TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Tuition grants help students stay in private school

ADVERTISEMENT

By KATIE CORONADO | News Channel 8

Published: September 25, 2009

How do you keep students enrolled in pricy private schools in this era of austerity when parents are questioning every expenditure?

Offer tuitions breaks.

At Jesuit High School , where tuition is about $13,000 per year, the hallways are packed. Thanks, say officials, to record tuition assistance numbers.

"We were able to actually give out more financial aid than ever, in fact we broke $1 million, I believe for the first time in school history," said Steve Matesich, Jesuit admissions director.

That's because more people are requesting help and the school is receiving more donations, Matesich said.

The increased tuition assistance, he said, had helped keep enrollment steady.

"We've seen an increase in enrollment the last two years - 6 percent last year and 2 percent this year - which puts us at full capacity," he said. "The main reason we were able to do that is because of the financial aid we're able to offer the students."

John Pedrero said his son, a sophomore, is receiving financial aid. Without this assistance, he said it would be a big challenge.

"My salary is the same this year as it was last year, there's just no raises, these days and my wife works part time," he said.

At Tampa Preparatory School, where tuition is $16,800 annually, enrollment has taken an almost 10 percent hit, said Kevin Plummer, Tampa Prep's head-of-school.

"We've lost just a little bit more than 50 kids in our enrollment from our last fall," said Plummer. "That's a combination of two things. We lost our largest senior class, and combining that with an economy that is forcing to make some choices."

Plummer said that financial aid grants have remained the same as last year.

These changes have also affected Tampa Prep's faculty.

Plummer said they have lost nine teachers due to the enrollment drop.

Those cuts, he said, have not affected any programs.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT