What is even the point of private schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:with how it is nearly impossble for kids to get into Ivys unhooked.

with the insane woke brainwashing and the inbedding of politics into the circirulum and the loss of traditional learning

with schools and universities disregarding objective measures like SAT scores, AP test scores.

with top universities graduates having problems paying off their student loans and getting jobs


It all just feels pointless.

Small classes, community, dress code, college like classes with professors many of whom have their doctorates, college-level athletic fields, strong alumni network, the list goes on

Only a limited number of schools have college level athletic fields…assume you are at either STA/NCS or Bullis or Prep (admittedly don’t know what Potomac or Episcopal offer). Prep definitely the best of the ones mentioned above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a better question is, is private school worth $50-60k compared to maybe hiring a tutor for your kid.

And the answer, as any economist who has ever run an optimization problem knows, depends on your budget and what you're looking for (what goes into your "demand" curve).

Do you have a spare $120k for two kids and you won't really notice it's gone? Or does sending your kid to private school mean you're not funding your retirement or their 529 account? If the latter, go public.

Then there's the demand side. Given that we've decided that private school no longer gets your kid into Yale, what else are people looking for in a private school? If it's learning how to capitalize (which is nonsense, so let's say it's learning how to write essays, although publics do teach that too), a tutor can teach your kid that for a fraction of the cost. The answer also depends on non-quantifiable things that go into the demand curve. Like, I have to imagine, getting your kid away from those declasse public school kids so your kid can learn how to shake hands. Or something. What else? Is it in-depth study of the Coming of Age novel (hello NCS) or religion? Can your kid wait until college or do that through your house of worship?

I’ll take your question as an honest inquiry, though your tone suggests you may not be open to any different view.

In my family’s experience private school is a luxury, no different than buying a fancy car when an old Honda would get you to the same places. You have a different experience in the fancy car though, and if you can’t afford it or don’t value that you should absolutely stick with the Honda.

At the beginning of freshman year the college counseling team reached out to my daughter individually to talk through course selection and extracurriculars that would most likely lead her to a college she would enjoy. They have regular individual meetings throughout her four years to walk her through every step of the selection and application process, including mock interviews and multiple essay reviews. Classes are small and teachers are given time during the day to meet with students about anything they need so it’s hard to slip through the cracks or get behind. Recommendation letters are easy to come by.

Sports, clubs, and arts enrichment activities are plentiful and have room for all students who are encouraged to join. They have multiple opportunities for school trips overseas and individual or small group internships while in high school.

There are ridiculous daily indulgences that we laugh about, like the variety of lattes available at the school cafe and the occasional sushi chef that comes to the cafeteria. I don’t think anyone is just paying for the oat milk lattes they enjoy in the gazebo though the campus is beautiful and there are several intentionally inviting indoor and outdoor spots where my daughter will sit for an hour with friends.

All of the things I hear from my neighbors in our local public about assaults, drugs in the bathrooms, overcrowding, unavailable administrators, etc are not part of our experience. Maybe none of that is worth it to you, I think my kids will end up in the same colleges as many of their public school friends. I’m pretty sure they’ve had a different experience in high school getting there and that’s worth the money to me.

So basically a Country Club for the kids of wealthy parents? I hope she has a nice trust fund because I have no idea how your DD will compete in the working world.

My son’s private school does feel a lot like our country club. I would be thrilled if he had the working world / financial success of our average country club member but that seems like an extremely high bar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a better question is, is private school worth $50-60k compared to maybe hiring a tutor for your kid.

And the answer, as any economist who has ever run an optimization problem knows, depends on your budget and what you're looking for (what goes into your "demand" curve).

Do you have a spare $120k for two kids and you won't really notice it's gone? Or does sending your kid to private school mean you're not funding your retirement or their 529 account? If the latter, go public.

Then there's the demand side. Given that we've decided that private school no longer gets your kid into Yale, what else are people looking for in a private school? If it's learning how to capitalize (which is nonsense, so let's say it's learning how to write essays, although publics do teach that too), a tutor can teach your kid that for a fraction of the cost. The answer also depends on non-quantifiable things that go into the demand curve. Like, I have to imagine, getting your kid away from those declasse public school kids so your kid can learn how to shake hands. Or something. What else? Is it in-depth study of the Coming of Age novel (hello NCS) or religion? Can your kid wait until college or do that through your house of worship?

I’ll take your question as an honest inquiry, though your tone suggests you may not be open to any different view.

