Sidwell tuition increase

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dispelling several myths perpetrated on this forum:

5. The majority of FA dollars go to families making more than $100k, with a significant portion going to families with incomes above $200k.
6. The majority of FA dollars go to residents of the suburban counties and not the district itself.

Ok. So Here is the problem and solution. The school should decrease FA to this group who making more than $100k/$200k, and admit more students who can full pay, thus decrease the need to increase tuition to current families. Hardly to see how could those above 100k / 200k families ( since it is a Large portion) all bring something unique to the school. Those students who were merely missed the admission “standard” but can full pay willl succeed at Sidwell, and likely will be more successful than those $100k/$200k FA recipients.

Thus increasing the barbell of matriculation. That doesn't make any sense. You would either need to be very wealthy or very poor thus further isolating the middle class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New building doesn't affect tuition. It's funded by donors to the capital campaign, not through tuition. If anything, it can help keep ongoing annual costs in check, because newer buildings requires less ongoing maintenance than older buildings, and there may well be some cost efficiencies from a consolidated campus.

Some on here seem determined to believe that this decision is an injustice being deliberately perpetrated against them or people like them. It really isn't.

Yes, I keep telling DH we can save money by building a new addition onto our home.

I don't really care at the end of the day. I don't like the message sent to the kids -- because it is the message -- that any amount on their "education" is OK. Responsible stewardship and allocation of resources -- well, excuse me but I don't think that is the message here.

Actually the parallel would be, it is better to build a new house than to try to maintain this 200 year old house. Please, let's use proper equivalences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dispelling several myths perpetrated on this forum:

5. The majority of FA dollars go to families making more than $100k, with a significant portion going to families with incomes above $200k.
6. The majority of FA dollars go to residents of the suburban counties and not the district itself.

Ok. So Here is the problem and solution. The school should decrease FA to this group who making more than $100k/$200k, and admit more students who can full pay, thus decrease the need to increase tuition to current families. Hardly to see how could those above 100k / 200k families ( since it is a Large portion) all bring something unique to the school. Those students who were merely missed the admission “standard” but can full pay willl succeed at Sidwell, and likely will be more successful than those $100k/$200k FA recipients.

Ha! I love this! Let schools with strong educational reputations just serve the wealthy. Screw that long tradition of merit as a factor. Let's just go back to the days of finishing schools and gentleman's c's. If your parents were not craven enough to be Big Law partners, then you can accept mediocrity in all things.

No one is suggesting no FA. The suggestion is to cut FA budget. For example, Decreasing the FA budget from 7 million to 5.5 million will almost eliminate all need to increase the 3.75% increase. Besides, what is your evidence that students on FA will receive less Cs than students who merely missed the admission “standard” (which is subjective to a certain degree) but can full pay?

So you are suggesting some number of kids be forced out because their families cannot afford the gap?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:one of my kids is in 10th grade at SFS, been there since 3rd grade.

My husband read this thread and he bought up this idea to me last night. We have three more kids that are currently in 6th, 4th and 3rd grade. Instead of spending 125k/year to send them to SFS, why not keep them in Fairfax County Public School (e.g. Churchill ES, Cooper MS and Langley HS)? We can use that 125k to hire the best private tutor in all subjects. I mean literary pay someone to come to our house and help them with their school work. That is a much better ROI in the long run, right?

suggestions?

My child is at at k-8 school in DC (3rd) and we are paying additional money for tutors. So are 4 classmates and I see this is all of the lower grades. We are leaving btw. The school does a terrible job at differentiating and we are in one of the so called "progressive schools".

Why not use 80K and hire a teacher to homeschool. Use the other 45K for raises and extra-curriculars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:one of my kids is in 10th grade at SFS, been there since 3rd grade.

My husband read this thread and he bought up this idea to me last night. We have three more kids that are currently in 6th, 4th and 3rd grade. Instead of spending 125k/year to send them to SFS, why not keep them in Fairfax County Public School (e.g. Churchill ES, Cooper MS and Langley HS)? We can use that 125k to hire the best private tutor in all subjects. I mean literary pay someone to come to our house and help them with their school work. That is a much better ROI in the long run, right?

suggestions?

My child is at at k-8 school in DC (3rd) and we are paying additional money for tutors. So are 4 classmates and I see this is all of the lower grades. We are leaving btw. The school does a terrible job at differentiating and we are in one of the so called "progressive schools".

Why not use 80K and hire a teacher to homeschool. Use the other 45K for raises and extra-curriculars.

Because there is a benefit to learning in a classroom with others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dispelling several myths perpetrated on this forum:

5. The majority of FA dollars go to families making more than $100k, with a significant portion going to families with incomes above $200k.
6. The majority of FA dollars go to residents of the suburban counties and not the district itself.

