Military school costs depend on a variety of factors. Read this article to find out more about the considerations you should take into account when you figure out the cost of military school.
Public Military Schools
Public military schools are funded by the public and do not charge admission. They are day schools, so do not charge room and board. At present Chicago is the locale with the most public military schools (six), and the states of Delaware, George, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin each have one. They are mostly grades 9–12, and if you live near one, you have the opportunity for a very inexpensive military school experience.
The Costs of Private Military Schools
The most costly elements are military school tuition, room and board, and international fees. Seven-day boarding can run up to $37,810 per year. International military school students pay $3500 more, for example, Riverside Military Academy, where 7-day boarding for US residents is “only” $27,500. While for most people, changing the status of an international student is out of the question, there may be some choices involved in the other major costs.
• Some military schools offer a choice between enrolling as a day student, a 5-day boarding student, or a 7-day boarding student. At Admiral Farragut Academy, for example, day students tuition and board costs are $14,980; 5-day boarding students are charged $26,420; 7-day boarding runs between $31,570 and $32,150. This allows a choice for those who live near enough to take advantage of it.
• There are other ways to reduce the cost of military school.
• People who are able to pay the semester’s charges in a lump sum by a given date are often given a discount.
• Military scholarships may be available for students who have excellent grades, excel in certain areas—such as music or sports, or meet other criteria.
• Financial aid for military school may be available for families that qualify.
• Student loans may be available for families that qualify.
• Families with multiple students enrolled in the military school are likely to qualify for a discount.
• Discounts are likely to be available for children of military school employees—both faculty and staff.
• Other military school costs, while less than those, can be substantial, when all added together. They include uniforms, student fees, special class fess, new student enrollment fee or reenrollment fee for continuing students, health insurance, special class fees, and more.
Food for Thought
Before you send a child to military school, consider enrolling him or her into the summer school program. It costs less and provides an opportunity to discover how your student adapts to the environment before investing in the full year payment. If your child does then attend the school during the school year, he or she will have had an opportunity to become familiar with the environment, the people, the atmosphere, and the expectations during the shorter summer session and will be better prepared for the fall semester. If, on the other hand, your child has not found the experience to be a good fit, you have saved yourself from the full-year costs.
