why is tuition a secret?!?!?

[Proudmomoftwinsplusone]

My boys are only 17 months but I have started looking at schools already. We live in a city (Buffalo, New York) and the public schools here are not very good. I find lots of websites for local private schools and heaven forbid they mention what the tuition is! I guess if you have to ask, you can't afford it (just like a yacht). So why can't they give the tuition on the website and save me the embarassment of asking? I have recieved info on five private schools and the tuition is $10,000/yr. Can't they just say on the website "the tuition is outrageous, don't embarass yourself by asking for a brochure because you will just drool over the facilities and opportunities we offer and then have your heart sink when you realize we are out of your league, you loser."

I wrote to a Catholic school asking if non-Catholics can attend. They wont answer that one and wrote to me that tuition is discussed in person at a personal interview.

Has anyone had any similar experiences?

[jaredsmom]

I can't say that I've experienced that. When I looked into the Montessori schools that are out in Long Island, they had the tuitions posted on their websites. I thought that would be the norm for all schools. Sorry to hear that is not your experience.

Good for you that you're checking out the schools now. That should help you plan what you will need for when they do start school!

[ledzepplon]

I don't know about the schools in your area, but I have already been looking into private schools here. DH and I are Catholic, so our parish's school was an obvious choice. They do accept non-Catholics, but there is a "priority" given to those a) with a sibling in attendance, b) children of parishoners, c) children of parents who belong to neighboring parishes. And as far as money, I think there is a discount given to parishoners who regularly donate to the church and people who have more than one kid attending the school. There are also scholarships available based on financial need. So this may be why they prefer to discuss the particulars with you in person.

[e&r]

I am the director of a private school

and have been the education director of another private school (both Montessori) and I haven't had the experience of "secret tuition." We don't list our tuition on the website, but it is listed on the application and I don't hesitate to tell someone if they ask. I don't know why the schools in your area would refuse to tell you except in person, but I would just keep asking around. Also, ask about trades and scholarships. Most schools offer at least scholarships based on need, and some (like my school) offer trades. I have a set of parents who are trading half of one of their children's tuition to do some major landscaping and another set of parents who are working now to trade for next year's tuition.

It is worth is to ask, most schools offer something.

Good luck!
Ellen

[mamaduck]

We found tuitions listed on web pages when we looked. We also called schools and requested informaton packets before we went to visit. I think every single one of them had a tuition sheet in it.

We did not look at catholic schools. However, the lowest tuitions for the schools we did look at were between $6-$7K a year. $10K sounds within the range of normal. The Friends schools was $16K!

[meowee]

I found this too, you're not the only one. I remember calling one school and the secretary acted offended when I asked what the tuition was. I had to be transfered around until someone finally told me.

About the Catholic school-- just tell them you won't come in for an interview unless you can be told what the average tuition is without finanical assistance. If it's too intimidating for you, ask your DH to do it.

I had a friend go to an open house at one school and they refused to tell the tuition until the very end of the long tour. $25,000 for one year.


Anyway, we decided to homeschool.

[Proudmomoftwinsplusone]

meowee- $25,000? thats more than how much I paid for four years of undergraduate college!

we are now exploring magnet schools and charter schools. we found out about a very good magnet school that grants admission based on an admission test. i am trying to figure out what they could possibly test 4 year olds on.

homeschooling is sounding to start better and better...

[meowee]

Originally Posted by Proudmomoftwins

meowee- $25,000? thats more than how much I paid for four years of undergraduate college!

crazy, right? Where I live Catholic schools are between $4000-7000 a year, with discounts for siblings (usually), the Jewish schools are $7000-12,000 a year, same for Montessori, and the secular "snooty" school is the one that costs $25000.

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

As a web master and one who does consulting to other people starting websites, I always tell people "never put anything up that you can't or won't update on a regular basis". Maybe its as simple as not wanting to update it each semester/year? Or maybe the pricing is too complex to list clearly. At the school my DS will be starting next year, tuition changes each year (e.g. kindergarten is more expensive than first grade and so forth).

[LunaMom]

I agree, perhaps they do not post it because it changes frequently, or perhaps they do a sliding scale for families who need assistance. But if you call and ask and they won't tell you, that would be insane. You didn't say you called, though, so I assume you just looked online?

Might as well call each school and make it your first question to weed out the overpriced ones and prevent a huge waste of time.

[Proudmomoftwinsplusone]

I have emailed several schools for info and they do mail tuition lists. they are quite complex, with different payment options, different prices for different grades, etc. i was just frustrated because it is so overwhelming to investigate all of the education options (private, Catholic, Waldorf, charter, magnet, public, schools with lotteries, schools with entrance exams, schools with lotteries and entrance exams, etc) and i was hoping to do alot of the research online.

Ellen, the trading idea sounds good, I know someone who made furniture for a living, and he made a deal with his daughters school where he would make furniture for the library in exchange for tuition.

[bethwl]

I have found some websites list tuition and others don't. But the applications should always have it, so you could request applications. The Catholic schools in our area (Chicago) seem to have declining enrollment, so they seem happy to welcome nonCatholics, however, they are still much in the minority. The Catholic schools tend to be cheaper, too. Our neighborhood Catholic school is about $3500 and the middle-range private schools are around $10,000 and the really expensive ones $20,000. But if you really like a school, ask about the financial aid situation. Some schools have a policy that all accepted students should be able to go regardless of family finances and you would just have to apply for aid. They would determine what is reasonable for you to have to pay and then make up the difference from the aid fund. It's worth a shot.

Beth

[G-love]

Hi, I'm in Buffalo, too, also researching schools madly (for my almost 4-year old!). It seems like the parochial (Catholic) schools here are the cheapest bet, next to public. And the ones in my neighborhood have declining enrollment, so I bet they'd take non-Catholics happily!!
I'm also looking into these magnet schools, and trying to make sense of the public school system in general (argh!). Have you looked at the Discovery School? It seems decent.
Good luck!!
(Oh, there are 2 public montessori schools here that seem good, but you have to apply to the lottery for them I think...) (and also maybe start your child at 3, which seems young to me!)

[momsgotmilk4two]

That's insane that they won't tell you over the phone! I'm assuming they won't tell you because they want you to come to their school and get all excited and then they'll drop the bomb on you. As if just because you really like it you will suddenly have $25,000 to pull out of your ass I can't believe any school is charging that much! I paid less than that to go to UCLA:LOL