FAQs

List of 14 frequently asked questions.

• Q: When is the financial aid application due and how are the funds distributed?

  The Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) and required income tax documents are due on January 15 for returning students and February 1 for new applicants. Funds are extremely limited beyond the first initial round of awards, making it critical to meet the aforementioned deadline.
  
  Consideration for budgeted dollars is given in the following order:

   

  1. Applications from current recipients who have completed and submitted all required documents on time.
  2. New applications from currently-enrolled students, if completed on time.
  3. New applications from candidates for enrollment, if completed on time.
  4. New and returning student applications completed after the specified deadlines, as long as funds remain available.

• Q: How do I apply for financial aid?

  Complete the PFS online by way of the School and Student Service (SSS) by NAIS website. We require the following documents be submitted with your PFS in order to be considered for financial aid:

   

  • Most recent filed income tax return, including business tax return if applicable, and all supporting schedules and wage statements (W-2, 1099, etc.).
  • Calendar year wage statements (W-2, 1099, etc.), or your final paystub showing total calendar year earnings when available. You have the ability to login to a submitted PFS at any time to upload a new document or update information.

  You have the option to either upload the required documents to your PFS or mail them to SSS using their required documents coversheet, but uploading is faster. Any documents received by Emma Willard will be forwarded to SSS by NAIS for attachment to your PFS and may delay on-time completion and review of your PFS.

• Q: How is financial aid qualification determined?

  Qualification for financial aid depends on a number of factors. Income, assets, obligations, number of dependents, ages of parents, the number of children attending full-time tuition charging institutions are just some of the factors that impact the level of financial aid a family may qualify for. We follow the financial aid guidelines established by SSS for Financial Aid in determining need. After parents submit their completed PFS, SSS reviews the information provided and uses a formula to calculate how much a family can afford to spend on a child’s education. This information is shared with both the family and the schools to which they are applying.
  
  The Financial Aid Committee at Emma Willard reviews this recommendation along with the information included in the PFS and supporting documents provided, and makes the final decision on the amount of financial aid to award.

• Q: Are international students eligible to receive financial aid?

  Yes, but on an extremely limited basis. We require all international students seeking financial aid to complete the international student financial aid profile form and submit it with the PFS.

• Q: Will applying for financial aid affect the admission decision?

  If you think you need aid, you should apply. Admission applications are read without regard for a family’s ability to pay. Only in the final phase is the selection process “need aware” as the Admission Committee weighs its decision, considering the student’s overall academic and personal strengths against available funds.

• Q: If it is determined that our family has need, will I receive financial assistance with tuition?

  We seek to meet each family’s demonstrated need as closely as we can. However, we expect those who will avail themselves of our assistance to share the effort to extend our resources as widely as possible by contributing as much as they can to their own daughter’s education. Thus we encourage and utilize parents’ offers of payments beyond amounts calculated within SSS guidelines.

• Q: I’m not sure if I earn too much money to receive financial aid. Should I apply?

  Yes. Qualification for financial aid depends on many factors beyond income and we encourage you to apply if you are unsure if you may qualify. Your daughter’s chances for acceptance to Emma Willard will not be impacted by submitting an application for financial aid.

• Q: Who is responsible for completing the PFS in the case of divorced or separated parents?

  In cases of divorce or separation, Emma Willard School requires information from both natural parents and any stepparents. Each parent must complete and submit a PFS, as the family’s ability to contribute is based on both natural parents’ and any stepparents’ financial information. Please contact us to discuss your particular circumstances if you feel they are extenuating.

• Q: Is a business tax return required from parents who own their own business?

  Yes. Parents will need to provide their business tax return, if applicable, as well as their personal tax return.

• Q: What if we have special circumstances that we feel the financial aid committee should take into consideration?

  We encourage you to document any special financial concerns in a letter and include it with your PFS submission.

• Q: When will we be notified if we have received an award?

  Parents of returning students will be notified of any award decision when reenrollment contracts are released at the end of February.
  
  Parents of prospective students will be notified of any award decision when they are notified of our admission decision. This communication will be made on March 10.

• Q: Will our award change from one year to the next?

  The amount you can reasonably afford to contribute toward meeting the cost of an Emma Willard education is reviewed annually. Your contribution may increase, decrease, or remain the same depending on the change in your financial circumstances from year to year. We make our awards based on the most currently-available tax information. This is why we require you to reapply for financial aid each year.

• Q: What plans are available for those who do not qualify for assistance?

  Emma Willard School offers a 10-month payment plan administered by SMART Tuition (SMART). This plan allows families to make interest-free tuition payments on a monthly basis for all or part of the cost of attendance at Emma Willard School. There is a $50 non-refundable fee to enroll in the plan, which runs from April 10, 2018 to January 10, 2019.

• Q: If we do not receive financial aid in our daughter’s first year, is there a chance we might get it in subsequent years?

  You may apply for financial aid and, depending on the applicant pool, additional financial aid may be available. However, unless your financial circumstances are extenuating it is most prudent to assume that you will not get aid. Financial aid requests for students currently enrolled (but not receiving financial aid) will be reviewed after award decisions are made for returning students already receiving financial assistance. Funds are not reserved for families whose PFS form and required supporting documentation are received after the January 15 deadline.