The Death of Private School As We Know It

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im sounding the alarm. The end is near.

For any one of you paying full tuition at a Private School for college admissions purposes (hoping you'll get into a better college), you are 100% wasting your money. I have several children in Big 3's and unless you are URM, QuestBridge, Athlete or Legacy - you are completely wasting your money. No one cares that your school is tough. That a 3.7 is really great. No one cares about ACT/SATs anymore.

You are wasting your money. 100%

The college admissions process is now washed of achievement. And there is backlash against wealth and privilege.

Dont do it. Dont waste your time. And your money. And stop perpetuating the dummying down of our system.

I wish someone would have told me 3 years ago before I enrolled my kids. Total waste of money.

Oh hon you are the one that has missed it. No one is paying for college admissions. It’s for the experience and the journey along the way. You just don’t get it. The community, small classes, teachers and admin that actually reply to calls or emails same day. The list goes on and on.

That’s funny, I left a voice mail for the counselor last Friday and haven’t heard back and emailed a teacher last Monday and haven’t heard back either from my expensive highly regarded private school here in DC.

Well that doesn’t happen at my kids’ big 3 private schools. We always get a reply back usually the same day and if not within 24 hours. Been that way for going on almost 12 years now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im sounding the alarm. The end is near.

For any one of you paying full tuition at a Private School for college admissions purposes (hoping you'll get into a better college), you are 100% wasting your money. I have several children in Big 3's and unless you are URM, QuestBridge, Athlete or Legacy - you are completely wasting your money. No one cares that your school is tough. That a 3.7 is really great. No one cares about ACT/SATs anymore.

You are wasting your money. 100%

The college admissions process is now washed of achievement. And there is backlash against wealth and privilege.

Dont do it. Dont waste your time. And your money. And stop perpetuating the dummying down of our system.

I wish someone would have told me 3 years ago before I enrolled my kids. Total waste of money.

Oh hon you are the one that has missed it. No one is paying for college admissions. It’s for the experience and the journey along the way. You just don’t get it. The community, small classes, teachers and admin that actually reply to calls or emails same day. The list goes on and on.

I will add public school parent on here don’t know what you’re missing because you have not experienced it. The top privates in this area offer so many amazing things ie: the facilities, the community, the small classes, teachers that know every students’ name, classes that have a maximum of 15 to 16 kids in it. There’s no way I would ever trade the experience. If I had to choose between getting into Harvard or going private from pre-K to 12 I would choose private. Hands-down absolutely no question.

I’ve experience both public and now private. Save your list of “amazing” things. I could give you a whole run down of not amazing things at the school my child is at which ranks just below Albans. Which by the way you never mentioned academics, so your priorities are off. You just want polish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im sounding the alarm. The end is near.

For any one of you paying full tuition at a Private School for college admissions purposes (hoping you'll get into a better college), you are 100% wasting your money. I have several children in Big 3's and unless you are URM, QuestBridge, Athlete or Legacy - you are completely wasting your money. No one cares that your school is tough. That a 3.7 is really great. No one cares about ACT/SATs anymore.

You are wasting your money. 100%

The college admissions process is now washed of achievement. And there is backlash against wealth and privilege.

Dont do it. Dont waste your time. And your money. And stop perpetuating the dummying down of our system.

I wish someone would have told me 3 years ago before I enrolled my kids. Total waste of money.

Oh hon you are the one that has missed it. No one is paying for college admissions. It’s for the experience and the journey along the way. You just don’t get it. The community, small classes, teachers and admin that actually reply to calls or emails same day. The list goes on and on.

That’s funny, I left a voice mail for the counselor last Friday and haven’t heard back and emailed a teacher last Monday and haven’t heard back either from my expensive highly regarded private school here in DC.

Well that doesn’t happen at my kids’ big 3 private schools. We always get a reply back usually the same day and if not within 24 hours. Been that way for going on almost 12 years now.

Well unless you are at your big 3, don’t try to sell others that it’s like that at all privates. My kid’s school ranks in the top 5 so not a low-level school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im sounding the alarm. The end is near.

