List of 5 frequently asked questions.

• Why offer financial aid?

  Financial aid allows the school to admit children based on our academic standards rather than the ability of their family to pay tuition.

• How is financial aid funded?

  All of Wesleyan's financial aid dollars come through three sources of funding: the Wesleyan Annual Fund, our growing endowment, and the Georgia GOAL Tax Credit Program. Wesleyan chooses to raise financial aid dollars voluntarily, providing you the opportunity to receive a tax deduction or credit as opposed to “taxing” you through tuition.

• How is financial aid awarded?

  All financial aid at Wesleyan is awarded based on demonstrated financial need – there are no merit-based financial aid awards at Wesleyan. To receive aid, a family must first apply for it. Along with their financial aid application, they must submit several supporting documents, including two years of W-2 forms and two years of federal income tax returns. All of that information should be uploaded to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS). The SSS reports to Wesleyan the amount of tuition that family can afford to pay. Wesleyan then offers a financial aid award that makes up the difference between what the family can afford and the cost of tuition. Families must apply for aid each year – no financial aid awards exceed one school year.

• How is financial aid prioritized?

  Available aid goes first to current families in one of two categories: current financial aid families who have applied for and continue to qualify for aid and current families who have not previously required aid, but are experiencing financial hardships and now require aid to remain at Wesleyan. After the demonstrated financial aid needs of those current families have been met, we then offer aid to qualified new families once they have been accepted to the school through the regular admissions process.

• How is Georgia GOAL money used?

  Money received through the Georgia GOAL program is one of three funding sources for financial aid along with endowment and Annual Fund. By law, funds raised through Georgia GOAL can only be spent on financial aid for students who come to Wesleyan from a public school. However, all students receiving GOAL money must go through the same process to determine demonstrated financial need as all other students who receive financial aid at Wesleyan. Additionally, the amount of GOAL dollars that can be awarded to an individual student is capped by the Georgia Department of Education based on the public school per pupil expenditure. GOAL money can be used up to this capped amount and any demonstrated need above this amount would be funded through either endowment income or Annual Fund.