Q. What is financial aid?
A. St. Gabriel’s Catholic School’s financial aid consists of tuition grants, which do not need to be repaid.
Q. What is St. Gabriel’s financial aid philosophy?
A. St. Gabriel’s provides a Financial Aid program that supports the enrollment of students who can make significant contributions to the life of the school, but otherwise might not have the opportunity. The school recognizes, however, that the primary responsibility for financing a child’s education rests with the parents to the fullest extent possible. Financial Aid at St. Gabriel’s is awarded based upon a family’s demonstrated financial need.
Q. What is "demonstrated need" and how is it determined?
A. "Demonstrated need" is defined as the difference between the amount a family can be expected to contribute to the cost of their child's education and the amount of St. Gabriel’s annual tuition. We assess each family's financial situation with the help of an outside agency in Princeton, New Jersey, the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS). Parents complete a Parent Financial Statement (PFS) online (http://sss.nais.org) for initial processing. St. Gabriel’s School Code is 1986. A calculation of financial need, prepared by SSS, is then sent to St. Gabriel’s Financial Aid Committee. Parents must also submit a letter requesting financial aid and backup documents to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS).
For the 2009-2010 academic year, 15% of student body received financial aid grants. We make financial aid awards to address a variety of economic circumstances, from families requiring partial assistance to those needing substantial aid. All families are expected to make some contribution to their child's education, which is set at an affordable amount for the family.
Q. Would my salary qualify us for aid?
A. The recommendation from School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS) are used as an initial guide in allocating your child’s aid. This system considers gross taxable and non-taxable income, assets, liabilities, family size and the number of students in tuition-charging schools or colleges. After an allowance for basic necessities and required taxes, the remaining funds are considered available for education on a sliding scale.
Q. What does it cost to apply for financial aid?
A. SSS charges a fee ($35 online or $42 by mail) for processing the PFS (Parent Financial Statement). Online applications require a credit card for processing. St. Gabriel’s does not charge an additional fee to apply for financial aid.
Q. How does this process work for divorced or separated parents?
A. We require that both parents complete a financial statement to provide a realistic picture of family resources. We are also aware that circumstances differ widely among separated or divorced parents and urge you to contact the Admissions Office if such information cannot be provided.
Q. Who makes financial aid decisions?
A. The Financial Aid Committee continues to meet and award financial aid until the allocated resources are depleted. In order for the Committee to best meet demonstrated financial need, families are strongly encouraged to submit all mentioned financial documents according to the timeline.
Q. Will we receive aid every year?
A. Family financial circumstances can change. We require families to re-apply for financial aid each year. If a family’s financial circumstances remain the same, the school will make every effort to provide assistance at the same level of aid.
Financial aid may be withheld from families or students who have not been timely in completing the required financial aid forms or are delinquent in payments owed to SGCS.
Q. What if I have other children applying to or attending other tuition-charging institutions? Must I apply for financial aid from those schools also?
A. Yes, we assume that a family applying for aid from St. Gabriel’s will apply for financial aid from all tuition-charging institutions their other children may be attending. In addition, we may ask for verification of the financial aid packages from the other schools.
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