Financing a Meridian Education

Tuition for the 2020-2021 school year is $26,730 (K-2) and $26,960 (3-5). The difference in tuition cost reflects the increased cost of field trips for the upper grades. Tuition for the 2021-2022 year will be announced by The Meridian School’s Board of Trustees in early February 2021.

Fees and expenses not covered by the cost of tuition include:

• Extended Day fees. There are two enrollment options; full-time=$4,200/year and part-time=$28/day. Visit the Extended Day page for more details. Tuition assistance recipients are eligible for fee assistance if enrolled in Extended Day full-time. When granted, fee assistance for Extended Day will be of an equal percentage to a family’s tuition assistance award.
• After-school enrichment classes. Fees range from $180-$370/class. Tuition assistance recipients may enroll in two enrichment classes per year at a discounted rate (of an equal percentage to their family’s tuition assistance award).
• Tickets to The Meridian School Auction, Fall Festival and intermediate drama productions.

We recognize that the cost of a Meridian education is a factor for every family regardless of income level. We also believe that each family bears the primary responsibility for financing their child’s education to the extent to which it is able. To help families plan their own finances, Meridian offers the following payment plans:

Payment Plan Options & Due Dates*

• 1 payment, due June 20th
• 4 payments, due on the 20th of June, August, October and January
• 10 payments, due on the 20th of each month from May to February

Please note: a non-refundable deposit of $1,500.00 is due upon enrollment in March. Your family’s deposit amount will be adjusted to reflect your tuition assistance award, if applicable.

*families admitted after June 20th will be offered payment plans with different due dates.

If a family needs greater help in financing their child’s education, Meridian also offers a tuition assistance program.  Individual circumstances vary and affect a family’s need. The number of children in a family, income, investments, debts, multiple households, medical expenses, siblings’ school tuition, and single-income households due to caring for nonschool-aged children or aging family members are some of the many factors that affect a tuition assistance decision. Please take a look at our list of frequently asked questions to see how specific circumstances may impact the calculation of your family’s award. The table below illustrates the average award by income level for students enrolled in the 2020-2021 school year.

Meridian uses best practice tool, School & Student Services (SSS), a needs analysis system utilized by over 2,000 schools nationwide to establish criteria for receiving tuition assistance. Actual award amounts are determined by Meridian, and based on need, available funds and number of applicants for tuition assistance. Currently, 12% percent of Meridian’s annual budget is devoted to tuition assistance.

Applications for tuition assistance are available online directly through Ravenna’s SSS portal. Ravenna is the online system that your family will utilize to apply for admission to The Meridian School.

We strongly encourage families to begin the tuition assistance application process several weeks in advance of our January 24th deadline. In addition to required documentation, the system will ask you to provide detailed information regarding your family’s monthly and annual budget (sum of expenses paid for extracurricular activities, groceries, vacations, healthcare premiums etc.) Here are some resources that may prove helpful as you prepare for and begin the application process:

• Preparing to Apply – gathering information
• Frequently Asked Questions – compiled by Meridian’s Tuition Assistance Committee
• Completing Your Parent Financial Statement (PFS) – a question-by-question guide to completing the PFS fully and accurately
• Parent Financial Statement Worksheet – intended to assist you with completing the PFS online

The following steps outline the application process, required documents, and timeline.

• Submitting your Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS)
  • Starting Oct. 2, 2020, go to the SSS portal.
  • Create an account if you are a new user, and then follow the “Complete your Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS)” link to begin your application. You can save, log out, and return at any time to finish it. If you applied for financial aid last year, log into the Family Portal as a Returning Family using your same email address and password.
  • When all PFS sections are complete with green checks, the Submit & Pay button activates. Follow prompts to the payment screen. The $51 fee is nonrefundable. Once your PFS is submitted, it cannot be withdrawn from the SSS system. Fee waiver requests can be made within the system. Please be sure to list The Meridian School (code #5738) as a recipient when submitting your application.
  • After you pay for and submit your PFS, access to “My Documents” activates to upload required documents (listed below). Please direct any questions regarding required documentation to Meridian’s Tuition Assistance Committee Co-Chair, Kelley Williams.
  • Submit your family’s PFS and all additional required, supporting documents by Jan. 22, 2021.
• Submitting your required documents
  • Prepare your document files for uploading. Make sure the documents are on your computer and each specific form is saved as a separate file. Examples: a) 1 PDF file for the 1040 with all schedules and worksheets included, b) each W2 saved as its own file. Remove any security or password protection from your files.
  • Return to your Family Portal account and confirm you are on the Academic Year 2021-22 Dashboard.
  • Open “My Documents” from the Dashboard.
  • In the “Required Documents” section, use the Upload button or link associated with the specific document type. Follow prompts to locate, select, and confirm the file to upload.
  • Click the Submit button to complete your upload. The date will appear in the “Date Uploaded” column within minutes of the upload. Repeat this process until all required documents are submitted by their deadlines.
  • Mailing in Documents: If you prefer to submit required documents by mail, you must print your Cover Sheet from “My Documents” and send it with your documents to the address it provides at least 10 days before the January 22, 2021 deadline.
• Documents we require you to submit with your PFS
  • 2019 income statements. This includes W2s, unemployment statements, and Social Security income statements.
  • 2019 IRS Form 1040 and relevant schedules. We ask that self-employed parents/guardians include a Schedule C, Schedule E, Form 1120, 1065, and K-1.
  • 2019 Form 1099, if applicable.
  • 2020 tax returns upon request

Please note: families must complete a new application each year.

Understanding Your Family Report
After your Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) has been received and processed by SSS, you can view your Family Report in the Parents’ Financial Statement Online. The Family Report shows you how SSS estimates the amount your family can contribute to educational expenses (your “Estimated Family Contribution”). Reviewing the Family Report can help you understand the information that schools may reference  as they make tuition assistance decisions. Click here to learn how SSS estimates your family contribution.

Established by The Meridian School’s Board of Trustees, the Marilyn Easton Endowment Fund provides scholarships for underrepresented students of color demonstrating significant financial need. Scholarship recipients must qualify for awards of $13,000 (50% of the cost of annual tuition) or more.

The Fund was established with the purpose of increasing access to a Meridian education and furthering our commitment to equity and inclusion by creating an economically and racially diverse school community.

The fund has exceeded $2 million, $500,000+ of which was directly contributed by members of Meridian’s donor community.

If you believe your child(ren) may qualify for an endowment scholarship, please indicate this when completing your tuition assistance application via SSS in the parent statement section.