school for nerdy, not super-rich kids?

[Anonymous]

GDS, Field, Burke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was ready to offer some suggestions until I read that OP is “poor” making in the upper $400s. 🙄

Same. OP is almost worst than even richer people because she’s so delusional.

[Anonymous]

You don't say if your child is a boy or girl. If girl, we love Foxcroft - it's a bit far for a day school but it's a great boarding school. While I thought it would be quite conservative, the opposite is true. They are very open to quirky personalities. While she struggled through middle school academically and socially, my daughter is thriving - she loves the stimulation of constant friends (although comes home some weekends for a break), appreciates the small class sizes and extra support and really loves all the different types of people she is becoming friends with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was ready to offer some suggestions until I read that OP is “poor” making in the upper $400s. 🙄

Same. OP is almost worst than even richer people because she’s so delusional.

I give her credit for taking ownership of her perspective. And she is genuinely looking for advice. Between the private school recommendations and the public option schools, she’s getting good advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend by bringing up income. I didn't go to private school (obviously) and I formed that impression of typical class dynamics from a different post on this forum. I'd still value recs for schools with a nerdy, quirky vibe.

There’s your mistake. Don’t form your opinions on much, but particularly class dynamics, from posts on the forum.

At 400k, you will be in the middle 50% of income at every school in the DC area, except *maybe* Madeira and Foxcroft. You wouldn’t even be the “poorest” full pay boarding family in the NE boarding schools. And these schools aren’t status symbol obsessed like this board. It will be the same scene, or maybe slightly improved, as UMC public’s when it comes to material possessions.

Not true at the Big3. We have kids at two of them and we are definitely, 100% in the bottom quartile of income with a HHI of $400K.

So much so that we receive aid. So clearly the schools themselves agree that we are in their lower income bracket. I know that people think that the aid famlies at these school are making $75K a year but no, most of us are making $200-400K.
We are the "poor" (who are not poor by any other standard).

You can be receiving financial aid and still be in the middle 50%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend by bringing up income. I didn't go to private school (obviously) and I formed that impression of typical class dynamics from a different post on this forum. I'd still value recs for schools with a nerdy, quirky vibe.

There’s your mistake. Don’t form your opinions on much, but particularly class dynamics, from posts on the forum.

At 400k, you will be in the middle 50% of income at every school in the DC area, except *maybe* Madeira and Foxcroft. You wouldn’t even be the “poorest” full pay boarding family in the NE boarding schools. And these schools aren’t status symbol obsessed like this board. It will be the same scene, or maybe slightly improved, as UMC public’s when it comes to material possessions.

Not true at the Big3. We have kids at two of them and we are definitely, 100% in the bottom quartile of income with a HHI of $400K.

So much so that we receive aid. So clearly the schools themselves agree that we are in their lower income bracket. I know that people think that the aid famlies at these school are making $75K a year but no, most of us are making $200-400K.
We are the "poor" (who are not poor by any other standard).

You can be receiving financial aid and still be in the middle 50%

Seriously? That’s ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend by bringing up income. I didn't go to private school (obviously) and I formed that impression of typical class dynamics from a different post on this forum. I'd still value recs for schools with a nerdy, quirky vibe.

There’s your mistake. Don’t form your opinions on much, but particularly class dynamics, from posts on the forum.

At 400k, you will be in the middle 50% of income at every school in the DC area, except *maybe* Madeira and Foxcroft. You wouldn’t even be the “poorest” full pay boarding family in the NE boarding schools. And these schools aren’t status symbol obsessed like this board. It will be the same scene, or maybe slightly improved, as UMC public’s when it comes to material possessions.

Not true at the Big3. We have kids at two of them and we are definitely, 100% in the bottom quartile of income with a HHI of $400K.

So much so that we receive aid. So clearly the schools themselves agree that we are in their lower income bracket. I know that people think that the aid famlies at these school are making $75K a year but no, most of us are making $200-400K.
We are the "poor" (who are not poor by any other standard).

