Poor People - Why did you choose private?

[Anonymous]

in most parts of the country, private school IS for kids who can't hack it in public (for whatever reason.) but in the DC/NYC/Boston corridor the answer is more complex - bring in social status, family expectations, and buying into a certain group. A kind of branding, so you can easily identify people who share your financial and philosophical positions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:in most parts of the country, private school IS for kids who can't hack it in public (for whatever reason.) but in the DC/NYC/Boston corridor the answer is more complex - bring in social status, family expectations, and buying into a certain group. A kind of branding, so you can easily identify people who share your financial and philosophical positions.

Kind of like W schools.

[Anonymous]

DS had a nervous breakdown in public K. He's in private now and getting the supports he needs plus tutoring for LD mostly at home. Our plan is to move back to public in 4th where, between additional maturity and treatment for ADHD and anxiety, he should be able to cope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:in most parts of the country, private school IS for kids who can't hack it in public (for whatever reason.) but in the DC/NYC/Boston corridor the answer is more complex - bring in social status, family expectations, and buying into a certain group. A kind of branding, so you can easily identify people who share your financial and philosophical positions.

So why do so many do it with FA? Isn't sidwell almost at 30%?
I doubt private schools give kids with special needs financial aid but I could be wrong.

[Anonymous]

As with so many things, the question of why a poor family would choose private depends on the child.

I've got 4 children, and we've done a mix of private and MCPS (Bethesda). So we're not poor, but I think this advice applies across the board.

The public elementary schools are a good choice for motivated and bright kids. They are also great because your kids make neighborhood friends, which is something we've missed out on for our two kids who did private elementary.

If your child struggles for any reason (academically, socially, behaviorally, etc), I think that there is an advantage to go private, even for the elementary years. It can make a difference for those kids, and can really give them a great environment. (And then, of course, there are some wealthy families, and some very middle class families, who just send their kids to private as a matter of course.)

My daughter has said that the private elementary school she attended was quieter than the public elementary she currently attends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:dyslexia....

(Since somebody asked above)

I would recommend Landon, Bullis and St. Andrews for high functioning dyslexia with Orton Gillingham tutoring, or a cheaper route would be some Catholic schools (with tutoring) not all (StE, Mercy, Heights)

More severe I would look at Sienna and Lab.

OLGCHS, St. Johns and PVI are Catholics schools that are less expensive HS options for dyslexic kids

Thank you!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your child struggles for any reason (academically, socially, behaviorally, etc), I think that there is an advantage to go private, even for the elementary years.

Yes there are private schools for problem children ("I'm sending you to military school if you don't shape up") and there is a whole DC bar to get DCPS to pay for the Lab School. But, I think when most people think of private, they are thinking of the elite schools, not the church basements, segregation academies, or special needs schools. In NY, LA, Chicago, and DC, elite private schools are to good suburban public schools (not including STEM magnets) as Stanford is to Cal State Riverside or Harvard is to UMass. Nothing shoddy about Cal State or UMass (or UVA or College Park), but you can't compare the resources or student body to the Ivies. No child who is "struggling" is getting in to Harvard-Westlake in LA or University of Chicago Lab School or NYC's Horace Mann/Dalton/Collegiate/Trinity. These may not be the best places for strivers to the middle class, but they are pretty awesome if your child seeks to be enter or stay in the elite.

[Anonymous]

Because with good FA, I don't have to pay much. It's not free but you can't beat it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poor as in will have to borrow money and eat beans for dinner.

If you are that poor you would qualify for a full ride.
Why would you not take it if offered?

I am poor by DCUM standards and I got nada from private schools although my kid was admitted. They basically said I needed too much FA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poor as in will have to borrow money and eat beans for dinner.

If you are that poor you would qualify for a full ride.
Why would you not take it if offered?

I am poor by DCUM standards and I got nada from private schools although my kid was admitted. They basically said I needed too much FA.

Sorry, then you are not poor enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poor as in will have to borrow money and eat beans for dinner.

If you are that poor you would qualify for a full ride.
Why would you not take it if offered?

I am poor by DCUM standards and I got nada from private schools although my kid was admitted. They basically said I needed too much FA.

Sorry, then you are not poor enough.

Wrong, they just didn't have the funds to give away, happens more often in the primary years than for high school for instance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poor as in will have to borrow money and eat beans for dinner.

If you are that poor you would qualify for a full ride.
Why would you not take it if offered?

I am poor by DCUM standards and I got nada from private schools although my kid was admitted. They basically said I needed too much FA.

Sorry, then you are not poor enough.

Wrong, they just didn't have the funds to give away, happens more often in the primary years than for high school for instance.

They did say to apply again for HS since they have more aid available then. Our HHI is appr. $75K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poor as in will have to borrow money and eat beans for dinner.

If you are that poor you would qualify for a full ride.
Why would you not take it if offered?

I am poor by DCUM standards and I got nada from private schools although my kid was admitted. They basically said I needed too much FA.

Sorry, then you are not poor enough.

Wrong, they just didn't have the funds to give away, happens more often in the primary years than for high school for instance.

They did say to apply again for HS since they have more aid available then. Our HHI is appr. $75K.

I would really encourage you to reapply if you still believe the private school hype.
In a way I feel they are buying superior grades at that level instead of grooming/ producing it themselves. Think hard if you want your child do be used this way, but for free ride maybe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your child struggles for any reason (academically, socially, behaviorally, etc), I think that there is an advantage to go private, even for the elementary years.

Yes there are private schools for problem children ("I'm sending you to military school if you don't shape up") and there is a whole DC bar to get DCPS to pay for the Lab School. But, I think when most people think of private, they are thinking of the elite schools, not the church basements, segregation academies, or special needs schools. In NY, LA, Chicago, and DC, elite private schools are to good suburban public schools (not including STEM magnets) as Stanford is to Cal State Riverside or Harvard is to UMass. Nothing shoddy about Cal State or UMass (or UVA or College Park), but you can't compare the resources or student body to the Ivies. No child who is "struggling" is getting in to Harvard-Westlake in LA or University of Chicago Lab School or NYC's Horace Mann/Dalton/Collegiate/Trinity. These may not be the best places for strivers to the middle class, but they are pretty awesome if your child seeks to be enter or stay in the elite.

Many SN kids can handle the "elite" work, just not in the public school setting.

They are not "military school" or "basement church" schools.

The question is why would poor people make the sacrifice and the answer is because the kids are not successful in big schools with inattentive staff.

Hate to break it to you dyslexic kids go to Ivy schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poor as in will have to borrow money and eat beans for dinner.

If you are that poor you would qualify for a full ride.
Why would you not take it if offered?

I am poor by DCUM standards and I got nada from private schools although my kid was admitted. They basically said I needed too much FA.

Sorry, then you are not poor enough.

Wrong, they just didn't have the funds to give away, happens more often in the primary years than for high school for instance.

They did say to apply again for HS since they have more aid available then. Our HHI is appr. $75K.

I would really encourage you to reapply if you still believe the private school hype.
In a way I feel they are buying superior grades at that level instead of grooming/ producing it themselves. Think hard if you want your child do be used this way, but for free ride maybe.

Could you explain what you mean? By hype do you mean that the education is the same as public school?