Percentage of Students on Financial Aid at Major Privates is Depressing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are you going to find these poor kids who can do the work at a Big3?

Andover and Exeter take applicant nationally and internationally. Sidwell and NCS are stuck with the DMV.

My kids came from DCPS to two different Big3 schools in 9th. They attended the best DCPS elementary/middle schools and scored 99% on the PARCC (achievement tests). They're the product of two parents with graduate degrees.
They had every advantage that such kids have: top early childhood education (private preschool), parental help all along the way from PK-->8th grade, a house full of books, private tutors if/when needed, international travel, exposure to different cultures through family friends, nanny, etc.
AND STILL---9th grade at the Big3 coming out of DCPS was ROUGTH. They had to repeat a grade in math and start over in foreign language (they were put in Spanish 101 despite having 3 years of Spanish in DCPS). They learned annotate for the first time, they finally learned to write well.

They got through it with a LOT of parental involvement, tutors, teacher office hours, etc.

Now what happens to the kid who attends many of the myriad of DC public schools where only 5% of the kids are at grade level? Kids who have none of the resources that my kids did?

It's not as easy as just giving a poor kid a free ride to Sidwell. It's really hard to find these kids who come from true poverty and will be able to hack the academics and culture at these elite schools with little (or no) support at home.

There is a nonprofit called Prep For Prep in NYC that matches low-income URMs with elite NYC privates starting in middle school. The program has a rigorous training component that the kids must commit to, and NYC is huge with robust public transportation, however.

No such organization exists in DC.
Why do people insist on discussing what NYC does into these posts?

Why do people insist on talking about public schools here? I thought no one liked that. Or is it ok when it’s a convenient attempt to deflect the conversation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The true hypocrisy is not within private schools, which are quite generous, but actually in the public school systems that create high performing and low performing schools.

Multiple things can be true, in different ways and to different degrees, at the same time. Complex thought is not as elusive as it seems.

By stating the obvious, you have wanted all of our time. Thanks to you, we all all just a little bit dumber right now. You have contributed nothing of substance and I hope you consider what, if anything, you can add to the conversation in the future before you hit submit.

[Anonymous]

Should Big 3 types of schools do much need-based aid wise for upper middle class families? Honestly, I think probably not. Some schools are interested in great actors, artists, and athletes who are in high demand, so I can understand aid going to excellent kids strong in particular areas (Sidwell, for example, has been much more proactive recruiting and providing aid to athletes) or to kids who have shown test scores or research that is exceptional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’re all pathetic. Which is why I laugh when the schools taut their “diversity.” What a joke. They’re schools for rich kids.

It’s all relative. In the area of the US where I grew up, someone who owns a $700,000 house is filthy rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would be interesting to know the size of the average award. I know a family making 300k and getting some financial aid. This makes me think private schools are not getting many low and middle income kids. I know that everyone on here believes they are middle class but it is simply not true

Most of the schools show average awards. For example, at Maret the average award is 77%/ $30,400.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What other schools?

milton academy: nearly 60%
roxbury latin: 40%
philips andover: 45%
philips exeter: 50%

many could do better. but still, would like to see the DC schools step it up.

Would you REALLY like to see more diversity in terms of socioeconomic at your private school? And the significant needs that many lower socioeconomic students come to school with? Probably not.

These schools have been around forever and are well known. If a student made it here with having a single mother working as a teacher, why not? Or a student living in public housing who manages all A’s and tests in the top 99% without tutors, why not?

The stereotype of higher socioeconomic students having no significant needs has no merit. Embarrassing that anyone would even write that.

[Anonymous]

I’m impressed that they are that high- unless they include athletic or artistic scholarships. Not that those are all bad, but different from an academic scholarship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What other schools?

milton academy: nearly 60%
roxbury latin: 40%
philips andover: 45%
philips exeter: 50%

many could do better. but still, would like to see the DC schools step it up.

Would you REALLY like to see more diversity in terms of socioeconomic at your private school? And the significant needs that many lower socioeconomic students come to school with? Probably not.

These schools have been around forever and are well known. If a student made it here with having a single mother working as a teacher, why not? Or a student living in public housing who manages all A’s and tests in the top 99% without tutors, why not?

The stereotype of higher socioeconomic students having no significant needs has no merit. Embarrassing that anyone would even write that.

Lol no

[Anonymous]

To OP: Financial aid here is philanthropy. Why does this specific philanthropic cause resonate with you?

Also, what gives you the moral authority to question how other parents and private schools allocate their finances, especially in the setting of already quite generous financial aid programs that are the result of extraordinary donors?

Is this specific philanthropic cause any more deserving than the countless others?

[Anonymous]

There is no requirement for providing any financial aid. It could be zero. I really don’t understand what the issue is. How much do YOU want to donate to this cause? Be the change you want to see in the world.

[Anonymous]

Catholic schools give a lot of aid, and the total tuition is lower. I know St Anselms Abbey is $35k for the upper school with 40% of kids receiving aid.

[Anonymous]

Why would schools give more aid? Parents are paying a lot of money to keep their kids away from poor kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no requirement for providing any financial aid. It could be zero. I really don’t understand what the issue is. How much do YOU want to donate to this cause? Be the change you want to see in the world.

Do you know what a non-profit is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no requirement for providing any financial aid. It could be zero. I really don’t understand what the issue is. How much do YOU want to donate to this cause? Be the change you want to see in the world.

Do you know what a non-profit is?

Yes and it does not require financial aid. Zero.

[Anonymous]

In my opinion, donations would do more good elsewhere and financial aid at these schools should not exist.