In my family’s experience private school is a luxury, no different than buying a fancy car when an old Honda would get you to the same places. You have a different experience in the fancy car though, and if you can’t afford it or don’t value that you should absolutely stick with the Honda.

At the beginning of freshman year the college counseling team reached out to my daughter individually to talk through course selection and extracurriculars that would most likely lead her to a college she would enjoy. They have regular individual meetings throughout her four years to walk her through every step of the selection and application process, including mock interviews and multiple essay reviews. Classes are small and teachers are given time during the day to meet with students about anything they need so it’s hard to slip through the cracks or get behind. Recommendation letters are easy to come by.

Sports, clubs, and arts enrichment activities are plentiful and have room for all students who are encouraged to join. They have multiple opportunities for school trips overseas and individual or small group internships while in high school.

There are ridiculous daily indulgences that we laugh about, like the variety of lattes available at the school cafe and the occasional sushi chef that comes to the cafeteria. I don’t think anyone is just paying for the oat milk lattes they enjoy in the gazebo though the campus is beautiful and there are several intentionally inviting indoor and outdoor spots where my daughter will sit for an hour with friends.

All of the things I hear from my neighbors in our local public about assaults, drugs in the bathrooms, overcrowding, unavailable administrators, etc are not part of our experience. Maybe none of that is worth it to you, I think my kids will end up in the same colleges as many of their public school friends. I’m pretty sure they’ve had a different experience in high school getting there and that’s worth the money to me.

So basically a Country Club for the kids of wealthy parents? I hope she has a nice trust fund because I have no idea how your DD will compete in the working world.

Lol. Sick burn. Because we all know kids of private schools never can compete in the real world. I hope you can afford to buy your kid a nice leaf blower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a better question is, is private school worth $50-60k compared to maybe hiring a tutor for your kid.

And the answer, as any economist who has ever run an optimization problem knows, depends on your budget and what you're looking for (what goes into your "demand" curve).

Do you have a spare $120k for two kids and you won't really notice it's gone? Or does sending your kid to private school mean you're not funding your retirement or their 529 account? If the latter, go public.

Then there's the demand side. Given that we've decided that private school no longer gets your kid into Yale, what else are people looking for in a private school? If it's learning how to capitalize (which is nonsense, so let's say it's learning how to write essays, although publics do teach that too), a tutor can teach your kid that for a fraction of the cost. The answer also depends on non-quantifiable things that go into the demand curve. Like, I have to imagine, getting your kid away from those declasse public school kids so your kid can learn how to shake hands. Or something. What else? Is it in-depth study of the Coming of Age novel (hello NCS) or religion? Can your kid wait until college or do that through your house of worship?

I’ll take your question as an honest inquiry, though your tone suggests you may not be open to any different view.

In my family’s experience private school is a luxury, no different than buying a fancy car when an old Honda would get you to the same places. You have a different experience in the fancy car though, and if you can’t afford it or don’t value that you should absolutely stick with the Honda.

At the beginning of freshman year the college counseling team reached out to my daughter individually to talk through course selection and extracurriculars that would most likely lead her to a college she would enjoy. They have regular individual meetings throughout her four years to walk her through every step of the selection and application process, including mock interviews and multiple essay reviews. Classes are small and teachers are given time during the day to meet with students about anything they need so it’s hard to slip through the cracks or get behind. Recommendation letters are easy to come by.

Sports, clubs, and arts enrichment activities are plentiful and have room for all students who are encouraged to join. They have multiple opportunities for school trips overseas and individual or small group internships while in high school.

There are ridiculous daily indulgences that we laugh about, like the variety of lattes available at the school cafe and the occasional sushi chef that comes to the cafeteria. I don’t think anyone is just paying for the oat milk lattes they enjoy in the gazebo though the campus is beautiful and there are several intentionally inviting indoor and outdoor spots where my daughter will sit for an hour with friends.

All of the things I hear from my neighbors in our local public about assaults, drugs in the bathrooms, overcrowding, unavailable administrators, etc are not part of our experience. Maybe none of that is worth it to you, I think my kids will end up in the same colleges as many of their public school friends. I’m pretty sure they’ve had a different experience in high school getting there and that’s worth the money to me.

So basically a Country Club for the kids of wealthy parents? I hope she has a nice trust fund because I have no idea how your DD will compete in the working world.

