Are we crazy to be spending this kind of money on private school? Help!

[Anonymous]

Okay now that the excitement of being accepted is wearing off, I am a bit scared that we are going to be paying so much for private school! That is a lot of money plus then college! Someone help me to justify this!

[Anonymous]

YES, we're all crazy.....But, I started considering private school when we started to realize that the competitiveness of getting into a 'good OOB public school' or charter school was making our chances smaller & smaller. But, I must admit every tour that i went on, & it seems like I went to them all, there's just something that the private schools have that no public or charter school offers, no matter how you try to spin it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:YES, we're all crazy.....But, I started considering private school when we started to realize that the competitiveness of getting into a 'good OOB public school' or charter school was making our chances smaller & smaller. But, I must admit every tour that i went on, & it seems like I went to them all, there's just something that the private schools have that no public or charter school offers, no matter how you try to spin it.

And what would that be?

[Anonymous]

And is "that something" really worth $20K + each year, every year, for years on end? Sure, I'd rather drive a high-end luxury SUV than what I currently drive; of course that's a "better" car. But is it so much better that it warrants a $25,000 increase in the pricetag?

I'm in the same boat, by the way, and we ask ourselves this question all the time.

[Anonymous]

I went to DCPS and then transferred to a private school. I was woefully behind my peers at the private school and was considered a top student at DCPS. This was in the 1970's. Do you think DCPS has gotten better in the past 30+ years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And is "that something" really worth $20K + each year, every year, for years on end? Sure, I'd rather drive a high-end luxury SUV than what I currently drive; of course that's a "better" car. But is it so much better that it warrants a $25,000 increase in the pricetag?

I'm in the same boat, by the way, and we ask ourselves this question all the time.

We're not taking about cars, which steadily lose their value. We're talking about our kids. So, Yes, it's worth it, & it sounds like it's worth it to you, too. Based on what you've said, you haven't pulled out of private to go public.

[Anonymous]

Yes, you are crazy.

[Anonymous]

OP, I've stopped considering the super-expensive (to me) private schools, so I have no horse in this race, other than the fact that we're both trying to provide the best education for our children. We can only do our best, and we might make mistakes, but give it a year and see if it becomes more clear to you whether your choice is right for your child and your family, or whether you need to consider different options. While switching schools isn't ideal, it's not the end of the world. Best wishes to you for finding the best fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to DCPS and then transferred to a private school. I was woefully behind my peers at the private school and was considered a top student at DCPS. This was in the 1970's. Do you think DCPS has gotten better in the past 30+ years?

I had the exact opposite experience. I went to Deal and transferred to a private school for high school (not a Big 3) in the 80s and I know of others who transferred to Sidwell and NCS and were fine . I think there are so many factors that go into this it is hard to know. I do believe that DCPS is in a much better position now, my kids are in DCPS elementary now. However, I do struggle with trying to figure out what is that "extra special thing" that makes people scramble so much for private school and pay nearly 30K.

I think as people continue to get squeezed financially you may actually see DCPS turn a big corner in the next five years with more folks choosing DCPS or charters.

[Anonymous]

Dd was in DCPS for years before going to private school. True, her private school has that "extra special thing" that her dcps school lacked. But then her dcps education also had a couple of "extra special things" that her private education lacks. There are tradeoffs either way.

[Anonymous]

8:01, you're absolutely right, I ("same boat" poster) have not pulled my kids out of their independent school, despite the insanely high cost of having two of them there (and a third on the way.) What I said was "we ask ourselves all the time if it's really worth it," and I have not yet come up with an answer to this question that I'm really satisfied with.

Of course I'm not comparing cars to our kids, but I am comparing spending money. How, exactly, do [b]you personally [/b] (I'm not talking about your kids) think you're going to recoup this great investment you're making in a private school education? By having children who are so smart that they make millions and will support you in your old age? That's a gamble worse than having your $$ in the stock market these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Of course I'm not comparing cars to our kids, but I am comparing spending money. How, exactly, do you personally (I'm not talking about your kids) think you're going to recoup this great investment you're making in a private school education? By having children who are so smart that they make millions and will support you in your old age? That's a gamble worse than having your $$ in the stock market these days.

Yep, I have some family members who attended private school who are lovely people but quite useless. I would not hope to rely on them in my old age! But having your kids turn out reliable and hardworking is something you learn from your family, not your school so I would think either public or private would work -- it depends on the kid.

[Anonymous]

Are you crazy? Depends.

If you live in a good or even excellent public school system and your child is smart with no special needs then you are paying for a luxury. You may very well get more value and there are great things at private schools but your child would most likely thrive and have as good an outcome in the public school. If you can afford why not, if you ca not reconsider.

If your child has special needs that are not met in public school or even struggles a little and could perhaps do better with a smaller class size then it could be well worth it. If your public school is not good then it is worth it IMO. I think elementary school is a very important foundational time for learning.

[Anonymous]

10:17, interesting post. I am, unfortunately, an educator and I really believe in the importance of those early years of ed. and I do not feel like my ES cuts it. It feels like splitting hairs, but I know the DCPS FOR ME would only be sufficient. The real question is: is sufficient enough when we are talking about this kind of money? Or can I get over what I think and feel and let sufficient be enough and trust me kid? If I could answer this question, I could sleep again at night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course I'm not comparing cars to our kids, but I am comparing spending money. How, exactly, do [b]you personally [/b] (I'm not talking about your kids) think you're going to recoup this great investment you're making in a private school education? By having children who are so smart that they make millions and will support you in your old age? That's a gamble worse than having your $$ in the stock market these days.

I don't look at private school as an investment decison, or at least not as one that can be evaluated in strictly financial terms. The return I hope to get is a greater love of learning in my children...which could lead them to get PhDs in French literature and pretty much guarantee that we'll be supporting them in our old age. But honestly, for us (e.g., no special needs), it's a consumption decision.