You can be receiving financial aid and still be in the middle 50%

Seriously? That’s ridiculous.

Financial aid for the middle 50% is more common now that private/independent school tuition has ballooned. Back in the 90s and early 00s, this was certainly not the case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend by bringing up income. I didn't go to private school (obviously) and I formed that impression of typical class dynamics from a different post on this forum. I'd still value recs for schools with a nerdy, quirky vibe.

There’s your mistake. Don’t form your opinions on much, but particularly class dynamics, from posts on the forum.

At 400k, you will be in the middle 50% of income at every school in the DC area, except *maybe* Madeira and Foxcroft. You wouldn’t even be the “poorest” full pay boarding family in the NE boarding schools. And these schools aren’t status symbol obsessed like this board. It will be the same scene, or maybe slightly improved, as UMC public’s when it comes to material possessions.

Not true at the Big3. We have kids at two of them and we are definitely, 100% in the bottom quartile of income with a HHI of $400K.

So much so that we receive aid. So clearly the schools themselves agree that we are in their lower income bracket. I know that people think that the aid famlies at these school are making $75K a year but no, most of us are making $200-400K.
We are the "poor" (who are not poor by any other standard).

You can be receiving financial aid and still be in the middle 50%

Seriously? That’s ridiculous.

Financial aid for the middle 50% is more common now that private/independent school tuition has ballooned. Back in the 90s and early 00s, this was certainly not the case.

So commonly ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

NP - also in 400k HHI range. We have one child who currently is in fifth grade, and he has applied to private middle schools for next year because our public middle school and high school are not very good. Of course he might not get in, but we've applied pretty widely and hopefully will get in somewhere.

Now I'm starting to second-guess the financial wisdom of spending 50k/year for the next seven years. Our mortgage is about $3,900/month. We currently have been saving about $4,000/month outside of our 401Ks. We have about 170k in liquid savings (only recently started making 400k - had been closer to 250k until two years ago).

Is it crazy for us to spend so much money on private school at our income level? We had decided to do it, but now that we'll only have two weeks to decide for sure, we're getting cold feet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP - also in 400k HHI range. We have one child who currently is in fifth grade, and he has applied to private middle schools for next year because our public middle school and high school are not very good. Of course he might not get in, but we've applied pretty widely and hopefully will get in somewhere.

Now I'm starting to second-guess the financial wisdom of spending 50k/year for the next seven years. Our mortgage is about $3,900/month. We currently have been saving about $4,000/month outside of our 401Ks. We have about 170k in liquid savings (only recently started making 400k - had been closer to 250k until two years ago).

Is it crazy for us to spend so much money on private school at our income level? We had decided to do it, but now that we'll only have two weeks to decide for sure, we're getting cold feet.

Can't answer this without stating your:

1) total retirement savings
2) parents age
3) 529 savings and savings rate
4) prospect for income increases
5) one or two incomes
6) home equity

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP - also in 400k HHI range. We have one child who currently is in fifth grade, and he has applied to private middle schools for next year because our public middle school and high school are not very good. Of course he might not get in, but we've applied pretty widely and hopefully will get in somewhere.

Now I'm starting to second-guess the financial wisdom of spending 50k/year for the next seven years. Our mortgage is about $3,900/month. We currently have been saving about $4,000/month outside of our 401Ks. We have about 170k in liquid savings (only recently started making 400k - had been closer to 250k until two years ago).

Is it crazy for us to spend so much money on private school at our income level? We had decided to do it, but now that we'll only have two weeks to decide for sure, we're getting cold feet.

