Affording Benchmark

A Benchmark School education is transformative. We hear it often from our alumni and past families: Benchmark changes lives and sets students on a path of success in education and in life.

Our deliberately low student-to-teacher ratio means that we get to know every student and can personalize instruction. Working closely with your child, we build on their strengths as well as work on their challenges.

What better investment in your children’s future than helping them love to learn? It may make all the difference in their lives.

Flexible Payment Plans

Benchmark School offers our families three payment plans:

Payment in full
Two installments plan
Eleven installments plan

Financial Aid

Benchmark believes that access to educational excellence should be available to all qualified students, regardless of financial means.

We are proud to offer need-based financial aid in hopes that no family will be discouraged from applying.

Families who intend to apply for financial aid are encouraged to do so when they apply for admission.

Decisions on admission and financial aid are separate. While Benchmark has a generous financial aid program, the budget is limited and we receive far more requests for aid than we can meet. It is possible that a student who is accepted may be denied financial aid due to limited funds.

Returning families are required to apply annually. Grants are not guaranteed from year to year, as families are required to demonstrate need annually. However, assuming there has not been significant change in the family’s needs assessments as determined by the Financial Aid Committee, families can reasonably assume that Benchmark’s financial support will continue at a similar level annually.

The deadline for completing the financial aid application including relevant supplemental documents is February 1, 2025 for returning families.

Should there be an unanticipated significant change in financial circumstances that may have an impact on the future enrollment status of the student, families should contact the Financial Aid Committee as soon as possible to discuss options.

Apply for Financial Aid

2024-2025 Tuition

Grades 1-5: $45,700
Grades 6-8: $47,600 (includes the use of a MacBook for each student)

Tuition covers all fees, including the individual electronic devices (laptops/iPads), sports, activities, field trips, clubs, books, and lunch.

The only additional fee a family may incur is if their child participates in After-School Guided Study, where for a nominal fee students can work on homework in a quiet setting with Benchmark teachers providing supervision.

We are so very grateful for the education Liz was given at Benchmark. Throughout Liz's many successes in high school and college, we often paused and reflected on our decision to send her to Benchmark. I believe it was the single most important and best decision we have ever made as parents. Liz feels the very same way.

Beth McCarthy
Parent

Financial Aid FAQ

What is the process for applying for aid?

Benchmark School uses a financial aid application service provider called Clarity to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information that families share in the application which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts.

To get started, please go to the Clarity application and create an account. The application typically takes less than 20 minutes to complete. The Clarity application is also mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return at any time. At the end of the application, there is a $60 fee to submit.

Please remember to return to your dashboard after you complete and submit your Clarity application, as Benchmark School may require you to upload additional tax documentation.

The deadline for completing the financial aid application including relevant supplemental documents is February 1, 2025 for returning families.

If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available through the “Help” button in the bottom left of the screen, as well as email and phone support at support@clarityapp.com or 206-210-3752, in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.

Will returning students receive the same financial aid packages year to year?

Eligibility is determined annually. Benchmark’s first commitment is to returning students. Every family must complete a financial aid application for each year of attendance to determine eligibility. Changes in income, expenses, and assets will have an impact on your estimated family contribution. It is important to request a copy of the report of Estimated Family Contribution each year to better understand your eligibility to receive aid. However, our financial aid application service, Clarity, retains your information from previous applications, so it will be easier to reapply.

Do the financial assistance awards need to be repaid?

Will my application for financial assistance influence my child’s application for admission?

Based on the information I filled out on the application website, my family qualifies for financial aid. If my child is offered acceptance into Benchmark, will they automatically receive an award based on our Estimated Family Contribution (EFC)?

Although our financial aid service provides Benchmark School with a calculation of an EFC, the Financial Aid Committee makes the final determination. The methodology used to determine the EFC considers many items, including assets, liabilities, income, expenses, family size, and the number of students in tuition-charging schools.

As the Financial Aid Committee looks at financial assistance applications, it differentiates between necessary expenses and money spent for lifestyle choices. With respect to the latter, we will not provide assistance to offset “lifestyles” expenditures that could have been directed to education. Thus, the EFC calculated by the school might differ from the amount suggested by our financial aid service.

What if my family’s financial situation is complicated?

Is financial aid information kept confidential?

Grants of financial assistance and the associated documentation are held in confidence between the Benchmark School Financial Aid Committee and the family. Benchmark will not disclose details of application or grants, and asks families to maintain that same confidentiality. Further, our financial aid application provider, Clarity, is certified for both GDPR and SOC2 and uses enterprise-level security standards including end-to-end encryption of all personally identifiable information. For more information, please refer to Clarity’s Privacy Policy.

How does marital status affect financial aid?

Benchmark School’s Financial Aid Committee assumes that an applicant’s natural parents or legal guardians have the primary responsibility for supporting their children throughout their Benchmark education. Applicants whose parents are divorced, separated, or never married are required to provide financial data for both parents. In the event that parents discontinue or deny support of the students, Benchmark will not assume the parents’ financial responsibility for the support of the student.

Benchmark School will not be bound by any divorce or separation agreement which delineates tuition responsibility between parents.

For more information about tuition or financial aid, contact Joseph McPeak, 610-565-3741.

CONTACT

Email us or call 610-565-3741.

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Benchmark School is licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Academic Schools and has been accorded 501(c)(3) status by the Internal Revenue Service. A not-for-profit, independent school, Benchmark relies on tuition and charitable gifts for its operation. Accredited by Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, which is a member in good standing of the National Association of Independent Schools’ Commission on Accreditation.

Benchmark School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender and sexuality diversity, age, or against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability, in its admissions and financial program, in the administration of its educational program, or in its employment policies.

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