Ok. So Here is the problem and solution. The school should decrease FA to this group who making more than $100k/$200k, and admit more students who can full pay, thus decrease the need to increase tuition to current families. Hardly to see how could those above 100k / 200k families ( since it is a Large portion) all bring something unique to the school. Those students who were merely missed the admission “standard” but can full pay willl succeed at Sidwell, and likely will be more successful than those $100k/$200k FA recipients.

Ha! I love this! Let schools with strong educational reputations just serve the wealthy. Screw that long tradition of merit as a factor. Let's just go back to the days of finishing schools and gentleman's c's. If your parents were not craven enough to be Big Law partners, then you can accept mediocrity in all things.

No one is suggesting no FA. The suggestion is to cut FA budget. For example, Decreasing the FA budget from 7 million to 5.5 million will almost eliminate all need to increase the 3.75% increase. Besides, what is your evidence that students on FA will receive less Cs than students who merely missed the admission “standard” (which is subjective to a certain degree) but can full pay?

So you are suggesting some number of kids be forced out because their families cannot afford the gap?

So you are suggesting some number of full-pay kids be forced because their families can no longer afford the full tuition?

Clearly, nobody meant either of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have not read the entire thread but some pages. Quite a few PP said something like "can't afford then leave". As a Sidwell parent, I feel this type of expression is harmful to the Sidwell community. When we selected Sidwell over other schools several years ago, one of the important factors was the welcome feeling at Sidwell.

Our oldest entered SFS just as the building frenzy was ramping up. Our youngest is now a senior. Over that decade and a half the school culture has changed significantly and not for the better. The vibe is more ostentatious and smug. We're glad to be getting out now.

Thanks, Obama.

To some extent, yes, I agree, this had an impact, though you can't blame the Obamas so much as all the wannabes who were influenced to send their kids to SFS and the admissions staff for accepting them. That aside, however, there's certainly been an uptick in the number of families who can make big gifts to the (forever and endless) capital campaign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dispelling several myths perpetrated on this forum:

5. The majority of FA dollars go to families making more than $100k, with a significant portion going to families with incomes above $200k.
6. The majority of FA dollars go to residents of the suburban counties and not the district itself.

Ok. So Here is the problem and solution. The school should decrease FA to this group who making more than $100k/$200k, and admit more students who can full pay, thus decrease the need to increase tuition to current families. Hardly to see how could those above 100k / 200k families ( since it is a Large portion) all bring something unique to the school. Those students who were merely missed the admission “standard” but can full pay willl succeed at Sidwell, and likely will be more successful than those $100k/$200k FA recipients.

Ha! I love this! Let schools with strong educational reputations just serve the wealthy. Screw that long tradition of merit as a factor. Let's just go back to the days of finishing schools and gentleman's c's. If your parents were not craven enough to be Big Law partners, then you can accept mediocrity in all things.

No one is suggesting no FA. The suggestion is to cut FA budget. For example, Decreasing the FA budget from 7 million to 5.5 million will almost eliminate all need to increase the 3.75% increase. Besides, what is your evidence that students on FA will receive less Cs than students who merely missed the admission “standard” (which is subjective to a certain degree) but can full pay?

So you are suggesting some number of kids be forced out because their families cannot afford the gap?

So you are suggesting some number of full-pay kids be forced because their families can no longer afford the full tuition?

Clearly, nobody meant either of them.

Then talk to the FA office and see if you can get the gap covered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dispelling several myths perpetrated on this forum:

5. The majority of FA dollars go to families making more than $100k, with a significant portion going to families with incomes above $200k.
6. The majority of FA dollars go to residents of the suburban counties and not the district itself.

Ok. So Here is the problem and solution. The school should decrease FA to this group who making more than $100k/$200k, and admit more students who can full pay, thus decrease the need to increase tuition to current families. Hardly to see how could those above 100k / 200k families ( since it is a Large portion) all bring something unique to the school. Those students who were merely missed the admission “standard” but can full pay willl succeed at Sidwell, and likely will be more successful than those $100k/$200k FA recipients.

Ha! I love this! Let schools with strong educational reputations just serve the wealthy. Screw that long tradition of merit as a factor. Let's just go back to the days of finishing schools and gentleman's c's. If your parents were not craven enough to be Big Law partners, then you can accept mediocrity in all things.

And this is what Sidwell has become. I’m actually ashamed to be a Sidwell alum reading comments like these. And grateful my children went elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dispelling several myths perpetrated on this forum:

5. The majority of FA dollars go to families making more than $100k, with a significant portion going to families with incomes above $200k.
6. The majority of FA dollars go to residents of the suburban counties and not the district itself.

Ok. So Here is the problem and solution. The school should decrease FA to this group who making more than $100k/$200k, and admit more students who can full pay, thus decrease the need to increase tuition to current families. Hardly to see how could those above 100k / 200k families ( since it is a Large portion) all bring something unique to the school. Those students who were merely missed the admission “standard” but can full pay willl succeed at Sidwell, and likely will be more successful than those $100k/$200k FA recipients.

