Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I have to provide so much information?
Every family is unique. Providing information helps create a picture of your individual situation and helps assure that we are consistent with all applicants.
How is the information I provided used?
The information is placed into a model to calculate an expected tuition contribution. This contribution is based on your income, expenses, and family size. In the base model, expenses are capped and some expenses are not considered at all. For example, housing expenses above a specified level are not factored in and credit card debt is not considered at all. To calculate the amount of aid, the expected tuition contribution is compared to the total expected tuition to be paid for all children at all tuition paying K-12 schools.
Who has access to the information I provided?
Both the Tuition Assistance Committee at the Diocese and the school committee look at overall summary information and not at individual information in making the assistance determination. However, the staff supporting the committee does have access to the individual information and will review individual information when warranted. This often happens when there seems to be a substantial change in circumstances or something about the summary figures appear contradictory or illogical.
Can I appeal the decision?
Generally speaking decisions made by the Diocese cannot be appealed except in the case of procedural error. For this reason the school Director of Finance tries to identify potential issues and work with families to resolve them before the Diocesan review. Decisions made by the School may be appealed. The appeal must be based on information that was not originally provided or considered by the FACTS model (e.g. bankruptcy).
How do I know if I will qualify?
Because every family’s situation is different it is impossible to know. A family with an income of $48,000 may not qualify while a family with an income of $115,000 may qualify.
I just lost my job, why don’t I qualify for more aid?
The tuition assistance process is retrospective in nature, so changes in circumstances either way are not considered. That being said, the appeals process can deal with recent changes.
Why does it take so long?
When you apply and upload documents, it can take up to 2 weeks for FACTS to review your documents and then make them available to the school. Because of this delay, the Tuition Assistance Committee at the Diocese does not have its first meeting until the end of March. In turn, the school committee meets after the Diocesan Committee.
What if I cannot afford the FACTS fee to apply for Tuition Assistance?
Saint Benedict School has a limited number of fee waivers for the FACTS Grant & Aid application fee of $30. To be considered, families must have a total income under $30,000. To apply for a waiver, complete the linked form (English, Spanish) and submit to the Finance Office.
The Finance Office will notify you whether the waiver is approved. If the waiver is approved and you have not yet completed your application, the fee will be waived within FACTS by the Finance Office (preferred). If the waiver is approved and you have already paid your fee, a check will be sent to you from the school.
What if I still have questions?
Tuition assistance is handled through the Business Office not the Admissions Office. Please direct all tuition assistance questions to Elizabeth Hanson, Director of Finance.