For the public school parents on here who say “private school was a waste if your kid didn’t get

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I’ll add that the being able to “succeed in any major” ideal requires time management. I have said this before, but there are certain things that most day & boarding prep schools expect out of ALL their students that public schools do not. Mandatory 3 seasons of sports, mandatory public speaking, table manners, uniforms, showing up on time, no snacking or drinking in class, eating what’s served and learning how interact with adults (especially wealthy/successful/old ones) in the community are just some examples.

Lol op you must be a troll. But just in case you’re not let me tell you my anecdata. I attended both Emory and Harvard from a good public high school.
Most students come from public schools no matter where you end up, but private school kids are not over represented in any hard majors.
In fact, private school kids were generally slightly more likely to cheat, be spoiled and into drugs, probably because they are more rich and able to.
Boarding school kids are very rare and often a bit odd, not resilient, and usually very unprepared for the rat race of any tough program.
Most hard science majors and grads come from big public high schools.
Private school kids tend to study obscure independent study type soft majors or film since they can count on their parents’ money in the future.

There are many great reasons to go to private school, op. Especially depending on your family’s needs and child temperament. But none of the ones you cited are real. Here’s some actual data:
https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/private-school-vs-public-school?context=amp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:into a top college”—I am NOT sending my kids to private so that they get into a particular college. I am sending them to private so they are extremely well-prepared for college. The last thing I would want is for them to feel that they aren’t prepared enough to complete the major they’re interested in when they get to college, which might be, say, chemical engineering or neuroscience. I want them to feel ready to excel in any major, at any school. I hope that high school feels harder than college for them.

I feel like so many parents who say this have really young kids. You may feel differently after college admissions.

[Anonymous]

I would feel worse putting my kid in a “good” public school (read: highly segregated racially, economically & geographically) than in a private school if my goal is social awareness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would feel worse putting my kid in a “good” public school (read: highly segregated racially, economically & geographically) than in a private school if my goal is social awareness.

Would that be your neighborhood public school? Is your neighborhood that segregated? Why did you buy there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would feel worse putting my kid in a “good” public school (read: highly segregated racially, economically & geographically) than in a private school if my goal is social awareness.

Would that be your neighborhood public school? Is your neighborhood that segregated? Why did you buy there?

All public schools are segregated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would feel worse putting my kid in a “good” public school (read: highly segregated racially, economically & geographically) than in a private school if my goal is social awareness.

Would that be your neighborhood public school? Is your neighborhood that segregated? Why did you buy there?

All public schools are segregated.

Explain, pls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:into a top college”—I am NOT sending my kids to private so that they get into a particular college. I am sending them to private so they are extremely well-prepared for college. The last thing I would want is for them to feel that they aren’t prepared enough to complete the major they’re interested in when they get to college, which might be, say, chemical engineering or neuroscience. I want them to feel ready to excel in any major, at any school. I hope that high school feels harder than college for them.

I feel like so many parents who say this have really young kids. You may feel differently after college admissions.

Exhibit A of the insecurity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just think it's funny to compare how many people insist that they are sending their kids to private school for reasons that have nothing to do with college admissions, that they don't care about college admissions, etc., with how many people freak out when their private school's college admissions stats for the year are not up to snuff. Like, maybe these are two completely distinct groups, but I think that's pretty unlikely. There are a lot of people who talk a good game, but when the rubber hits the road, they absolutely expect that spending all that money means their kid will get into the elite colleges they want.

In 2023, the majority of former 'public school advocates' (self-included- spouse and I public K-12 and kids public k-8), switched to private because of failings in the public school. Period. This was in the curriculum, the rigor, and the social environment that was extreme.

Our public school system really crapped out during Covid and never recovered. However, the rigor of the school was already on a steep decline. The switch to 'equity for all' meant that they couldn't teach kids new material or elevate them because it would be 'inequitable' to other students without the same means or tech equipment. So there was a 'dumbing down of all'. Then, nobody had their cameras on and kids were being granted 'As' for essentially signing their name in Canvas. They got multiple, MULTIPLE extensions and corrections. And corrections DO NOT correlate to acquisition of knowledge like many public school advocates claim. The kids now are given the answers. There was very little grammar or writing instruction and the accelerated math programs were churning them out and pushing them ahead without the basics.

Next add in the social environment which got really screwy. Post-Covid Discipline was basically stopped. iphones were everywhere with little regulation. SROs were let go because they were 'racist'. Drugs were being used in school. A kid died from an overdose in school. There were unreported assaults. And the whole pronoun, transgender stuff got fully out of control and 2/3s were identifying (which isn't even statistically accurate).

SO, most of us put A LOT of thought into the educational and social development of our kids before moving them to private. The teacher involvement, time, attention, expectations and rigor was MUCH greater. The iphone usage was not allowed in any academic building. There was discipline. My one kid served detention for 'talking in class' and the other one for having his iphone out in the hallway of an academic building. There were expulsions for serious infractions. Accountability.

Now, add in the community service requirements for each quarter and the teaching of values about helping others, kindness, empathy, etc. The full development of the child.

Do you see anywhere that I mentioned a concern for college placement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:into a top college”—I am NOT sending my kids to private so that they get into a particular college. I am sending them to private so they are extremely well-prepared for college. The last thing I would want is for them to feel that they aren’t prepared enough to complete the major they’re interested in when they get to college, which might be, say, chemical engineering or neuroscience. I want them to feel ready to excel in any major, at any school. I hope that high school feels harder than college for them.

How old are your kids? I used to subscribe to the above, but now that we have a HS junior I'm not so sure.

[Anonymous]

People say this? That's not even a small reason we chose private. My twelve year old wants to go to West Point. I have no idea is being private will help or hurt him, and I honestly don't care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People say this? That's not even a small reason we chose private. My twelve year old wants to go to West Point. I have no idea is being private will help or hurt him, and I honestly don't care.

Though in the other thread, someone (?) speculated that having some experience in public might not hurt admissions chances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would feel worse putting my kid in a “good” public school (read: highly segregated racially, economically & geographically) than in a private school if my goal is social awareness.

Would that be your neighborhood public school? Is your neighborhood that segregated? Why did you buy there?

All public schools are segregated.

Explain, pls.

NP, but public schools are based on what neighborhoods families can afford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People say this? That's not even a small reason we chose private. My twelve year old wants to go to West Point. I have no idea is being private will help or hurt him, and I honestly don't care.

Though in the other thread, someone (?) speculated that having some experience in public might not hurt admissions chances.

Correct. He has none, and we'd prefer he not have any, especially in high school (we are not in the DMV, and our local public schools are crummy). But if it hurts his chances, well...I don't know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People say this? That's not even a small reason we chose private. My twelve year old wants to go to West Point. I have no idea is being private will help or hurt him, and I honestly don't care.

You don't care if something is going to hurt his chances getting into his dream school? Not buying it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I’ll add that the being able to “succeed in any major” ideal requires time management. I have said this before, but there are certain things that most day & boarding prep schools expect out of ALL their students that public schools do not. Mandatory 3 seasons of sports, mandatory public speaking, table manners, uniforms, showing up on time, no snacking or drinking in class, eating what’s served and learning how interact with adults (especially wealthy/successful/old ones) in the community are just some examples.

This happens in affluent neighborhoods at all public, private and parochial schools. And for sure in affluent township level public schools or IB programs.