Admissions

Scholarships & Flexible Tuition

Flexible Tuition

We believe an AC education should be accessible to all families. With the support of our generous community, we are able to offer enrollment to students with varying financial circumstances, helping us build a school that reflects the economic diversity of the greater Rochester area. By addressing economic barriers, we strive to cultivate a community where everyone feels a sense of belonging.  
 
Our Flexible Tuition program aims to support your family’s financial circumstances with an individualized review process, keeping your family's unique finances in mind as you partner with AC on your educational journey. More than half of our families participate in our Flexible Tuition program, making an investment in AC possible.
 
Please note that the calculator tool here is simply an estimate of the tuition you could pay using our Flexible Tuition model; actual tuition is determined after completion and review of the Flexible Tuition Application via Clarity.  Transparency is crucial for a successful partnership. As applicants, open communication about your financial circumstances allows us to make informed decisions that benefit both your family and the larger AC community.

Flexible Tuition Application

Don’t wait! Apply now and take the next step toward an AC education. AC is proud to use the Clarity Application to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information that families share in the application which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts.
 
To get started, please go to the Clarity Application and create an account. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The Clarity Application is also mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return at any time. At the end of the application, there is a $60 fee to submit.

If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available through the “Help” button in the bottom left of the screen, as well as email and phone support at support@clarityapp.com or 206-210-3752, in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.
 

Scholarships

Allendale Columbia School offers merit scholarships to new students in Middle and Upper School.

At Allendale Columbia School, we look for talented students with strong character regardless of a family’s ability to pay. Allendale Columbia offers need-based financial aid to curious and high achieving students in pre-kindergarten – grade 12. Allendale Columbia also offers merit scholarships to top incoming students in grades 6 – 12.

Please click on the scholarship links below to learn more.

Merit & Honors Scholarships

List of 6 items.

  • Merit & Honors Scholarship (Grades 6-12)

    Each Merit Scholar will demonstrate academic excellence both through their academic record and standardized test scores while also exhibiting extraordinary character.

    Merit-Based Scholarship Process
    If you would like to be considered for a merit scholarship offered to top applicants applying to Middle or Upper School, please do the following:
    1. Complete the admissions application
    2. Submit one piece of additional work in the form of an essay or a portfolio

    Preference will be given to applicants who have completed their admission file (including one piece of additional work) prior to January 31. After January 31, we will consider applicants on a rolling basis. Interested families may call the Admissions Office (585-641-5344) at any time of the year to inquire about space and scholarships available.

  • Upper School Honors Scholarships (Grades 8-10)

    This partial scholarship is awarded to new students entering Upper School to recognize top applicants for their extraordinary character, demonstrated leadership, and academic excellence. It is renewable until graduation as long as the student remains in good standing.

    Upper School Honors Scholarship Process

    Extraordinary character. Recommendations from teachers, school administrators, and community leaders should reflect the applicant’s superior character. Personal interviews conducted on campus during the admissions process will give the applicant an opportunity to reflect on issues of character.

    Demonstrated leadership. By presenting an outstanding record of participation in and dedication to activities such as school clubs, athletics, fine and performing arts, debate, student government, church or civic activities, applicants have demonstrated their potential to be an outstanding member of the AC community.

    Academic excellence. Successful applicants demonstrate outstanding academic achievement by earning strong grades throughout a challenging middle school curriculum while posting standardized test scores commensurate with their ability.

    To be eligible for this merit scholarship consideration, an applicant must:

  • Middle School Honors Scholarship (Grades 5-7)

    This partial scholarship is awarded to recognize top new students to Allendale Columbia Middle School who have demonstrated remarkable curiosity, a passion for learning, and leadership potential. The award recognizes and supports students during their Middle School years exclusively. Select recipients may have their awards continued through Upper School.

    Middle School Honors Scholarship Process

    To be eligible for this scholarship consideration, an applicant must:

  • S.T.R.E.A.M. Scholarship (Grades 8-10)

    This partial scholarship is awarded to top incoming students entering Upper School who have demonstrated success in a S.T.R.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Research, Engineering, Arts, Math) area and who possess a remarkable passion for studying some or all of the S.T.R.E.A.M. subjects. It is renewable until graduation as long as the student remains in good standing. Preference will be given to students who have demonstrated a commitment to an authentic learning experience that combines multiple disciplines.

    S.T.R.E.A.M. Scholarship Process

    To be eligible for this merit scholarship consideration, an applicant must:

  • Global Leadership Scholarship (International Applicants in Grades 8-10)

    This partial scholarship is awarded to top international applicants entering Upper School who have demonstrated success both within and beyond the classroom and is renewable until graduation as long as the student remains in good standing.

