Financial Aid
Mission
Tatnall is committed to building and maintaining a diverse community. We strive to attract students and families from different cultural and economic backgrounds. With the understanding that the cost of attending Tatnall may pose a significant financial burden for some families, the Board of Trustees has established the financial aid fund to assist families. The purpose of our financial aid program is to remove financial barriers, not to create financial inducements.
Admission and Financial Aid
It is Tatnall’s policy to admit students without regard to family financial circumstances. The admission process and the financial aid process are separate processes. Families are encouraged, however, to apply for admission and financial aid at the same time to ensure that the Financial Aid Committee is able to make decisions in a timely manner.
Confidentiality
All information received by The Tatnall School Financial Aid Office is held in the strictest of confidence. Financial information is never shared with faculty members, donors or among family members who maintain separate households.
Qualification
The Tatnall School expects that all families will make reasonable sacrifices to finance the education of their children. Families must demonstrate that they have a need for financial assistance to receive an award. Tatnall does not offer merit scholarships. Recipients of financial aid are expected to meet the same standards of citizenship, school participation and academic performance as other students. They are not subject to special requirement.
Tatnall subscribes to the Principles of Good Practice as outlined by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). We use School and Student Service (SSS) to process financial aid applications. SSS is a service of NAIS. Based on the financial information you provide, SSS produces a Report of Family Contribution (RFC), giving us an estimated amount your family can contribute to educational expenses. This helps us make fair and objective financial aid decisions. Tatnall uses the RFC, along with other required information, to determine whether a family qualifies for aid, whether or not an award will be offered to a family, and the amount of such award. All decisions are subject to the availability of financial aid funds.Separation/divorce
In the case of separation or divorce, the assets of all parents are taken into consideration. Both custodial and non-custodial parents must complete a PFS and submit the necessary documentation. When a parent has remarried, the assets of the stepparent are considered as a resource toward household expenses, bearing in mind the responsibilities of the stepparent to his or her own children. Therefore, the assets of the stepparent should be included on the PFS. Please note that omission of this information may be a determining factor in the granting of financial aid.
Applying for Financial Aid
To begin your financial aid application for the 2010-2011 school year, please follow the steps below:
- Complete the Tatnall Application for Financial Aid and return it directly to The Tatnall School by December 15. Letters providing additional financial information are always welcome.
- Complete the PFS (Parent Financial Statement, available on November 1, 2009) online at sss.nais.org. Request that the report be sent to The Tatnall School, code #7624. For your family’s request for financial assistance to be considered in the initial distribution of awards, your PFS must be completed by December 15.
Note: If applicable, please complete a Business/Farm Statement as well.
- Mail your 1040 Federal Tax Return for 2008 (including all schedules) and 2008 W-2 forms to:
SSS by NAIS
Application Processing Center
P.O. Box 449
Randolph, MA 02368-0449
Late forms, errors or omissions in the preparation of the PFS may seriously jeopardize a child’s chance of receiving an award.
Determination of Need
SSS determines need by using a formula that considers all areas of a family’s financial situation. Here is a brief list of what might go into determining a family’s need:
- total income of parents
- family size
- medical/dental expenses
- savings and investments
- unusual expenses and debts
- number of children in tuition-charging schools
Notification of Award
When both the admission application process and the financial aid application process are completed, a family will receive a Financial Aid decision letter along with any notification of acceptance. If Tatnall offers a student an award, the provisional award letter will detail the amounts of the tuition, grant and family contribution.
Payment Plan Options
We encourage families to consider all of our payment options. These payment options, some administered by Tatnall and some administered by outside agencies, provide families flexibility in determining the payment plans that best meet their needs.
Tuition Payment Options
- 100 percent tuition due on or before August 1
- 60 percent tuition due on or before August 1; 40 percent due by December 1, (A tuition deferral fee of 1.5 percent per month is applied to the outstanding balance beginning August 1.)
- 10-Month Payment Plan through Tuition Management Systems
Detailed information about tuition payment options is sent to families along with enrollment contracts.
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