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If you want to know the true cost of a private Catholic high school, the average cost is around $9,840, according to the National Catholic Education Association or NCEA. This figure is lower than the annual cost of a private school education, which is around $12,350.
Almost all Catholic high schools provide financial aid for their students. If you want to enroll your child in a Catholic high school, you can look into discussing financial aid options with the school head or the person in charge of admissions.
It’s also important for students and parents to know the different issues or topics related to a Catholic high school’s tuition fee.
Comparing Catholic schools based on cost is like comparing apples to oranges. This is because each school is unique and has its own set of expenses and sources of income. Still, the variables that drive tuition costs for these schools are generally the same.
In this article, you’ll learn how to determine the true cost of a private Catholic high school and some of the things that can help you afford to attend.
Understanding the Tuition Fee of a Private Catholic High School
The tuition fee is the cost that parents pay a school to educate their children. It’s the amount of money that a school charges per student to offset the different expenses involved in operating the school. It can also refer to the income or revenue of the school.
To determine the amount to charge per student, the school adds up all its operational expenses. From there, they take their total income from investments, gifts, or endowments they receive and subtract their operational costs.
The net amount is what the tuition offsets. A school must be able to balance its budget. If a school spends more than what it charges, its operations will suffer, and in the worst-case scenario, the school will have to stop operating.
Part of computing a school’s tuition fee is considering the number of students enrolled in the school. Schools usually have a set number of slots for students. It is assumed that all slots will be filled when they compute the tuition fee.
This is a very simple explanation of how tuition fees are determined, but it should give you an idea of how schools operate and manage their finances. The general principle of businesses applies to schools as well, which states that spending should never exceed income.
What Do Students Get With Their Tuition?
Ideally, students should be getting a quality education that is well worth their parents’ hard-earned money. When choosing a Catholic school for their children, parents should be most concerned about what is being taught by the school and how it is being taught.
After all, a huge chunk of the money from tuition fees should go to hiring competent teachers who are qualified to teach all subjects being offered.
Students should also be studying in classrooms and facilities that are conducive to learning. However, parents and students should bear in mind that what they are paying for is primarily the opportunity to receive a quality education.
How Do Endowments Affect Tuition?
Endowments refer to funds that a school collects from generous gifts given by former students and other donors. The amount of endowment a school is given can affect the tuition fees and the money allocated for financial aid given to scholars.
The number of people applying for scholarships and the total amount of money in the endowment pool determine the allocated funds for successful applicants.
Well-established schools naturally have bigger endowment funds than newer educational institutions. The total endowment fund is also determined by how the fund has been managed over the years.
Endowments serve as protection against economic uncertainties. Some schools use the income from their endowments to cover their expenses, but these schools are the exception rather than the rule.
What Are The Additional Expenses of A Private Catholic High School
To determine the actual cost of a Catholic high school, parents should also consider the minor expenses that are not included in the tuition fee.
These could include:
• On-campus meals
• Music lessons fees
• School-sponsored events, such as Prom
• Uniforms
• Textbooks
• School supplies
• Sports equipment
• Extracurricular trips
An awareness of these expenses would prove vital to parents as they plan for their school expenses throughout the school year.
Why Do Some Catholic High Schools Cost More than Others?
Three of the most important factors that affect tuition fees are:
1. Location
2. Facilities
3. The type of school
Some schools cost more because they are located in prime real estate. You probably already know that the value of real estate throughout the United States varies. This is why local real estate costs are a big factor in computing a school’s cost and the amount it charges students.
Other costs like comprehensive property and liability insurance also affect tuition fees but are vital for schools to operate. Like real estate prices, insurance fees also vary according to location.
A school’s facilities also determine expenses and vary from one school to another. Schools with modern facilities are more expensive than schools with relatively older equipment. If you want to enroll your child in a school with state-of-the-art facilities, then you need to be ready to spend more.
The type of school also dictates the fees they charge. Boarding schools, for example, are more expensive than day schools because they offer 24/7 supervision. Schools devoted to children with learning differences and physical disabilities also cost more because they hire highly-skilled professionals who specialize in certain conditions.
The Final Say: St. John Bosco’s Tuition and Aid
To know the true cost of a particular Catholic high school, you can check out the school’s website. The website of St. John Bosco, for example, has a section on tuition and aid. The page clearly states the tuition fee, plus other fees that parents can anticipate.
St. John Bosco also assists promising students who are financially incapable of paying for their tuition and fees through several scholarship programs. The Presidential Scholarship is awarded to incoming Grade 9 students who excel in academics, community, or parish service. St. John Bosco also offers several merit-based scholarship programs for deserving students.