Lol. Sick burn. Because we all know kids of private schools never can compete in the real world. I hope you can afford to buy your kid a nice leaf blower.

The scholarship kids are crushing it in the real world. Latte McSushi is flushed out within five years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a better question is, is private school worth $50-60k compared to maybe hiring a tutor for your kid.

And the answer, as any economist who has ever run an optimization problem knows, depends on your budget and what you're looking for (what goes into your "demand" curve).

Do you have a spare $120k for two kids and you won't really notice it's gone? Or does sending your kid to private school mean you're not funding your retirement or their 529 account? If the latter, go public.

Then there's the demand side. Given that we've decided that private school no longer gets your kid into Yale, what else are people looking for in a private school? If it's learning how to capitalize (which is nonsense, so let's say it's learning how to write essays, although publics do teach that too), a tutor can teach your kid that for a fraction of the cost. The answer also depends on non-quantifiable things that go into the demand curve. Like, I have to imagine, getting your kid away from those declasse public school kids so your kid can learn how to shake hands. Or something. What else? Is it in-depth study of the Coming of Age novel (hello NCS) or religion? Can your kid wait until college or do that through your house of worship?

I’ll take your question as an honest inquiry, though your tone suggests you may not be open to any different view.

In my family’s experience private school is a luxury, no different than buying a fancy car when an old Honda would get you to the same places. You have a different experience in the fancy car though, and if you can’t afford it or don’t value that you should absolutely stick with the Honda.

At the beginning of freshman year the college counseling team reached out to my daughter individually to talk through course selection and extracurriculars that would most likely lead her to a college she would enjoy. They have regular individual meetings throughout her four years to walk her through every step of the selection and application process, including mock interviews and multiple essay reviews. Classes are small and teachers are given time during the day to meet with students about anything they need so it’s hard to slip through the cracks or get behind. Recommendation letters are easy to come by.

Sports, clubs, and arts enrichment activities are plentiful and have room for all students who are encouraged to join. They have multiple opportunities for school trips overseas and individual or small group internships while in high school.

There are ridiculous daily indulgences that we laugh about, like the variety of lattes available at the school cafe and the occasional sushi chef that comes to the cafeteria. I don’t think anyone is just paying for the oat milk lattes they enjoy in the gazebo though the campus is beautiful and there are several intentionally inviting indoor and outdoor spots where my daughter will sit for an hour with friends.

All of the things I hear from my neighbors in our local public about assaults, drugs in the bathrooms, overcrowding, unavailable administrators, etc are not part of our experience. Maybe none of that is worth it to you, I think my kids will end up in the same colleges as many of their public school friends. I’m pretty sure they’ve had a different experience in high school getting there and that’s worth the money to me.

So basically a Country Club for the kids of wealthy parents? I hope she has a nice trust fund because I have no idea how your DD will compete in the working world.

Lol. Sick burn. Because we all know kids of private schools never can compete in the real world. I hope you can afford to buy your kid a nice leaf blower.

The scholarship kids are crushing it in the real world. Latte McSushi is flushed out within five years.

Sadly this is really not true, there is much less income and class mobility in the US than most people think and those scholarship kids are paying off their loans into their 40s. Connections and specific social skills matter a lot. Having a nice cafe and cafeteria in high school won’t help or hurt anyone in their later college or working life but it does make the high school experience more pleasant than being in a school where you avoid certain spots based on the likelihood of getting assaulted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a better question is, is private school worth $50-60k compared to maybe hiring a tutor for your kid.

And the answer, as any economist who has ever run an optimization problem knows, depends on your budget and what you're looking for (what goes into your "demand" curve).

Do you have a spare $120k for two kids and you won't really notice it's gone? Or does sending your kid to private school mean you're not funding your retirement or their 529 account? If the latter, go public.

Then there's the demand side. Given that we've decided that private school no longer gets your kid into Yale, what else are people looking for in a private school? If it's learning how to capitalize (which is nonsense, so let's say it's learning how to write essays, although publics do teach that too), a tutor can teach your kid that for a fraction of the cost. The answer also depends on non-quantifiable things that go into the demand curve. Like, I have to imagine, getting your kid away from those declasse public school kids so your kid can learn how to shake hands. Or something. What else? Is it in-depth study of the Coming of Age novel (hello NCS) or religion? Can your kid wait until college or do that through your house of worship?

I’ll take your question as an honest inquiry, though your tone suggests you may not be open to any different view.

