Private school is a terrible ROI for middle class people

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The idea that the value of an education can be measured solely in financial terms is completely cloddish.

It can also be measured in being able to expel problem kids. Know how many times my kids have had to evacuate their classrooms because some little shit was throwing chairs? Zero times!

This happened once in the span of our two kids' stint in public. I am OK with that, given the rest of the benefits we've accrued from staying in public. And I say this as the product of a series of fancy privates! Going to college after that was a shock to my system. I do not wish for my kids to spend their formative years in a private school bubble. Let them see someone throw chairs and tables in 4th grade. It won't kill them.

Choosing the situation you prefer is different from saying something is a bad ROI because you could have invested the money instead. By that measure, vacations and pets are also terrible ROI but people happily spend money on those too.

You spend $50,000 a year on your dog?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The idea that the value of an education can be measured solely in financial terms is completely cloddish.

It can also be measured in being able to expel problem kids. Know how many times my kids have had to evacuate their classrooms because some little shit was throwing chairs? Zero times!

This happened once in the span of our two kids' stint in public. I am OK with that, given the rest of the benefits we've accrued from staying in public. And I say this as the product of a series of fancy privates! Going to college after that was a shock to my system. I do not wish for my kids to spend their formative years in a private school bubble. Let them see someone throw chairs and tables in 4th grade. It won't kill them.

Choosing the situation you prefer is different from saying something is a bad ROI because you could have invested the money instead. By that measure, vacations and pets are also terrible ROI but people happily spend money on those too.

PP you replied to. Oh no, public school has great ROI too, if you invest your money wisely! I thought that was obvious, and I am in agreement with OP. I was just responding to your comment.

[Anonymous]

Completely agree. While I do believe there are special circumstances where it can make sense, it’s a huge waste of money for most people.

[Anonymous]

$30k? It’s more like $55k per year per kid. Reasons include: kid needs a smaller class or more attention, parents value education and perceive private as superior, social status, sports, distrust of public schools, etc. To each their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The idea that the value of an education can be measured solely in financial terms is completely cloddish.

It can also be measured in being able to expel problem kids. Know how many times my kids have had to evacuate their classrooms because some little shit was throwing chairs? Zero times!

This happened once in the span of our two kids' stint in public. I am OK with that, given the rest of the benefits we've accrued from staying in public. And I say this as the product of a series of fancy privates! Going to college after that was a shock to my system. I do not wish for my kids to spend their formative years in a private school bubble. Let them see someone throw chairs and tables in 4th grade. It won't kill them.

Choosing the situation you prefer is different from saying something is a bad ROI because you could have invested the money instead. By that measure, vacations and pets are also terrible ROI but people happily spend money on those too.

You spend $50,000 a year on your dog?

I spend $25k a year on private school, which is as much as many people spend on pets or hobbies or travel, yes. It doesn't become a better ROI if the amount is $25k instead of $50k.

People buy experiences. Private school is an experience like travel: some people value it and some don't. I would never buy Taylor Swift tickets in another state and travel there, or buy a very high quality musical instrument, or put my kid in elite sports, or go on safari. But people do, and it costs that much, and no one bleats about the ROI of it all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The idea that the value of an education can be measured solely in financial terms is completely cloddish.

It can also be measured in being able to expel problem kids. Know how many times my kids have had to evacuate their classrooms because some little shit was throwing chairs? Zero times!

This happened once in the span of our two kids' stint in public. I am OK with that, given the rest of the benefits we've accrued from staying in public. And I say this as the product of a series of fancy privates! Going to college after that was a shock to my system. I do not wish for my kids to spend their formative years in a private school bubble. Let them see someone throw chairs and tables in 4th grade. It won't kill them.

Choosing the situation you prefer is different from saying something is a bad ROI because you could have invested the money instead. By that measure, vacations and pets are also terrible ROI but people happily spend money on those too.

You spend $50,000 a year on your dog?

I spend $25k a year on private school, which is as much as many people spend on pets or hobbies or travel, yes. It doesn't become a better ROI if the amount is $25k instead of $50k.

