I live in a great public school district but my wife wants to explore St Albans for my son...

[Anonymous]

My wife wants to explore sending our son to St. Albans or Georgetown Prep and I am really struggling with this idea. I am a product of pubic school and have done fine in life so I am struggling with spending $45k a year for private school. Just to clarify we can afford the private school tuition that is not the issue. What would you do? FYI high district would feed to Mclean High.

[Anonymous]

How old is your son, OP?

[Anonymous]

Talk to her. Have a conversation. Try to understand her point of view. Share your point of view. Figure out where you have common ground.

Just because one is exploring, it doesn't mean you're accepted and enrolling.

[Anonymous]

I think it makes sense to look. If money isn't the issue then I think exploring the option, finding out what they offer, and then talking after makes sense, and is respectful to your wife.

And yes, of course kids can go to McLean High or many many other schools in this area and turn out "fine". No question. But there are additions that a private school can provide, like sports amenities and smaller class sizes, and a faith based program, and more intensive college counseling, that many kids enjoy. I am guessing that if you have enough income that $45K is "not an issue", you have selected some other luxuries for yourself. For example, you can get to your destination successfully in a small second hand "beater" car, but you might have found reason to purchase something a little more comfortable. You can clean yourself and get ready for work in a house with just one bathroom, but you might have chosen something larger anyway. The question is whether the added benefits of St. Alban's or Georgetown Day outweigh the downsides such as price, commute, and perhaps academic pressure. There's no way to answer that until you've seen them for yourself.

[Anonymous]

Of course you should look at private school. The connections alone will hive your child a huge advantage in life.

[Anonymous]

What does your son want to do? I would not limit my research to those two schools.

[Anonymous]

If your child is in advanced academics in Fairfax County or interested in a particular subject, make sure to check the options available at any private school you consider. Sometimes public schools have more options. In other cases, the right private school might have more of what you are looking for. Private school would generally provide a better chance to participate in sports and drama and other ECs than a large public high like McLean.

[Anonymous]

Georgetown Prep is really far from McLean. That commute is killer.

[Anonymous]

I think when people can afford it w/ no stress, they should pick private. If they can't afford it, they shouldn't sweat it or fret over it.

Of course, public school can provide a fine education. But, it is much harder for kids to stand out when there are 500 kids in their freshman grade or whatever. If you are well off why not spend the money now instead of willing it to him when you pass.

[Anonymous]

Knowing your (and you kid's) options is good. Looking at private schools (and I agree that you should look at a broad range if you are looking at all) doesn't mean you have to pick something different than your very good public option, but it does mean that you have made a more informed choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course you should look at private school. The connections alone will hive your child a huge advantage in life.

Connections to his classmates' parents, perhaps.

[Anonymous]

I think it would be helpful for you both to discuss your own educational "baggage."

I know my husband and I may differ on this too, because like you he came from public schools and has done very well for himself. I had the experience of going through most of my schooling in public school and then I spent a few years in private school, and it was so much better than public school it just wasn't fair; it made me angry that so many of my very capable peers from public school weren't getting that fantastic of an education. So now that I have the choice for my kids, I have this baggage. Of course you and she should both keep in mind that there is no generic "public school" or "private school," and that your own experiences as a kid may not have much to do at all with the schooling options your kids have to choose from today.

[Anonymous]

He won't be the only kid commuting from McLean at either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think when people can afford it w/ no stress, they should pick private. If they can't afford it, they shouldn't sweat it or fret over it.

Of course, public school can provide a fine education. But, it is much harder for kids to stand out when there are 500 kids in their freshman grade or whatever. If you are well off why not spend the money now instead of willing it to him when you pass.

On this point: I went to some of high school at a public and some at a private. At my public high school, there was one big theater production a year and about 30 kids worked on it (out of a class of 500). At my private high school, there was one big theater production a year and about 30 kids worked on it (out of a class of 60). Same thing with other activities: newspaper, sports, chorus, etc. I found that at my public school there just wasn't room in all the activities, sports, etc. for all the kids. At the private school, everyone was involved with sports, music, theater, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My wife wants to explore sending our son to St. Albans or Georgetown Prep and I am really struggling with this idea. I am a product of pubic school and have done fine in life so I am struggling with spending $45k a year for private school. Just to clarify we can afford the private school tuition that is not the issue. What would you do? FYI high district would feed to Mclean High.

We're in the same exact boat. DW here