Thoughts on families with expensive houses and cars who send kids to public school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

I think with colleges it's also a very different situation: after our private kids go to MIT, Calitech, Berkeley, Duke, Cornell. Many top kids have SAT around 1500 which opens up doors into these colleges. Even when families send their kids to a state school, kids perform way better while in college. Some skip whole first year in college and already have google CS certifications at age 19; others study on top of their class and are in general very career oriented. It gets into your blood during all these years in private that education, career is what you focus in younger age. All families are similarly professionally oriented. I do agree that kids are less socially connected but it works for me that my child is not partying and goes home to study after school robotically. Better than drugs[/quote

Way to raise a nerd ]

And he is happy and proud to be a nurd, doesn't care about "popularity", has Instagram or tweets. Calls it all BS and "noise"

He’s a loser

Not according to his state championships medals on display in his bedroom. Just a very serious guy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

Sorry, that does not make you a better parent

I would disagree. Parents willing to sacrifice to provide their kids better experiences are indeed better parents.

It's not about "willing to sacrifice." Is it really a "better" experience to be in a little bubble of privilege for your formative years? I don't think that's clear at all.

It's not a bubble of privilege, it's an elite-college like learning experience while on a safe campus with similarly minded HS students. If you never experienced it, you can't really judge. People want to be in a certain environment, have smaller classes, have extra time to meet with teachers discuss their science assignments, have involved college advisors, meetings with corporate leaders describing their achievements, travel abroad and exchange experience.
It is indeed a huge difference and knowing it I would be very frustrated not to allow my child experience that, when I can afford it

Did you know that you can find all of those things in a public HS? I have one who graduated from an elite private school and one in a magnet program. The magnet program ticks all of those boxes (probably more than the elite private school), plus has my kid taking more classes, with more advanced STEM options, and an internship experience on top of it. The private school was good for the kid in its own way, but the public magnet is no slouch at preparing a kid to be successful in college.

I do realize it but I still doubt specifically for DC that a local magnet school would be better than an advanced class in a private school where my child is. We were accepted by couple Virginia magnet schools but didnt want to move there. It would be a very long commute from DC for both parents and early morning wake ups/late arrival from school leaving little time do to a typical 4-5 hour long HW assignments. My child is higher level than AP (will be able to skip his freshman's year in college as he already would have taken these course in his HS program)

Weird flex. Its fairly common at our run of the mill non-special public HS for students to start college with enough AP credit to be considered a sophomore.

It's not fairly common for public schools and also depends which college.

Whelp don’t know what to tell you. My kids go to a public school that most people on this board would never send their kids to and there are plenty of kids with 8 AP classes over the course of their HS experience which would make them technically a college sophomore. It’s available and an option to kids academically capable. Just off the top of my head kids can take AP in the following:


Calc AB
Calc BC
Stats
World history
US history
Government
World geography
Bio
Chem
Physics
French
Spanish
Latin
German
Literature

I’m sure I’m missing some…

Of course I agree all these are available but the environment wouldn't be conducive of learning: larger classes, teachers have less time to support through a number of AP classes, fighting, partying or very sexually active classmates. All families with daughters enrolled in public schools have issues with girls de-facto living with boyfriends (not at parents' home) in HS. These are McLean High, WW, Poolsville schools which are not bad at all. Kids just don't want and don't take these courses because it;s not "popular" that's it

“All families with daughters enrolled in public school” most definitely DO NOT have these issues. WTH are you talking about. I’m sure some do, as I’m sure some private kids do. But you apparently know nothing about public school if you think this.

I corrected myself - not all, but many. And I know many families from such "top rated" public schools from my child's sport team. More partying, drugs and sex talk for sure about schools' experiences

I'm still stuck on the part where you think there is no drinking, drugs, sex, and unsupervised teens in private school. You're kidding, right?

In ours (NW DC quadrant) it's zero. All who parties were informally and very insistently squeezed out by upper middle school and transferred elsewhere

This might be the funniest thing I've read today. I believe you that your child isn't doing those things, but I guarantee they are happening, even at your oh-so-special private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

Sorry, that does not make you a better parent

I would disagree. Parents willing to sacrifice to provide their kids better experiences are indeed better parents.

It's not about "willing to sacrifice." Is it really a "better" experience to be in a little bubble of privilege for your formative years? I don't think that's clear at all.

It's not a bubble of privilege, it's an elite-college like learning experience while on a safe campus with similarly minded HS students. If you never experienced it, you can't really judge. People want to be in a certain environment, have smaller classes, have extra time to meet with teachers discuss their science assignments, have involved college advisors, meetings with corporate leaders describing their achievements, travel abroad and exchange experience.
It is indeed a huge difference and knowing it I would be very frustrated not to allow my child experience that, when I can afford it

Did you know that you can find all of those things in a public HS? I have one who graduated from an elite private school and one in a magnet program. The magnet program ticks all of those boxes (probably more than the elite private school), plus has my kid taking more classes, with more advanced STEM options, and an internship experience on top of it. The private school was good for the kid in its own way, but the public magnet is no slouch at preparing a kid to be successful in college.

