Admission and Affordability

Affording Crossroads

At Crossroads, our values center on equity and justice, sustaining a diverse student body, and providing access to a transformative educational experience at an affordable cost.
Crossroads provides an environment where curiosity is cultivated, dismantling systems of oppression is encouraged, and civic engagement is expected. We strive to be a community of intention, embracing collective responsibility for solving collective problems. By making our school affordable, we ensure that Crossroads is accessible to students who will use their education to create a more just and equitable society.

Our Affordability Program—formerly known as Financial Aid—is a partnership between families and Crossroads to remove financial barriers and determine the right cost for families from a multitude of backgrounds and circumstances.

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  • Average Grant = 69% of Tuition

  • 25% of Our Families Participate in Our Affordability Program

Affording Crossroads

Misconceptions About Affordability

  • All local private/independent schools will offer the same award amounts.

    Schools have different tuition costs, budgets and policies when offering affordability awards.

  • There are too many hidden costs outside the cost of tuition.

    Crossroads works diligently to bundle most expenses into the cost of tuition: You can find a detailed breakdown here. Our Affordability Program also has an Inclusion Aid program that helps cover the cost of textbooks, laptops, school transportation, and after-school care.

  • We cannot afford to pay for 13 years of education.

    The average family who receives Affordability Awards starting in kindergarten would receive around $320,000 during their child’s Crossroads journey. As long as there are no increases in your income and the family is in good standing, you can expect to receive a similar award every year that you apply.

  • We feel like we make too much money to qualify.

    This is a big misconception! Most families are surprised by the amount they qualify for. Crossroads works with each family to understand their unique financial situation and make a Crossroads education possible for accepted students.

  • We will have to pay the School back.

    Our Affordability Award is not a loan, but rather a discount off the cost of tuition that does not need to be paid back.
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Affording Crossroads

How to Explore the Affordability Program

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  • Family Conversations

    We encourage you to begin this process by discussing how your family values education and how this aligns with your educational goals for your child.
     

  • Establishing Your Priorities

    Once you understand Crossroads’ Affordability policies and process, we encourage you to create budget scenarios at different levels and discuss any lifestyle adjustments you might need to make to afford Crossroads.

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  • Complete the Clarity Affordability Application

    Each family is required to complete an affordability application and upload required documents to the portal. Please also schedule a time to meet with our Director of Affordability. To assist you with the process, Clarity provides a Family Application Guide (English / Spanish) as well as a Quick Reference Guide (English / Spanish).

    We’ve also put together this Steps and Deadlines guide for you.

  • Exploring Affordability

    Attend one of our online Affordability Info Sessions.  See the Upcoming Events section below for details.

Affording Crossroads

What Families Pay

Affording Crossroads

Events About Affordability
We know that understanding the cost of an independent school education and navigating the Affordability Program can feel overwhelming. To support families, Crossroads offers a variety of events. Some are hosted by our school and focus on helping you understand our approach to affordability, while others are webinars led by Clarity, the platform we use for Affordability Award applications. Clarity’s sessions walk you step by step through filling out the application itself, while our events are designed to answer your questions about Crossroads’ policies and process. Together, these opportunities are meant to provide clarity, transparency and confidence as you explore affording Crossroads.

You are welcome to register for any of the events listed here.

Clarity-Hosted Webinars

Crossroads-Hosted Webinars

Affordability Program

FAQs

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  • Do I have to reapply each year for the Affordability Program?

    Yes. Each student’s need is recalculated annually. Therefore, parents/guardians are required to complete the application and upload the required documentation each year. 

  • Does Crossroads help with costs outside of tuition?

    Our Inclusion Aid program helps cover the cost of books, laptops, transportation, after-school programs, and other school-related expenses.

  • How does the School make a determination of an affordability award?

    The School considers many factors when evaluating an application. The data provided through the application drives a methodology to compute a family’s ability to pay for educational expenses for all children. The computation takes into account family size, cost of living, income and assets. Crossroads combines this information with our School policies, along with family conversations, to make assessments of a family’s ability to pay. All of our decisions are done through the Affordability Committee.

  • Is the Affordability Program a loan?

    Our Affordability Program is not a loan, it is a reduction of the educational cost.

  • What does “total family philosophy” mean?

    Crossroads expects to have a cooperative and communicative relationship with all parents or guardians of each of our students and requires the active participation of a student’s entire family in funding this educational opportunity.

    The School recognizes, in rare cases, there may be an unusual circumstance that makes it difficult to obtain certain information. In this case, Crossroads will ask the applying parent to provide information and the School will make every effort to make contact with both biological and/or custodial parents and all responsible family members.

  • What is the average Affordability Award?

    Our average Affordability Award is approximately $36,500, around 69% of the cost of tuition.

  • What is the average income of families applying for the Affordability Program?

    The average income of families applying for the Affordability Program is $165,000.

Admission and Affordability

Contact Us

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  • We are here to answer any of your questions. Please don't hesitate to reach out.


    310-582-4441
    Email

Elementary School

Norton Campus
1715 Olympic Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: 310-828-1196

Middle & Upper School

21st Street Campus
1714 21st Street
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: 310-829-7391

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