Can't answer this without stating your:

1) total retirement savings
2) parents age
3) 529 savings and savings rate
4) prospect for income increases
5) one or two incomes
6) home equity

1. $1.6 million in retirement savings plus good defined benefits pension.
2. 46 and 43
3. 75k 529 - no idea what the rate is
4. No potential for big income increases, but very stable jobs
5. two incomes
6. probably about $900k in home equity with $400k left to pay on mortgage -

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP - also in 400k HHI range. We have one child who currently is in fifth grade, and he has applied to private middle schools for next year because our public middle school and high school are not very good. Of course he might not get in, but we've applied pretty widely and hopefully will get in somewhere.

Now I'm starting to second-guess the financial wisdom of spending 50k/year for the next seven years. Our mortgage is about $3,900/month. We currently have been saving about $4,000/month outside of our 401Ks. We have about 170k in liquid savings (only recently started making 400k - had been closer to 250k until two years ago).

Is it crazy for us to spend so much money on private school at our income level? We had decided to do it, but now that we'll only have two weeks to decide for sure, we're getting cold feet.

Can't answer this without stating your:

1) total retirement savings
2) parents age
3) 529 savings and savings rate
4) prospect for income increases
5) one or two incomes
6) home equity

Different Poster but I'm having the same thoughts. We just started making in the 400k range and have always been huge public school proponents but after dealing with DCPAS for a number of years am considering private but keep getting cold feet.

I'll provide this info but please don't eviscerate me. I was raised blue collar and never had money growing up so it's a different feeling for me at least.

1. 1.7 mil retirement and investment bt me and my partner
2. Partner and I are 35 and 40
3. 529 savings 60k for 2 kids
4. 2 incomes - 1 can go up, 1 is about maxxed out
6. About 600k home equity

Also can't decide if private school is "worth it". Also, I'm pretty anti-catholic but the closest school is a Catholic school and so trying to negotiate my feelings about that.

[Anonymous]

Little Langley might be nice? But it is expensive. And yes you might be in the bottom half of income levels, but close to median. And there are plenty of teacher’s kids which keeps things down to earth which I love.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP - also in 400k HHI range. We have one child who currently is in fifth grade, and he has applied to private middle schools for next year because our public middle school and high school are not very good. Of course he might not get in, but we've applied pretty widely and hopefully will get in somewhere.

Now I'm starting to second-guess the financial wisdom of spending 50k/year for the next seven years. Our mortgage is about $3,900/month. We currently have been saving about $4,000/month outside of our 401Ks. We have about 170k in liquid savings (only recently started making 400k - had been closer to 250k until two years ago).

Is it crazy for us to spend so much money on private school at our income level? We had decided to do it, but now that we'll only have two weeks to decide for sure, we're getting cold feet.

Can't answer this without stating your:

1) total retirement savings
2) parents age
3) 529 savings and savings rate
4) prospect for income increases
5) one or two incomes
6) home equity

Different Poster but I'm having the same thoughts. We just started making in the 400k range and have always been huge public school proponents but after dealing with DCPAS for a number of years am considering private but keep getting cold feet.

I'll provide this info but please don't eviscerate me. I was raised blue collar and never had money growing up so it's a different feeling for me at least.

1. 1.7 mil retirement and investment bt me and my partner
2. Partner and I are 35 and 40
3. 529 savings 60k for 2 kids
4. 2 incomes - 1 can go up, 1 is about maxxed out
6. About 600k home equity

Also can't decide if private school is "worth it". Also, I'm pretty anti-catholic but the closest school is a Catholic school and so trying to negotiate my feelings about that.

There are some decent DCPS clusters, if you’re having cold feet and prefer to save more for college and retirement. But if you really dislike DCPS now, but are still very pro public-schooling as a philosophy, then maybe move into a close-in Maryland or Va suburb with good public schools.

[Anonymous]

Little Langley is a great school, but OP will definitely feel being in the bottom of the financial pack. Some of the wealthiest kids I know go there. There are no uniforms, so your kid might feel out of place in terms of wardrobe.

Our kids were at a Catholic K-8, so no help. I've heard good things about Congressional.