In my family’s experience private school is a luxury, no different than buying a fancy car when an old Honda would get you to the same places. You have a different experience in the fancy car though, and if you can’t afford it or don’t value that you should absolutely stick with the Honda.

At the beginning of freshman year the college counseling team reached out to my daughter individually to talk through course selection and extracurriculars that would most likely lead her to a college she would enjoy. They have regular individual meetings throughout her four years to walk her through every step of the selection and application process, including mock interviews and multiple essay reviews. Classes are small and teachers are given time during the day to meet with students about anything they need so it’s hard to slip through the cracks or get behind. Recommendation letters are easy to come by.

Sports, clubs, and arts enrichment activities are plentiful and have room for all students who are encouraged to join. They have multiple opportunities for school trips overseas and individual or small group internships while in high school.

There are ridiculous daily indulgences that we laugh about, like the variety of lattes available at the school cafe and the occasional sushi chef that comes to the cafeteria. I don’t think anyone is just paying for the oat milk lattes they enjoy in the gazebo though the campus is beautiful and there are several intentionally inviting indoor and outdoor spots where my daughter will sit for an hour with friends.

All of the things I hear from my neighbors in our local public about assaults, drugs in the bathrooms, overcrowding, unavailable administrators, etc are not part of our experience. Maybe none of that is worth it to you, I think my kids will end up in the same colleges as many of their public school friends. I’m pretty sure they’ve had a different experience in high school getting there and that’s worth the money to me.

So basically a Country Club for the kids of wealthy parents? I hope she has a nice trust fund because I have no idea how your DD will compete in the working world.

Lol. Sick burn. Because we all know kids of private schools never can compete in the real world. I hope you can afford to buy your kid a nice leaf blower.

The scholarship kids are crushing it in the real world. Latte McSushi is flushed out within five years.

You read that whole post and you think the only thing that matters is the food?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:with how it is nearly impossble for kids to get into Ivys unhooked.

with the insane woke brainwashing and the inbedding of politics into the circirulum and the loss of traditional learning

with schools and universities disregarding objective measures like SAT scores, AP test scores.

with top universities graduates having problems paying off their student loans and getting jobs


It all just feels pointless.

Huh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a better question is, is private school worth $50-60k compared to maybe hiring a tutor for your kid.

And the answer, as any economist who has ever run an optimization problem knows, depends on your budget and what you're looking for (what goes into your "demand" curve).

Do you have a spare $120k for two kids and you won't really notice it's gone? Or does sending your kid to private school mean you're not funding your retirement or their 529 account? If the latter, go public.

Then there's the demand side. Given that we've decided that private school no longer gets your kid into Yale, what else are people looking for in a private school? If it's learning how to capitalize (which is nonsense, so let's say it's learning how to write essays, although publics do teach that too), a tutor can teach your kid that for a fraction of the cost. The answer also depends on non-quantifiable things that go into the demand curve. Like, I have to imagine, getting your kid away from those declasse public school kids so your kid can learn how to shake hands. Or something. What else? Is it in-depth study of the Coming of Age novel (hello NCS) or religion? Can your kid wait until college or do that through your house of worship?

I’ll take your question as an honest inquiry, though your tone suggests you may not be open to any different view.

In my family’s experience private school is a luxury, no different than buying a fancy car when an old Honda would get you to the same places. You have a different experience in the fancy car though, and if you can’t afford it or don’t value that you should absolutely stick with the Honda.

At the beginning of freshman year the college counseling team reached out to my daughter individually to talk through course selection and extracurriculars that would most likely lead her to a college she would enjoy. They have regular individual meetings throughout her four years to walk her through every step of the selection and application process, including mock interviews and multiple essay reviews. Classes are small and teachers are given time during the day to meet with students about anything they need so it’s hard to slip through the cracks or get behind. Recommendation letters are easy to come by.

Sports, clubs, and arts enrichment activities are plentiful and have room for all students who are encouraged to join. They have multiple opportunities for school trips overseas and individual or small group internships while in high school.

There are ridiculous daily indulgences that we laugh about, like the variety of lattes available at the school cafe and the occasional sushi chef that comes to the cafeteria. I don’t think anyone is just paying for the oat milk lattes they enjoy in the gazebo though the campus is beautiful and there are several intentionally inviting indoor and outdoor spots where my daughter will sit for an hour with friends.

