and pay monthly installments.
• Borrow the funds you need.
• Apply for financial aid.
• Investigate other funding sources.

Pay the fees in two installments.

Paying the fees in two installments is common in many educational institutions to ease the financial burden on families. This method allows parents or guardians to divide the total tuition cost into two equal or nearly equal parts, generally paid at the beginning of each semester or term. It provides a balanced approach, ensuring that the entire amount isn't due all at once. This can help families budget their finances better without having to worry about paying the whole sum upfront.

Private schools generally render their bills in early summer and late fall for payment within 30 days. These invoices will include one-half of the academic year's tuition charge as well as incidentals. Incidentals include fees for items such as technology, sports, activities, laundry, and so on. Be sure to ask whether the school offers a cash discount.

Sign up with a tuition payment service and pay monthly installments.

Some families prefer to spread out the tuition costs over several months, making monthly payments more manageable.