Q: What is The Northwest School's philosophy toward financial aid?
A: The school has a philosophical commitment to educating a socio-economically diverse student body. Our financial aid program is designed to help us achieve this diversity. The financial aid application process is the means to allocate financial aid in as fair a manner as possible.
Private school education is a choice for families. The school and families make significant financial sacrifices to support this choice. Our policies and philosophy attempt to ensure that each family is subject to the same guidelines as we evaluate the needs of your family relative to the needs of other families in our school community.
Regretfully, we cannot offer Financial Aid to families residing outside of the Greater Seattle/King County Area. Given our limited resources for Financial Aid, the Board of Trustees has elected to target those resources locally, as a way of giving back to the local economy.
Q: What is the range of aid awarded?
A: Our policy is to provide financial aid awards based on the demonstrated need of the family. Therefore, our awards range from a small amount of assistance up to the full cost of tuition.
Q: How is financial aid determined?
A: We use the Parents' Financial Statement designed by the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS) and the family's tax documents to help us determine the contribution your family should make towards educational expenses. The Northwest School's financial aid award committee uses the results as a guide in allocating your family's aid award based on need, the school's policies and resources.
Q: Should I apply for aid?
A: Few families find it "easy" to pay The Northwest School's tuition. Most adjust their spending priorities, maximize both parents' earnings, and carefully manage assets to do so. Some will need financial assistance no matter how carefully they fine-tune family finances. A family will need to be able to pay approximately $2500 per month for ten months to afford tuition. If after reviewing your family finances you are not able to afford the monthly amount, your family should consider applying for aid.
Q: Why is it important for our family to advise the school whether we will be an applicant for financial aid?
A: Even though the school provides a large amount of financial aid, our funds are not limitless. We must budget for the needs of our financial aid families for the current year and for future years. Therefore, we also assume parents who are applying for admission to the school have carefully evaluated their own capacity to pay tuition and have determined whether their family needs financial aid prior to applying. A family who applies for financial aid only after their child has been accepted will be ineligible for financial aid for that year and most probably for future years at The Northwest School.
Q: What if we are separated or divorced parents?
A: The school will consider the assets of both natural parents before making any award, and cannot be bound by the assertion that one parent has disclaimed responsibility for educational expenses. If either parent has remarried or has a domestic living relationship with another adult, we will also consider the assets of the stepparent or domestic partner, always bearing in mind the obligation of that stepparent or domestic partner to his or her own natural children. In light of this policy, it is necessary that both natural parents and their current spouses or domestic partners, if any, complete a financial aid application and return all appropriate tax forms and schedules. It is the responsibility of the custodial parent to request additional forms if they have not been mailed with the financial aid application packet.
Q: I have other children applying to or are attending tuition-charging institutions. Must I also apply for financial aid from those schools?
A: Yes. We assume that a family applying for aid from NWS will apply for aid from all tuition-charging institutions their children may be attending. If another school does not have a financial aid program, please note that on your Parents' Financial Statement.
Q: Must both parents be employed to receive financial aid from The Northwest School?
A: In general, yes, if all children in the family are in school. We also realize, however, that circumstances may make it impossible for this to occur. Explaining such circumstances on your financial aid application and describing the non-working partner's plans for eventual employment are important.
Q: I have decided to attend graduate school while my child is at The Northwest School. Will it affect my financial aid?
A: The Northwest School's financial aid program is unable either to increase a family's financial aid or to begin giving financial aid due to a parent attending graduate school. We assume that a parent who is enrolled in graduate school will continue to earn income.
Q: If my child receives aid this year, what will happen next year?
A: Priority for financial aid goes to returning students who were on financial aid in the prior school year. However, each year we do ask all families that are receiving aid to submit their most recent financial information to guide the award committee in determining the current level of need. If your family qualifies for aid at the time of admission but all the financial aid money has been awarded, you may reapply for aid in the following year as a current family.
Q: What if our family has paid full tuition in prior years but now find we need to apply for aid? Can we apply?
A: If your financial situation has changed and you find you cannot pay the full tuition for the following year, you may apply for financial aid. Please contact the financial aid office and request information. If the financial aid award committee determines your family needs aid as a returning family, you are given a higher priority for aid than most new students.
Q: Our family reviewed the financial aid offered to us and still find we cannot pay tuition. Can we appeal the award?
A: Yes, The Northwest School has a process that reviews the family's appeal, asking for additional information that will allow the award committee to adjust the financial aid granted. At times, we find families have not included some financial information that would have helped the award committee grant a higher level of aid. Unfortunately, in other cases, the aid award decision does not change. When you appeal it is helpful if you submit a listing of the family's monthly expenses, copies of recent pay stubs and unusual expenses your family may not have included on your original application.
Note: If you desire to apply for financial aid, please be sure to check the financial aid box on the admissions application.