I do realize it but I still doubt specifically for DC that a local magnet school would be better than an advanced class in a private school where my child is. We were accepted by couple Virginia magnet schools but didnt want to move there. It would be a very long commute from DC for both parents and early morning wake ups/late arrival from school leaving little time do to a typical 4-5 hour long HW assignments. My child is higher level than AP (will be able to skip his freshman's year in college as he already would have taken these course in his HS program)

Weird flex. Its fairly common at our run of the mill non-special public HS for students to start college with enough AP credit to be considered a sophomore.

It's not fairly common for public schools and also depends which college.

Whelp don’t know what to tell you. My kids go to a public school that most people on this board would never send their kids to and there are plenty of kids with 8 AP classes over the course of their HS experience which would make them technically a college sophomore. It’s available and an option to kids academically capable. Just off the top of my head kids can take AP in the following:


Calc AB
Calc BC
Stats
World history
US history
Government
World geography
Bio
Chem
Physics
French
Spanish
Latin
German
Literature

I’m sure I’m missing some…

Of course I agree all these are available but the environment wouldn't be conducive of learning: larger classes, teachers have less time to support through a number of AP classes, fighting, partying or very sexually active classmates. All families with daughters enrolled in public schools have issues with girls de-facto living with boyfriends (not at parents' home) in HS. These are McLean High, WW, Poolsville schools which are not bad at all. Kids just don't want and don't take these courses because it;s not "popular" that's it

“All families with daughters enrolled in public school” most definitely DO NOT have these issues. WTH are you talking about. I’m sure some do, as I’m sure some private kids do. But you apparently know nothing about public school if you think this.

I corrected myself - not all, but many. And I know many families from such "top rated" public schools from my child's sport team. More partying, drugs and sex talk for sure about schools' experiences

I'm still stuck on the part where you think there is no drinking, drugs, sex, and unsupervised teens in private school. You're kidding, right?

In ours (NW DC quadrant) it's zero. All who parties were informally and very insistently squeezed out by upper middle school and transferred elsewhere

This might be the funniest thing I've read today. I believe you that your child isn't doing those things, but I guarantee they are happening, even at your oh-so-special private school.

Nope, kids who party couldn't keep up and were asked to repeat grades. I know from families in question. Kids were moved to more "sports oriented" private schools in the area or to public for HS to get better grades

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

Sorry, that does not make you a better parent

I would disagree. Parents willing to sacrifice to provide their kids better experiences are indeed better parents.

It's not about "willing to sacrifice." Is it really a "better" experience to be in a little bubble of privilege for your formative years? I don't think that's clear at all.

It's not a bubble of privilege, it's an elite-college like learning experience while on a safe campus with similarly minded HS students. If you never experienced it, you can't really judge. People want to be in a certain environment, have smaller classes, have extra time to meet with teachers discuss their science assignments, have involved college advisors, meetings with corporate leaders describing their achievements, travel abroad and exchange experience.
It is indeed a huge difference and knowing it I would be very frustrated not to allow my child experience that, when I can afford it

Did you know that you can find all of those things in a public HS? I have one who graduated from an elite private school and one in a magnet program. The magnet program ticks all of those boxes (probably more than the elite private school), plus has my kid taking more classes, with more advanced STEM options, and an internship experience on top of it. The private school was good for the kid in its own way, but the public magnet is no slouch at preparing a kid to be successful in college.

I do realize it but I still doubt specifically for DC that a local magnet school would be better than an advanced class in a private school where my child is. We were accepted by couple Virginia magnet schools but didnt want to move there. It would be a very long commute from DC for both parents and early morning wake ups/late arrival from school leaving little time do to a typical 4-5 hour long HW assignments. My child is higher level than AP (will be able to skip his freshman's year in college as he already would have taken these course in his HS program)

Weird flex. Its fairly common at our run of the mill non-special public HS for students to start college with enough AP credit to be considered a sophomore.

It's not fairly common for public schools and also depends which college.

Whelp don’t know what to tell you. My kids go to a public school that most people on this board would never send their kids to and there are plenty of kids with 8 AP classes over the course of their HS experience which would make them technically a college sophomore. It’s available and an option to kids academically capable. Just off the top of my head kids can take AP in the following:


Calc AB
Calc BC
Stats
World history
US history
Government
World geography
Bio
Chem
Physics
French
Spanish
Latin
German
Literature

I’m sure I’m missing some…

Of course I agree all these are available but the environment wouldn't be conducive of learning: larger classes, teachers have less time to support through a number of AP classes, fighting, partying or very sexually active classmates. All families with daughters enrolled in public schools have issues with girls de-facto living with boyfriends (not at parents' home) in HS. These are McLean High, WW, Poolsville schools which are not bad at all. Kids just don't want and don't take these courses because it;s not "popular" that's it

“All families with daughters enrolled in public school” most definitely DO NOT have these issues. WTH are you talking about. I’m sure some do, as I’m sure some private kids do. But you apparently know nothing about public school if you think this.

I corrected myself - not all, but many. And I know many families from such "top rated" public schools from my child's sport team. More partying, drugs and sex talk for sure about schools' experiences

I'm still stuck on the part where you think there is no drinking, drugs, sex, and unsupervised teens in private school. You're kidding, right?

In ours (NW DC quadrant) it's zero. All who parties were informally and very insistently squeezed out by upper middle school and transferred elsewhere

This might be the funniest thing I've read today. I believe you that your child isn't doing those things, but I guarantee they are happening, even at your oh-so-special private school.