For any one of you paying full tuition at a Private School for college admissions purposes (hoping you'll get into a better college), you are 100% wasting your money. I have several children in Big 3's and unless you are URM, QuestBridge, Athlete or Legacy - you are completely wasting your money. No one cares that your school is tough. That a 3.7 is really great. No one cares about ACT/SATs anymore.

You are wasting your money. 100%

The college admissions process is now washed of achievement. And there is backlash against wealth and privilege.

Dont do it. Dont waste your time. And your money. And stop perpetuating the dummying down of our system.

I wish someone would have told me 3 years ago before I enrolled my kids. Total waste of money.

Oh hon you are the one that has missed it. No one is paying for college admissions. It’s for the experience and the journey along the way. You just don’t get it. The community, small classes, teachers and admin that actually reply to calls or emails same day. The list goes on and on.

I will add public school parent on here don’t know what you’re missing because you have not experienced it. The top privates in this area offer so many amazing things ie: the facilities, the community, the small classes, teachers that know every students’ name, classes that have a maximum of 15 to 16 kids in it. There’s no way I would ever trade the experience. If I had to choose between getting into Harvard or going private from pre-K to 12 I would choose private. Hands-down absolutely no question.

I’ve experience both public and now private. Save your list of “amazing” things. I could give you a whole run down of not amazing things at the school my child is at which ranks just below Albans. Which by the way you never mentioned academics, so your priorities are off. You just want polish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A mom in my neighborhood moved her kids from our public to private and now that our oldest are graduating and off to college and her DC did not get into a Top and is going to a small high acceptance rate school but expensive (rich kids regular school prestige)

She seemed upset that her plan of private school was to get her kid in a better college did not pan out. I was secretly enjoying that comment!

We are moving from private to public after the year is up. We are at a highly-regarded private and has this reputation only because it’s an expensive private and people assume so it just keeps getting repeated.

I have kids in public and private but although I see these comments frequently on DCUM, I’m very skeptical that this is a common experience. I think there are a few disgruntled posters who post a LOT but they don’t reflect a common reality, at least not in the 6-12 private world, which is where I spend my time. Actually if anything the schools I am familiar with are stressed because not enough kids are leaving for public at 8th and admissions are worried about having too few admissions spots for the high school. In one school I know, there have traditionally been multiple slots open up from kids who left for public in 8th. This year there were none. Last year there was none. It means the high school admissions have become even more competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im sounding the alarm. The end is near.

For any one of you paying full tuition at a Private School for college admissions purposes (hoping you'll get into a better college), you are 100% wasting your money. I have several children in Big 3's and unless you are URM, QuestBridge, Athlete or Legacy - you are completely wasting your money. No one cares that your school is tough. That a 3.7 is really great. No one cares about ACT/SATs anymore.

You are wasting your money. 100%

The college admissions process is now washed of achievement. And there is backlash against wealth and privilege.

Dont do it. Dont waste your time. And your money. And stop perpetuating the dummying down of our system.

I wish someone would have told me 3 years ago before I enrolled my kids. Total waste of money.

Oh hon you are the one that has missed it. No one is paying for college admissions. It’s for the experience and the journey along the way. You just don’t get it. The community, small classes, teachers and admin that actually reply to calls or emails same day. The list goes on and on.

I will add public school parent on here don’t know what you’re missing because you have not experienced it. The top privates in this area offer so many amazing things ie: the facilities, the community, the small classes, teachers that know every students’ name, classes that have a maximum of 15 to 16 kids in it. There’s no way I would ever trade the experience. If I had to choose between getting into Harvard or going private from pre-K to 12 I would choose private. Hands-down absolutely no question.

I’ve experience both public and now private. Save your list of “amazing” things. I could give you a whole run down of not amazing things at the school my child is at which ranks just below Albans. Which by the way you never mentioned academics, so your priorities are off. You just want polish.

Academics at a big three is a given. It goes without saying. I went to an elite college and there was a distinct difference between the private school kids and the public school kids. I should know because I was a public school kid and there was a difference in academics, speaking, and yes being polished was one of them. Certain fields it doesn’t matter but many fields it does matter you can spot it within about five minutes of meeting someone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im sounding the alarm. The end is near.

