You are delusional if you think elite colleges aren’t taking kids from elite high schools in greater numbers proportionate to their populations. The PP who thinks the top students at West Potomac are equivalent to the top students at STA or Sidwell is highly delusional. Not because the kids aren’t equally intelligent but because they are not given the same challenges. The only public school in the area that provides a similar level of challenge is Thomas Jefferson. Sadly, even TJ’s standards are deteriorating. Kind of like how Fairfax public schools used to be the gold standard for public education in the DMV 20 years ago and now they are at about the same level as Arlington. |
Your observations are based on what? I think you are delusional if you think the top students at solid public schools are not challenged. I actually think it is the top students for whom private school offers little advantage. It's the bright but not stellar students who benefit most from the personal attention (aka coddling) of private school. |
| Man, you guys are in a serious bubble. Most kids nationally — but especially in this area — are in public schools. It’s so expensive here; you think most people have the cash for a private school? |
This exactly. We send our DC to private schools because we believe it is the right fit and choice for them and our family, not because we think it is a hook to a top college. The folks who think that paying for private will buy them access to a T20 school are fools. |
The college admissions results at my children’s Big 3 school says otherwise. No regrets here. 😊 |
My kid was at TJ and doing very well academically. The school didn't offer the environment that would help develop athletically and socially - critical factors for overall success. So if you are looking through a narrow academic lens to justify what you see, sure you can validate your argument. It should be noted that you are missing the nuance of success and the big overarching picture of why private school parents would prefer the whole person development rather than a simple narrow academic one. I can tell it to you but no one can understand it for you. |
I’d love to but I can’t afford it. I easily make $30k more in public school. I take that money and send my kid to private school so it all works out. |
Nope. Quite a few teacher friends I know send their kids to private school. Almost always Catholic schools since they are more affordable. It’s sad that we have to pay for an education I got for free when I was in public schools in the 80s. |
I teach kindergarten and he is in HS. |
| It seems like every week there is a post like this seeking to once again litigate college outcomes for privates vs publics. Then inevitably the private parents get called delusional or snobby for merely saying they send their kids for the superior environment. I suspect these are all started by public school parents looking for validation and to crap on others choices. It’s irritating. I don’t care where you send your kids! If they get into a great college from public, well, good for them. Why can’t people stop judging the choices of other people. It reeks of jealousy, even if that’s not accurate, it’s how these posts come across. |
Nah, we see it every year. The top students at the public schools run circles around the top students at the private schools in the DMV. Fact. |
This coddling notion is not real. |
No you don’t. You’re a public school parent lying on a private school thread. Stop lying, interloper. |
I know facts hurt! |
The public school boosters who troll this forum are unhinged. That is a fact lol. |