Nope, kids who party couldn't keep up and were asked to repeat grades. I know from families in question. Kids were moved to more "sports oriented" private schools in the area or to public for HS to get better grades

To clarify - kids were not kicked out. They were given very poor report cards with recommendation to repeat the current grade if they fell behind due to partying or other reasons. Families didn't want to pay extra $50K for another year and moved kids to less demanding programs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The point is that even if your car cost $30k and your colleague's cost $80k, that's a $50k delta, which is basically 1 year of private school, maybe 1.5, for one kid. If your colleague has more than one kid, they could drive an $800 beater and it would still cost more than the Tesla to put multiple kids through one year of private school.

For families with multiple kids, it's rare that lifestyle changes like downgrading a house or buying cheaper cars would come anywhere close to equating to the annual cost of private school tuition.

This is just a metaphor. Of course, there are other things I do to prioritise education for my DC.
I’m just saying that everyone makes their own choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

I think with colleges it's also a very different situation: after our private kids go to MIT, Calitech, Berkeley, Duke, Cornell. Many top kids have SAT around 1500 which opens up doors into these colleges. Even when families send their kids to a state school, kids perform way better while in college. Some skip whole first year in college and already have google CS certifications at age 19; others study on top of their class and are in general very career oriented. It gets into your blood during all these years in private that education, career is what you focus in younger age. All families are similarly professionally oriented. I do agree that kids are less socially connected but it works for me that my child is not partying and goes home to study after school robotically. Better than drugs[/quote

Way to raise a nerd ]

And he is happy and proud to be a nurd, doesn't care about "popularity", has Instagram or tweets. Calls it all BS and "noise"

He’s a loser

Not according to his state championships medals on display in his bedroom. Just a very serious guy

In.what? Underwater basket weaving

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

I think with colleges it's also a very different situation: after our private kids go to MIT, Calitech, Berkeley, Duke, Cornell. Many top kids have SAT around 1500 which opens up doors into these colleges. Even when families send their kids to a state school, kids perform way better while in college. Some skip whole first year in college and already have google CS certifications at age 19; others study on top of their class and are in general very career oriented. It gets into your blood during all these years in private that education, career is what you focus in younger age. All families are similarly professionally oriented. I do agree that kids are less socially connected but it works for me that my child is not partying and goes home to study after school robotically. Better than drugs[/quote

Way to raise a nerd ]

And he is happy and proud to be a nurd, doesn't care about "popularity", has Instagram or tweets. Calls it all BS and "noise"

He’s a loser

Not according to his state championships medals on display in his bedroom. Just a very serious guy

In.what? Underwater basket weaving

I am not obliged to provide information on my child's sport and whereabouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

Sorry, that does not make you a better parent

I would disagree. Parents willing to sacrifice to provide their kids better experiences are indeed better parents.

It's not about "willing to sacrifice." Is it really a "better" experience to be in a little bubble of privilege for your formative years? I don't think that's clear at all.

It's not a bubble of privilege, it's an elite-college like learning experience while on a safe campus with similarly minded HS students. If you never experienced it, you can't really judge. People want to be in a certain environment, have smaller classes, have extra time to meet with teachers discuss their science assignments, have involved college advisors, meetings with corporate leaders describing their achievements, travel abroad and exchange experience.
It is indeed a huge difference and knowing it I would be very frustrated not to allow my child experience that, when I can afford it

Did you know that you can find all of those things in a public HS? I have one who graduated from an elite private school and one in a magnet program. The magnet program ticks all of those boxes (probably more than the elite private school), plus has my kid taking more classes, with more advanced STEM options, and an internship experience on top of it. The private school was good for the kid in its own way, but the public magnet is no slouch at preparing a kid to be successful in college.

I do realize it but I still doubt specifically for DC that a local magnet school would be better than an advanced class in a private school where my child is. We were accepted by couple Virginia magnet schools but didnt want to move there. It would be a very long commute from DC for both parents and early morning wake ups/late arrival from school leaving little time do to a typical 4-5 hour long HW assignments. My child is higher level than AP (will be able to skip his freshman's year in college as he already would have taken these course in his HS program)

Weird flex. Its fairly common at our run of the mill non-special public HS for students to start college with enough AP credit to be considered a sophomore.

It's not fairly common for public schools and also depends which college.

Whelp don’t know what to tell you. My kids go to a public school that most people on this board would never send their kids to and there are plenty of kids with 8 AP classes over the course of their HS experience which would make them technically a college sophomore. It’s available and an option to kids academically capable. Just off the top of my head kids can take AP in the following:


Calc AB
Calc BC
Stats
World history
US history
Government
World geography
Bio
Chem
Physics
French
Spanish
Latin
German
Literature

I’m sure I’m missing some…

Of course I agree all these are available but the environment wouldn't be conducive of learning: larger classes, teachers have less time to support through a number of AP classes, fighting, partying or very sexually active classmates. All families with daughters enrolled in public schools have issues with girls de-facto living with boyfriends (not at parents' home) in HS. These are McLean High, WW, Poolsville schools which are not bad at all. Kids just don't want and don't take these courses because it;s not "popular" that's it

“All families with daughters enrolled in public school” most definitely DO NOT have these issues. WTH are you talking about. I’m sure some do, as I’m sure some private kids do. But you apparently know nothing about public school if you think this.

