Affording Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon School is committed to making a transformative education accessible to families from a wide range of economic backgrounds. Financial assistance, available for students entering Kindergarten and above, is awarded solely on the basis of demonstrated need. Each year, approximately 11 percent of our students receive support that helps offset tuition and additional fees. While Mount Vernon does not offer merit-based scholarships for academics, athletics, or the arts, our need-based program ensures that financial circumstances do not stand in the way of a student’s opportunity to thrive.

For consideration for the 2026-27 school year

  • Returning Families: submit all requested forms and applications to Clarity by December 1, 2025.
  • New Families: submit all requested forms and applications to Clarity by March 1, 2026.
  • New for the 2026-27 school year, Clarity is giving families the option to use the Enhanced Tax Verification process to collect tax documents for U.S. taxpayers.
  • At this time, need-based financial assistance is not available for students applying to Mount Vernon School Online.

APPLICATION DETAILS

  • First, apply for admission, which is a separate process from applying for financial assistance. Our admissions application process is need-blind; therefore, the Admissions Committee does not know who is applying for or is in need of financial assistance to attend Mount Vernon.
  • Apply for financial assistance by completing Mount Vernon’s financial assistance application. Mount Vernon partners with Clarity to process financial assistance applications for families. The deadline for this application is March 1, 2026.
    • The Clarity financial assistance application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. It’s mobile-friendly and can be completed from any device.
    • As part of the Clarity application, you will be given instructions about submitting required documents. These documents must be provided directly to Clarity. Do not email or send tax documents to Mount Vernon.
    • At the end of the application, there is a $65 fee to submit. Clarity uses the income and asset information in the financial assistance application to waive the fee, if the family qualifies.
  • Financial assistance decisions are available with admission decisions and will be included on the enrollment contract.

In order to be eligible for financial assistance, you must submit a financial assistance application each year. The deadline is December 1, 2025.

  • Complete a Clarity Application by December 1.
  • As part of the Clarity Application, you will be given instructions about submitting required documents. These documents must be provided directly to Clarity.
  • Notification of financial assistance decisions is made available with enrollment renewal contracts.

In order to be considered, documentation must be provided to explain a change in circumstances (i.e. change of employment, extreme health concerns, etc.). For returning students who are requesting assistance for the first time:

  • Notify the Finance & Accounting Office that you will be applying for financial assistance for the 2026–2027 school year. Please call 470-252-3448 or email [email protected].
  • Complete a Clarity Application by December 1.
  • As part of the Clarity Application, you will be given instructions about submitting required documents. These documents must be provided directly to Clarity.
  • Notification of financial assistance decisions is made available with enrollment renewal contracts.

FAQs

All financial assistance awards are based solely on a family’s demonstrated need, as determined by Mount Vernon’s Financial Assistance Committee, using a methodology that takes into account your family’s financial profile and typical expenses for a family of your size. Specific financial circumstances related to your family can also be a factor in determining whether you qualify for financial assistance.

“Demonstrated need” is the difference between the cost of attending Mount Vernon and the amount a family can afford to pay, as determined by Mount Vernon’s financial assistance evaluation. Mount Vernon requires families to make a minimum investment of $5,000 per student.

Mount Vernon follows the guidelines of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA). As a result, the school does not provide merit-based scholarships to incoming students and instead offers only need-based financial assistance.

Unfortunately, applying for financial assistance does not guarantee receipt of financial assistance. Returning families are prioritized in receipt of financial assistance. Remaining funds are applied to new applicants. Families that apply for admission after the March 1 deadline for new family financial assistance applications will only receive financial assistance on rare occasions.

Each parent, regardless of custodial arrangements, must submit tax documents and an application. Please reach out to the Finance & Accounting Office for the Non-Custodial Parent Waiver form. In cases where applications are completed by non-married parents, information is kept separate and confidential and will never be shared by the School with the other parent.

As financial assistance is based on a family’s ability to pay, we ask each family to reapply for financial assistance each year. The school makes every effort to ensure the level of assistance from year to year does not change if the family’s financial circumstances do not significantly change.

No, financial assistance information is confidential and is not shared. To ensure the best possible experience for all families, recipients are also required to keep financial assistance awards confidential.

None. The admissions committee does not have access to a family’s financial assistance information.

Please direct inquiries to the Finance & Accounting Office by emailing [email protected], or call (404) 252-3448, option 2.