For any one of you paying full tuition at a Private School for college admissions purposes (hoping you'll get into a better college), you are 100% wasting your money. I have several children in Big 3's and unless you are URM, QuestBridge, Athlete or Legacy - you are completely wasting your money. No one cares that your school is tough. That a 3.7 is really great. No one cares about ACT/SATs anymore.

You are wasting your money. 100%

The college admissions process is now washed of achievement. And there is backlash against wealth and privilege.

Dont do it. Dont waste your time. And your money. And stop perpetuating the dummying down of our system.

I wish someone would have told me 3 years ago before I enrolled my kids. Total waste of money.

Oh hon you are the one that has missed it. No one is paying for college admissions. It’s for the experience and the journey along the way. You just don’t get it. The community, small classes, teachers and admin that actually reply to calls or emails same day. The list goes on and on.

I will add public school parent on here don’t know what you’re missing because you have not experienced it. The top privates in this area offer so many amazing things ie: the facilities, the community, the small classes, teachers that know every students’ name, classes that have a maximum of 15 to 16 kids in it. There’s no way I would ever trade the experience. If I had to choose between getting into Harvard or going private from pre-K to 12 I would choose private. Hands-down absolutely no question.

I’ve experience both public and now private. Save your list of “amazing” things. I could give you a whole run down of not amazing things at the school my child is at which ranks just below Albans. Which by the way you never mentioned academics, so your priorities are off. You just want polish.

Academics at a big three is a given. It goes without saying. I went to an elite college and there was a distinct difference between the private school kids and the public school kids. I should know because I was a public school kid and there was a difference in academics, speaking, and yes being polished was one of them. Certain fields it doesn’t matter but many fields it does matter you can spot it within about five minutes of meeting someone.

My child is at a school with ranking one under Albans for boys. The academics are not better than when he was in public and even have had to hire a tutor to fill in gaps with English class that is lacking in writing lessons. I hope you can understand why this would be disappointing and why I am no longer a fool to believe that private is inherently always better than public. Not so at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A mom in my neighborhood moved her kids from our public to private and now that our oldest are graduating and off to college and her DC did not get into a Top and is going to a small high acceptance rate school but expensive (rich kids regular school prestige)

She seemed upset that her plan of private school was to get her kid in a better college did not pan out. I was secretly enjoying that comment!

We are moving from private to public after the year is up. We are at a highly-regarded private and has this reputation only because it’s an expensive private and people assume so it just keeps getting repeated.

I have kids in public and private but although I see these comments frequently on DCUM, I’m very skeptical that this is a common experience. I think there are a few disgruntled posters who post a LOT but they don’t reflect a common reality, at least not in the 6-12 private world, which is where I spend my time. Actually if anything the schools I am familiar with are stressed because not enough kids are leaving for public at 8th and admissions are worried about having too few admissions spots for the high school. In one school I know, there have traditionally been multiple slots open up from kids who left for public in 8th. This year there were none. Last year there was none. It means the high school admissions have become even more competitive.

The uptick in private admissions is a reaction to covid. It is a temporary phase.

[Anonymous]

This really depends on what your public school option is. We are zoned for a public HS with single-digit proficiency in ELA and math. But we like our neighborhood, so private is very much worth it to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This really depends on what your public school option is. We are zoned for a public HS with single-digit proficiency in ELA and math. But we like our neighborhood, so private is very much worth it to us.

In that case, private may be justified. You would get from a private would you would get from a good public school if you were zoned for one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im sounding the alarm. The end is near.

For any one of you paying full tuition at a Private School for college admissions purposes (hoping you'll get into a better college), you are 100% wasting your money. I have several children in Big 3's and unless you are URM, QuestBridge, Athlete or Legacy - you are completely wasting your money. No one cares that your school is tough. That a 3.7 is really great. No one cares about ACT/SATs anymore.

You are wasting your money. 100%

The college admissions process is now washed of achievement. And there is backlash against wealth and privilege.

Dont do it. Dont waste your time. And your money. And stop perpetuating the dummying down of our system.

I wish someone would have told me 3 years ago before I enrolled my kids. Total waste of money.

Oh hon you are the one that has missed it. No one is paying for college admissions. It’s for the experience and the journey along the way. You just don’t get it. The community, small classes, teachers and admin that actually reply to calls or emails same day. The list goes on and on.

