Making the transition to Catholic high school is a big step.
Parents are preparing their children for new buildings, new teachers, new
opportunities, and making new friends. On top of that, parents may be feeling
anxiety as they watch their children move on to the next step in their
educational journey – and may be feeling overwhelmed by their upcoming tuition
payments. Frequently we have found that tuition for Catholic high school is
much higher than what families are paying for Catholic elementary school. Regardless
of a family’s financial situation, paying for Catholic education involves some
level of sacrifice. As the cost to educate increases, schools and parents must
work together to make it possible for students to receive a quality education
rooted in faith and values.
At OLSH, we believe an investment in an OLSH education is an
investment in your child’s future. And we work diligently to ensure that an
OLSH education is accessible to any qualified student who seeks it. That’s why
we are expanding our financial aid program to work to better meet families where
they are financially as they enroll their children in our school.
So, what to do when
the “sticker shock” of high school tuition wears off?
First, remember that with your choice of OLSH, you are
making a conscious decision to prepare your child to not only be successful,
but to be a good person; to take what the values they learned about and
experienced as students and carry them into the world regardless of their
career path. When you hear about OLSH alumni being successful in their adult
life, it goes beyond basic professional success. You find people like Dr.
Jessica (Woessner) Hoyson ’02, an accomplished physician who is also working to
make routine health care accessible to women with special needs. And she is
just one example.
Ok, I get it – but
how do I actually make it work!?
There are a few areas that make up Tuition Assistance at
OLSH and its important to understand each aspect, so that you can take full
advantage of the opportunities that exist.
Scholarships
Generous donors have established a variety of endowed and
annual scholarships at OLSH to support families who demonstrate financial need
and exhibit one or more qualities. Some may be looking for examples of service;
others may seek to award students who demonstrate an interest in a particular subject
area. OLSH offers 15 scholarships for incoming freshmen (and we’ve been adding
2 or 3 scholarships each year for the past few years). Outside of OLSH there
are a variety of organizations that offer scholarships to high school students,
including Junior Achievement, Crossroads Foundation, Knights of Columbus, and
the Poise Foundation. Some parishes or elementary schools may even offer
scholarships to students. It’s essential to do your research and ask around!
Learn
more about OLSH scholarships on our Scholarships page.
PA Tax Credit Programs
– EITC, OSTC, SPE
If you’ve been in Catholic school in the state of PA for a
while, you may have heard the acronyms EITC and OSTC before. Pennsylvania has
two tax credit programs for businesses in Pennsylvania. Businesses can make
donations to approved scholarship organizations (OLSH is one) and they receive
up to a 90% tax credit! It’s a true win-win situation for the business and OLSH
students. Recently Pennsylvania expanded its tax credit program to allow individuals
meeting certain income guidelines to participate by making a donation through a
Special Purpose Entity or SPE.
OLSH Advancement staff works with area business leaders to
secure funding for these programs. Families at OLSH are automatically considered
for these funds if they qualify. Students are eligible for EITC funds if they
meet state specified income levels. OSTC follows the same financial guidelines,
but those moneys are reserved for families living in school districts that have
been identified as underperforming by the state. While the state may publish
amounts available to families, it is important to remember that the amount
available to be awarded varies based on the amount given to OLSH for those
programs. Annually OLSH receives over $250,000 through EITC/OSTC and 100% of
those funds are distributed to students. At OLSH, students do not have to apply
to receive these funds. You are automatically considered for all financial aid
funding for which you qualify.
If you own a business, work as an executive, or would be
willing to talk with your company about participating in these programs, take a
look at the EITC website https://dced.pa.gov/programs/educational-improvement-tax-credit-program-eitc/
or contact OLSH VP for Advancement Cheryl Karashin, CFRE at (412) 269-7726 or
ckarashin@olsh.org.
Other Funds
OLSH has been able to maintain one of the lowest tuition
rates among Catholic schools in the region thanks to the generosity of the
Felician Sisters (OLSH is a ministry of the Sisters). Additionally, generous
donors and foundations have elected to make gifts to the OLSH Tuition
Assistance Fund which helps us to provide financial aid to every family that
qualifies (typically 45% of OLSH families receive some level of aid).
Although OLSH is independent from the Diocese of Pittsburgh
schools, OLSH students can still receive aid through Bishop’s Education Fund
(BEF). Families can indicate their interest in BEF aid when completing the
FACTS financial need assessment.
So how can I take
advantage of these opportunities?
OLSH partners with FACTS to assess financial need, as well
as to manage tuition payments. The FACTS financial needs assessment typically
opens in January for the following school year. To be considered for all forms
of OLSH Tuition Assistance and Scholarships, families must complete this
assessment in its entirety by March 16, 2020. The assessment asks for information
about assets, debt, and income. It is best to be as inclusive of information as
possible. You are also required to upload your current year tax returns, W-2s,
and other applicable statements or schedules. This means you must get your
taxes complete prior to the federal April 15 deadline!
We strongly encourage all families to apply, even if you
haven’t qualified in the past. We’ve found that many families coming from
Catholic elementary school who did not receive aid in the past are eligible at
OLSH.
What if I don’t
qualify or my aid package still isn’t enough?
We know there are families in our school community who are
working hard to make ends meet, yet don’t qualify for need and it’s tough to
make the sacrifice needed for tuition payments. We have recently added a merit
scholarship that doesn’t require a demonstration of need. This is an area we
are working on. Families are encouraged to research outside opportunities for
scholarships, many of which are listed on our website. There are also
options to utilize a PA 529 plan or to take out a personal loan, however, those
are options that you should consider with a financial advisor or other
professional first.
Key Takeaways
When thinking about the financial sacrifice that is Catholic
education, it’s important to remember that this choice is an important
investment in your child’s future and one that will yield great returns.
As you apply for scholarships or financial aid, be as
thorough as possible and be sure to meet all listed deadlines.
If something in your financial situation changes or if you
have questions or concerns, please contact us! We may have other ways to help
or work with you, but we need to know what’s going on!
If Catholic education
is what you desire for your child, you can make it possible with effort,
commitment, and communication!
Learn more about OLSH Tuition and Affordability on our website!
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