I corrected myself - not all, but many. And I know many families from such "top rated" public schools from my child's sport team. More partying, drugs and sex talk for sure about schools' experiences

I'm still stuck on the part where you think there is no drinking, drugs, sex, and unsupervised teens in private school. You're kidding, right?

In ours (NW DC quadrant) it's zero. All who parties were informally and very insistently squeezed out by upper middle school and transferred elsewhere

This might be the funniest thing I've read today. I believe you that your child isn't doing those things, but I guarantee they are happening, even at your oh-so-special private school.

Nope, kids who party couldn't keep up and were asked to repeat grades. I know from families in question. Kids were moved to more "sports oriented" private schools in the area or to public for HS to get better grades

You are delusional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

I think with colleges it's also a very different situation: after our private kids go to MIT, Calitech, Berkeley, Duke, Cornell. Many top kids have SAT around 1500 which opens up doors into these colleges. Even when families send their kids to a state school, kids perform way better while in college. Some skip whole first year in college and already have google CS certifications at age 19; others study on top of their class and are in general very career oriented. It gets into your blood during all these years in private that education, career is what you focus in younger age. All families are similarly professionally oriented. I do agree that kids are less socially connected but it works for me that my child is not partying and goes home to study after school robotically. Better than drugs[/quote

Way to raise a nerd ]

And he is happy and proud to be a nurd, doesn't care about "popularity", has Instagram or tweets. Calls it all BS and "noise"

He’s a loser

Not according to his state championships medals on display in his bedroom. Just a very serious guy

In.what? Underwater basket weaving

I am not obliged to provide information on my child's sport and whereabouts.

Yes you are clown

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

Sorry, that does not make you a better parent

I would disagree. Parents willing to sacrifice to provide their kids better experiences are indeed better parents.

It's not about "willing to sacrifice." Is it really a "better" experience to be in a little bubble of privilege for your formative years? I don't think that's clear at all.

It's not a bubble of privilege, it's an elite-college like learning experience while on a safe campus with similarly minded HS students. If you never experienced it, you can't really judge. People want to be in a certain environment, have smaller classes, have extra time to meet with teachers discuss their science assignments, have involved college advisors, meetings with corporate leaders describing their achievements, travel abroad and exchange experience.
It is indeed a huge difference and knowing it I would be very frustrated not to allow my child experience that, when I can afford it

Did you know that you can find all of those things in a public HS? I have one who graduated from an elite private school and one in a magnet program. The magnet program ticks all of those boxes (probably more than the elite private school), plus has my kid taking more classes, with more advanced STEM options, and an internship experience on top of it. The private school was good for the kid in its own way, but the public magnet is no slouch at preparing a kid to be successful in college.

I do realize it but I still doubt specifically for DC that a local magnet school would be better than an advanced class in a private school where my child is. We were accepted by couple Virginia magnet schools but didnt want to move there. It would be a very long commute from DC for both parents and early morning wake ups/late arrival from school leaving little time do to a typical 4-5 hour long HW assignments. My child is higher level than AP (will be able to skip his freshman's year in college as he already would have taken these course in his HS program)

Weird flex. Its fairly common at our run of the mill non-special public HS for students to start college with enough AP credit to be considered a sophomore.

It's not fairly common for public schools and also depends which college.

Whelp don’t know what to tell you. My kids go to a public school that most people on this board would never send their kids to and there are plenty of kids with 8 AP classes over the course of their HS experience which would make them technically a college sophomore. It’s available and an option to kids academically capable. Just off the top of my head kids can take AP in the following:


Calc AB
Calc BC
Stats
World history
US history
Government
World geography
Bio
Chem
Physics
French
Spanish
Latin
German
Literature

I’m sure I’m missing some…

Of course I agree all these are available but the environment wouldn't be conducive of learning: larger classes, teachers have less time to support through a number of AP classes, fighting, partying or very sexually active classmates. All families with daughters enrolled in public schools have issues with girls de-facto living with boyfriends (not at parents' home) in HS. These are McLean High, WW, Poolsville schools which are not bad at all. Kids just don't want and don't take these courses because it;s not "popular" that's it

“All families with daughters enrolled in public school” most definitely DO NOT have these issues. WTH are you talking about. I’m sure some do, as I’m sure some private kids do. But you apparently know nothing about public school if you think this.

I corrected myself - not all, but many. And I know many families from such "top rated" public schools from my child's sport team. More partying, drugs and sex talk for sure about schools' experiences

I'm still stuck on the part where you think there is no drinking, drugs, sex, and unsupervised teens in private school. You're kidding, right?

In ours (NW DC quadrant) it's zero. All who parties were informally and very insistently squeezed out by upper middle school and transferred elsewhere

This might be the funniest thing I've read today. I believe you that your child isn't doing those things, but I guarantee they are happening, even at your oh-so-special private school.

