How do I apply for financial aid? All financial aid information can be found on our school’s website or by following this link. http://www.masterschool.org/page.cfm?p=24
Our return to TMS is dependent upon receiving financial aid? If we make our deposit by Enrollment Celebration Day on March 15th but don’t receive any aid, can we get our deposit back? Yes, paying your registration fee shows a sincere interest in remaining at TMS. Completing your financial aid forms in a timely manner also demonstrates your intention to continue being a part of our school community. Financial aid is not guaranteed and as such we will work with each family applying through the process.
What can I expect regarding the process of financial aid? First and foremost you can and should expect that your application and information contained will be kept confidential by the third party company who evaluates applications and also by the financial aid committee of the school. Next, you can expect that you will hear back from the school regarding your application regardless of whether aid is awarded or not. Finally you can expect that the school will be happy to sit down and discuss your individual circumstances and you will be treated with utmost respect.
I have heard that if you have more debt or bills that it improves your chances of receiving an award. Is that true? The process does not provide any incentives to those who have higher bills. SMART Tuition Aid who evaluates all of the data as a third party has placed reasonable limits on expenses so that expenses exceeding those limits do not inappropriately award more financial aid.
I don’t complete my taxes until later in the spring. Can I begin the process before I have all of my tax information together? Is there any advantage to doing so? It is possible to start the process without all of your tax information. Those who begin the application process by February 15th will receive priority processing and will also receive a credit for the small fee of initiating a financial aid application. Lastly, it begins our conversation earlier and gives the school notice of your intention to proceed forward so that we can appropriately serve your family in this area and reserve space in classes for your student.
Our family may have a job transfer or may be looking at job loss. If we pay the tuition deposit and then we have to move or look for new work, can we get our deposit back? We understand that this can present a challenge for families in this situation. We will work with families individually in these cases. Please contact Amy Hill for more information.
Our family wants to remain at TMS long-term but with tuition increasing each year, we are concerned? What if anything can be done about this? TMS tuition rates increase as do our expenses which are subject to inflationary pressures from benefits, operational expenses and other personnel related costs. Still, our community can positively influence these increases in three powerful ways.
- Promoting our school to friends and family to increase enrollment has perhaps the most single important effect. We will be giving you tools to do that more effectively. Come to the Pathways at TMS meeting to hear more!
- Generously supporting The Master’s Touch Annual Fund also goes directly to supporting the general operating budget by providing income for financial aid, projects and school improvements.
- Volunteering liberally is also a great way to keep operating costs lower and provides a measure of influence on tuition rates. As you weigh the expense of tuition please consider the treasure and the investment you are giving to your children by the quality and nature of a TMS education that is academically excellent and Christian.
