Financial Aid Philosophy and Objectives
The Potomac School Financial Aid program's purpose is twofold. First, it provides deserving students with the opportunity for an excellent education that might otherwise be unaffordable. Second, it provides The Potomac School with a well-qualified student body that reflects a broad socioeconomic mix. To achieve these goals, it is our hope that tuition cost will not be the deciding factor in determining whether a promising young person may attend Potomac.
The Potomac School encourages families with limited financial resources to apply for assistance, based upon the assumption that the primary obligation for financing a student’s education will rest with the family. Potomac expects that families are willing to make what could be significant adjustments with regard to their use of discretionary income. Families should also be willing to access ancillary resources that may be available through extended family, work, and local organizations.
Admission to The Potomac School and access to the Financial Aid program is open to students of any sex, race, color, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, physical attribute, disability, and sexual orientation.
Guidelines
- Parents must complete an application for each household, regardless of marital, custodial, or financial arrangements.
- Because tuition assistance is based on a family’s ability to pay, the income and resources of both parents and/or stepparents must be considered
- If all the children in a family are of school age, Potomac generally expects both parents to be employed and will use a formula adding a dollar amount to compensate when this is not the case.
- Please do not hesitate to include any additional information that you feel is relevant to your financial situation, for consideration by Potomac’s Financial Aid Committee. There is a section on the Clarity Application at Step 5 titled “Other Considerations” where you can include a summary.
Questions?
The Financial Aid office is available throughout the year for conversations about assistance for school-related expenses. If you have questions, please contact Claire Berg at (703) 873-6181.