Nope, kids who party couldn't keep up and were asked to repeat grades. I know from families in question. Kids were moved to more "sports oriented" private schools in the area or to public for HS to get better grades

To clarify - kids were not kicked out. They were given very poor report cards with recommendation to repeat the current grade if they fell behind due to partying or other reasons. Families didn't want to pay extra $50K for another year and moved kids to less demanding programs

What is this amazing private school where nobody parties because anyone who even thinks of doing such a thing is easily identified and given discouraging grades? Seems inconceivable to me — not to mention inconsistent with my experience, albeit long ago, as an undergrad in the Ivy League — that absolutely no kids who use drugs or drink were also capable of keeping their grades up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

Sorry, that does not make you a better parent

I would disagree. Parents willing to sacrifice to provide their kids better experiences are indeed better parents.

It's not about "willing to sacrifice." Is it really a "better" experience to be in a little bubble of privilege for your formative years? I don't think that's clear at all.

It's not a bubble of privilege, it's an elite-college like learning experience while on a safe campus with similarly minded HS students. If you never experienced it, you can't really judge. People want to be in a certain environment, have smaller classes, have extra time to meet with teachers discuss their science assignments, have involved college advisors, meetings with corporate leaders describing their achievements, travel abroad and exchange experience.
It is indeed a huge difference and knowing it I would be very frustrated not to allow my child experience that, when I can afford it

Did you know that you can find all of those things in a public HS? I have one who graduated from an elite private school and one in a magnet program. The magnet program ticks all of those boxes (probably more than the elite private school), plus has my kid taking more classes, with more advanced STEM options, and an internship experience on top of it. The private school was good for the kid in its own way, but the public magnet is no slouch at preparing a kid to be successful in college.

I do realize it but I still doubt specifically for DC that a local magnet school would be better than an advanced class in a private school where my child is. We were accepted by couple Virginia magnet schools but didnt want to move there. It would be a very long commute from DC for both parents and early morning wake ups/late arrival from school leaving little time do to a typical 4-5 hour long HW assignments. My child is higher level than AP (will be able to skip his freshman's year in college as he already would have taken these course in his HS program)

Weird flex. Its fairly common at our run of the mill non-special public HS for students to start college with enough AP credit to be considered a sophomore.

It's not fairly common for public schools and also depends which college.

Whelp don’t know what to tell you. My kids go to a public school that most people on this board would never send their kids to and there are plenty of kids with 8 AP classes over the course of their HS experience which would make them technically a college sophomore. It’s available and an option to kids academically capable. Just off the top of my head kids can take AP in the following:


Calc AB
Calc BC
Stats
World history
US history
Government
World geography
Bio
Chem
Physics
French
Spanish
Latin
German
Literature

I’m sure I’m missing some…

Of course I agree all these are available but the environment wouldn't be conducive of learning: larger classes, teachers have less time to support through a number of AP classes, fighting, partying or very sexually active classmates. All families with daughters enrolled in public schools have issues with girls de-facto living with boyfriends (not at parents' home) in HS. These are McLean High, WW, Poolsville schools which are not bad at all. Kids just don't want and don't take these courses because it;s not "popular" that's it

“All families with daughters enrolled in public school” most definitely DO NOT have these issues. WTH are you talking about. I’m sure some do, as I’m sure some private kids do. But you apparently know nothing about public school if you think this.

I corrected myself - not all, but many. And I know many families from such "top rated" public schools from my child's sport team. More partying, drugs and sex talk for sure about schools' experiences

I'm still stuck on the part where you think there is no drinking, drugs, sex, and unsupervised teens in private school. You're kidding, right?

In ours (NW DC quadrant) it's zero. All who parties were informally and very insistently squeezed out by upper middle school and transferred elsewhere

This might be the funniest thing I've read today. I believe you that your child isn't doing those things, but I guarantee they are happening, even at your oh-so-special private school.

Nope, kids who party couldn't keep up and were asked to repeat grades. I know from families in question. Kids were moved to more "sports oriented" private schools in the area or to public for HS to get better grades

You are delusional.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

Sorry, that does not make you a better parent

I would disagree. Parents willing to sacrifice to provide their kids better experiences are indeed better parents.

It's not about "willing to sacrifice." Is it really a "better" experience to be in a little bubble of privilege for your formative years? I don't think that's clear at all.

It's not a bubble of privilege, it's an elite-college like learning experience while on a safe campus with similarly minded HS students. If you never experienced it, you can't really judge. People want to be in a certain environment, have smaller classes, have extra time to meet with teachers discuss their science assignments, have involved college advisors, meetings with corporate leaders describing their achievements, travel abroad and exchange experience.
It is indeed a huge difference and knowing it I would be very frustrated not to allow my child experience that, when I can afford it

Did you know that you can find all of those things in a public HS? I have one who graduated from an elite private school and one in a magnet program. The magnet program ticks all of those boxes (probably more than the elite private school), plus has my kid taking more classes, with more advanced STEM options, and an internship experience on top of it. The private school was good for the kid in its own way, but the public magnet is no slouch at preparing a kid to be successful in college.

I do realize it but I still doubt specifically for DC that a local magnet school would be better than an advanced class in a private school where my child is. We were accepted by couple Virginia magnet schools but didnt want to move there. It would be a very long commute from DC for both parents and early morning wake ups/late arrival from school leaving little time do to a typical 4-5 hour long HW assignments. My child is higher level than AP (will be able to skip his freshman's year in college as he already would have taken these course in his HS program)

Weird flex. Its fairly common at our run of the mill non-special public HS for students to start college with enough AP credit to be considered a sophomore.

