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HPA Financial Aid FAQ

• How does Clarity calculate my family’s “contribution” or ability to pay?

  Your family’s ability to contribute to tuition is calculated based on various factors, such as income, assets (like your house and investments), debts (mortgage and others), family size, and the number of family members enrolled in tuition-charging schools.

  After considering essential expenses, taxes, and certain other costs, along with the local cost of living, Clarity estimates the portion of your remaining funds available for school costs. It’s important to note that eligibility for financial aid doesn’t guarantee that HPA has enough aid for your family. Clarity provides the analysis results as a recommendation of your ability to pay, but the final award determination always comes from HPA based on school policies, practices, and available budget—not from Clarity.

• Who can I contact for help filling out my financial aid application?

  If you have questions while completing your application, you can access Family Support in both English and Spanish, and the application itself is fully translated into Spanish using the drop-down in the lower left corner. Additionally, in-app support is available through the “Help” button in the lower left corner or by contacting support@claritytuition.com or 206-210-3752.

• Our family has children in multiple tuition-charging schools; how does HPA account for these expenses?

  Clarity considers the total number of children in tuition-charging schools, including other college, parochial, and independent school programs, when determining a family’s estimated contribution. The financial aid committee will then allocate the appropriate percentage of the family’s overall estimated contribution to HPA. HPA cannot subsidize tuition for other schools without financial aid availability, and reserves the right to adjust awards based on changes to the number of children in tuition-charging schools.

• Can my family receive a waiver so we don’t have to pay for the financial aid processing fee?

  Families do not need to request or apply for a fee waiver from the school. When a family submits their financial aid application, Clarity automatically evaluates eligibility and applies fee waivers for qualifying families. The assessment considers family size, income, and asset information provided in the application.

• Will my child continue to receive aid from year to year, including aid to cover tuition increases?

  HPA renews grants based on a family’s demonstrated financial need. Therefore families must update, annually, a report of their income, assets, and debts via the Clarity application.

  HPA remains committed to partnering with families to finance an independent school education but recognizes that a family’s ability to contribute toward tuition may increase or decrease depending on their annual reporting. With no change in financial profile, a family can expect their parent contribution toward tuition to increase slightly each year, typically equal to the percentage increase in tuition.

• If my child enrolls without receiving a financial aid package, can we expect to receive aid in future years?

  Generally, no. Families who enroll without financial aid are expected to pay the full tuition, unless a sibling will also be joining HPA. However, HPA acknowledges that hardship events may arise, impacting a family’s ability to contribute to tuition, and in such cases, the school will collaborate with families to create a financing plan. If your child does not receive a financial aid award, and your family cannot afford to finance full tuition for the subsequent years, it is strongly advised not to enroll your child.

• How does HPA ensure confidentiality throughout the financial aid process?

  Maintaining the confidentiality of personal data is a top priority for our financial aid office. All financial data and interactions with HPA are treated with strict confidentiality, accessible only to the members of the financial aid committee. HPA faculty does not have access to any financial information about students.

  To ensure confidentiality, families should use the official school channels for submitting applications, disputing or appealing financial aid decisions. It is equally important for families to respect confidentiality by not disclosing financial aid outcomes to other members of the community.

• Does HPA offer a sibling discount?

  No. Families who believe in the benefit of having multiple children with us are encouraged to file an application for financial aid.

• Divorced, single, or never married parents: what does HPA expect?

  HPA firmly believes that both parents share responsibility for a child’s education. Any legal arrangements or commitments that go against this belief are the parents’ responsibility to negotiate between themselves. When assessing financial aid, HPA will take into account the income and assets of both natural parents, regardless of whether only one parent supports the student’s attendance at HPA. If natural parents have remarried, the assets of the stepparent will also be considered, while keeping in mind their primary obligations to their own children.

• Does HPA expect both parents to be employed to file an application for financial aid?

  Recognizing that the family bears the primary responsibility for financing a student’s education costs, the financial aid committee will impute a part-time salary for a non-working parent when there are no pre-school age children or others to care for in the home, and/or no medical or disability issues that prevent the parent from seeking employment.

• May I apply for financial aid after my child has been offered admission?

  Generally, no. HPA calculates its financial aid grants and budget in conjunction with offers of admission. Both applications should be filed concurrently.

• How is self-employment evaluated in the financial aid process?

  All self-employed parents filing for financial aid must submit business tax returns. Parents should upload their 1099/K1, 1065 or 1120S taxes through the Clarity portal. HPA reserves the right to request full business filings semi-annually.

• Can I appeal the financial aid grant I received?

  Families may request reconsideration by the financial aid committee upon receipt of a financial aid decision. The only condition under which an appeal may be filed is if there is new information available for consideration that wasn’t previously known. If there is no new information to be submitted, an appeal will not be considered. A letter to the financial aid committee explaining the request for additional aid and additional documentation of unusual circumstances are required to process appeals.

• How do I determine if I qualify for a domestic or international tuition?

  To qualify for the domestic tuition, at least one parent and the student must have a U.S. passport or permanent residency.

• Can international families apply for financial aid?

  International students are eligible to apply for financial aid. Additional documentation is required by the financial aid committee to verify a family’s ability to contribute toward the cost of education. On your application, indicate that you do not file US taxes and the application will prompt you to provide other documents related to your income.