People buy experiences. Private school is an experience like travel: some people value it and some don't. I would never buy Taylor Swift tickets in another state and travel there, or buy a very high quality musical instrument, or put my kid in elite sports, or go on safari. But people do, and it costs that much, and no one bleats about the ROI of it all.

People talk about the ROI of pretty much everything beyond a certain price point. And what you mentioned isn’t typically a 12-year expense (often multiplied by two or more, depending on family size).

[Anonymous]

You get once chance at school. Plenty of opportunities to make lots of money.

[Anonymous]

I doubt my son would even have gone to college from public school, let alone graduated from college. Public education has such low expectations which were lowered even further during Covid. A rigorous Catholic MS and HS with a lot of FA was worth its weight in terms of him finishing college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I doubt my son would even have gone to college from public school, let alone graduated from college. Public education has such low expectations which were lowered even further during Covid. A rigorous Catholic MS and HS with a lot of FA was worth its weight in terms of him finishing college.

Well we’re sorry your son is such a loser that he needed so much extra pushing but most of us have kids who went to public schools who somehow managed to graduate from college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I doubt my son would even have gone to college from public school, let alone graduated from college. Public education has such low expectations which were lowered even further during Covid. A rigorous Catholic MS and HS with a lot of FA was worth its weight in terms of him finishing college.

Well we’re sorry your son is such a loser that he needed so much extra pushing but most of us have kids who went to public schools who somehow managed to graduate from college.

^ This right here shows is why it's so clearly not about ROI. It's about feeling insecure in your choices and wanting to put others down as a result.

When you are calling a stranger's child a loser, you're the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is important that my children grow up around the right kind of people. Private school provides that environment.

This is exactly why I don’t send my kids to private. And I could well afford it. Can’t stand the many striving a-hole parents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Completely agree. While I do believe there are special circumstances where it can make sense, it’s a huge waste of money for most people.

This

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is important that my children grow up around the right kind of people. Private school provides that environment.

This is exactly why I don’t send my kids to private. And I could well afford it. Can’t stand the many striving a-hole parents

I like to have money. I don’t like to be around other people with money, though. Most are unbearable. We’re in public school in an area most of them wouldn’t deign to consider. It’s worth it for the peace and to retire early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The idea that the value of an education can be measured solely in financial terms is completely cloddish.

+100 thank. Came here to say this. Some of y'all are not that bright are you.

Isn’t that the point of education? To get a good job, and make X amount of money.

You can totally put a $ value on an education. Thats why there are ROI surveys on colleges based on price to attend and $ outcomes of graduates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The idea that the value of an education can be measured solely in financial terms is completely cloddish.

It can also be measured in being able to expel problem kids. Know how many times my kids have had to evacuate their classrooms because some little shit was throwing chairs? Zero times!

This happened once in the span of our two kids' stint in public. I am OK with that, given the rest of the benefits we've accrued from staying in public. And I say this as the product of a series of fancy privates! Going to college after that was a shock to my system. I do not wish for my kids to spend their formative years in a private school bubble. Let them see someone throw chairs and tables in 4th grade. It won't kill them.

Choosing the situation you prefer is different from saying something is a bad ROI because you could have invested the money instead. By that measure, vacations and pets are also terrible ROI but people happily spend money on those too.

You spend $50,000 a year on your dog?

I spend $25k a year on private school, which is as much as many people spend on pets or hobbies or travel, yes. It doesn't become a better ROI if the amount is $25k instead of $50k.

People buy experiences. Private school is an experience like travel: some people value it and some don't. I would never buy Taylor Swift tickets in another state and travel there, or buy a very high quality musical instrument, or put my kid in elite sports, or go on safari. But people do, and it costs that much, and no one bleats about the ROI of it all.

Most high quality music instruments retain their value and many increase. That’s actually how many justify buying a $50k+ violin or cello or similar.

I don’t think it’s possible to spend that much on a brass unless you are buying one owned by a famous musician, but that’s a collector item vs something you play.