It's not fairly common for public schools and also depends which college.

Whelp don’t know what to tell you. My kids go to a public school that most people on this board would never send their kids to and there are plenty of kids with 8 AP classes over the course of their HS experience which would make them technically a college sophomore. It’s available and an option to kids academically capable. Just off the top of my head kids can take AP in the following:


Calc AB
Calc BC
Stats
World history
US history
Government
World geography
Bio
Chem
Physics
French
Spanish
Latin
German
Literature

I’m sure I’m missing some…

Of course I agree all these are available but the environment wouldn't be conducive of learning: larger classes, teachers have less time to support through a number of AP classes, fighting, partying or very sexually active classmates. All families with daughters enrolled in public schools have issues with girls de-facto living with boyfriends (not at parents' home) in HS. These are McLean High, WW, Poolsville schools which are not bad at all. Kids just don't want and don't take these courses because it;s not "popular" that's it

“All families with daughters enrolled in public school” most definitely DO NOT have these issues. WTH are you talking about. I’m sure some do, as I’m sure some private kids do. But you apparently know nothing about public school if you think this.

I corrected myself - not all, but many. And I know many families from such "top rated" public schools from my child's sport team. More partying, drugs and sex talk for sure about schools' experiences

I'm still stuck on the part where you think there is no drinking, drugs, sex, and unsupervised teens in private school. You're kidding, right?

In ours (NW DC quadrant) it's zero. All who parties were informally and very insistently squeezed out by upper middle school and transferred elsewhere

This might be the funniest thing I've read today. I believe you that your child isn't doing those things, but I guarantee they are happening, even at your oh-so-special private school.

Nope, kids who party couldn't keep up and were asked to repeat grades. I know from families in question. Kids were moved to more "sports oriented" private schools in the area or to public for HS to get better grades

To clarify - kids were not kicked out. They were given very poor report cards with recommendation to repeat the current grade if they fell behind due to partying or other reasons. Families didn't want to pay extra $50K for another year and moved kids to less demanding programs

What is this amazing private school where nobody parties because anyone who even thinks of doing such a thing is easily identified and given discouraging grades? Seems inconceivable to me — not to mention inconsistent with my experience, albeit long ago, as an undergrad in the Ivy League — that absolutely no kids who use drugs or drink were also capable of keeping their grades up.

Probably Sidwell but they can barely get any kids into Cornell

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

Sorry, that does not make you a better parent

I would disagree. Parents willing to sacrifice to provide their kids better experiences are indeed better parents.

It's not about "willing to sacrifice." Is it really a "better" experience to be in a little bubble of privilege for your formative years? I don't think that's clear at all.

It's not a bubble of privilege, it's an elite-college like learning experience while on a safe campus with similarly minded HS students. If you never experienced it, you can't really judge. People want to be in a certain environment, have smaller classes, have extra time to meet with teachers discuss their science assignments, have involved college advisors, meetings with corporate leaders describing their achievements, travel abroad and exchange experience.
It is indeed a huge difference and knowing it I would be very frustrated not to allow my child experience that, when I can afford it

Did you know that you can find all of those things in a public HS? I have one who graduated from an elite private school and one in a magnet program. The magnet program ticks all of those boxes (probably more than the elite private school), plus has my kid taking more classes, with more advanced STEM options, and an internship experience on top of it. The private school was good for the kid in its own way, but the public magnet is no slouch at preparing a kid to be successful in college.

I do realize it but I still doubt specifically for DC that a local magnet school would be better than an advanced class in a private school where my child is. We were accepted by couple Virginia magnet schools but didnt want to move there. It would be a very long commute from DC for both parents and early morning wake ups/late arrival from school leaving little time do to a typical 4-5 hour long HW assignments. My child is higher level than AP (will be able to skip his freshman's year in college as he already would have taken these course in his HS program)

Weird flex. Its fairly common at our run of the mill non-special public HS for students to start college with enough AP credit to be considered a sophomore.

It's not fairly common for public schools and also depends which college.

Whelp don’t know what to tell you. My kids go to a public school that most people on this board would never send their kids to and there are plenty of kids with 8 AP classes over the course of their HS experience which would make them technically a college sophomore. It’s available and an option to kids academically capable. Just off the top of my head kids can take AP in the following:


Calc AB
Calc BC
Stats
World history
US history
Government
World geography
Bio
Chem
Physics
French
Spanish
Latin
German
Literature

I’m sure I’m missing some…

Of course I agree all these are available but the environment wouldn't be conducive of learning: larger classes, teachers have less time to support through a number of AP classes, fighting, partying or very sexually active classmates. All families with daughters enrolled in public schools have issues with girls de-facto living with boyfriends (not at parents' home) in HS. These are McLean High, WW, Poolsville schools which are not bad at all. Kids just don't want and don't take these courses because it;s not "popular" that's it

“All families with daughters enrolled in public school” most definitely DO NOT have these issues. WTH are you talking about. I’m sure some do, as I’m sure some private kids do. But you apparently know nothing about public school if you think this.

I corrected myself - not all, but many. And I know many families from such "top rated" public schools from my child's sport team. More partying, drugs and sex talk for sure about schools' experiences

I'm still stuck on the part where you think there is no drinking, drugs, sex, and unsupervised teens in private school. You're kidding, right?

