A Guide to Tuition Assistance at Far Brook School
Please know that you are welcome to reach out to us at any time with questions. We hope to hear from you soon!
eithen@farbrook.org
Emi DirectorShe/Her/HersIthenofEnrollment Management
Kathy kathyike@farbrook.orgAdmissionsShe/Her/HersIkeAssistant
Dear Prospective Far Brook Family,
Whether this is your first introduction to Far Brook or just one step of many along the way, the journey you’re embarking upon is an exciting one. We know that this journey can also be overwhelming: applications, recommendations, interviews, visits, and… wait, another application to apply for Tuition Assistance? Yes, we know. It is a lot. We have compiled this Guide to shed some light upon Tuition Assistance at Far Brook, and offer some clarity and guidance as you begin the process.
Warmly,
AdmissionsDecisions
Eligibility for admission is determined without consideration of financial need. However, given our finite Tuition Assistance budget, we must be “needaware.” Once a student has been admitted by the Admissions Committee, the family’s Tuition Assistance application is reviewed by a separate Tuition Assistance Committee and the amount of the award, if any, is determined so that the family can be fully informed of their award at the same time that they are notified of admission.
Tuition Assistance At A Glance 12 - 20% of the student body receives Tuition Assistance each year $4,000 $46,600Tuition Assistance awards range from $21,000 Average Tuition Assistance award is more than Tuition Assistance is available at every grade level Nursery 3s through Grade 8 Historically,
While it is not a required part of the admissions process, any family can submit an application for Tuition Assistance if they choose to do so. Families are sometimes surprised to learn that they may qualify for discounted tuition.
One of the four pillars of Progressive Education at Far Brook is a commitment to diversity, equity, and community. This is the driving force behind our Tuition Assistance program, and one of the reasons Tuition Assistance at Far Brook is entirely need-based and we do not offer merit scholarships. We recognize that qualified students are found at every income level, and we wish to create an authentic, socio-economically diverse community that reflects our society and fosters respect for all people.
Philosophy
Submit your 4506c form by January 7th to give Clarity permission to pull your prior year tax returns. This means you won't need to upload any of them yourself! After January 7th, you will need to upload your tax documents manually.
Far Brook utilizes a third-party vendor, Clarity Tuition, to analyze the Tuition Assistance applications for eligibility. Using each family's application, submitted documents including most recent tax return, and special circumstances noted, Clarity Tuition calculates each household’s contribution to education. The same algorithm is applied to every family and this number is used as a baseline which ensures that every determination is need-based, fair, and consistent.
4. Enter your financial information, including income, expenses, assets, and debts.
Process
3. Sign and submit Form 4506c through Clarity.*
Special Circumstances
2. Enter household and applicant information. Select the school(s) to which you are applying.
• Siblings enrolled in tuition-charging schools are considered when evaluating Tuition Assistance eligibility and need.
Please note: Because financial situations may change, returning families who receive Tuition Assistance are required to re-apply for Tuition Assistance annually. If circumstances remain constant, families are generally awarded comparable grants from year to year.
1. Create an account through Clarity Tuition.
*PRO TIP:
• If a parent/guardian is not currently serving as a caregiver for non-school age child/ren and chooses not to work, Far Brook will assign that parent/ guardian an income using New Jersey’s minimum wage.
Deadline for Completion: January 27th
5. Upload any additional documents required (Clarity will let you know what else may be needed based on the information you provided.)
• All class trips including overnights and day trips
• Basic School Photo Package
• Summer at Far Brook camp program (Approx. $525$675 per week)
• Music lessons (Annual cost approx. $1,650)
• Supplies for the annual Junior High trip in the Adirondacks (eg. Hiking boots)
• SSAT Class (Full cost approx. $250)
• Mandatory sports gear (eg. Cleats, mouthguard, shinguards, etc.)
• Yearbook
Families are responsible for general school supplies (for instance, notebooks for older students or rest mats for Early Childhood.) The total cost is grade dependent, but generally ranges from $100$200. If this presents a hardship, please reach out to the Director of Management.Enrollment
Depending on individual circumstances, the following items may also be eligible for Tuition Assistance:
• Evaluations & tutoring costs
• After School Program (One 8-10 week session is approx. $875-$1,250; there are 3 sessions per academic year)
Optional Items Not Eligible for Assistance
• Ski Club + Rentals + Lessons: 6th-8th Grade only (Full cost approx. $370-$530)
• Optional Lunch Program (Typically $2.50-$10/day)
Additional Costs
Far Brook wholeheartedly believes that all Far Brook students and families should have access to the full Far Brook experience. This includes assistance for qualifying families for a number of items. Most families who receive Tuition Assistance qualify for discounted rates either proportionate to their tuition discount rate or on a sliding scale. Please see chart below for expenses that may or may not be covered by Tuition Assistance.
*Please note: every family’s Tuition Assistance package is individualized. Your acceptance email will detail your tuition obligation including optional items that may or may not be eligible for assistance.
• Chromebooks & iPads (as needed)
• Instrument rentals (Annual cost approx. $150-$265)
• Specialized academic summer programs
• Adult ticketed events (Full cost varies)
Optional Items Generally Eligible for Assistance
Items Included in Tuition & Fees (No Additional Cost for Families)
the complexity of its relationship to privilege. We expect of our community members — including our students, faculty, staff, Board of Trustees, and families — a clear commitment to:
• Intentionally build and support the diversity of our community and authentic relationships across identities and experiences. This fosters academic excellence, enriches student learning, and increases understanding. Far Brook promotes representation, diversity, and inclusion through curriculum development, admissions, hiring, professional development and leadership, student and parent groups, and events for the broader community.
Our community members think critically, speak their truths, and nurture caring, respect, and mindfulness. Far Brook believes in our shared humanity and equips our students to imagine and create a world where equity, empathy, and kindness the Board of Trustees,
2020
• Learn about all forms of oppression and fiercely defend the humanity of all people. We prioritize anti-racism, recognizing that racism has been a systemic barrier in education and society. Far Brook teachers develop curricula for all ages that explore essential questions about identity, family, community, power, and justice, providing mirrors for students’ own experiences and windows into the lives of others.
• Support, in word and deed, partnerships with the broader community in ways that promote solidarity. This includes projects that respond to needs in the community, inspire action in situations of injustice, and strengthen our connection to the world beyond Far Brook.
prevail.–Approved by
• Acknowledge privilege, name social inequities, and confront biases and historical misrepresentations. Our choices, from what and how we teach, to the ways we engage with each other, to where we allocate resources, aim to bolster students’ sense of agency, advance equity and social justice, and promote a sense of belonging for all.
Far Brook School 52 Great Hills Road Short Hills, NJ 07078 (973) www.farbrook.org379-3442