 | | The aim of the School is to accept students on their own qualifications without regard to their family's financial resources. Accordingly, no student should be deterred from applying to Groton because his or her parents cannot pay full tuition. Of Groton's 370 students, 37 percent receive financial aid. The average financial aid award for 2011-2012 was more than $34,000. Go directly to School and Student Service for Financial Aid. |
| Q. | How do you apply for financial aid at Groton School? | | A. | To apply, all candidates for aid must complete the School and Student Service for Financial Aid form. You may use the online version of the SSS application for aid. We encourage you to submit this form to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid in Princeton as soon after November 15, 2011 as possible, and no later than January 31, 2012. If you prefer to receive a paper version of the SSS application for aid, please email Sandra Rivetts or call us, and we will send you one. Many families prefer the convenience of filling it out online. Groton School's code is 3598. |
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| Q. | I am not sure if our family will qualify for financial aid. Is it worth applying? | | A. | If you are unsure whether you will qualify, you may contact Director of Financial Aid Andy Anderson for advice. From the School's perspective, if you question whether you will qualify but recognize that tuition will be a significant financial hardship, you should apply. Sandra Rivetts, in the Admission Office, can answer many basic questions about financial aid forms. You may direct further questions to Andy Anderson or to Cort Pomeroy, the assistant director of financial aid. Feel free to be in touch. |
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| Q. | Will applying for financial aid affect my child's chances for admission? | | A. | During the regular admission season, decisions regarding admission to the School and eligibility for financial aid are made independently by the Admission and Financial Aid Committees respectively. Since admission is a separate issue, all families who are interested in financial aid are encouraged to apply. For nearly half of our candidate families, applying for financial aid is a normal part of the admission process. We have been tracking our admission activity over the years and can relate that the admit rates for financial aid applicants have been between 10% and 20% while the admit rates for those not applying for aid have been between 25% and 30% year to year. |
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| Q. | Does Groton have any merit scholarships for which I can compete? | | A. | No. All financial aid is awarded on the basis of demonstrated need, not upon academic, athletic, or other merit. We firmly believe all students who are admitted to Groton have sufficient merit and that our aid funds are best awarded only to those who truly need them. |
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| Q. | Does Groton award financial aid to students from foreign countries? | | A. | Financial aid is available primarily to citizens of the United States and Canada. International students are eligible to receive financial aid. However, Groton has limited funds available for this purpose. |
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| Q. | What items do I need to complete my financial aid application? | | A. | 1. For the 2011-2012 processing year, your tax information (a copy of your 2011 income tax return) must be submitted to the SSS. We understand that preparing your tax returns in advance of the IRS deadlines is inconvenient. We will accept an estimated tax return for 2011, followed by the official return once complete; however, our initial financial aid award could change based upon differences in your estimated and actual 2011 tax return. No financial aid award is final until the official 2011 tax return is received.
2. In the case of a separation or divorce, the Financial Aid Committee requires information from both parents and the stepparent with whom the applicant lives. We will bear in mind obligations to other children and stepchildren. The non-custodial parent must file a PFS with SSS for Financial Aid.
3. If you own your own business, you must file the Business and Farm Statement. This should be completed and returned directly to the Financial Aid Office at Groton. If you would like a Business and Farm Statement, please email Sandra Rivetts. |
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| Q. | When will we be notified of our financial aid award? | | A. | Notification of your financial aid award will come from the Director of Financial Aid and will arrive within a few days after your admission decision letter, which will be mailed on March 10. |
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| Q. | I've heard that sometimes free tuition is offered. How do I apply? | | A. | Beginning in 2008, Groton decided to offer free tuition to all families whose gross family incomes were under $75,000 per year. The application process is the same as the process described above. You must submit the SSS form and your tax returns. Should you be accepted at Groton, you will receive free tuition and expense money for as long as your financial situation is unchanged. |
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| | Tuition/fees: $49,810 boarding, $38,420 day
Percentage on Financial Aid: 37%
Average Grant: $34,600
Financial Aid Budget: $4.9 million
Financial Aid applications are due January 31 |
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