TUITION POLL

Executive Member Joined: Aug 06 2006 Posts: 350

Tuition is a hot topic in many communities, and many parents question the fairness of tuition breaks. So let's discuss tuition and give each other an idea of what's "normal" in your circle. Be honest so we can get a more accurate picture, so go ahead and post anonymously.
(This post is geared towards the Americans.)

1. What Community Are You? (Yeshivish, Chabad, Modern Orthodox, Chassidish other than Chabad/Breslov)

2. Where do you live (Lakewood, Monsey, etc.)

2a. If you don't mind telling us, what schools/yeshivos do they attend?

3. What is your total income before taxes or other payments?

4. How many children do you have currently enrolled in school/yeshiva?

5. What is the "full tuition" per child at your children's schools?

6. How much do you pay per child per year? (Do not count building fund or dinner fees.)

7. How much tuition do you pay in total each year (for all your children)? (Do not count building fund or diner fees.)

8. What extenuating circumstances do you have which might affect the amount of tuition you pay?

9. Do you feel the amount you are expected to pay is fair?

10. Did you have to "prove" your income by showing W-2 or 1040 forms?

Hopefully this poll can help give us some idea of what people are paying or should be paying and why.

PLEASE NOTE: This is not the place to debate who should or shouldn't be paying full tuition, or to complain about tuition or the people who don't pay "enough." If everyone sticks to the topic and answers the questions, it can help all of us get a clearer picture of what people pay. (And you can start another thread for debating just as easily, no?)

Posted: Thu, Nov 29 2007, 1:22 am Post subject: re: TUITION POLL

why are you excluding mandatory fees like dinner/building fund, etc? the cost of educating kids is the full cost which includes all these "extras". if these are mandatory fees that would otherwise be lumped in with tuition, why should anyone exclude them from their response?

Executive Member Joined: Aug 06 2006 Posts: 350

I'm excluding them because they are added to tuition. Most parents who negotiate tuition do not have the opportunity to negotiate these things - they are mandatory and added to the bill. Likewise, knowing what someone else pays for a building fund won't help me or anyone else figure out what an appropriate tuition amount should be for my income - I already know what my building fund fees are.

So, I'm not looking for the total sum of educating the child, but the tuition since that's what gets negotiated and isn't always a fixed amount.

Posted: Thu, Nov 29 2007, 2:11 am Post subject: Re: TUITION POLL

I don't yet have a child in school, but I can tell you what I know about when I was in high school, 4 years ago.

We were in the Yeshivish community.
Lived in Cleveland.
We attended the Hebrew Academy/Yavne High School.
My parents total income was a little above 120,000. Before taxes. But I happen to know he paid 51% tax with state, city, and federal income tax. Crazy, no?
He had 5 children in school.
It was over 9,000 dollars a year per child.
I know for most years we did not get a scholarship. The last year though, when I was only attending a half day of school, we got somewhat of a scholarship. I don't know how much though.
So my parents were paying approximately 45,000 dollars a year in school tuition.
I know my school wouldn't give a scholarship as long as my parents had a retirement account. They expected my parents to use that first before they expected any sort of scholarship.
I'm pretty sure my parents had to prove their income. Not sure how though, but I know that the school knew about my parents retirement fund, so apparently they needed to see all bank records...

Posted: Fri, Nov 30 2007, 12:40 am Post subject: re: TUITION POLL

okay here goes - ive been waiting for other responses, but dont see any, so.......

1) a pretty "mixed" community there are all sorts, yeshivish, chabad, mo, etc. the school has all types as well, although not too many chabad or ultra yeshivish. I guess its a pretty typical day-school.

2) NJ

3) ~$235,000 (this is BEFORE taxes which are exorbitant)

4) 3

5) $12k - $14k/kid (elementary)

6) $12k (im just dividing my total bill of about $36k over the three kids)

7) $36k (they are still young, one is in pre-school. high school goes WAY up)

8) ?????

9) if people didnt abuse scholarships, we would possibly not have to pay as much, but all things considered, we are just thankful that we can pay what we are asked to

10) no, b/c weve not asked for a discount, but I have heard that the school does require forms and bank statements to process financial aid requests.

Posted: Fri, Jan 18 2008, 4:57 pm Post subject: re: TUITION POLL

I'm chabad, "out of town."

our school tuition is about 8k a year per kid at the chabad mosad.

I have 3 kids in school, they give us a tuition break, we pay 15,500 a year for everybody. husband makes 80k a year, I stay home with the other kids.

we're managing but it can be challenging at times, B"H.

better to spend $$ on school tuition than on hospital bills, right? Very Happy