All of the things I hear from my neighbors in our local public about assaults, drugs in the bathrooms, overcrowding, unavailable administrators, etc are not part of our experience. Maybe none of that is worth it to you, I think my kids will end up in the same colleges as many of their public school friends. I’m pretty sure they’ve had a different experience in high school getting there and that’s worth the money to me.

So basically a Country Club for the kids of wealthy parents? I hope she has a nice trust fund because I have no idea how your DD will compete in the working world.

Lol. Sick burn. Because we all know kids of private schools never can compete in the real world. I hope you can afford to buy your kid a nice leaf blower.

The scholarship kids are crushing it in the real world. Latte McSushi is flushed out within five years.

Sadly this is really not true, there is much less income and class mobility in the US than most people think and those scholarship kids are paying off their loans into their 40s. Connections and specific social skills matter a lot. Having a nice cafe and cafeteria in high school won’t help or hurt anyone in their later college or working life but it does make the high school experience more pleasant than being in a school where you avoid certain spots based on the likelihood of getting assaulted.

It’s not the nice cafeteria, it’s a level of coddling and scaffolding that is woefully out of touch with how the world works. Latte McSushi, who has never had to compete for a spot on high school clubs won’t even be able to join clubs in College.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows but does not want to say it out loud - social cachet.

What "social cachet"? We've been at a so-called Big 3 for years and haven't gained any. Which is fine, because that means nothing to our family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This again

We do private for the small class sizes ( 13-16) and the lack of violence. DD is in MS and doing well. My goal is not for her to get into a top Ivy it’s to enjoy learning and get an education. My friends son at a mcps MS had witnessed 3 fights already and they’ve only at school for 2 weeks.

+1, we are applying to private for HS. Smaller class sizes, an ability to discipline and not tolerate poor behavior. I'm not talking about chair-throwing, I'm talking about basic requirements to sit in your seat, listen to the teacher and do the work. The expectations of the students is above the bare minimum that it is in public.

Our zoned HS has a number of counselors but only one who is officially title the college counselor for 700+ kids. Unless you're top of the top, the average kid is getting little to no attention. "Based on your scores and gpa here's the list of schools you should apply to. Good luck." At the end of the day the academics may or may not be much better than would be available at our supposedly highly rated public, but the overall experience is bound to be a more positive one which counts for a lot.

[Anonymous]

My youngest went to private school for a number of reasons, but the main reason was the small class sizes and their benefits. My youngest is the best writer of my children. The private school stressed the importance of writing well, and the small student load each teacher had made it possible to assign many different types of writing assignments. The best teachers at public school can't do this simply because they don't have the time to grade and make insightful comments for all the students they have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:with how it is nearly impossble for kids to get into Ivys unhooked.

with the insane woke brainwashing and the inbedding of politics into the circirulum and the loss of traditional learning

with schools and universities disregarding objective measures like SAT scores, AP test scores.

with top universities graduates having problems paying off their student loans and getting jobs


It all just feels pointless.

Huh?

what's "huh" about it? Grade inflation is real everywhere, so the only really objective measure nationwide is things like SAT/AP scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This again

We do private for the small class sizes ( 13-16) and the lack of violence. DD is in MS and doing well. My goal is not for her to get into a top Ivy it’s to enjoy learning and get an education. My friends son at a mcps MS had witnessed 3 fights already and they’ve only at school for 2 weeks.

+1, we are applying to private for HS. Smaller class sizes, an ability to discipline and not tolerate poor behavior. I'm not talking about chair-throwing, I'm talking about basic requirements to sit in your seat, listen to the teacher and do the work. The expectations of the students is above the bare minimum that it is in public.

Our zoned HS has a number of counselors but only one who is officially title the college counselor for 700+ kids. Unless you're top of the top, the average kid is getting little to no attention. "Based on your scores and gpa here's the list of schools you should apply to. Good luck." At the end of the day the academics may or may not be much better than would be available at our supposedly highly rated public, but the overall experience is bound to be a more positive one which counts for a lot.

yes, that's what you are buying because public schools cannot not accept a child who cannot sit still in class or who doesn't do their hw.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a better question is, is private school worth $50-60k compared to maybe hiring a tutor for your kid.

And the answer, as any economist who has ever run an optimization problem knows, depends on your budget and what you're looking for (what goes into your "demand" curve).

Do you have a spare $120k for two kids and you won't really notice it's gone? Or does sending your kid to private school mean you're not funding your retirement or their 529 account? If the latter, go public.