Ha! I love this! Let schools with strong educational reputations just serve the wealthy. Screw that long tradition of merit as a factor. Let's just go back to the days of finishing schools and gentleman's c's. If your parents were not craven enough to be Big Law partners, then you can accept mediocrity in all things.

And this is what Sidwell has become. I’m actually ashamed to be a Sidwell alum reading comments like these. And grateful my children went elsewhere.

Please. The drama here is so over the top. Not being able to afford Sidwell does not mean a life sentence of mediocrity. For goodness sake. And ashamed?? Silly. Sidwell has always been exclusive, even in your day. And it is currently doing a lot of great stuff with a pretty diverse group of kids. Not perfect but nothing is!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dispelling several myths perpetrated on this forum:

5. The majority of FA dollars go to families making more than $100k, with a significant portion going to families with incomes above $200k.
6. The majority of FA dollars go to residents of the suburban counties and not the district itself.

Ok. So Here is the problem and solution. The school should decrease FA to this group who making more than $100k/$200k, and admit more students who can full pay, thus decrease the need to increase tuition to current families. Hardly to see how could those above 100k / 200k families ( since it is a Large portion) all bring something unique to the school. Those students who were merely missed the admission “standard” but can full pay willl succeed at Sidwell, and likely will be more successful than those $100k/$200k FA recipients.

Ha! I love this! Let schools with strong educational reputations just serve the wealthy. Screw that long tradition of merit as a factor. Let's just go back to the days of finishing schools and gentleman's c's. If your parents were not craven enough to be Big Law partners, then you can accept mediocrity in all things.

And this is what Sidwell has become. I’m actually ashamed to be a Sidwell alum reading comments like these. And grateful my children went elsewhere.

Please. The drama here is so over the top. Not being able to afford Sidwell does not mean a life sentence of mediocrity. For goodness sake. And ashamed?? Silly. Sidwell has always been exclusive, even in your day. And it is currently doing a lot of great stuff with a pretty diverse group of kids. Not perfect but nothing is!

Right, but some of the parents posting here are representative of the evolving culture. Suggestions to cut FA so that they don’t have to pay what is a very modest tuition increase?

[Anonymous]

Yes other families may step in. But over time the low morale of the families will catch up with sidwell. You will see it in diminishing donations and word of mouth recs to others.

F the board indeed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dispelling several myths perpetrated on this forum:

5. The majority of FA dollars go to families making more than $100k, with a significant portion going to families with incomes above $200k.
6. The majority of FA dollars go to residents of the suburban counties and not the district itself.

Ok. So Here is the problem and solution. The school should decrease FA to this group who making more than $100k/$200k, and admit more students who can full pay, thus decrease the need to increase tuition to current families. Hardly to see how could those above 100k / 200k families ( since it is a Large portion) all bring something unique to the school. Those students who were merely missed the admission “standard” but can full pay willl succeed at Sidwell, and likely will be more successful than those $100k/$200k FA recipients.

Ha! I love this! Let schools with strong educational reputations just serve the wealthy. Screw that long tradition of merit as a factor. Let's just go back to the days of finishing schools and gentleman's c's. If your parents were not craven enough to be Big Law partners, then you can accept mediocrity in all things.

And this is what Sidwell has become. I’m actually ashamed to be a Sidwell alum reading comments like these. And grateful my children went elsewhere.

I am pretty confident that the PP was being sarcastic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dispelling several myths perpetrated on this forum:

5. The majority of FA dollars go to families making more than $100k, with a significant portion going to families with incomes above $200k.
6. The majority of FA dollars go to residents of the suburban counties and not the district itself.

Ok. So Here is the problem and solution. The school should decrease FA to this group who making more than $100k/$200k, and admit more students who can full pay, thus decrease the need to increase tuition to current families. Hardly to see how could those above 100k / 200k families ( since it is a Large portion) all bring something unique to the school. Those students who were merely missed the admission “standard” but can full pay willl succeed at Sidwell, and likely will be more successful than those $100k/$200k FA recipients.

Ha! I love this! Let schools with strong educational reputations just serve the wealthy. Screw that long tradition of merit as a factor. Let's just go back to the days of finishing schools and gentleman's c's. If your parents were not craven enough to be Big Law partners, then you can accept mediocrity in all things.

And this is what Sidwell has become. I’m actually ashamed to be a Sidwell alum reading comments like these. And grateful my children went elsewhere.

Please. The drama here is so over the top. Not being able to afford Sidwell does not mean a life sentence of mediocrity. For goodness sake. And ashamed?? Silly. Sidwell has always been exclusive, even in your day. And it is currently doing a lot of great stuff with a pretty diverse group of kids. Not perfect but nothing is!

Right, but some of the parents posting here are representative of the evolving culture. Suggestions to cut FA so that they don’t have to pay what is a very modest tuition increase?

One cannot be sure of who is a troll and who is legit. It is an anonymous forum.

[Anonymous]

These posts here makes me think that Sidwell doesn't love its middle class families and neither does the rest of the parent body.