Admissions Q&A
Topics:
Tuition, Fees, and Scholarships
Admissions
Transitioning from other schools
Students with Advanced or Special Needs
Tuition, Fees, and Scholarships
Q: What is the annual tuition and when is it due?
A: Tuition is $4,650 per year. This is split into two payments of $2,350 for the Fall and Spring semesters.- Tuition for the Fall semester (beginning in August) is due by April 1 or shortly after your acceptance, whichever is later.
- Tuition of the Spring semester is due by November 1 for the semester beginning the following January.
Q: How can TCS tuition be so low, while still producing graduates who are exceptionally capable and prepared?
A: In the lower grades, parents fill a key role in the education of their children. The TCS hybrid approach uses both on-campus teachers and parents at home. The collaborative approach both reduces tuition and allows students to receive a more personalized education with excellent results.With three of five weekdays at home, the expectation is that TCS tuition could be 60% less than 5-days-per-week schools. But in fact, TCS tuition is closer to 70% less than 5-days-per-week schools.
Why is that? On campus, the reasons for the low TCS tuition can be summarized in two words: focus and simplicity.
1. TCS has chosen to focus on core academics including humanities, math, science, fine arts, and Latin.
- TCS does offer a range of community and culture-building activities to develop a meaningful and memorable education for its students. These activities include the Rome Trip for Juniors, House system, lab days, off-campus Bible Studies, Ultimate Frisbee, Last Drop newspaper, Poetry Slam, Music Night, Parent Nights, graduation celebrations, school performances, and book parties.
However, TCS does not offer every possible activity since these tend to increase cost, add administrative complexity, and reduce focus on core academics. TCS does not offer any of the following: cheerleading, football, a sports stadium, computer labs, school-issued tablets/laptops, summer camps, after-school programs, and buses/transportation.
2. TCS has chosen to simplify and optimize the administration and operations of the school, so that fewer non-instructional staff are required.
- TCS administration strives to work smarter, not harder. By using online tools and written processes, the school is able to operate more efficiently.
Q: Are books included as part of the tuition?
A: No, books must be purchased separately. TCS provides a detailed book list with an ISBN code for each book. Books may be purchased new or used, depending on your preference. TCS provides detailed recommendations on where to buy books, and you are free to choose any bookseller you wish.Q: What is the cost of books?
A: The cost of books varies by grade. Also, some books and resources are purchased once and then used for several years, so the first year cost will be higher than subsequent years. The cost of books can range between $200 and $500 per student. For families with multiple children, some books and resources can be reused with their younger children.Q: Do you offer scholarships?
A: Yes. We offer two types of partial scholarships. The first is for children of full-time ministers serving at local churches and the second is a need-based scholarship. More details are available on the Scholarships page.Q: Do you offer tuition discounts for multiple children from one family?
A: We do not offer automatic tuition discounts for multiple children. The enrollment fee of $500, however, is paid once per year per family, regardless of family size.Admissions
Q: What is the application due date?
A: Since TCS uses rolling admissions, we accept students throughout the year and there is not a single due date for your application. However, some grades reach capacity quickly so it is helpful to apply as early as possible. The earliest that you may submit an application is immediately following the October Information Meeting. Please refer to the Admissions Process page for more details.Q: How early could we be admitted and enrolled?
A: If you apply at the first opportunity following the Information Meeting held in October, and if you subsequently receive an offer of admission, you could enroll as early as December.Q: What happens if we apply but the grade level we're interested in is already full?
A: You may choose to remain in the waiting pool or you may withdraw your application. Your application fee is 100% refundable if you remain in the waiting pool but your family does not receive an offer of admission.Q: What is the difference between a waiting pool and a waiting list?
A: After a grade reaches maximum enrollment, we form a waiting pool for interested families. The word "pool" indicates that within this group of prospective students there is no priority given based on the date of student's application. TCS admissions staff may invite any family in the "waiting pool" to interview without considering the date of the family's original application.Q: How many students are in the waiting pool for my child's grade?
A: Because the number of students in any grade's waiting pool can change rapidly, we do not publish this information online. The Enrollment Status page provides an idea of how full each grade is. Please contact the Admissions Office at [email protected] if you need more specific information related to your family.Q: If we are not admitted due to limited space, will our application remain on file for the next year? Does the waiting pool carry over from one year to the next?
A: No, you must must re-apply for each school year that you wish to be considered for admission.Q: What is the minimum age for admission to PreKindergarten?
A: Your student must turn four years old before September 1 of the year in which he or she would enter PreK.Transitioning from other schools
Q: My child would be coming to TCS from another school which is not Classical. Will he/she be able to fit in academically?
A: Students have successfully transitioned to TCS from diverse backgrounds including private school, public school, and homeschool. Any student who is at or above grade level in their current school should be able to transition successfully to TCS. The first few weeks of our school year includes some review and we also gradually increase the amount of work for the at-home days during the first weeks of the semester. Some memory work such as the English phonograms and the History Timeline begins in the early grades and is repeated each year, so students can learn these items beginning in any grade.Q: My incoming student has never taken Latin before. How will that work at TCS?
A: Our Latin curriculum has an entry point at each grade. The upper grades have multiple levels of Latin for each grade. New students are placed into a Latin course that is suitable for beginners. Every year new students join TCS without a background in Latin, and they are able to fully participate in all aspects of TCS classes.Q: What should I do to prepare my student for TCS?
A: After your student is accepted, we will provide a list of suggested and required summer preparation, including a reading list. We also encourage students to read extensively during the summer months.Q: How would I transition to TCS from homeschool?
A: Homeschool to TCS has been a very smooth transition for many of our families. Your routine for at-home school days may remain similar to what you have done previously. Parents follow the TCS curriculum and students are on campus for two days per week, but since the instruction is at home the other days of the week, many of the other aspects and benefits of homeschooling are completely preserved.Students with Advanced or Special Needs
Q: My child is advanced academically and is reading well-above grade level. Would TCS be a fit for my child?
A: We think so. Many TCS students are reading and achieving above their age-based grade level. TCS meets the needs of advanced students in several ways:- First, because you are homeschooling three days per week, you and your child have ample time for additional learning opportunities at home. Parents can provide additional enrichment materials, books, and resources. Student can participate in lessons, tutorials, clubs, or other activities that supplement or extend the TCS lesson plans. TCS staff are able to provide suggestions for supplemental work at home when needed.
- Second, daily lesson plans often include optional assignments which can serve as the basis for deeper investigation or enrichment for advanced students.
- Third, many TCS school assignments are open-ended and are not limited by a student's grade level. These assignments provide enough challenge that each student can learn from and excel in these assignments without being constrained by his or her grade level. Examples of such assignments include poetry memorization, making in-class presentations, mastery of Latin grammar, supplemental historical and scientific reading, completing science projects (astronomy, earth science, botany, anatomy, chemistry, and physics), and designing history projects (ancient weapons, literary characters, historical role play).