What Would You Do - Strong Public Middle or Average Private?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Public..shouldn't even be a thought. The peer group is extremely important. They help push each other to their best.

This. Plus you don't want your kid to get comfortable and have a false sense of security. If they are going to a competitive high school, the other kids will be better prepared, used to academic peer groups/competition and it'll take him a minute to get his sea legs. I would bounce and chalk it up as an experience that didn't work out. I also agree with not testing out another private middle school if your goal is public high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are at private school that has excellent instructors; however the kids are not motivated and it is highly unlikely that the class make up will change so this is the hand we are dealt. My kid could sleep through a test and still yield better scores than his classmates - I am not bragging on my kid - I am actually surprised that this is the case - but for my kid and one or two other kids, most of the class literally doesn’t try or care. We are zoned for an excellent middle school where we can get both - strong academics, academic peer group and a culture where learning/being smart is not considered uncool. We know the info about the public middle is accurate because we have lots of friends there since kid was formerly in public elementary school. Trying another private is not an option because we like our local public high school and plan to go there so don’t want to hop to another private middle only to end up back at the public high school. Would you stay for the excellent instruction alone or move to the public middle?

Hate to burst your bubble, but my kids 'strong public middle school' is the same. They had a stronger elementary school in terms of homework and expectations. I find even in great school districts like ours---middle school is usually the weak point.

I sent my kids to a strong private HS and it is definitely more academically sound than our 'strong public HS' which is now ridiculously over-crowded.

You may be right but why pay for this experience? Also at least in public middle, there will be a good number of kids who do care. At this private it seems like there are barely any which would be pretty disappointing for a kid who seeks this.

[Anonymous]

Make the change now. In addition to other reasons mentioned, keep in mind that there may some u expected bumps in transitioning from private to public. Better to get those out of the way before high school, especially since it does t sound like there is a compelling reason to stay put.

[Anonymous]

*unexpected bumps, that should have said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are at private school that has excellent instructors; however the kids are not motivated and it is highly unlikely that the class make up will change so this is the hand we are dealt. My kid could sleep through a test and still yield better scores than his classmates - I am not bragging on my kid - I am actually surprised that this is the case - but for my kid and one or two other kids, most of the class literally doesn’t try or care. We are zoned for an excellent middle school where we can get both - strong academics, academic peer group and a culture where learning/being smart is not considered uncool. We know the info about the public middle is accurate because we have lots of friends there since kid was formerly in public elementary school. Trying another private is not an option because we like our local public high school and plan to go there so don’t want to hop to another private middle only to end up back at the public high school. Would you stay for the excellent instruction alone or move to the public middle?

Strong vs average? Choose strong.

Wrong, you are only looking at one factor and not the big picture.

[Anonymous]

On the whole, there has been a shift in the quality of the education pre- and post pandemic at our strong McLean public MS. Counselors are saying the kids are struggling with more academic, social and emotional issues. If your kid is in AAP or Honors they will have a more motivated cohort, but don't privates differentiate by MS? In my opinion, the early years in private are the weakest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On the whole, there has been a shift in the quality of the education pre- and post pandemic at our strong McLean public MS. Counselors are saying the kids are struggling with more academic, social and emotional issues. If your kid is in AAP or Honors they will have a more motivated cohort, but don't privates differentiate by MS? In my opinion, the early years in private are the weakest.

The issues are present in both public and private.

[Anonymous]

? Not sure why you sent your kid to private in the first place. Switch to public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:? Not sure why you sent your kid to private in the first place. Switch to public.

We switched because of COVID and had heard that this school had a rigorous curriculum, great environment, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:? Not sure why you sent your kid to private in the first place. Switch to public.

We switched because of COVID and had heard that this school had a rigorous curriculum, great environment, etc.

Obsession with “rigorous environment” and classmates’ grades in elementary school… you and your kid definitely belong in public. Please go back tout de suite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:? Not sure why you sent your kid to private in the first place. Switch to public.

We switched because of COVID and had heard that this school had a rigorous curriculum, great environment, etc.

Turns out it wasn’t true. Most private schools aren’t worth the tuition. Go back to public which is better than your current private. Why is this even a question?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:? Not sure why you sent your kid to private in the first place. Switch to public.

We switched because of COVID and had heard that this school had a rigorous curriculum, great environment, etc.

Turns out it wasn’t true. Most private schools aren’t worth the tuition. Go back to public which is better than your current private. Why is this even a question?

That’s what we experienced although we chose private right before covid. Returning to public after giving private a chance to redeem itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:? Not sure why you sent your kid to private in the first place. Switch to public.

We switched because of COVID and had heard that this school had a rigorous curriculum, great environment, etc.

Turns out it wasn’t true. Most private schools aren’t worth the tuition. Go back to public which is better than your current private. Why is this even a question?

That’s what we experienced although we chose private right before covid. Returning to public after giving private a chance to redeem itself.

Why does private need to redeem? Just go to the better school. If it costs 0, so much the better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:? Not sure why you sent your kid to private in the first place. Switch to public.

We switched because of COVID and had heard that this school had a rigorous curriculum, great environment, etc.

Turns out it wasn’t true. Most private schools aren’t worth the tuition. Go back to public which is better than your current private. Why is this even a question?

That’s what we experienced although we chose private right before covid. Returning to public after giving private a chance to redeem itself.

Why does private need to redeem? Just go to the better school. If it costs 0, so much the better.

It needs to redeem itself because it costs dummy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:? Not sure why you sent your kid to private in the first place. Switch to public.

We switched because of COVID and had heard that this school had a rigorous curriculum, great environment, etc.

Turns out it wasn’t true. Most private schools aren’t worth the tuition. Go back to public which is better than your current private. Why is this even a question?

That’s what we experienced although we chose private right before covid. Returning to public after giving private a chance to redeem itself.

Why does private need to redeem? Just go to the better school. If it costs 0, so much the better.

It needs to redeem itself because it costs dummy.

I think those that picked privates right before COVID never got a chance to see the "real" version of the school so many then gave it an extra year since last year with COVID, wasn't a true representation of the school.