Financial Aid
VIMS will be using the School and Student Service for Financial Aid of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) to help assess a family’s eligibility for up to 50% tuition reduction. This service will help families feel confident that their request for financial aid is being treated objectively and professionally.

New Primary Students - For the 2007-2008 school year, VIMS is offering financial aid to new Primary students, ages 2 1/2 - 5.

Qualification criteria:

• Parents pledge to be active in school and PTA-sponsored activities
• Submit Parent Financial Statement (PFS) and $22.00 application fee

Current Students - Our school also has a financial aid program to assist current families.

Qualification criteria:

• Satisfactory evaluation of child’s Montessori experience
• Parents active in school and PTA-sponsored activities
• Submit Parent Financial Statement (PFS) and $22.00 application fee

The NAIS financial aid service will review the PFS and recommend the amount the family can contribute. The VIMS Financial Aid Committee will determine a formula to meet these documented needs. Parents are invited to give additional information if they feel that there is still financial hardship.

Financial aid is offered on a yearly basis. The Parent Financial Statement needs to be submitted each year that financial aid is requested.

Parent Financial Statement forms are available in the Administration Office, or at https://sss.ets.org/pfsHome.do

Merit Scholarships
For the 2007-2008 school year, VIMS is offering merit scholarships to its Middle Years Programme (7th – 10th grade). These are for up to 50% tuition and are available to new and returning students.

To be eligible, all students must take either the Middle Level (7th-8th grade) or Upper Level (9th-10th grade) Independent School’s Entrance Exam (ISEE) from the Educational Records Bureau (ERB). Students must pre-register in the VIMS Administration Office to receive the Student Study Guide and Application. The completed application and $75.00 fee must be submitted prior to taking the test.

Contact the Administration Office for the next ISEE testing date and registration instructions.

Students who have already taken the ISEE test within the past six months may submit their test results in lieu of retaking the test.

In addition, new students need to complete and submit:

• VIMS Enrollment form and $25.00 nonrefundable Application Fee
• Middle Years Programme Questionnaire
• Copies of school transcript
• Parent Character Analysis
• Three Teacher Character Analysis’ (Math, English, and one of choice)
• Copy of graded essay from a current academic course
• 250-word (approximate) essay written by student on one of these topics:

1. Describe an experience that has had an important effect on your life and explain why.
2. Describe a person you admire and explain why.
3. What is the most important piece of advice you have ever received and what role does it play in your life?
• Short letter written by student on why he/she wants to be part of the VIMS Middle Years Programme.
• School visit and interview

The awarding of Merit Scholarships will be determined by the Scholarship Committee, comprised of:

• School administrator
• One Middle Years Programme teacher
• One Upper Elementary teacher
• One non-parent

ISEE Test
VIMS is offering the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE), a three-hour admission test for entrance into grades 7 – 10. With many of the items written by independent school faculty under the guidance of Educational Testing Service, the test will have two levels: a Middle Level for students currently in grades 6 - 7 who are candidates for admission to grades 7 - 8, and an Upper Level for students in grades 8 - 9 who are candidates for admission to grades 9 - 10.

The ISEE consists of carefully constructed and standardized verbal and quantitative reasoning tests that measure a student's capability for learning, and reading comprehension and mathematics achievement tests that provide specific information about an individual's strengths and weaknesses in those areas. All levels include a timed essay written in response to an assigned topic. The essay is not scored, but a copy is forwarded to the recipient schools along with the Individual Student Report, which shows scaled scores, percentiles, and stanines.

Students are encouraged to prepare for taking the test by reading the ISEE Student Guide thoroughly. The Guide answers many of the frequently asked questions about the ISEE and provides a few sample questions to familiarize the student with the test format. This book is free and is available in the VIMS Administration Office or in the online Student Guide format at www.erbtest.org

Students may also order “What to Expect on the ISEE” for $15.00. This book provides half length practice tests for middle and upper levels and an extensive number of practice questions for all three levels. It is available only through the ISEE Operations Office at 1-800- 446-0320.

The ISEE may only be taken once within a six-month period, and it must be taken for admission to a school, not as a practice test.