In ours (NW DC quadrant) it's zero. All who parties were informally and very insistently squeezed out by upper middle school and transferred elsewhere

This might be the funniest thing I've read today. I believe you that your child isn't doing those things, but I guarantee they are happening, even at your oh-so-special private school.

Nope, kids who party couldn't keep up and were asked to repeat grades. I know from families in question. Kids were moved to more "sports oriented" private schools in the area or to public for HS to get better grades

To clarify - kids were not kicked out. They were given very poor report cards with recommendation to repeat the current grade if they fell behind due to partying or other reasons. Families didn't want to pay extra $50K for another year and moved kids to less demanding programs

What is this amazing private school where nobody parties because anyone who even thinks of doing such a thing is easily identified and given discouraging grades? Seems inconceivable to me — not to mention inconsistent with my experience, albeit long ago, as an undergrad in the Ivy League — that absolutely no kids who use drugs or drink were also capable of keeping their grades up.

Probably Sidwell but they can barely get any kids into Cornell

I have known enough Sidwell alums over the years to suspect that either (a) it's not Sidwell or (b) they have done a LOT of work recently to absolutely crush the idea of partying out of the student body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

Sorry, that does not make you a better parent

I would disagree. Parents willing to sacrifice to provide their kids better experiences are indeed better parents.

It's not about "willing to sacrifice." Is it really a "better" experience to be in a little bubble of privilege for your formative years? I don't think that's clear at all.

It's not a bubble of privilege, it's an elite-college like learning experience while on a safe campus with similarly minded HS students. If you never experienced it, you can't really judge. People want to be in a certain environment, have smaller classes, have extra time to meet with teachers discuss their science assignments, have involved college advisors, meetings with corporate leaders describing their achievements, travel abroad and exchange experience.
It is indeed a huge difference and knowing it I would be very frustrated not to allow my child experience that, when I can afford it

Did you know that you can find all of those things in a public HS? I have one who graduated from an elite private school and one in a magnet program. The magnet program ticks all of those boxes (probably more than the elite private school), plus has my kid taking more classes, with more advanced STEM options, and an internship experience on top of it. The private school was good for the kid in its own way, but the public magnet is no slouch at preparing a kid to be successful in college.

I do realize it but I still doubt specifically for DC that a local magnet school would be better than an advanced class in a private school where my child is. We were accepted by couple Virginia magnet schools but didnt want to move there. It would be a very long commute from DC for both parents and early morning wake ups/late arrival from school leaving little time do to a typical 4-5 hour long HW assignments. My child is higher level than AP (will be able to skip his freshman's year in college as he already would have taken these course in his HS program)

Weird flex. Its fairly common at our run of the mill non-special public HS for students to start college with enough AP credit to be considered a sophomore.

It's not fairly common for public schools and also depends which college.

Whelp don’t know what to tell you. My kids go to a public school that most people on this board would never send their kids to and there are plenty of kids with 8 AP classes over the course of their HS experience which would make them technically a college sophomore. It’s available and an option to kids academically capable. Just off the top of my head kids can take AP in the following:


Calc AB
Calc BC
Stats
World history
US history
Government
World geography
Bio
Chem
Physics
French
Spanish
Latin
German
Literature

I’m sure I’m missing some…

Of course I agree all these are available but the environment wouldn't be conducive of learning: larger classes, teachers have less time to support through a number of AP classes, fighting, partying or very sexually active classmates. All families with daughters enrolled in public schools have issues with girls de-facto living with boyfriends (not at parents' home) in HS. These are McLean High, WW, Poolsville schools which are not bad at all. Kids just don't want and don't take these courses because it;s not "popular" that's it

“All families with daughters enrolled in public school” most definitely DO NOT have these issues. WTH are you talking about. I’m sure some do, as I’m sure some private kids do. But you apparently know nothing about public school if you think this.

I corrected myself - not all, but many. And I know many families from such "top rated" public schools from my child's sport team. More partying, drugs and sex talk for sure about schools' experiences

I'm still stuck on the part where you think there is no drinking, drugs, sex, and unsupervised teens in private school. You're kidding, right?

In ours (NW DC quadrant) it's zero. All who parties were informally and very insistently squeezed out by upper middle school and transferred elsewhere

This might be the funniest thing I've read today. I believe you that your child isn't doing those things, but I guarantee they are happening, even at your oh-so-special private school.

Nope, kids who party couldn't keep up and were asked to repeat grades. I know from families in question. Kids were moved to more "sports oriented" private schools in the area or to public for HS to get better grades

To clarify - kids were not kicked out. They were given very poor report cards with recommendation to repeat the current grade if they fell behind due to partying or other reasons. Families didn't want to pay extra $50K for another year and moved kids to less demanding programs

What is this amazing private school where nobody parties because anyone who even thinks of doing such a thing is easily identified and given discouraging grades? Seems inconceivable to me — not to mention inconsistent with my experience, albeit long ago, as an undergrad in the Ivy League — that absolutely no kids who use drugs or drink were also capable of keeping their grades up.

Yep. There are plenty of kids drinking and having sex who also manage to get A's and B's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who are deemed as highly intelligent who buy Teslas, but their kids go to very crappy schools.

I don’t know what they’re thinking. Maybe that education is not important, maybe they think academics are not that important and they are teaching kids the necessary skills themselves. Who knows.

