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AFFORDING RUFFING
Financial Aid Information & FAQs
Ruffing will accept applications for financial aid for the 2012-2013 school year beginning January 1, 2012. The deadline to apply for financial aid is Feb. 10, 2012.
Ruffing Montessori School has established a financial aid program to assist families that are not able to manage the full cost of tuition using one of the payment plan options offered by the school. Our financial aid program is compatible with the mission, values and goals approved by the Board of Trustees. A Financial Aid Committee reviews information and makes award decisions on a family-by-family basis using the services of Financial Aid for School Tuition (FAST), which assists schools in processing financial aid information. The financial aid application and award process is confidential and does not influence admission decisions.
What is Ruffing’s financial aid philosophy?
How does Ruffing prioritize financial aid awards?
How many students receive financial aid at Ruffing?
Should we apply for aid? What award amount can our family anticipate?
What is the deadline to apply for financial aid?
How do we apply for financial aid?
Is there a fee to apply for financial aid?
What happens after I have completed my financial aid application?
When are awards announced?
What if we don’t receive as much aid as we think we should have?
Will a request for financial aid influence the admission decision?
What happens if my child is placed on a waiting list to get in to Ruffing?
Why do I need to apply for aid before I know if my child will be accepted?
Are there other ways of paying school expenses besides receiving financial aid from the School?
Is there a repayment obligation involved when a family receives financial aid?
Is financial aid renewed automatically?
If parents are requesting financial aid for more than one student at Ruffing, do they complete separate forms for each child?
Does a change in family financial circumstances result in a change in the financial aid decision?
Do family assets affect the award amount?
What happens if the parents are divorced, separated or remarried?
Does FAST provide the funds for financial aid?
Who makes financial aid decisions and is the process confidential?
What is Ruffing’s financial aid philosophy?
At Ruffing, financial aid consists of an “award” that is applied to a student’s tuition account in accordance with the payment plan selected by the family. The primary purpose of Ruffing’s financial aid program is to provide assistance to families of students who have been accepted to the school and who demonstrate financial need. Financial aid at Ruffing also supports the school’s commitment to socio-economic diversity and enhances the school’s long-range viability by maximizing enrollment at various levels.
Affording a quality education takes planning, and most families employ several strategies to keep the costs within reach. In this planning, it is important to realize that the family bears the primary responsibility for financing a child’s education to the extent that they are able. The basic criterion for a financial aid award is demonstrated need. [top]
How does Ruffing prioritize financial aid awards?
The basic criterion for a financial aid award is demonstrated need - no performance-based or merit scholarships are available. Because the aggregate need demonstrated by our families inevitably exceeds the amount of aid available from the school, Ruffing has established the following order of priorities to assist the Committee in determining awards:
- Returning students in Extended Day, Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and Middle School
- New (accepted) students in Extended Day, Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and Middle School
- Students in the Toddler Community and Children’s House programs, both returning and new
Note: for returning families, only those whose accounts are in good standing with the Business Office will be considered for financial aid. [top]
How many students receive financial aid at Ruffing?
About 23% of all students at Ruffing receive financial assistance for tuition. [top]
Should we apply for aid? What award amount can our family anticipate?
Every family has unique circumstances. The major factors affecting financial need include the family's net income and assets, allowable expenses, the number of dependents, and other financial resources available to your family. Allowances are made for certain taxes, medical costs, and unusual expenses. FAST provides a common base by which each family's needs may be measured fairly and equitably. If you believe that your financial resources are not sufficient to meet tuition costs, you should apply for financial aid.
Awards are based not only on demonstrated need, but on the total amount of funds available through the School. This means that even though your family may qualify for more aid, Ruffing may only be able to provide a portion of the demonstrated need. Financial aid awards from Ruffing are designed to help bridge the gap between available resources and tuition, but will not exceed 50% of tuition under any circumstance. [top]
What is the deadline to apply for financial aid?
The deadline to complete the online FAST application is February 10, 2012. Parents' 2011 form 1040, tax schedules, W-2, and all other requested information must be received by FAST no later than March 2, 2012. Applications for financial aid are not considered complete until all required forms are submitted. [top]
How do we apply for financial aid?
Financial aid applications will be accepted online through FAST beginning January 1, 2012. The deadline for returning families to apply is February 10, 2012. (New student applicants should apply for financial aid concurrently with the admission application process.) To apply, follow these steps:
- Visit the Ruffing website at www.ruffingmontessori.net.
- In the Admissions pull-down menu, click on the Financial Aid link.
- Click on the FAST button at the bottom of the Financial Aid page.
- The application process is self-guided. You may navigate in and out of the program, allowing you to partially complete an application and go back to it at another time. Online email support, as well as a parent helpline, is available.
- Once Ruffing receives confirmation of your online application, you will receive a pre-addressed envelope and a checklist of documents required by FAST to complete the application process.
- Submit the required tax documentation to FAST by March 2, 2012. The application process is not complete until copies of your completed preceding tax year returns for both state and federal taxes with all schedules and W-2s are submitted to FAST. [top]
Is there a fee to apply for financial aid?
Ruffing does not charge a fee to apply for financial aid; however, FAST charges a processing fee payable by credit card at the end of the application session. If you do not have a credit card or cannot manage the fee, please contact the school for assistance. [top]
What happens after I have completed my financial aid application?