    Global Leadership Scholarship Process

    To be eligible for this merit scholarship consideration, an applicant must:
    • Be a new student applying to Allendale Columbia School;
    • Be currently enrolled in eighth, ninth, or tenth grade;
    • Submit a complete admissions application, including the TOEFL (applicants may also submit scores from the TOEFL Jr. and/or SSAT, but the committee reserves the ability to require the TOEFL);
    • Complete an interview on campus or via Skype; and
    • Submit one piece of additional work in the form of an essay or a portfolio.

  • Scholarship FAQs

    Can I apply for more than one merit scholarship?

    Yes. Students who apply for any of the merit scholarships may be considered for the others.

    What are merit scholarships?

    Merit scholarships are awarded, regardless of financial need, to top incoming students in grades 6 – 12 based on academic excellence, extraordinary character, and demonstrated leadership.

    When are all financial (Flexible Tuition and merit) decisions made?

    Priority decisions are mailed in February for those families who have met the January deadlines. After the first deadline, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. If you plan to apply for Flexible Tuition or a merit scholarship, you should indicate this as early in your admission process as possible. All financial decisions are made only after a student has completed the admission process. Although the processes for admission and financial decisions are separate, we try to include a financial information with your admission decision.

    Please contact our Admissions Office at 585.641.5344 or admissions@allendalecolumbia.org if you have any questions or require additional information.

Named Scholarships

Thanks to generous donations from dedicated members of the Allendale Columbia School community, we have the honor of offering several named scholarships to incoming and returning students.  While such an award confers special recognition and honor, the dollar amount of the grant is based upon family need calculated through the financial aid process.

To choose scholarship recipients, we identify students who meet the given requirements for financial need; this is done during the financial aid application process each year.  Within that group, we seek to recognize and support students who most accurately match the criteria associated with each of named scholarships and who demonstrate exemplary character within and beyond the classroom.

We always have many more applicants than named scholarships available. These named scholarships are not necessarily offered each year; some named scholarship recipients carry the scholarship recognition for one year, others carry it with them each year until they graduate.

Please click on the scholarships below to learn more.

List of 7 items.

  • The Donald R. and Mary W. Clark Family Scholarship

    The Donald R. and Mary W. Clark Family Scholarship was first awarded in Allendale Columbia’s Centennial Year (1990-91). The purpose of the scholarship is to create an opportunity for an Upper School student to experience an Allendale Columbia education. The student selected must demonstrate a desire and ability to take advantage of the broad curricular and extracurricular programs offered and must need financial aid. The financial assistance would continue throughout the student’s Allendale Columbia School career.

  • Alumni Scholarships

    Alumni Scholarships: Four scholarships of $1,000 each are available to students entering grades six through twelve. Special consideration is given to applicants who are relatives of alumni of Allendale School, alumnae of Columbia School, or alumni of Allendale Columbia School.

  • The Elizabeth Trubek Crouse Scholarship

    The Elizabeth Trubek Crouse Scholarship was established to provide tuition assistance to an Allendale Columbia Upper School student who has demonstrated need for financial assistance, who practices good school citizenship, and who applies herself or himself to the academic program.

  • The Robert Adamson and Lois Adamson Shumanski Scholarship

    The Robert Adamson and Lois Adamson Shumanski Scholarship was endowed in 2001 by Dag Adamson ’83 to honor his parents. It is awarded to a Middle School student whose family demonstrates financial need. To be eligible, a student must possess the capacity to benefit from the Allendale Columbia School experience.

  • The Melissa R. Bean '10 Scholarship

    The Melissa R. Bean '10 Scholarship was endowed in 2010 by Ursula Burns and Lloyd Bean, in honor of their daughter. The scholarship will be awarded to a student who demonstrates determination, spirit and commitment, as well as a need for financial assistance.

  • The Grosso Scholarship Fund

    The Grosso Scholarship Fund was endowed in 2013 by Frank Grosso, in memory of his late wife, Diane Holahan Grosso ’52, and in honor of his son Christopher Gibson Grosso ’85. The scholarship will be awarded to a current Upper School student who has demonstrated a commitment to AC and who is also academically qualified and financially deserving.

  • Opportunity Scholar Program

    Opportunity Scholar Program began in 1985 as a result of a gift from the Gleason Family Foundation to support the financial aid program at Allendale Columbia School. The Opportunity Scholar Program seeks to fund high achieving students who demonstrate financial need.
519 Allens Creek Road
Rochester, NY 14618

Phone: 585.381.4560
Email: info@allendalecolumbia.org
At Allendale Columbia, we prepare students for the world they will inherit. In our trusting and responsive environment, students 18 months through grade 12 grow in confidence and develop scholastic independence.
©2021 Allendale Columbia | All Rights Reserved