Deadlines
New Families: February 15, 2012
Returning Families: March 15, 2012
Financial need should never discourage a student from applying for admission to Rocky Hill School. If your child is offered admission, we will do all that we can to understand your financial need.
Financial aid is entirely need-based: awards are made solely on the basis of a family's ability to pay. Rocky Hill does not provide full-tuition grants. We ask families to remember that while we are here to help you to the extent our funds allow, we believe financial responsibility for a child's education rests with the family.
Financial aid decisions are based on a family's calculated financial need and the school's ability to support a percentage of that need. In the interest of equity, if one parent elects to stay at home and not seek employment, the Financial Aid Committee will impute a basic income of $20,000 for the non-working parent. An exception is made if the parent is at home caring for a non-school aged or disabled child.
If multiple children attend tuition-charging schools or colleges, it is expected that the family will be applying for financial aid at all schools. Rocky Hill should not be expected to implicitly subsidize tuition at other schools or colleges.
We require families to complete the Parents Financial Statement (PFS) online or by paper application.
School and Student Services (SSS) considers gross taxable income, assets, liabilities, family size, age of parents, and number of students in tuition-charging schools. After an allowance for basic necessities and taxes, the remaining funds are considered discretionary income available for education. The computation by SSS is based on a formula nationally accepted by independent schools. It is understood that Rocky Hill School is not obligated to award the amounts recommended by SSS.
In addition to submitting the Parents Financial Statement (PFS) to SSS, it is now required that you submit directly to them, a copy of your income tax return (1040) and W-2s. Instructions on the required information and how to submit it to SSS are provided online. Rocky Hill's SSS code number is 6118.
Financial aid will be distributed as equitably as possible among those who qualify, based on the number of applicants, the total amount of financial aid funds available, the recommendations of the SSS and the family's tax return.
In cases of divorce or separation, Rocky Hill requires that both parents file financial aid forms, in order to provide the Financial Aid Committee with a full picture of family resources. It is the responsibility of the custodial parent to provide the school with the necessary financial information regarding the non-custodial parent. Any exemption for the non-custodial parent from financial responsibility must be supported by satisfactory documentation.
Decisions on financial aid awards will accompany acceptances for new families who have completed the financial aid process. Awards for returning families will be mailed as soon as they have completed the process.
If the committee finds that it is unable to meet all requests for aid, families will be placed on a Financial Aid Wait List. While a family is on the wait list, the Admissions Office will offer a full tuition contract in the event the family is able to find other resources to finance their child's education at Rocky Hill.
A family may appeal a financial aid decision. To do so, a family must inform the school in writing, within two weeks of the written communication of the financial aid decision. This written appeal must specifically state the reasons for the appeal. The appeal will be reviewed, however there are no guarantees that a change will occur.
Financial aid award dollars are made in the form of direct grants to individual families. These grants are dollar amounts that go directly towards a student's tuition and do not require any repayment.
Financial aid is reviewed on an annual basis, for as long as a student attends Rocky Hill. You must reapply for financial aid every year. Barring any significant changes in your income, you can expect approximately the same award from the prior year. Awards are adjusted if your income changes significantly. You can expect that the cost of attending Rocky Hill will go up every year. Depending on your income, you will be responsible for some portion of that increase.
Families with an unpaid tuition balance as a result of delinquency by May 1 may forfeit any financial grant that might be awarded for the following school year.
Failure to submit the required financial aid information on time may jeopardize your child's financial aid award, and you will not receive full consideration, as funds are limited.
- Please note that you are required to submit all backup documentation (tax returns and W-2s) directly to SSS. Instructions are provided online.
- If you are self employed, and/or the owner of a business or farm, you must complete the Business and Farm Statement, available online at www.sss.nais.org, and submit it to SSS.
All financial aid information and awards are kept strictly confidential.