Investing in Your Child

 

Making a Catholic, College Prep Education a Reality

An AHA Extra: Alums say, "AHA is the place for our kids."

It is not a surprise that tuition is the single largest obstacle to a Catholic college preparatory education at Academy of Holy Angels. Yet it is also the largest return on investment parents can make in the lives of their children. Families make these sacrifices because they understand how the investment pays off during high school, in college and in life.    

The AHA Class of 2016 had an average ACT score of 27, and 98% of the class took the exam!  The Class of 2016, comprised of 160 students was offered over $12 million in college scholarships, and 52% of them accepted over $5 million in aid from the schools they have chosen to attend. We're very proud of each and every one of them and their unique talents. The numbers, however, only tell part of the story. Students tell us the real value of an AHA education is in the opportunities for participation, the relationships with teachers, the sense of community, the whole-person growth, and the belief that they matter.  

For over 38% of our families, tuition and tuition assistance go hand in hand.  This is particularly true when a family has more than one child at AHA or has experienced a financial difficulty. We make every effort to work individually with families to keep an AHA education available and accessible.  

Tuition

Tuition for the 2017-18 academic year is $14,995. Families may make tuition payments on a 10-month, trimester or one-time payment plan. The technology fee is $400 per year.

Tuition Assistance

Providing financial aid to qualifying families is a priority at Holy Angels, as we are mindful of the sacrifices families make to send their children to Holy Angels. Our goal is to help families bridge the gap between what they can afford to pay and our tuition, and to make our Holy Angels high school education affordable to as many families as we can.  More than 1.3 million dollars was awarded to over 38% of AHA students in 2015-16. The average amount awarded was over $4000.

Applying for financial aid   

Academy of Holy Angels uses the Tuition Aid Data Services (TADS) to process financial-aid applications and determine financial need. TADS uniformly collects information from each family to provide a report to AHA. Holy Angels uses this information to award tuition assistance and scholarships.

Be aware that to be included in the initial allocation of financial aid awards, your TADS application must be submitted by January 15, 2018. Applications are online beginning in October 2017 and can be submitted at that time and updated in 2018 when tax returns have been completed. Applications for tuition assistance will still be accepted after this date, but awards will be allocated on a rolling basis after the initial awards have been granted.

Complete the TADS worksheet, which greatly simplifies the application process, then complete the TADS application.

Please note:

• TADS does not award grants or scholarships; it processes the forms and provides AHA with a tool for allocating financial aid.
• The Holy Angels financial aid administrator is in charge of allocating both scholarships and need-based grants to current and incoming students. Please contact Nancy Cullen at ncullen@ahastars.org if you have questions or require additional information.
• If parents are living in separate households, both parents are required to complete TADS applications.  

In addition to financial aid from AHA, we also encourage families to explore other ways to pay for a student's education. For other options and for your convenience, we provide links here for SallieMae K-12 Family Education Loans or here for Your Tuition Solution for K-12 Education Loans.

Our message to you is clear: our goal is to make AHA tuition affordable.

Please take the time to submit a TADS application, whether you know you require financial assistance or are unsure. We want to work with you to make tuition affordable, and many AHA families, both current and alums, will tell you that they were able to make tuition work with the support of financial aid and scholarships.

Types of Tuition Aid and Scholarships.

The Academy of Holy Angels considers service an important cornerstone of our Catholic faith and community, and we encourage our students to actively invest in their education through their time and talents.         

Student Service Grants and Work Study Program:  Students who qualify for financial aid will receive a Student Service Grant. These are need-based grants distributed in varying amounts depending on a family’s qualifying financial need. In return for the grant, students are required to work a certain number of student work study hours at Holy Angels. The number of hours each student is expected to complete is based on the amount of the grant awarded to the student. The maximum per student is 60 hours in one school year, and service opportunities abound within our AHA community. Some students begin their service during the summer months helping to get our school and grounds ready for the start of school. During the school year, students have opportunities to work with classroom teachers, administrative staff, athletics and activities to find ways to give servcie. Please note that incomplete hours will be billed to the student’s account and may affect financial aid eligibility for future years.

Scholarships for Returning and Transfer Students: In addition to the grants, students may apply for scholarships from the Academy of Holy Angels. Scholarship awards are based on need, and the student must qualify for aid in order to be eligible. Scholarships are one-year awards and non-renewable.  To apply for a scholarship, a student must complete the TADS application, the Scholarship application, and have a current Teacher Recommendation on file (transfer students may use the teacher recommendation that is submitted with their application for admission). Returning AHA students are required to obtain a teacher recommendation from one of their AHA teachers.).

• The Scholarship Application for Returning Students may be downloaded here. Required Teacher Recommendation for may be downloaded here.

Important Deadlines/Instructions for Scholarship Applications:

• Complete a TADS Financial Assessment Form by January 15th, 2018.
• Complete the scholarship application by February 2, 2018.
• Have a current Teacher Recommendation completed and on file by February 1, 2018.
• Be registered for classes at AHA for the 2018-2019 school year by February 9, 2018.

Class of 2022 applicants: St. Joseph Academic Scholarships are awarded to 8th grade students who, through their strong academic achievement and effort, conduct, character and community service, embody the AHA Way during their grade school years. These merit based scholarships honor outstanding students. No additional scholarship application is required for consideration for the St. Joseph Academic Scholarship.

Outside Volunteer Opportunities for Tuition Assistance: The Pioneer Foundation for the Performing Arts is a non-profit organization independent of Academy of Holy Angels, which provides opportunities for volunteers to designate contributions to AHA. This program can provide significant funds for families who wish to volunteer their time and talents.  Please check out their website to learn more about this creative way to make tuition more affordable.http://pioneerfoundation.weebly.com

Appealing financial aid decisions

A financial aid appeal can be filed if there is a significant financial change within the family or if the family is facing other extraordinary circumstances following the TADS application and original award offer. Financial Aid Appeal Guidelines and Form.

For more information about financial aid, scholarships, or financial aid appeals contact the Business Office at 612-798-2615 or email at financialaid@ahastars.org.