Financial Aid
The purpose of the Louise S. McGehee School's financial aid program is to enroll as many qualified students as possible, maximizing the strength of the student body and furthering our mission.
Our financial aid application is separate from the admission application and is not a factor in admission decisions.
McGehee follows the NAIS Principles of Good Practice for Financial Aid. All families requesting financial aid must adhere to School and Student Services by NAIS (SSS) procedures. The results of the SSS formula are considered by the Financial Aid Committee, which then determines whether aid is to be granted and how much aid to grant. McGehee is not always able to meet the demonstrated need of all families who apply. All information is held in the strictest of confidences and limited to review by the Financial Aid committee alone. McGehee does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national or ethnic origin, or handicap, and the Financial Aid process is separate from the Admissions process.
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Deadlines and Instructions
- In order to determine a family's eligibility to receive flexible tuition in a fair and equitable manner, McGehee requires all applicants to complete the Parents Financial Statement (PFS) administered by a third party, the School and Student Services for Financial Aid (SSS), for each year of matriculation. Despite our dedication to helping those who demonstrate need, there are always more students who qualify for more funding than funding is available. Therefore, we encourage families to apply as soon as possible and before the application deadline, if possible.
- PFS and ALL SUPPORTING documents must be submitted via the SSS portal by February 3, 2021. You can access the SSS portal by visiting https://www.solutionsbysss.com/parents. There is a $51 fee required upon submission of your application.
- The Louise S. McGehee School Code is 4681
- New applicants and current families who have previously received aid can apply by following the instructions linked here.
- Current families who have not received aid before but who have experienced a significant change in their family's financial situation should contact Julee LaPorte, Director of Financial Aid at juleel@mcgeheeschool.com or by calling 504-274-4919.
- FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR COMPLETED APPLICATION BEFORE THE DEADLINE MAY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF A POSSIBLE AWARD. All applications received after the deadline will be considered on a first come, first served basis.
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Policy
- Priority – Priority is given to current students receiving financial aid who complete the Parent Financial Statement (PFS) accurately, submit all required documentation via the SSS website and adhere to all deadlines. Next, consideration is given to new families and current families seeking aid for the first time, who complete the Parent Financial Statement accurately, submit all required documentation via the SSS website and adhere to all deadlines.
- Confidentiality – Recognizing the sensitivity of personal financial issues, the confidentiality of the process is highly protected by the school and families are expected to maintain the confidentiality of any award information. Failure to do so may jeopardize your award.
- Assets – Assets of all parents - custodial and non-custodial, natural and stepparents - must complete a PFS and submit all paperwork. If there are other adults in a child's life who make significant contributions to the family and/or the child's educational expenses (grandparents, other relatives, friends, etc), those should be noted on the PFS or in written communication to the Director of Financial Aid. A financial aid award will not be issued unless the required information from all parties has been submitted. Failure to provide such information before the deadline could result in loss of award.
- Renewal – Financial assistance is evaluated annually based on demonstration of continued financial need, as well as evidence that the recipients continue to exhibit satisfactory academic progress, good citizenship and favorable financial standing with McGehee's Business Office.
- For more information about policies and procedures related to Financial Aid, please see the attached document by clicking here.
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Potential Aid Offerings
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I apply?
You will have to complete the online Parental Financial Statement (PFS) on the Student and School Services by NAIS (SSS) website. The website can be accessed via https://www.solutionsbysss.com/parents. Please click here for more detailed instructions for McGehee applicants. The SSS Parent Support Team is another great resource at your disposal, and they can be reached at (800) 344-8328 or sss@communitybrands.com. -
How is the aid amount determined?
The Financial Aid committee first reviews information submitted by families to Student and School Services (SSS), along with the amount that families might be expected to contribute (Estimated Family Contribution, or EFC) as determined by SSS. The committee then takes a deep dive into other information, such as the number, ages, and schools of children, additional dependents, assets and all sources of income. In addition, we consider lifestyle choices, debts, expenses and spending priorities. The aid award offer made by McGehee may be different from the amount of aid proposed by SSS or other schools.McGehee keeps all financial aid applications and award decisions in the strictest of confidences. In turn, McGehee asks that families refrain from disclosing financial aid outcomes with others and that they respect the privacy of other families not to disclose their financial aid details or outcomes. -
How much can I expect to receive?
The amount of your proposed financial aid award will vary greatly depending on a variety of factors, including but not limited to your family's unique financial situation as well as available funds in the financial aid budget. The average aid award given to students at McGehee for 2020-2021 is $7,127. The Financial Aid committee works hard to ensure that aid awards will enable eligible and mission-appropriate students to receive the benefits of a McGehee education.
Click here to see examples of potential aid offerings. -
I have not completed my tax reports for 2020? What should I do?
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide W-2 forms and 1040 forms (along with Schedule K1 and Form 11205 or 1065 for business owners). It may be difficult to provide these forms for 2020 before the February 3, 2021 deadline. As such, McGehee accepts prior prior year reports to support your application, meaning that you may provide us with the forms listed above for 2019 instead of 2020. Any significant changes to your income should be reported in accordance with the policies outlined in our Financial Aid policy document. -
If I qualify for an award, will I receive that same award every year?
Families are required to renew their applications annually. They will receive priority for awards, but significant changes in a family's financial situation may affect their proposed award amount. The Financial Aid committee will make every effort to communicate substantial changes to your award amount, contingent upon your timely submission of the application and all necessary documents. -
What are policies for divorced/separated/single parents?
For all families, full participation is expected of both biological parents, stepparents and/or the adults with whom the child lives, has custody or has financial influence and responsibility in the student’s life. In the process of evaluating a family’s financial situation, the financial aid process requires the complete documentation of all parties and the full transparency of all those identified in the categories listed above, regardless of divorce, separation or estrangement. A financial aid award will not be issued unless we have required information from all parties. McGehee is not bound by any decrees, agreements or legal documents excusing a parent from financial responsibility for his or her child’s education. -
What are policies for families where only one parent works?
Recognizing that each family bears the primary responsibility for financing education costs, if one parent chooses not to seek employment, the School imputes an annual income for a non-working parent. Exceptions are made if the parent is caring for a non-school age child or an elderly parent. -
What if I am new to the community and would like to submit a late application for financial aid?
The deadline for PFS submission along with all supporting documents for the 2021-2022 school year is February 3, 2021. All applications received after the deadline will be considered once those applications received by the deadline have been considered, and we are not able to guarantee that there will be funds remaining after the initial round of awards have been allocated. However, changes in enrollment can often trigger changes in financial aid distribution, and all eligible late applicants are encouraged to apply. -
Who can apply for Financial Aid?
New applicants and current families in Grades PK-12 may apply for Financial Aid. Financial Aid is not available for Little Gate students. -
Who should I contact with questions?
- Questions about Financial Aid may be addressed to the Director of Financial Aid, Julee LaPorte (juleel@mcgeheeschool.com or 504-274-4919).
- Questions about tuition payments may be addressed to Renee Sauber (renees@mcgeheeschool.com).
By The Numbers
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Approximately 33% percent of the McGehee student body receives need-based financial aid.
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For the 2020-2021 school year, we offered more than $1 million dollars in financial aid awards. The average financial aid award is $7,127.
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Financial aid is available for students in Grades PK through 12. Financial aid is not available for Little Gate.
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Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) and ALL SUPPORTING documents must be submitted via the School and Student Services (SSS) portal by February 3, 2021.
Louise S. McGehee School is a private independent all-girls school for Pre-K through grade 12 and open to all qualified girls regardless of race, religion, national or ethnic origin.
