Regretting private high school investment because of colleges want more public school graduates

[Anonymous]

I had one kid with disappointing college results and one with her top choice at a college that has very difficult admission odds. I will say that the one who ended up at a “likely” is absolutely thriving. Top grades in very difficult major, professors know her, research opportunities and more. My guess is that her career opportunities will be just as good as if she went to a more selective school. She was so prepared across all elements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Best chance for unhooked admission at HYPSM is public school.

Full stop.

Statistically speaking, this is untrue. Now, prove me wrong if you can 🤨

[Anonymous]

I think more public school kids who go to HYP are not legacy where you do see more legacy at private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are bunch of drama queens on this thread.

Public schools are not unilaterally in shambles people, come on. Ask any parent or kid at a higher achieving school in MCPS or FCPS or at Walls or similar and you will see: high achieving kids anywhere have similar outcomes. Account for wealth and SES, even more so.

The PP touting a 30% ivy admit rate would find that a similar demographic of kids at NCS and Churchill, or Bullis and Whitman, are going to have very similar outcomes.

Public schools are great for some kids, and the more people who send their kids to public school the stronger our schools are for it as a public good. That said, opting out for private schools is better for some kids and I don't wholly begrudge that, but you are being dishonest if you think that private schools aren't part of a larger societal problem, or that school shootings can only happen in public schools.

Do what is best for your family. But you're ignorant and short-sighted if you think private school alone is going to get your kid into Yale, or if you think dumb kids from public school took your kid's spot, or if you think all public schools are bad and all private schools are better. Be a little more honest and rigorous in your analysis.

Genuine question - how are privates a part of a larger societal problem?

Using Fairfax County as example, there are nearly 100 private schools with over 20,000 students enrolled. The average cost to educate a student in FCPS is $19,750. If we got rid of privates, these +20K students would cost FCPS another $400M and that doesn’t include cost of building additional classrooms. These private school families are already paying property and state income taxes that fund the public schools so, you can’t expect them to pay more. If anything, they are freeing up resources for public schools students.

I think you know but if you genuinely don't, I can explain.

The majority of parents who choose private school are weathier, and relatedly, value education. Basically all of the high-risk, low-SES, underperforming kids in the country attend public schools. Opting out of public school makes public schools lose resources, affects the demographics of a school or system, and perpetuates a growing divide. It's a classic example of valuing individuals over communities, which we would probably ALL do, but it's not good for society. To. be fair, moving to a "good school district" which almost always has higher priced housing is the same concept. We made this choice, so I am not attacking anyone. But all of us are smart enough to recognize that these things create problems, specifically for disadvantaged black and brown kids at scale.

How does opting out of public deprive public of their resources? Had we stayed, we would have consumed the limited resources at our. Since we don’t have school vouchers, we’re not taking the taxes that we paid for our child’s education with us to private.

I don’t buy your argument on valuing the individual over community. We’re choosing to be with a different community. We’re not homeschooling or hiring private instructors, we’re sending her to a different school. Our responsibility is to make sure our child receives the best educational experience we can provide her. If every family did the same, we wouldn’t have the problems we do in public schools.

[Anonymous]

Our college counseling offices across 2 Big 3 schools say the complete opposite, so there you go.

They say that colleges are more likely to admit kids from schools who 1) have a track record of students who perform well at their school; and 2) spend time reaching out to the admissions people about applicants; 3) have teachers and administrators who know how to write recommendations.

These are all qualities of top privates.

Not all privates are at the same level. I suppose weaker privates can have weaker admissions. All I can tell you is our schools have had superlative admissions years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, our local public school just had a kid stabbed in the hallway. So there is that aspect to think of also.

I get it, you live in a crappy area and have to go private.

[Anonymous]

We didn’t choose HS for the college outcome. Nonetheless, our school did quite well with admissions this year and our kids have received a superior education, so I’m not concerned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our college counseling offices across 2 Big 3 schools say the complete opposite, so there you go.

They say that colleges are more likely to admit kids from schools who 1) have a track record of students who perform well at their school; and 2) spend time reaching out to the admissions people about applicants; 3) have teachers and administrators who know how to write recommendations.

These are all qualities of top privates.

Not all privates are at the same level. I suppose weaker privates can have weaker admissions. All I can tell you is our schools have had superlative admissions years.

Same. Our college counselor has encouraged us to apply to certain schools we thought would be a reach and has assured us those schools love our students so we have a good shot.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s foolish to privately educate with the goal of getting into a top college. We went the private school route because we believe it is a better education. Private school grads will go to a great college if they are bright and driven, maybe not Ivy League, but someone that will give them a great education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, our local public school just had a kid stabbed in the hallway. So there is that aspect to think of also.

I get it, you live in a crappy area and have to go private.

That happened in Fairfax, dumb@ss

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, our local public school just had a kid stabbed in the hallway. So there is that aspect to think of also.

I get it, you live in a crappy area and have to go private.

That happened in Fairfax, dumb@ss

DP. Sadly Fairfax schools have plummeted in quality over the last 20 years.

[Anonymous]

I’m not sending my kids to private for college admissions. I’m sending them for personal reasons, and if at any point it becomes apparent that our public school would be a better fit for any of my kids education, I would send them there. In fact, I’m touring our local elementary school in a few weeks because I think it’s possible that might be the case for one of my children.

Admissions to elite colleges is a total crapshoot from any school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think more public school kids who go to HYP are not legacy where you do see more legacy at private.

Not on our street.

[Anonymous]

Pay for private or go to public and pay for therapy.

[Anonymous]

OP's point and entire focus is wrong headed.