 | Episcopal High School is committed to enrolling students from diverse economic, ethnic, racial and social backgrounds. As part of that commitment, the school has established a program of financial aid for families who would otherwise be unable to consider Episcopal as an option for their children. The school’s philosophy regarding financial aid is that it be need based. The school attempts to select the most qualified students for admission based on the student’s academic and personal qualities, potential ability to contribute to the extracurricular life of the school community, and independent of his/her family’s ability to meet the cost of an Episcopal education.
While it is the school’s firm belief that the primary responsibility for financing the student’s education belongs to his/her family, Episcopal recognizes that not every family can bear the full cost. The purpose of the financial aid program is to make the school accessible to such families. As such, the financial aid program enables the school to attract well-qualified students who represent the socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic diversity of the local community.
It is difficult to predict quickly whether a family qualifies for financial aid since individual circumstances vary so widely, and the overall demand may vary year to year. However, the following information, along with the FAQ section below, may help you decide whether or not to apply for financial aid. |
Information About Episcopal's Financial Aid Program | Financial Aid Application Process For 2013-2014 Open January 1, 2013 Thank you for your interest in Episcopal's Financial Aid Program. Applications will be accepted again beginning January 1st. To apply, please complete Step #1 and Step #2 detailed below. Important additional information and process steps are located via PDF links found below on this webpage. Please contact Episcopal's Financial Aid Officer at 225.755.2714, if you have questions at this time. |
|
| Step #1 Complete the online FAST application by clickling the hyperlink found in the yellow box on the right side of this web page. You will create a user name and password and enter information onto the FAST website. You are able to save and return to the forms, if needed. At the conclusion of the process, you will complete an online sales transaction, paying for the service. You will be prompted to print a form out and include it with the hard copies you mail to FAST. Please refer to the Checklist to ensure that you include all required information, as well as for additional detail.
|
|
| Step #2 Create a packet of copies of financial documentation to send to FAST. The list of required documents is found on the FAST Application Checklist found as a PDF download on this web page. These documents which include copies of your income taxes must be mailed in an envelope to FAST. You will include a Quick Processing scan sheet. Specific directions for mailing are detailed on the check list. This includes the FAST mailing address, along with the need to include “Episcopal High School of Baton Rouge, LA” on the front of the envelope under your return address. |
|
| Detailed Information to Complete Financial Aid Process |
|
Frequently asked questions about Financial Aid | Q. | What is financial aid?
| | A. | Financial aid is a need-based award made to qualifying families to offset the costs of an Episcopal education. |
|
| Q. | Who can apply for financial aid?
| | A. | Families who have students entering kindergarten through twelfth grade are eligible to apply. A student must be the natural or adopted child living in the home of the parent/guardian applying for financial aid. |
|
| Q. | How can I apply for financial aid? | | A. | Application for financial aid is done through an online process launched from Episcopal's website. Additional paperwork is sent by the applicant family to Episcopal's third party vendor, FAST. Information for the process can be found on this web page.
|
|
| Q. | How soon should I apply for financial aid? | | A. | The Financial Aid Committee begins to review requests in February of each year. An award will not be given until a student is accepted and enrolled in the school. Because requests for financial aid often exceed the funds available, it is important to apply as early as possible, submit all requested materials by deadlines noted on the financial aid checklist. |
|
| Q. | How is financial need determined? | | A. | Like many other independent schools, Episcopal uses the needs analysis system of a third party vendor to assess ability to pay. Parents complete an application which evaluates a family’s circumstances according to a standardized formula. The formula considers gross taxable and non-taxable income, assets, liabilities, family size and the number of students in tuition charging schools, with allowances for required taxes and basic necessities. College tuition for older siblings may not be considered in the calculations. Episcopal’s Financial Aid Committee uses the external evaluation and tax information from the family also taking into consideration any unusual or extenuating circumstances. |
|
| Q. | Who makes the financial aid award decisions? | | A. | The Financial Aid committee is a committee of Episcopal’s Board of Trustees. It is chaired by the Director of Financial Aid and includes other Episcopal staff and Board of Trustees members. Committee members take with the utmost seriousness their responsibility to work equitably, respectfully and confidentially on behalf of all current and prospective applicants. |
|
| Q. | What affect does a financial aid application have on an admission decision? | | A. | None. Separate committees make decisions regarding admission to the school and financial aid decisions. |
|
| Q. | What kind of financial aid awards can I expect in following years? | | A. | Financial aid awards are subject to review annually and families must file new applications each year. |
|
| Q. | Only one parent works outside the home. Must both parents be employed to receive financial aid from Episcopal? | | A. | No, however, when a mother or father does not work and there are no pre-school children at home, income will be imputed for the non-working spouse in an amount equal to the most recent median individual earnings for East Baton Rouge Parish published by the U.S. Census Bureau. An exception can be made if the parents are caring for a disabled or critically ill individual who resides in their home. Consideration may also be given for the parent who is home-schooling other children in their family. Please contact the Financial Aid officer for more information. |
|
| Q. | How can I get help if I need it? | | A. | If you need help completing your Parents’ Financial Statement or with any part of the financial aid process, please call the Financial Aid officer at 225.755.2714. |
|
| Q. | Is it possible to appeal our financial aid award? | | A. | Yes. If you feel that you have omitted, or not properly clarified, specific financial information, you may call the Director of Financial Aid to initiate the appeals process. You will be asked to submit additional information to support your appeal. |
|
| Q. | What is the policy for divorced/separated parents? | | A. | In most cases, the Financial Aid committee will make an award only after considering the financial resources of both parents and any stepparents. Therefore, each parental household must complete the application process. In cases where information will not be forthcoming from both parents, communication with the Director of Financial Aid should be made in advance of the application deadlines each year. |
|
| Q. | Does Episcopal have any merit scholarships our child can compete for? | | A. | Episcopal awards up to ten scholarships on the basis of academic merit to students entering the ninth grade. These one year awards are in the amount of $1,500. Students enrolled in eighth grade at Episcopal or as applicants to the ninth grade with a minimum GPA of 3.75 may compete for these awards. For additional information, please call the Admissions Office at 755-2714. |
|
| Q. | Does my child have to be enrolled to receive a financial aid decision? | | A. | Yes. Applicants who receive an offer of a place at Episcopal will be asked to complete an enrollment contract and pay the commitment fee of $750 before a financial aid decision is given. In the event that the family is not able to accept the financial aid award, the contract will be cancelled and the enrollment fee returned provided the request is made within two weeks of notification. |
|
| | Financial Aid Application Information More than $1.9 million was allocated for the 2012-13 school year serving more than 20% of the student body.
Episcopal uses ISM's FAST program to process financial aid applications. All applications are made online. There is a $38 fee per family to file an application. This is payable via credit card on line. Please contact the Director of Financial Aid at 225-755-2714 with any questions you may have. | |