Guided Tuition

Applying for Financial Aid

FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment will be conducting the financial need analysis for Detroit Country Day School for the upcoming 2019-2020 school year. In order to be considered for a preliminary early award decision, families must have an application and 2017 1040 Federal Tax Returns along with all supporting business schedules, attachments and 2018 W-2s submitted to FACTS by March 15, 2019 to allow for their two-week processing time. Detroit Country Day School will send preliminary award notifications to qualified families beginning March 1st. All applications completed after March 15, will be reviewed on a rolling basis, if funds are available.
 
Families should apply online here. Please note: Students at all levels may apply for financial assistance, although aid will be granted in descending order with our Middle and Upper School students receiving priority consideration. Lower School applicants will be considered next. Once an online application has been completed, the following information will need to be sent to FACTS to complete the application process:
  • Copies of your 2017 1040 Federal tax forms, including all supporting tax schedules, attachments, and 2018 W-2s.
  • Copies of supporting documentation for Welfare, Child Support, Food Stamps and Workers’ Compensation (not all families will have such items).
All supporting documentation can be uploaded in pdf format online. Documentation can also be faxed to (866) 315-9264 or mailed to the address below. Please be sure to include the applicant ID on all faxed or mailed correspondence.
FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment
P. O. Box 82524
Lincoln, NE 68501-2524
 
Any families who receive an award based on their 2017 tax information will be required to submit their 2018 1040s to FACTS by April 15, 2019, in order for current income to be verified. This may result in a change in your award.
You may view the frequently asked questions here. If you have additional questions or concerns about the application process, you may speak with a FACTS Customer Care Representative at (866) 441-4637 or contact Patricia Brand, CFO at Pbrand@dcds.edu

In This Section

The Guided Tuition Program allows families to apply for a reduced tuition, as opposed to applying for a “grant” or an “award”. The Guided Tuition level for each student is governed by our charge, the needs of our families and the budget of the school. The Guided Tuition Committee operates separately from the admission process and does not impact your child’s admission to the school. Current students applying for Guided Tuition must be in good standing with the school.

Guided Tuition FAQ

DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR GUIDED TUITION

All families who are seeking financial assistance must apply for Guided Tuition - March 15, 2019 or as soon as possible. To apply for Guided Tuition, ALL families must complete and submit the FACTS Form with the required forms and attachments. Your 2017 and 2018 IRS tax returns will be required.

NOTIFICATION OF POSSIBLE AWARD

All families must comply with the March deadline. Letters will be sent by the Guided Tuition Committee as applications are processed.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

All families who have submitted an enrollment contract by the designated due date with the deposit and who would like to be considered for reduced tuition are eligible to apply. Students of all grade levels may apply for financial assistance, although aid will be granted in descending order with our Middle and Upper School students receiving priority consideration. Lower and Junior School applicants will be considered next.
 
The school’s budget for financial assistance is limited, the pool of candidates requesting assistance is competitive and, therefore, we are unable to offer Guided Tuition to every student who qualifies and who is admitted to DCDS. Consequently, a timely request for Guided Tuition is critical.

WILL GUIDED TUITION CONTINUE THROUGHOUT A STUDENT'S YEARS AT DCDS?

Families will need to re-apply each year by completing the FACTS form in order to be re-considered for Guided Tuition. If the calculation confirms that continued assistance is necessary and the student is in good standing with the school, then the student will remain in the Guided Tuition Program. The student’s Guided Tuition amount may change due to tuition increases, the school’s available budget for Guided Tuition, or a change in the financial situation of the family.

STUDENT CONTRACT SUBMISSION FOR THE 2019 - 2020 SCHOOL YEAR

You must first submit your child’s enrollment contract with the enrollment deposit before you can be considered for Guided Tuition. If you decide the Guided Tuition determination amount does not meet your financial need and you choose to withdraw, you may notify the Chief Financial Officer of your withdrawal within seven (7) days of the date on your Guided Tuition determination letter and request a refund of your enrollment deposit. Enrollment deposits are otherwise non-refundable.

NOT APPLYING FOR AID

Only those families who wish to be considered for the Guided Tuition Program need to complete the FACTS forms. All families not applying for Guided Tuition will pay full tuition.

TUITION FOR 2019 - 2020

Tuition for the next school year is released with the student contracts in January. You can view tuition for 2019 - 2020 through this link.

PAYMENT PLANS

If you chose a payment plan when you signed your enrollment contract and you accept the Guided Tuition amount, the Business Office will adjust your payment plan with the plan administrator when your Guided Tuition amount is determined.

QUESTIONS

General questions regarding the Guided Tuition program may be answered by: Cheri Williams or Kelly Koralewski, Guided Tuition Assistants, at CWilliams@dcds.edu or (248) 430-1061 or KKoralewski@dcds.edu. Questions specific to your family circumstances should be directed to the Chief Financial Officer, Patricia Brand at PBrand@dcds.edu.

 

CONFIDENTIALITY

Financial information submitted by parents in support of the Guided Tuition Program is held in confidence by the Guided Tuition Committee (Headmaster, Chief Financial Officer, and the Guided Tuition Assistants) and FACTS.

HOW AID IS DETERMINED

What are the components used by FACTS and the school to calculate the family’s financial need? The formula used to calculate aid is complex and therefore we are unable to provide benchmarks for income level necessary to warrant a reduced tuition. Components used in the calculation are as follows:
  • Number of Children in Tuition Charging Schools. The formula calculates an amount of income available for tuition. This amount is divided by the number of children in tuition-charging schools to determine the tuition rate for any one student.
  • Income. Pre-tax income from wages, business or investments is considered. The formula considers various costs against this income in determining the family’s ability to pay. If two parents reside in separate households, the income, and expenses of both households are considered.
  • Assets. A portion of a family’s major assets, investments, and savings are added to the gross income and considered available for tuition. The income assumed to be generated by assets also takes the parent age into account with respect to the consideration of retirement savings.
  • Family Size. Living allowance estimates are based on the number of people in the student’s household. Income is adjusted by expenditures for housing, food, or medical needs to obtain the available discretionary income.
  • Unusual Expenses. Documented expenses such as those for the care of an aging grandparent, parent educational loan payments, or uninsured medical expenses are considered when determining the Guided Tuition amount.
  • Divorced, Separated or Never Married Parent. Detroit Country Day Schools’ policy in determining the financial need of students from separated or divorced families is derived from the underlying principle on which we base financial aid for all students. That is, parents have an obligation to pay for the educational expenses of their children to the extent that they are able. This obligation takes precedence over any obligation of the school to provide financial assistance to its students. Remarriage of either parent creates a new family unit with new relationships, and we believe that natural (or adoptive) parents still have a responsibility for educational expenses despite any legal agreements to the contrary. Therefore, the income, expenses, assets, and liabilities of the entire new family unit are considered pertinent to the natural parents’ ability to contribute to the cost of education.
The Financial Aid Committee will consider waiving the requirement for submission of the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) by the non-custodial parent under the following circumstances:
    • Information is provided which clearly indicates that the location of the non-custodial parent is unknown. This information should be submitted directly to FACTS in the form of a letter.
    • Documentation (letter) is submitted to FACTS which indicates the non-custodial parent provides no financial support, and/or has had no contact with the family for at least five years.
In either of the above cases, supporting documentation clarifying the situation may be submitted from a doctor, lawyer, or clergy. There may be other extenuating circumstances that would warrant waiving this requirement. Please contact Chief Financial Officer, Patricia Brand, with questions regarding waivers.