Affording WRA

We were so glad we didn't let the price of tuition stop us from having our daughter apply to WRA. We went through the easy financial aid application and were thrilled that WRA was able to help with a need-based financial aid award. We are delighted that our daughter is now attending this outstanding academic institution.

Current Parent

WRA's Financial Aid Office worked with our family's financial situation to make it possible for us to send our son to WRA.

Current Parent

WRA's financial aid program supports our commitment to enrolling talented and diverse students. The cost of education should not deter you from applying. WRA awards more than $4.6 million in need-based financial aid to 39 percent of the student body each year. If you are offered admission, WRA puts forth every effort to make education affordable for you. Need-based financial aid awards are not loans; they are grant awards that do not need to be repaid. WRA's financial aid budget is funded through the school's endowment.

WRA strives to have an all-inclusive tuition and does not have extraneous fees. Tuition covers classroom instruction, room & board, laboratory equipment and material, athletics, admission to athletic contests and weekend campus entertainment. The families do have to pay additional fees for books, uniform and laundry.

Tuition for the 2012-13 School Year

Day tuition: $31,500
Boarding tuition: $45,000

Financial Aid

WRA bases aid decisions on demonstrated need, which is defined as the difference between the amount of money a family can afford to contribute and the cost of tuition. The family's contribution is calculated according to information provided on the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS), which is created by the School & Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS). For more information on SSS, read Financial Aid Application Information for Families.

Due ASAP (Day and Boarding Applicants):

• Go to School & Student Services (SSS) by NAIS and complete the Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) online. SSS opens their application process Nov. 1, 2012.
• Submit a copy of your 2011 IRS 1040, W-2s and 1099s for parents and/or step-parents to SSS for processing.

March 1, 2013 (Day and Boarding Applicants):

Send a signed copy of your 2012 IRS 1040, W-2s and 1099s to SSS.

Mail all documents to:

SSS by NAIS
Application Processing Center
P.O. Box 449
Randolph, MA 02368-449

(Overnight mail should be sent to 437 Turnpike Street / Canton, MA 02021)

Merit Scholar Program

WRA’s Merit Scholar Program offers scholarships to students who have distinguished themselves as outstanding scholars and displayed additional talents in their extracurricular areas (e.g. leadership, dance, music, athletics, acting, art, volunteerism, etc.).

To be considered for a Merit Scholar Scholarship, candidates must meet all requirements for admission. This scholarship is highly selective and is limited to a few new students each year, typically two or three. Candidates do not have to apply for financial aid to be considered for the merit scholarship, and no additional application is required.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How are financial aid awards determined?

  WRA is committed to serving qualified students who are unable to afford full tuition. After a student has been accepted through the admissions process, the Financial Aid Committee reviews completed financial aid files. Western Reserve Academy subscribes to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS), which assesses and helps to determine a family’s need for assistance based on income, assets and reasonable expenses. In addition to using SSS, we require your previous year’s tax returns and all applicable schedules, to help determine the level of need. After determining a manageable family contribution, the committee determines a financial aid award and sends the award along with the admittance packet.

• Will our financial aid change from year to year?

  Financial aid need and awards are recalculated every year using up-to-date information. If there is little change in a family’s circumstances, one can expect that grants will be renewed at similar levels plus the yearly tuition increase. If there are significant changes in a family’s situation, adjustments will be made.

• Who qualifies for financial aid?

  Many factors affect award decisions, including a family’s income, assets and the number of children in tuition-charging schools. Qualification for financial aid from WRA can be determined only after a family has completed all the steps in the financial aid application process.

• What about cases of divorce, separation and single parents?

  In cases of divorce or separation, WRA requires information from both natural parents and any stepparents. Each parent must complete and submit a Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS), the WRA supplemental financial aid form and a copy of their current IRS 1040, W2s and 1099s. The family’s ability to contribute is based on both natural parents’ and any stepparent’s income and assets, bearing in mind responsibilities that stepparents may have for their own biological children.

• Does WRA offer financial aid to international families?

  WRA does not have financial aid for international families.

• What types of payment plans are available?

  To help manage costs, WRA offers two convenient payment plans. The standard option allows for payment in two installments as indicated on the WRA enrollment contract. The second option is our monthly payment plan, offered through Tuition Management Systems, a subsidiary of Key Bank, which allows you to pay annual expenses in 10, interest-free installments. For details, contact Key at 800.347.3430 or visit their website.

• Are there loan programs available to help meet the cost?

  Yes, educational loan programs are available to assist families in making tuition payments affordable. An excellent resource for information on these programs can be found on the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) website.