Was Private Worth the Money if DC Didn’t Get into a “good” University?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Probably should have kept my child in PGCPS. They likely would have gotten better outplacement results, given the huge desparities and socioeconomic backgrounds that do not exist in independent schools.

Yea, I keep thinking we should've sent my kids to podunk, nowhere because the school they are now in is highly competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Real question should be directed to parents who send their kids to private school whilst on financial aid. What’s the reason? Especially if it’s not the big 5, is it really worth it?

I don't follow your thinking. My friend's son is going to STA for $10k/year. Why not do that? It's a fantastic school for very little money.

STA is a good school, yes, but what about the families on financial aid who send their kids to Visitation, SAES, or Bullis?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care where my kids go to college as long as, at the end of the day, they can afford to raise their kids the way they were raised.

+1
Many jobs are doing away with the stamp of college as a requirement. Hopefully, we'll go back to apprenticeships. Most of what is needed for any job is learned on the job. I have a PhD in STEM and I used maybe 10% of what I learned my first 5 years, everything else was learned on the job. Now 18 years in I draw on my experiences and business relationships, not anything from my education.

As long as my kids can maintain their lifestyle AND, more importantly, get off my books, why do I care about an arbitrary piece of paper?

Absolutely and completely untrue. In fact it's the exact opposite. You can't even get a receptionist job at my employer without a 4 year degree. Top school heavily preferred.

You obviously don't work in tech, STEM, or digitalization. The future is digital my friend. We develop artificial intelligence and if you can demonstrate competence, no degree required. Just be prepared to work hard...

So you're saying Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math employers are now hiring people with only a high school education? Fascinating.

[Anonymous]

OP how many threads on this have you started??

[Anonymous]

I was on the sidelines with two moms complaining about how awful their public school was, recent crime spree, gun on campus, drugs, etc. and how it takes a toll on students there. They complained it’s not a normal learning environment. And then in the next breath one said I don’t get why you would do private school if you are just going to your public state university.

It was crazy. Ummm…did you not hear yourself the last 10 minutes? That is why.

I agree with the poster that said there last two years of private high school were much tougher than their first two years of college. My kids have said the same.

I’m one that thinks the $ for private high school was very well spent for the education they received abs the learning environment. I’d rather spend $ there even if it meant they could only afford to go to one of the great in-state universities.

[Anonymous]

We could avoid the gender pronouns being shoved down their throats and the rampant rants about male toxicity. Not a great place- so we chose private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP how many threads on this have you started??

Different poster here and I started a similar thread in recent weeks but not this one. I do think it's a subject on many peoples' minds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP how many threads on this have you started??

Different poster here and I started a similar thread in recent weeks but not this one. I do think it's a subject on many peoples' minds.

If you’re spending 50k a year, rightfully you should have a right to know about the prospective college chances that your school has to offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Duh. People aren't going to admit to that, in real life or even DCUM, are they? But it's obvious. I'd say about half of private families are ultimately disappointed in their child's college admission and the money they spent to get there. However they rationalize with smaller class sizes, reduced exposure to gun violence (not drugs, alcohol, etc) and the potential to meet other wealthy families. College admissions are only one reason out of many to choose privates over publics.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP how many threads on this have you started??

Different poster here and I started a similar thread in recent weeks but not this one. I do think it's a subject on many peoples' minds.

If you’re spending 50k a year, rightfully you should have a right to know about the prospective college chances that your school has to offer.

So where is the thread about how private schools are hiding "the prospective college chances that [the] school has to offer"?? Because I haven't seen that. Only vague assertions that school outcomes aren't as good as parents wish they were. And by the way I see a lot of threads along those lines coming from public school parents!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Real question should be directed to parents who send their kids to private school whilst on financial aid. What’s the reason? Especially if it’s not the big 5, is it really worth it?

I don't follow your thinking. My friend's son is going to STA for $10k/year. Why not do that? It's a fantastic school for very little money.

STA is a good school, yes, but what about the families on financial aid who send their kids to Visitation, SAES, or Bullis?

Bullis is wonderful if you live there but they couldn't pay me to send my kid there if I had a choice of STA or even Field. Ok well, maybe Field since similar cohort of learners minus the sports. Field wins! Bullis no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care where my kids go to college as long as, at the end of the day, they can afford to raise their kids the way they were raised.

+1
Many jobs are doing away with the stamp of college as a requirement. Hopefully, we'll go back to apprenticeships. Most of what is needed for any job is learned on the job. I have a PhD in STEM and I used maybe 10% of what I learned my first 5 years, everything else was learned on the job. Now 18 years in I draw on my experiences and business relationships, not anything from my education.

As long as my kids can maintain their lifestyle AND, more importantly, get off my books, why do I care about an arbitrary piece of paper?

Absolutely and completely untrue. In fact it's the exact opposite. You can't even get a receptionist job at my employer without a 4 year degree. Top school heavily preferred.

You obviously don't work in tech, STEM, or digitalization. The future is digital my friend. We develop artificial intelligence and if you can demonstrate competence, no degree required. Just be prepared to work hard...

So you're saying Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math employers are now hiring people with only a high school education? Fascinating.

That's exactly what I'm saying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care where my kids go to college as long as, at the end of the day, they can afford to raise their kids the way they were raised.

+1
Many jobs are doing away with the stamp of college as a requirement. Hopefully, we'll go back to apprenticeships. Most of what is needed for any job is learned on the job. I have a PhD in STEM and I used maybe 10% of what I learned my first 5 years, everything else was learned on the job. Now 18 years in I draw on my experiences and business relationships, not anything from my education.

As long as my kids can maintain their lifestyle AND, more importantly, get off my books, why do I care about an arbitrary piece of paper?

Absolutely and completely untrue. In fact it's the exact opposite. You can't even get a receptionist job at my employer without a 4 year degree. Top school heavily preferred.

You obviously don't work in tech, STEM, or digitalization. The future is digital my friend. We develop artificial intelligence and if you can demonstrate competence, no degree required. Just be prepared to work hard...

So you're saying Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math employers are now hiring people with only a high school education? Fascinating.

That's exactly what I'm saying.

Well and truly absurd. And definitely not a trend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP how many threads on this have you started??

Different poster here and I started a similar thread in recent weeks but not this one. I do think it's a subject on many peoples' minds.

If you’re spending 50k a year, rightfully you should have a right to know about the prospective college chances that your school has to offer.

Most of them post their matriculation lists. Not sure exactly what more you want.

If my kid goes to what you consider a "not good" university, I'll still consider private school money well spent. Know why? Because he's happy and learning. The environment in our zoned public school was cold and chaotic. Maybe other people have better public choices but we sure didn't. So we went private and my quiet, shy, anxiety-prone child has bloomed. Worth every penny. That will do more to inform the rest of his life than would going to what you consider a "good" university.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids didn't go to private because we couldn't afford it. But I went to an excellent private school and I felt the education there was better than my first 2 years of college at a flagship U.

The education really is better at certain school compared to most publics and it lasts a lifetime.

100% wrong

Not in the DMV.

Now if you are talking about boarding like Andover, otherwise private here is only good if your kid can not cut it in public. Ie kids behavior problems end up in private, kids who need smaller class sizes not all privates have that. Religious privates are never as good as they spend a significant chunk of the day on religion.

Math & Science there is zero comparison between college acceptances from privates vs public LOL Public wins hands down.