Tuition Assistance FAQs

First, consider the true cost of an independent school education. Tuition in 2025-2026 is $$36,025 for DK, $41,350 for K-5th, and $46,905 for 6-8 (tuition includes a $3,500 non-refundable registration deposit). This means roughly $38,000 - $49,000 including trips lunches, transportation, and other costs.

Calculate your ability to cover these costs. If you cannot cover expenses out of income and judicious use of assets, consider your other options: If you are counting on gifts from relatives, it is important to discuss with them whether or not they can maintain that help over the course of your child’s career at The Willows. Loans can be difficult to obtain in the current economic climate and drawing heavily on equity is risky.

If you need tuition assistance, now is the time to apply. This is critical.

The school strongly discourages this approach. When a family submits a “full-pay” application to the school, this communicates that the family will be capable of covering all educational costs for the upcoming year and the foreseeable future. The School budgets in reliance upon this and commits its limited tuition assistance funds to other families.

Although the School maintains modest emergency funds for families that request aid subsequent to admission, those funds are strictly reserved for families that encounter dramatic, unforeseeable financial reversals after The Willows Community School matriculation. (Modest aid may also be available for families whose income growth has not kept pace with that of tuition and other school expenses.)

No funds are available for families with pre-existing needs not disclosed at the time of admission. Such undisclosed need may thus lead to student withdrawal and should be avoided at all costs.

The Admission Committee reviews candidates for admission in a  “need-blind” meeting without knowing whether or not they are applying for aid. The Tuition Assistance Committee then meets to consider those who have been rated highly by the full committee, accepting as many compelling candidates into the class as possible. We again consider those candidates on the basis of qualities, but also try to spread our grants across a wide spectrum of families with different levels of need. While there is a sizable assistance budget, in the end there is a finite amount of assistance available. Because tuition assistance students must also be selected in this second round, the reality is that it is more difficult to be admitted with tuition assistance.

In addition to the financial aid, The Willows Community School financial aid package automatically includes partial coverage of most of the necessary expenses that your child will incur at the school equal to the percent of financial aid awarded. This includes student fees, school trips and t-shirts.

Yes. We will ask you to file a new tuition assistance application statement and submit your tax declarations each year. The school will determine its tuition assistance budget each year and make best efforts to continue to award a level of aid appropriate for your level of demonstrated need.

We consider that both parents have an obligation to contribute to the extent they can to their children’s educational expenses. We take into account the assets and income of both natural parents. We cannot be bound by the assertion that one parent has disclaimed legally or otherwise any responsibility for educational expenses. If either parent has remarried we will consider the income of the stepparent, keeping in mind the obligation of that stepparent to his or her natural children. If either parent lives in a household with another adult, we may consider the assets and income of that person, depending on circumstances. In view of this, both natural parents and their current spouses need to fill out a separate PFS form. 

Requests to consider extenuating circumstances (such as a missing parent or one who has not provided support and has not been in contact with the family for a lengthy period) should be explained in writing in a letter to the Tuition Assistance Office. 

You must apply for tuition assistance at the time the younger sibling applies for admission. The tuition assistance application must be for both children, and if the younger child is admitted and you qualify for aid, both children will receive tuition assistance. 

Other K-12 tuitions you pay are figured in our calculations of need, but in order to receive assistance from us you must apply for assistance at all schools your children attend. You should note that college tuition money is regarded as investment rather than educational expense, in that it rapidly pays for itself in higher income levels. With this in mind, both parents and students frequently take out federally subsidized loans, in addition to the direct aid that is available at the college level.

Admission decisions will be sent in March. Tuition assistance awards will be announced at that time.