Smart Aid, Real Impact: Peddie’s Success with SSS

When families consider private school education, they’re not just weighing academic rigor or college acceptances—they’re making one of the most personal, emotional, and financially significant decisions of their lives.

The Peddie School in New Jersey understands this on a deep level.

With a commitment to both academic excellence and access for all, this prestigious boarding and day school awarded $11.2 million in financial assistance in 2025 alone. For families who qualify, that’s an average of $50,000 per student—a powerful testament to Peddie’s mission of inclusivity and opportunity.

But making financial aid more equitable, efficient, and trustworthy doesn’t happen by chance. It takes leadership, the right tools, and a methodology that puts families first.

Here’s how The Peddie School, with the help of School and Student Services (SSS) and NAIS methodology, is rewriting the playbook for financial aid—and what your school can learn from their success.

Takeaway #1: A Process Rooted in Empathy and Integrity Builds Trust

Peter Park, Director of Financial Aid and Associate Director of Admissions at Peddie—and a proud 2007 alumnus—knows the power of financial aid on a personal level. As the child of Korean immigrants, Park’s own path to Peddie was made possible by financial support. Today, he channels that lived experience into every conversation with prospective families.

“My family may not have had much to show on paper,” Park explains, “but we still needed to trust the process.”

That’s why Peddie’s use of SSS, backed by the NAIS Financial Aid Methodology, is so essential. It’s not just about crunching numbers—it’s about creating a circle of trust that welcomes families into the fold with care, clarity, and confidentiality. From Park’s perspective, SSS provides transparency and peace of mind to families during one of their most vulnerable decisions.

For schools that want to strengthen family relationships and reinforce their values of equity and access, building trust into the financial aid process isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Takeaway #2: Smart Technology Makes Financial Aid Simpler—for Schools and Families

Let’s be honest: The financial aid process is often a headache for everyone involved. Paperwork, data entry, back-and-forth emails—it’s time-consuming and stressful.

That’s where the recent integration of SSS with TaxStatus takes financial aid to the next level. This technology allows schools to access verified IRS tax data in real time, eliminating the need for families to upload complex financial documents and cutting down administrative processing time.

For schools like Peddie, this means:

• Faster award decisions
• Fewer manual errors
• Greater confidence in each financial profile

And for families? It’s one less thing to worry about during an already overwhelming process.

Park sees this innovation as part of a broader vision to make financial aid accessible and human-centered: “Every family enters this process with both an emotional and financial commitment,” he says. “Using the SSS/NAIS methodology creates a more thoughtful and inclusive approach to financial aid.”

Ready to Rethink Financial Aid at Your School?

If your school is looking to improve its financial aid process, increase equity, and better support your community, The Peddie School’s journey is full of insight.

To read how The Peddie School strengthened family trust, streamlined award decisions, and ensured equitable access to education—download the full case study now.

Let Peddie’s story inspire your next step toward a more inclusive, data-informed, and compassionate financial aid experience.