In our private school many kids go to the same state schools as the public school kids.

Aren't you sort of contradicting yourself here? Why does it matter if a kid goes to private school if he or she will just end up at VT, JM, or College Park anyway?

Because it’s not about the college, at least for me. I want to provide a thriving environment for my kid for 12 years that are formative development years.

My colleague drives a Tesla while his kids experience fights with hair pulling, smashing bodies into walls and floors, regular lockdowns for gun threats, low academic standards, prevalent drugs, etc.

I drive a Honda, but my kid is in a calm learning environment with high academic standards, teachers who work in making learning joyful, kids that are
motivated to succeed.

Sorry, that does not make you a better parent

I would disagree. Parents willing to sacrifice to provide their kids better experiences are indeed better parents.

It's not about "willing to sacrifice." Is it really a "better" experience to be in a little bubble of privilege for your formative years? I don't think that's clear at all.

It's not a bubble of privilege, it's an elite-college like learning experience while on a safe campus with similarly minded HS students. If you never experienced it, you can't really judge. People want to be in a certain environment, have smaller classes, have extra time to meet with teachers discuss their science assignments, have involved college advisors, meetings with corporate leaders describing their achievements, travel abroad and exchange experience.
It is indeed a huge difference and knowing it I would be very frustrated not to allow my child experience that, when I can afford it

Did you know that you can find all of those things in a public HS? I have one who graduated from an elite private school and one in a magnet program. The magnet program ticks all of those boxes (probably more than the elite private school), plus has my kid taking more classes, with more advanced STEM options, and an internship experience on top of it. The private school was good for the kid in its own way, but the public magnet is no slouch at preparing a kid to be successful in college.

I do realize it but I still doubt specifically for DC that a local magnet school would be better than an advanced class in a private school where my child is. We were accepted by couple Virginia magnet schools but didnt want to move there. It would be a very long commute from DC for both parents and early morning wake ups/late arrival from school leaving little time do to a typical 4-5 hour long HW assignments. My child is higher level than AP (will be able to skip his freshman's year in college as he already would have taken these course in his HS program)

Weird flex. Its fairly common at our run of the mill non-special public HS for students to start college with enough AP credit to be considered a sophomore.

It's not fairly common for public schools and also depends which college.

Whelp don’t know what to tell you. My kids go to a public school that most people on this board would never send their kids to and there are plenty of kids with 8 AP classes over the course of their HS experience which would make them technically a college sophomore. It’s available and an option to kids academically capable. Just off the top of my head kids can take AP in the following:


Calc AB
Calc BC
Stats
World history
US history
Government
World geography
Bio
Chem
Physics
French
Spanish
Latin
German
Literature

I’m sure I’m missing some…

Of course I agree all these are available but the environment wouldn't be conducive of learning: larger classes, teachers have less time to support through a number of AP classes, fighting, partying or very sexually active classmates. All families with daughters enrolled in public schools have issues with girls de-facto living with boyfriends (not at parents' home) in HS. These are McLean High, WW, Poolsville schools which are not bad at all. Kids just don't want and don't take these courses because it;s not "popular" that's it

“All families with daughters enrolled in public school” most definitely DO NOT have these issues. WTH are you talking about. I’m sure some do, as I’m sure some private kids do. But you apparently know nothing about public school if you think this.

I corrected myself - not all, but many. And I know many families from such "top rated" public schools from my child's sport team. More partying, drugs and sex talk for sure about schools' experiences

I'm still stuck on the part where you think there is no drinking, drugs, sex, and unsupervised teens in private school. You're kidding, right?

In ours (NW DC quadrant) it's zero. All who parties were informally and very insistently squeezed out by upper middle school and transferred elsewhere

This might be the funniest thing I've read today. I believe you that your child isn't doing those things, but I guarantee they are happening, even at your oh-so-special private school.

Nope, kids who party couldn't keep up and were asked to repeat grades. I know from families in question. Kids were moved to more "sports oriented" private schools in the area or to public for HS to get better grades

To clarify - kids were not kicked out. They were given very poor report cards with recommendation to repeat the current grade if they fell behind due to partying or other reasons. Families didn't want to pay extra $50K for another year and moved kids to less demanding programs

What is this amazing private school where nobody parties because anyone who even thinks of doing such a thing is easily identified and given discouraging grades? Seems inconceivable to me — not to mention inconsistent with my experience, albeit long ago, as an undergrad in the Ivy League — that absolutely no kids who use drugs or drink were also capable of keeping their grades up.

Probably Sidwell but they can barely get any kids into Cornell

I have known enough Sidwell alums over the years to suspect that either (a) it's not Sidwell or (b) they have done a LOT of work recently to absolutely crush the idea of partying out of the student body.

I can't confirm the school, but statement about doing a LOT of work addressing partying, socially obnoxious behaviors and drugs security was indeed done. I was in a position one being interrogated by a "diversity" counselor accompanied by a security guard once ( after a parent complaint at my son's behavior when in lower middle school). The meeting lasted 2 hours over a pretty minor incident and I can assure it was not pleasant. It's a pretty strict environment and kids who don't fit are squeezed out. You can believe it or not but the families attending impose very high expectations about what their kids experience when at school and from their classmates. Complaints are very common.