what does offer mean?

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billywhizz
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2014 11:31 am

what does offer mean?

Post by billywhizz »

Hi All,
Morning all.
when parents say that they have got offer from private schools (HABS or NLCS etc) what does it mean in terms of paying?
is it paid offer , scholarship offer?

Sorry for such silly question :)

Have a nice day
Daogroupie
Posts: 11100
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: what does offer mean?

Post by Daogroupie »

It is the offer of a place. This will normally be a paid place. A bursary place has to be applied for in addition to applying for the exam.

These schools offer 100% bursaries for students who do well in the exam and do not have the means for a paid place.

There are also scholarships to entice students away from rival schools. DG
billywhizz
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2014 11:31 am

Re: what does offer mean?

Post by billywhizz »

Thanks DG

As always you are superstar
OMGMum
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 11:27 am

Re: what does offer mean?

Post by OMGMum »

How do you go about applying for a scholarship with an Independent School?
hermanmunster
Posts: 12818
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: what does offer mean?

Post by hermanmunster »

depends - sometimes you have to tick box on application form and the child is considered at the time of the entrance exam + interviews, in other cases there are separate exams.
Daogroupie
Posts: 11100
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: what does offer mean?

Post by Daogroupie »

In North London students who do well in the exam are either asked to sit a further scholarship paper or are offered a scholarship interview.

Some others just automatically offer scholarships to those securing the highest marks in the exams. DG
Stroller
Posts: 1546
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 9:39 am

Re: what does offer mean?

Post by Stroller »

Scholarships at top-tier schools seem to be in the order of a couple of hundred pounds a year (often coupled with an agreement to spend vast amounts of time contributing to whatever area the scholarship was awarded for). It's icing on the cake, but not enough to make a significant dent in the fees. Would a scholarship of £500 sway your decision when facing fees of five, six or seven thousand pounds a term? :shock: Music scholarships can also include some instrument tuition, but the children often need to be playing at grade V or above to be considered. Families who have had the money or skills to bring their children to that standard are unlikely to find such an award truly life-changing / life-enhancing.

Bursaries are based on the economic circumstances of the families of high-achieving children, because the bursar has to defend why family X is being offered an assisted place. I believe they are also reviewed each year, so if family circumstances improve, the bursary support can be reduced or withdrawn.

Back to the original question, "offer" means a school has decided to allocate a place to the child. Now the ball is back in the family's court, so there's a brief shift of power. The family has a limited time (usually a fortnight at most) to consider that offer against other offers and make a choice. If you choose to accept the offer, deposits will be required promptly, followed closely by fees for the next term. You have also entered a legally binding agreement. If you change your mind later, for example if a school you prefer offers you a space in a later admissions round, the first school can and will pursue you for whatever fees they can recoup per the terms and conditions of the agreement you signed. Read ALL the fine print carefully before signing anything and maybe put relevant deadlines into your calendar. :D
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Ladymuck
Posts: 1240
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 2:04 pm

Re: what does offer mean?

Post by Ladymuck »

Occasionally within certain circles parents will refer to an offer indicating that they have got some form of fee remission (generally a scholarship). "eg Felix got a very good offer from Dulwich but an excellent offer from Whitgift" meaning that Whitgift gave a higher percentage scholarship. But as HMC schools are limited to only offering up to 50% in terms of merit awards without a means test, the parents will have to pay at least 50% of fees, usually more, unless their income and assets entitle them to a means-tested award.

Most independent schools will give some information about scholarship and what these entail on their websites. They are after all primarily marketing tools for the school.
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