I live in a great public school district but my wife wants to explore St Albans for my son...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course you should look at private school. The connections alone will hive your child a huge advantage in life.

Connections to his classmates' parents, perhaps.

I'm thinking that's why she wants your son to go to one of those schools b/c I can't think of any good reason to commute from McLean to either school, esp. when you have a perfectly good high school.

[Anonymous]

Not that I can afford it but if I could I think I would be in your position. Why spend that money when you have a perfectly good public school. However, I would keep an open mind especially since you can afford it. At least go observe/check it out to see what all the fuss is about. Talk to a few parents, etc. Then have a discussion with your wife.

[Anonymous]

Only if you are prepared to move into DC or a Chevy Chase. It's socially tough to live in McLean and go to sta.

[Anonymous]

Try the morning commute to these schools for a couple of days and see if it is ok for you

[Anonymous]

I would probably save the money for college. I graduated from an FCPS high school and was as prepared for a top Ivy (HYP) as most of the private school kids, and my school wasn't as good as McLean.

I might make an exception if my kid was an athlete; contrary to what others have suggested, the sports programs at some privates are more competitive and get greater attention from recruiters than their public school counterparts. Marshall lost their top basketball player, a rising junior, to Georgetown Prep this year in part because he thought playing there would raise his profile.

[Anonymous]

What are her reasons? Does she think the education is better? If so, ask to sit in on classes and see what you think. Does she prefer the class size? Is your son too distracted by girls? Do you think he would be more confident in an all boy environment?

St. Albans is an excellent school. As a product of private school myself I would say one "con" is you are surrounded by really wealthy kids and you can get a warped perspective. Yes, McLean is a wealthy area, but you have more of a range of incomes and lifestyles than you see at private school. I remember feeling sorry for myself because mom and dad didn't buy me a car or get me the coolest whatever. I got over that doing volunteer work.

[Anonymous]

Yeah my niece goes to a fancy private school and she thinks she's underprivileged because she has to share a bathroom with her siblings.

[Anonymous]

That's like deciding between a Chevy and a Mercedes. Both are cars and both ultimately will get you where you want to go. It's a question of whether you think all the extras are worth the cost. Personally I do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's like deciding between a Chevy and a Mercedes. Both are cars and both ultimately will get you where you want to go. It's a question of whether you think all the extras are worth the cost. Personally I do.

A Fairfax school is NOT a Chevy Nova, please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's like deciding between a Chevy and a Mercedes. Both are cars and both ultimately will get you where you want to go. It's a question of whether you think all the extras are worth the cost. Personally I do.

I agree. And compared to StA or Prep. McLean is a Chevy Nova. Go look and reserve judgement until after you've toured several schools. I attended a "top" public then a private. There was I comparison as to which was the richer experience & to this day, I remain grateful to my parents for sending me to th private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's like deciding between a Chevy and a Mercedes. Both are cars and both ultimately will get you where you want to go. It's a question of whether you think all the extras are worth the cost. Personally I do.

I agree. And compared to StA or Prep. McLean is a Chevy Nova. Go look and reserve judgement until after you've toured several schools. I attended a "top" public then a private. There was I comparison as to which was the richer experience & to this day, I remain grateful to my parents for sending me to th private.

Exact same experience here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's like deciding between a Chevy and a Mercedes. Both are cars and both ultimately will get you where you want to go. It's a question of whether you think all the extras are worth the cost. Personally I do.

OP, the question is, do you want to send your child to a school where people think that the public high school in McLean is a Chevrolet and St. Albans is a Mercedes worth an extra $40,000 per year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's like deciding between a Chevy and a Mercedes. Both are cars and both ultimately will get you where you want to go. It's a question of whether you think all the extras are worth the cost. Personally I do.

OP, the question is, do you want to send your child to a school where people think that the public high school in McLean is a Chevrolet and St. Albans is a Mercedes worth an extra $40,000 per year?

[Anonymous]

Coming from public to a top private as a kid, I had no idea how much better it would be. Faculty with PhDs, class trips abroad, class sizes of 12 kids, our senior prom featured a band with a major hit at the time, etc. All this meant we felt like we were part of something big and could achieve great things. And most of us have. For me it was a total life changer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's like deciding between a Chevy and a Mercedes. Both are cars and both ultimately will get you where you want to go. It's a question of whether you think all the extras are worth the cost. Personally I do.

OP, the question is, do you want to send your child to a school where people think that the public high school in McLean is a Chevrolet and St. Albans is a Mercedes worth an extra $40,000 per year?

+1. PP who graduated from a FCPS HS and has since gone on to multiple Ivies and a career surrounded by mostly wealthy people. I would never trade the chance to have been around a more diverse group of people at the public HS in my teens.

I'm sure OP's kid will do fine either way. If he ends up at St. A's, he'll still find out later that there are situations where public school kids kick his butt, just like Ivy grads find out where graduates of lesser known (and, gasp, public) institutions are concerned.