FAST will contact you if there are any inconsistencies or incomplete data on your application. Once all data is complete, FAST analyzes your financial data and recommends an amount that your family should be expected to contribute toward educational expenses. This recommendation and the data you provide to FAST are available to the school for further analysis. Within the limits of its total budget and according to its criteria for awarding financial aid, Ruffing uses the FAST recommendations as a guideline in determining the financial aid to be offered to a family. [top]
When are awards announced?
For returning families, financial aid awards will be determined and mailed on March 2. For new families, the Financial Aid Committee makes every effort to mail award decisions the same day (or within 2 days) as the admission decision. Announcing the financial aid award simultaneously, yet independently, of the admission decision allows a new family to have all pertinent information necessary to make an informed and timely decision about enrollment by the deadline given by the Admission Office. We will not ask you to sign an enrollment agreement without knowing if a financial aid award is available to you. [top]
What if we don’t receive as much aid as we think we should have?
Even though your family may qualify for more aid, Ruffing may only be able to provide a portion of the demonstrated need. Financial aid awards from Ruffing help bridge the gap between available resources and tuition. You may appeal an award decision if circumstances have changed or were not made clear to the Financial Aid Committee during the review process. To appeal an award decision, you must submit a letter or email to the Financial Aid Committee explaining what circumstances warrant reconsideration. [top]
Will a request for financial aid influence the admission decision?
No. Ruffing practices a "need-blind" admission practice - a family’s financial status is not part of the admission criteria and the Admission Office is not involved in the consideration of financial aid applications. Once your child has been accepted for admission, the Financial Aid Committee will review the FAST financial aid analysis and make a determination based on demonstrated need and the amount of financial aid funds available at the time of review. [top]
What happens if my child is placed on a waiting list to get in to Ruffing?
To ensure the admission process remains “need blind,” the Financial Aid Committee does not consider financial aid for new students until the child has been accepted for admission to the school. If the Admission Office notifies you that your child is placed on a waiting list for admission, the application for financial aid will remain on hold. Once your child has been accepted for admission, the Financial Aid Committee will review the FAST financial aid analysis and make a determination based on demonstrated need and the amount of financial aid funds available at the time of review. [top]
Why do I need to apply for aid before I know if my child will be accepted?
The financial aid application process takes time - you need time to complete the online portion and submit tax documents by mail. FAST needs time to collect information and analyze your financial data. As soon as your child has been accepted for admission, the Financial Aid Committee needs to have your financial aid analysis and recommendation at their fingertips for a quick turn-around. This allows you to have the information you need to make a fiscally sound decision by the enrollment deadline. [top]
Are there other ways of paying school expenses besides receiving financial aid from the School?
Yes. Ruffing offers a 2-payment and a 10-payment plan through Tuition Management Systems. Families may also choose to arrange loans through personal banks or through education payment programs. [top]
Is there a repayment obligation involved when a family receives financial aid?
No. There is no obligation to repay a financial aid award. [top]
Is financial aid renewed automatically?
No. Ruffing asks families receiving financial aid to reapply each year. However, once financial aid has been awarded it is reasonable to expect that aid will be renewed each year, providing the family's financial situation has not changed substantially and the recipient is in good academic and social standing with the School. Also, for returning families, tuition accounts need to be in good standing with the Business Office before an application for financial aid will be considered. [top]
If parents are requesting financial aid for more than one student at Ruffing, do they complete separate forms for each child?
No. Parents need to complete one online application through FAST. [top]
Does a change in family financial circumstances result in a change in the financial aid decision?
Significant changes during the year or from year to year may influence the amount of financial aid awarded for the following year. Changes could result in either an increase or decrease in financial aid, depending on the individual circumstances. [top]
Do family assets affect the award amount?
Yes, the Financial Aid Committee does consider the amount of family assets when determining an award amount. A family with greater assets may be asked to contribute more from current income because their assets provide the family with greater financial security. [top]
What happens if the parents are divorced, separated or remarried?
Our policy is that both parents are obligated to contribute to their children's educational expenses, whether or not they have a legal obligation to do so. In cases of divorce or separation, both custodial and non-custodial parents are required to complete the online application process. To be fair, we consider the assets and earnings potential of both before making any financial aid award. In cases where one parent has had no contact with the child for more than five years, the requirement that both parents complete the financial aid application may be excused. Ruffing will not be bound by any divorce agreement specifying the parent responsible for educational expenses.
If either parent has remarried, or become part of a dual-head-of-household, the needs analysis considers the assets and earnings potential of the stepparent as well, keeping in mind the stepparent's responsibility to his or her own children. As a result, the online application process should incorporate financial information representing both heads-of-household. [top]
Does FAST provide the funds for financial aid?
No. Ruffing Montessori School’s financial aid is funded primarily through tuition revenue, and secondarily from gifts to the school. FAST does not decide financial aid awards, nor provide the funds for financial aid awards. [top]
Who makes financial aid decisions and is the process confidential?
Financial aid applications are reviewed by the Financial Aid Committee and are processed by the Business Office. All information required for the application process is kept in strictest confidence. Families accepting a financial aid award are required to sign a financial aid acceptance agreement, which includes a confidentiality agreement. We ask families not to share financial aid award amounts or details with other families or schools as each family has unique circumstances and award amounts are based on individualized analyses and funds available at the time of the award. [top]
If you have additional questions, please call or write:
Debra Mitchell, Director of Finance & Operations
Ruffing Montessori School
Email: debram@ruffingmontessori.net
Tel. 216-321-7571
Fax. 216-321-7568
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