Then there's the demand side. Given that we've decided that private school no longer gets your kid into Yale, what else are people looking for in a private school? If it's learning how to capitalize (which is nonsense, so let's say it's learning how to write essays, although publics do teach that too), a tutor can teach your kid that for a fraction of the cost. The answer also depends on non-quantifiable things that go into the demand curve. Like, I have to imagine, getting your kid away from those declasse public school kids so your kid can learn how to shake hands. Or something. What else? Is it in-depth study of the Coming of Age novel (hello NCS) or religion? Can your kid wait until college or do that through your house of worship?

I’ll take your question as an honest inquiry, though your tone suggests you may not be open to any different view.

In my family’s experience private school is a luxury, no different than buying a fancy car when an old Honda would get you to the same places. You have a different experience in the fancy car though, and if you can’t afford it or don’t value that you should absolutely stick with the Honda.

At the beginning of freshman year the college counseling team reached out to my daughter individually to talk through course selection and extracurriculars that would most likely lead her to a college she would enjoy. They have regular individual meetings throughout her four years to walk her through every step of the selection and application process, including mock interviews and multiple essay reviews. Classes are small and teachers are given time during the day to meet with students about anything they need so it’s hard to slip through the cracks or get behind. Recommendation letters are easy to come by.

Sports, clubs, and arts enrichment activities are plentiful and have room for all students who are encouraged to join. They have multiple opportunities for school trips overseas and individual or small group internships while in high school.

There are ridiculous daily indulgences that we laugh about, like the variety of lattes available at the school cafe and the occasional sushi chef that comes to the cafeteria. I don’t think anyone is just paying for the oat milk lattes they enjoy in the gazebo though the campus is beautiful and there are several intentionally inviting indoor and outdoor spots where my daughter will sit for an hour with friends.

All of the things I hear from my neighbors in our local public about assaults, drugs in the bathrooms, overcrowding, unavailable administrators, etc are not part of our experience. Maybe none of that is worth it to you, I think my kids will end up in the same colleges as many of their public school friends. I’m pretty sure they’ve had a different experience in high school getting there and that’s worth the money to me.

So basically a Country Club for the kids of wealthy parents? I hope she has a nice trust fund because I have no idea how your DD will compete in the working world.

Lol. Sick burn. Because we all know kids of private schools never can compete in the real world. I hope you can afford to buy your kid a nice leaf blower.

The scholarship kids are crushing it in the real world. Latte McSushi is flushed out within five years.

Sadly this is really not true, there is much less income and class mobility in the US than most people think and those scholarship kids are paying off their loans into their 40s. Connections and specific social skills matter a lot. Having a nice cafe and cafeteria in high school won’t help or hurt anyone in their later college or working life but it does make the high school experience more pleasant than being in a school where you avoid certain spots based on the likelihood of getting assaulted.

It’s not the nice cafeteria, it’s a level of coddling and scaffolding that is woefully out of touch with how the world works. Latte McSushi, who has never had to compete for a spot on high school clubs won’t even be able to join clubs in College.

It’s pretty hard to take your arguments seriously when you’ve named a group of students Latte McSushi, but I will say that lots of evidence from the experiences of our school alums shows that they do very well in clubs and academics in college. Of course there are outliers from any group but these kids are likely to do very well in life. It is such a nice story to tell about how the plucky underprivileged come out ahead but decades of social and economic research say otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This again

We do private for the small class sizes ( 13-16) and the lack of violence. DD is in MS and doing well. My goal is not for her to get into a top Ivy it’s to enjoy learning and get an education. My friends son at a mcps MS had witnessed 3 fights already and they’ve only at school for 2 weeks.

+1, we are applying to private for HS. Smaller class sizes, an ability to discipline and not tolerate poor behavior. I'm not talking about chair-throwing, I'm talking about basic requirements to sit in your seat, listen to the teacher and do the work. The expectations of the students is above the bare minimum that it is in public.

Our zoned HS has a number of counselors but only one who is officially title the college counselor for 700+ kids. Unless you're top of the top, the average kid is getting little to no attention. "Based on your scores and gpa here's the list of schools you should apply to. Good luck." At the end of the day the academics may or may not be much better than would be available at our supposedly highly rated public, but the overall experience is bound to be a more positive one which counts for a lot.

yes, that's what you are buying because public schools cannot not accept a child who cannot sit still in class or who doesn't do their hw.

Public schools accept everyone, private schools don’t take disruptive kids and they are pretty insistent about homework.