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FAIR SHARE - TUITION INFORMATION

Mission-driven
Gonzaga Prep’s mission statement affirms that the school “exists to support the life of the Catholic Church in the Inland Northwest by seeking to serve all families who desire for their children Catholic education in the Jesuit tradition.”  With this in mind, the school implemented the Fair Share tuition program in 1992. Although modeled after the Fair Share program used in the Catholic grade schools. Prep’s Fair Share program is unique in that tuition guidelines are used based on a family’s adjusted gross income. The school has a long tradition of helping students attend regardless of income.

Sacrifice
A Gonzaga Prep Catholic education embraces Gospel values, an excellent college prep  curriculum, a full activities program and community service. Families who send their children to Prep understand that they are committing to a philosophy and a financial commitment, which is often a sacrifice for families. All families are asked to participate in Fair Share through prayerful reflection, payment of tuition based on ability to pay, and 20 volunteer hours per year.

Full Cost Tuition
Full cost tuition is determined each year by dividing the school’s expenses by the number of students. Full cost tuition for 2007-08 is $8,210. In an ideal world, all families would pay this amount, which represents the actual cost of educating one student at Gonzaga Prep for one year.

Reduced Tuition
Families may request a reduction in the full cost of tuition in a meeting with a facilitator arranged by the school. Families whose adjusted gross income precludes them from paying fall cost are asked to pay a reduced tuition amount based on income guidelines established by the school.
Extraordinary Circumstances
If a family is unable to meet the guidelines based on adjusted gross income, a special meeting is conducted where extraordinary circumstances are presented and an agreement on tuition is reached that is fair to both the family and the school.

Who Pays For The Difference?
No family is asked to pay more tuition than their Fair Share. Some volunteer to do so. Seventy-five percent of the school’s revenue comes from tuition. Twelve percent comes from interest from the Fr. John Hurley Foundation. (The money in this Foundation has been donated by alumni and other benefactors over the past 50 years.) The other thirteen percent comes from school fundraising and other income (i.e., the annual Auction, the student fundraiser, the Annual Fund Drive, the President’s Club). The school raises over $600,000 each year and expects all families to support these efforts.

Scholarships
The school has some full and partial scholarships that are awarded after Fair Share tuition commitments have been determined. These scholarships are used to reduce tuition costs for a family and are based on particular criteria.

Gonzaga Preparatory School offers several full and partial tuition scholarships. These renewable scholarships are awarded for one year at a time. Students who perform at acceptable levels of spiritual and personal responsibility, academic application and participation in activities, as judged by the scholarship committee, may have their scholarships renewed for the following year at Gonzaga Prep. If the original scholarship winner fails to meet the expected standards, the committee will award the scholarship to another deserving student.

The scholarship program is administered by the Admissions Office. Following acceptance to Gonzaga Prep, students may request a scholarship application from the Admissions Office. The Scholarship Committee will use information gathered in the admission process, as well as additional information as required by the criteria for each specific scholarship, to select scholarship winners.
Scholarship winners will be required to write a progress report and an expression of gratitude at least two times per year to the donor of the scholarship. Although not a legal obligation, it is also expected that students who receive scholarships to attend Gonzaga Prep will take the moral responsibility later in their lives to repay the funds through donations to Gonzaga Prep, so that future students can benefit from the generosity of the donors.

Factors To Be Considered By The Scholarship Committee
To be considered to receive a scholarship to attend Gonzaga Preparatory School a student must:
• be accepted for admission to Gonzaga Prep, or be a current Prep student;

• have demonstrated his or her commitment, and the commitment of his or her family, to Gospel values, the mission of the Catholic Church and the mission of Gonzaga Prep;

• have a demonstrated history of cooperation and effort in school;

• have a discernible commitment to excellence in intellectual pursuits;

• a recommendation from his or her pastor;

• a grade point average commensurate with ability (the student must give the best effort possible);

• a participate in co-curricular activities; and

• have financial need.

If you are interested, please contact the Admissions Office after you have received notification of acceptance to Gonzaga Prep.