I will add public school parent on here don’t know what you’re missing because you have not experienced it. The top privates in this area offer so many amazing things ie: the facilities, the community, the small classes, teachers that know every students’ name, classes that have a maximum of 15 to 16 kids in it. There’s no way I would ever trade the experience. If I had to choose between getting into Harvard or going private from pre-K to 12 I would choose private. Hands-down absolutely no question.

I’ve experience both public and now private. Save your list of “amazing” things. I could give you a whole run down of not amazing things at the school my child is at which ranks just below Albans. Which by the way you never mentioned academics, so your priorities are off. You just want polish.

Polish and contacts are big in this world if you plan on being more than a government bureaucrat or middle manager.

[Anonymous]

I see that Disgruntled St. Anselm's Mom has hijacked yet another thread!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im sounding the alarm. The end is near.

For any one of you paying full tuition at a Private School for college admissions purposes (hoping you'll get into a better college), you are 100% wasting your money. I have several children in Big 3's and unless you are URM, QuestBridge, Athlete or Legacy - you are completely wasting your money. No one cares that your school is tough. That a 3.7 is really great. No one cares about ACT/SATs anymore.

You are wasting your money. 100%

The college admissions process is now washed of achievement. And there is backlash against wealth and privilege.

Dont do it. Dont waste your time. And your money. And stop perpetuating the dummying down of our system.

I wish someone would have told me 3 years ago before I enrolled my kids. Total waste of money.

Oh hon you are the one that has missed it. No one is paying for college admissions. It’s for the experience and the journey along the way. You just don’t get it. The community, small classes, teachers and admin that actually reply to calls or emails same day. The list goes on and on.

I will add public school parent on here don’t know what you’re missing because you have not experienced it. The top privates in this area offer so many amazing things ie: the facilities, the community, the small classes, teachers that know every students’ name, classes that have a maximum of 15 to 16 kids in it. There’s no way I would ever trade the experience. If I had to choose between getting into Harvard or going private from pre-K to 12 I would choose private. Hands-down absolutely no question.

I’ve experience both public and now private. Save your list of “amazing” things. I could give you a whole run down of not amazing things at the school my child is at which ranks just below Albans. Which by the way you never mentioned academics, so your priorities are off. You just want polish.

Polish and contacts are big in this world if you plan on being more than a government bureaucrat or middle manager.

I think that the PP was referring to a different kind of "polish."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A mom in my neighborhood moved her kids from our public to private and now that our oldest are graduating and off to college and her DC did not get into a Top and is going to a small high acceptance rate school but expensive (rich kids regular school prestige)

She seemed upset that her plan of private school was to get her kid in a better college did not pan out. I was secretly enjoying that comment!

We are moving from private to public after the year is up. We are at a highly-regarded private and has this reputation only because it’s an expensive private and people assume so it just keeps getting repeated.

I have kids in public and private but although I see these comments frequently on DCUM, I’m very skeptical that this is a common experience. I think there are a few disgruntled posters who post a LOT but they don’t reflect a common reality, at least not in the 6-12 private world, which is where I spend my time. Actually if anything the schools I am familiar with are stressed because not enough kids are leaving for public at 8th and admissions are worried about having too few admissions spots for the high school. In one school I know, there have traditionally been multiple slots open up from kids who left for public in 8th. This year there were none. Last year there was none. It means the high school admissions have become even more competitive.

The uptick in private admissions is a reaction to covid. It is a temporary phase.

I don’t think so, not based on what I am seeing. But more to the point, the reality of the private schools I am familiar with doesn’t match what I see on DCUM. There are a few prolific disgruntled posters who talk about kids leaving private for public, and I’m just not seeing that in any fashion whatsoever. What I am seeing is impacted admissions that are tighter than they’ve ever been, and fewer kids leaving for public than in the past.

I think there are a couple of posters who post a ton, but they don’t seem to reflect any reality I’m seeing. My only point is that there seems to be a big disconnect between DCUM and reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see that Disgruntled St. Anselm's Mom has hijacked yet another thread!

Maybe you need to spend less time on here.