So Where ARE all the are the "Normal" families in Private Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're normal, and I must admit, I googled to other parents (well, just the fathers as I am the only working mother in the classroom.) Again, partners, CEO's, the works. Hubby and I are apparently the only two holding menial jobs and struggling to pay tuition. The other parents really don't pay too much attention to us but who cares though, as long as my child is happy.

With all that said, I would like to know that there is another "normal" in our school.

When you decide you want to go to these schools - you have to expect this will be the profile of many, if not most, of the families. These schools are expensive, luxuries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At many of these schools three children would set you back $100K per year after tax. Why would you expect there to be many families with earning the median household income paying such high fees. Most median income earners have other spending priorities. Do you also expect luxury resorts to be full of GS 13s?

Maybe you're missing the point intentionally. But the point is that most families (so-called "normal" families with a "normal" income) cannot afford these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At many of these schools three children would set you back $100K per year after tax. Why would you expect there to be many families with earning the median household income paying such high fees. Most median income earners have other spending priorities. Do you also expect luxury resorts to be full of GS 13s?

Maybe you're missing the point intentionally. But the point is that most families (so-called "normal" families with a "normal" income) cannot afford these schools.

So you are saying that the people who say they are just about getting by to pay the fees may think they are normal but in fact aren't by virtue of being able to pay the fees in the first place - albeit by scrapping by?

[Anonymous]

actually, you would need to make closer to $150,000 a year before taxes (state and fed) to send three children to private school in Washington at an annual tuition now at an average of <$26,000 + additional fees (and the somehwat optional annual fund campaign + auction/bookfair/etc... purchases.)

[Anonymous]

If you define a "normal" family as one having, say, $150,000 in annual income, then almost none can afford the tab for two children in private school. So, isn't that the answer to your question?

[Anonymous]

...and lets face it most families in the Washington private schools make far in excess of $150,00 as they still need to pay mortgages, food, insurance, cars, clothing, etc... at least those that are paying full freight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are so many people on this board that say they are just getting by/struggling to pay for private education for their kids. I had some down time (read bored at work) so I decided to use my DC’s class as a sample to see if there are any families that could be in this situation because it certainly does not look like it to me. Of the 19 families (some with dual working, some with one SAHP), there are 8 partners in large law firms, 9 Presidents/CEOs/Senior VPs at large well known companies, 2 senior world bank/imf employees, 4 physicians/dentists, 1 real estate magnate, 1 movie director, 2 business owners of large well known companies, and us – from what I can tell - the only normal family.

Now I am totally fine with this (I think) but just curious as to where all the other normal families are hiding. By normal I mean, well normal – not filthy rich , not dirt poor, reasonable sized house in okay neighborhood, etc.

I am going to look at our class list - you might be describing our class.........

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At many of these schools three children would set you back $100K per year after tax. Why would you expect there to be many families with earning the median household income paying such high fees. Most median income earners have other spending priorities. Do you also expect luxury resorts to be full of GS 13s?

Maybe you're missing the point intentionally. But the point is that most families (so-called "normal" families with a "normal" income) cannot afford these schools.

I am not missing the point. It just seems such a statement of the obvious that I am wondering why anybody would think it interesting enough to post. Like saying "why are there so few normal players" on a professional basketball court ...

[Anonymous]

At my children's school, between two classes, about 1/3 are comprised of two working parents. A combination of lawyers, journalists, developers, etc. No one strikes me as uber-rich, and yes, this is one of the "big three".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

So you are saying that the people who say they are just about getting by to pay the fees may think they are normal but in fact aren't by virtue of being able to pay the fees in the first place - albeit by scrapping by?

Probably yes.

When my kids start wondering why we don't take the fancy vacations that some other families take, I try to explain that we're still in a really good place financially. Other parents at school tell me they worry about the same thing -- their kids' perspective is a bit distorted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my children's school, between two classes, about 1/3 are comprised of two working parents. A combination of lawyers, journalists, developers, etc. No one strikes me as uber-rich, and yes, this is one of the "big three".

I'd be really curious as to which this is -- if you feel you can say under cover of anonymity.

[Anonymous]

I can come at this from a back-ended angle by looking up and down our street. There are many kids who go to private schools but they don't all go to the same school. Some schools are the so called big three, some are big 10 but have similar price tags and get discussed on here a lot.

Large law firm partner

Large law firm partner

Mid-size law firm partner

Psychologist and non-profit spouse

Inherited $$ (#1) and administration position (#2)

Employee of DC city govt (#1) and "small business owner" / inheritence (#2)

**** a house I don't want to describe bc it will out everyone, but suffice to say unusual circumstances

Journalist + the sciences

Engineer + administrative postiion

Regional business owner

Mid-size law firm partner

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC isn't median. The median income in DC is not $50K. Not sure what it is, but it's a lot higher than that.

As to the OP's question, there is a HUGE disparity between what a CEO earns and a Senior VP. There are also huge disparities in what law firm partners make. Depending on the firm, some kids 5 or so years out of law school (non-partners) make more than junior partners in some other firms.

I thought your class actually sounded pretty normal. We have had classes with more outliers in them than that.

Actually the median income in DC is only $47,000 - http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/histinc/h08a.html

You forgot to factor in all of the poor people.

[Anonymous]

Just out of interest - are there a lot of dads on this thread? The obsession with what families are making; where they are in the pecking order of jobs; what their financial priorities are; etc. sound much more like my DH than me. I never really think about that sort of stuff. I'm more concerned if the other families are nice or not! Just curious ...

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP. It never occurred to me to sit down and google the occupations of the families in my school. So DC. So sad.