<p>I need help. I've had my heart set on going to Groton for years now. My parents keep telling me we can't afford it. We are a middle class family(150-250 k per year). Any ideas on helping out with costs?</p>
<p>Try going to the finaid.org and using their calculators as an estimate
FinAid</a> | Calculators | Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and Financial Aid
for whether you are likely to get any need based aid. Otherwise investigate merit scholarships on Boarding School Review. I don't know about Groton, but there are some schools that have them.
I haven't found any sources for outside aid besides the schools themselves.</p>
<p>Good luck to you!</p>
<p>Thank you! I will get my parents to try it out.</p>
<p>ask again, explain your situation! it can't hurt.</p>
<p>They obviously can afford it with that salary, so I think you should just keep telling them why you want to go there so badly and how it would benefit you.
You could even do a powerpoint presentation!
:)</p>
<p>150 - 250K is not middle class. the median household income in the US is less than $50,000.</p>
<p>Your parents can afford to pay for boarding school -- what you have to convince them of is the benefits of paying that money.</p>
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<p>Middle class is often broadly defined as those earning $25,000 to $99,999. $150K-$250K is definitely not middle class, although it certainly doesn't go as far as it used to. I had to smile when I saw the OP's original statement "We are a middle class family(150-250 k per year). " $100,000 variance in salary is HUGE.</p>
<p>oh my ankle socks!!! your family makes a ton of money!!! just talk to them more...you can also consider a merit scholarship if they insist they don't want to spend their money...im thinking you wouldn't get very much AT ALL in FA.....</p>
<p>There are boarding schools that provide MERIT scholarships that have nothing to do with need. Our son has a merit scholarship. We wouldn't qualify for financial aid and our income levels are in your range. FYI. Do some research and find the schools. There are several!</p>
<p>Just no Groton, which the OP was interested in:</p>
<p>"Does Groton have any merit scholarships we can compete for?
No. All financial aid is awarded on the basis of demonstrated need, not upon academic, athletic or other merit. We firmly believe all students who are admitted to Groton have sufficient merit and that our aid funds are best awarded only to those who truly need them."</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies :)</p>
<p>hsmomstef- I had no idea that was the average middle class in America, I thought it was much higher. I'm actually not supposed to know how much my parents make every year, I just found out by accident a while ago. I believe it's somewhere around 200 thousand , but I'm not completely sure because my dad got a promotion, and my mom switched jobs.</p>
<p>jennycraig- I wasn't aware that was the median middle class. My family has always been described as middle class. As I said above, I'm not completely sure how much my parents make, but I know it's between those two numbers. </p>
<p>emmers44- I think I'm going to have to try for merit. My parents are still insisting we can't afford it, despite my attempts at convincing them. </p>
<p>252525- I'll have to try for a merit, I'm not quite sure I'd get one though. I know Groton doesn't offer them, but I have my doubts about getting into Groton. I only have about a 91% average, and my math marks haven't been stellar this year at all. I doubt a sports scholarship would work. I play female hocey, but I've had injuries this year and I'm way out of shape.</p>
<p>Wikidedia: Politically more active than other demographics, college educated middle class professionals are split.[7] Income varies considerably from near the national median to well in excess of $100,000.[5][2]</p>
<p>I remember Exeter is pretty generous at F/A, the offer F/A for family income below US$70,00. But everyone is different. I have a friend, his parents are both doctor, one older sister in college, he got F/A from Exeter. </p>
<p>If you really want to go to BS, should talk with your parents about financial. You can always apply for F/A but school will let you know.</p>
<p>There are some financial aid calculators on the web....search this forum and you should find them. Even though your family income is on the high end, some schools may still give you aid. It depends on how many kids in your family, how much housing costs in your area, if you have siblings in college, etc.</p>
<p>Ask your parents to use one of the calculators....maybe you might qualify, maybe you won't.</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>My edits: whoops, someone already posted the information you need above on this thread. I second that post!</p>
<p>Affording is usually a choice. I overheard some moms at my daughter's gym talking once about how they could never afford private school for their children and how ridiculous it would be to spend that kind of money. A few moments later they were discussing their kitchen redo's and which countertops would be best. Try mine....40 year old Formica.
Life is all about choices; your parents will have to choose to let go of some material things, vacations, etc. I can only wish my husband and I had that kind of income.</p>
<p>Keylyme, isn't that the truth! I was at a friend's house this weekend. She had just redone her powder room, to the tune of $35,000. This is a very small bathroom--maybe 5ft square (I am no architect--I can't estimate size!) Yet, when we started talking about colleges for our kids, she said she has told her daughter to look at in-state schools, because she and her husband can't afford to pay out-of-state tuition. As you say, it is all about choices. When I think about how I am going to afford to pay the tuition bills, I am always reminded of the Chinese proverb: *"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime. * Through education, I believe I am laying the foundation for my children to be successful in life, becoming contributing members of society.</p>
<p>Of course we can't decide whether BS is affordable for the original poster or not since we don't know their circumstances and can't speak for their values.</p>
<p>With what I spend on tuitions, a friend of mine spends traveling with her kids during the summer and renting a beach house. The kids can speak 2 other languages now and have lots of interesting memories and experiences. </p>
<p>People make choices that seem right for them.</p>
<p>Silly as it seems, I agree with Keylyme and Grejuni re choices. Most people that I know seem to consider the kitchen redo (complete with granite in a split level house - no offense to anyone who did it) necessary, and private school to be a luxury. Yes even when the public schools in an area are decent, do they really provide what a private school can provide? I would think most people on this forum say that often they can not. </p>
<p>I think it is very difficult for a child to convince a parent who feels that private school is not on the plan to change his or her mind. There is always the consideration of saving money for college as well. </p>
<p>Groton Girl, I would suggest that you think hard about why you would really want to go to boarding school, and what it would provide for you, and have a heart to heart talk with your parents. Maybe they don't want you to go away at all. Maybe they have reasons that are right for you, maybe not. Find out.</p>
<p>With all the "entitlement" threads that are going on over in the college section including: "Are my parents Shafting Me?" , we don't want the OP to start resenting her own parents. </p>
<p>Of course if she wants to find other parents who agree with BS as a worthwhile expense, she has come to the right place! Here we are! :)</p>
<p>(If you want to read that one, here it is: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/491694-my-parents-shafting-me.html?highlight=parents+shafting%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/491694-my-parents-shafting-me.html?highlight=parents+shafting</a>)</p>
<p>I think it might be a bit helpful if I explained my situation better. I<code>m the eldest child in my family, and I have two younger brothers. My father works away and my mom takes care of us. I know she doesn</code>t want me to go too badly because I do alot of stuff around the house to help out. I<code>m not ungrateful, I have nice clothes, a nice house and a good family. I</code>m just confused to why we can<code>t afford to send me to school when we can go on 4 vacations a year. I</code>m going to keep trying to get them to understand how badly I want to go, and why. I`m working on a powerpoint presentation (thanks jumpstartzoe). Thanks for the replies everyone :)</p>