Why did you choose private vs. public?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school parent here, curious to know the reasons you chose to send your child to private school over public school. What factors went into your decision making? Thanks.

Public’s are better this is not hard.

Particularly in math and science

Religious privates have a purpose to indoctrinate education should not be indoctrination

The public school troll demonstrates their lack of focus on basic grammar and logic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chose private because there is less drug and alcohol use amongst students and less behavioral problems in the classroom.

As someone who has never attended a public school from pre-K all the way thru grad school, lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were worried that our bright kid would be bored in a public school. DH went to public and was rarely challenged academically. With a small class size, teachers can do more to differentiate in a private school. DC is still bored at times, but teachers have been trying to provide them with the materials that are on their level.

If your kid is really that smart, they can make it into the public magnets which is superior to privates.

I'd put my kid in private if they needed the small class sizes though.

Our public magnet had kids with higher IQs than the private we wound up at, but the instruction was lacking, the curriculum was incoherent, and the kids were parked in front of a laptop for hours. Switched to a private and there were textbooks, direct instruction, more outside time, and no flickering screens.

[Anonymous]

Small class size, peer group better behaved, opportunities in sports, more calm atmosphere, prestige.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our public magnet had kids with higher IQs than the private we wound up at, but the instruction was lacking, the curriculum was incoherent, and the kids were parked in front of a laptop for hours. Switched to a private and there were textbooks, direct instruction, more outside time, and no flickering screens.

Public magnet prepared me extremely well academically for HYP but I arrived with the social and emotional intelligence of a 14 year-old. It took the first three years of undergrad to adjust and catch up. My private school classmates were just as smart but were so much better equipped to interact with everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our public magnet had kids with higher IQs than the private we wound up at, but the instruction was lacking, the curriculum was incoherent, and the kids were parked in front of a laptop for hours. Switched to a private and there were textbooks, direct instruction, more outside time, and no flickering screens.

Public magnet prepared me extremely well academically for HYP but I arrived with the social and emotional intelligence of a 14 year-old. It took the first three years of undergrad to adjust and catch up. My private school classmates were just as smart but were so much better equipped to interact with everyone.

Did you have poor and/or uneducated parents? I’m a substitute teacher at both private and public schools. Students from wealthy families behave similarly regardless of their school. To answer OP’s question, we choose private because our daughter has special needs that were better addressed in a private school setting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our public magnet had kids with higher IQs than the private we wound up at, but the instruction was lacking, the curriculum was incoherent, and the kids were parked in front of a laptop for hours. Switched to a private and there were textbooks, direct instruction, more outside time, and no flickering screens.

Public magnet prepared me extremely well academically for HYP but I arrived with the social and emotional intelligence of a 14 year-old. It took the first three years of undergrad to adjust and catch up. My private school classmates were just as smart but were so much better equipped to interact with everyone.

Did you have poor and/or uneducated parents? I’m a substitute teacher at both private and public schools. Students from wealthy families behave similarly regardless of their school. To answer OP’s question, we choose private because our daughter has special needs that were better addressed in a private school setting.

I also found that response surprising. When I taught undergraduates at Harvard, private school students often seemed better prepared in writing and public speaking, but the public school students caught up. (To be fair there were also some legacy students who were behind and remained behind everyone else in terms of capabilities.)

[Anonymous]

Our public elementary changed so much after Covid - teachers burnt out, lack of field trips/science fairs/other academic opportunities, no homework, no path to catch up students who may have fallen a little behind after being remote for so long… it was a drastic difference at the same school for our younger child than our older who had attended pre-covid that we were fed up and went private last year. It’s been the best decision for us. Better teachers, better programs, field trips, clubs, focused curriculum with emphasis on science and math - all of which to say we have really been surprised with the difference. I know several families who have done the same.
Our older child went private for middle and high as well. Everyday they are happy we made the change, which makes it worth it for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I taught undergraduates at Harvard, private school students often seemed better prepared in writing and public speaking, but the public school students caught up.

In many instances though, by the time the public school students finally catch up, enough damage has already been done GPA-wise for job search/grad school admissions prospects. To be clear, they still end up somewhere fine, but it could've been better if they started undergrad more prepared.

[Anonymous]

Our main reason was the increasing disruptions and disturbing experiences in public. We wanted our kids to be in a decently balanced environment.

[Anonymous]

Also switched to private because it was open during COVID. Kid is going back to public for MS. They don’t have special needs and we’re zoned for strong public schools. That’s why l bought this expensive house in the first place.

l could pay the $50k per year but I’m very happy not to. Similar philosophy for university - a public that’s strong in what they want to study is just fine by me.

[Anonymous]

Chose private after 3 years of public to avoid constant SOL test prep, large class sizes, disruptive kids, cookie cutter curriculum and program instability.. every time they did something that made sense to one group another group would protest and it would go away..,public felt like you can’t make everybody happy so everybody just suffers through mediocrity…

[Anonymous]

My local public dreams of mediocrity.

[Anonymous]

Covid. And our "award winning" middle school and principal weren't great so I anticipated much of the same at the HS level. So much happier with one private and not so happy with the other private (my kids went to different schools). There are many different private experiences out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our private actually walks the talk when it comes to inclusion for LGBTQ+. Not some public school policy that's all bark and no bite.

Ours too! Or maybe it’s the same school.

We had intended to go public after our private PreK/K but then DC was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD and also tested gifted. The publics don’t handle 2e kids very well, so we stayed private.

Hmmmm....which private are you saying handles 2e well?