Was Private Worth the Money if DC Didn’t Get into a “good” University?

[Anonymous]

Well, I'll say it. We send both our kids to private for the safety, the close relationships with teachers, and the well educated and cultured peers and parents of peers. And you know what, that's our prerogative. I want my kid in an upper class (for lack of a better word) environment, and that's my choice. Funny how everyone is so big on choice until it makes them jealous or feel guilty, then they rush to cut people down. You want to send your child to public because you think it's better or whatever, fine! I don't care about or question your motives, leave mine alone.

And no matter where my children eventually attend college, I know they will go there with all the intangibles they developed at private school. And the friend connections as well.

[Anonymous]

I just want my child to be happy. They are in private and love it. The 50k a year literally makes no difference in our finances. And I’m happy they are aren’t one of thousands of kids warehoused at a local school. So I don’t really care what University she goes to as long as she is happy. She is a hard worker and has aspirations for grad school, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter because she will have a trust fund.

[Anonymous]

Human beings brains develop between zero and 25. Their kindergarten through 12th grade experience matters a lot to who they become. Private schools be much more attention to each child. It’s just true.

Not everyone is applying to private schools because he thinks it gives them an edge with regard to colleges; that’s gonna depend on how smart your child is to be honest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Human beings brains develop between zero and 25. Their kindergarten through 12th grade experience matters a lot to who they become. Private schools be much more attention to each child. It’s just true.

Not everyone is applying to private schools because he thinks it gives them an edge with regard to colleges; that’s gonna depend on how smart your child is to be honest.

I agree; I just think that the college factor is equally important to us because we know how much impact it CAN have on our children. We just want them to be in the best place to succeed at the end of the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s too late to network in college.

College networking is pointless, it's all about grad school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s too late to network in college.

College networking is pointless, it's all about grad school.

I've been well-served by my connections from as far back as middle school, along with college, grad school, and of course that first job that was such a grind and really bonded all of us who started in the same cohort. It all matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Human beings brains develop between zero and 25. Their kindergarten through 12th grade experience matters a lot to who they become. Private schools be much more attention to each child. It’s just true.

Not everyone is applying to private schools because he thinks it gives them an edge with regard to colleges; that’s gonna depend on how smart your child is to be honest.

Agree 100%. I would trade those 13 years for the 4 years of college in a hot minute.

But I don’t think I’ll need to trade them, because there are probably a hundred school OP considers not “good” where my kid can still get a sound and enriching education.

The difference is that we have literally the entire world to choose from for college. I have a hard time believing that we won’t find ONE we like that will take my kid.

For K-13 our choice is limited to our zoned elementary, charter if we get lucky, and several private schools. It would be insane to let the college choice drive that decision when the college possibilities will be more numerous by a factor of 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just want my child to be happy. They are in private and love it. The 50k a year literally makes no difference in our finances. And I’m happy they are aren’t one of thousands of kids warehoused at a local school. So I don’t really care what University she goes to as long as she is happy. She is a hard worker and has aspirations for grad school, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter because she will have a trust fund.

Ew.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids didn't go to private because we couldn't afford it. But I went to an excellent private school and I felt the education there was better than my first 2 years of college at a flagship U.

The education really is better at certain school compared to most publics and it lasts a lifetime.

+1. Education for the 13 formative years is a lot more important than education for 4. Not that the top private schools are sending kids to any colleges ranked lower than Top 50.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to burst your bubble OP, but private worked out great for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care where my kids go to college as long as, at the end of the day, they can afford to raise their kids the way they were raised.

+1
Many jobs are doing away with the stamp of college as a requirement. Hopefully, we'll go back to apprenticeships. Most of what is needed for any job is learned on the job. I have a PhD in STEM and I used maybe 10% of what I learned my first 5 years, everything else was learned on the job. Now 18 years in I draw on my experiences and business relationships, not anything from my education.

As long as my kids can maintain their lifestyle AND, more importantly, get off my books, why do I care about an arbitrary piece of paper?

You are so right. I went to the dr yesterday and I was like bring the orderly. I don’t need your MD high fallutin’ ways.

I heard something like this on NPR last week...but I couldn't find the article. I found this though. https://www.npr.org/2021/10/07/1043737586/college-degree-high-school-diploma-high-paying-trade-jobs

I don't think the PP was saying all job will go to a degree optional. I think the point is many high paying fields, like programming are not requiring them like they used to. Now they are moving to a competence based model. My highschooler is a very skilled python programmer and contracts her skills to make some extra money. This is very valuable experience that may land her a great job later. She's even built some video games for fun and sold them.

[Anonymous]

OP, reread your won post. You say college isn't everything and then you go onto try to make the point that college is the only reason that matters. You are completely wrong about that.

Pick a school based on what is best for your kid today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids didn't go to private because we couldn't afford it. But I went to an excellent private school and I felt the education there was better than my first 2 years of college at a flagship U.

The education really is better at certain school compared to most publics and it lasts a lifetime.

+1. Education for the 13 formative years is a lot more important than education for 4. Not that the top private schools are sending kids to any colleges ranked lower than Top 50.

Wrong. My kid got into higher ranked schools but chose one ranked less than 50 because linear ranking is silly, it changes, and ultimately it doesn't matter. Choose the college that is best for you and what you want to do.

[Anonymous]

I was joking. There is in fact a serious movement. We’ve lost skilled industry workers.

Why not?
Anesthetist nurse makes 300k
Electrician (union) starts at 140k and is paid to qualify

Look up Opportunity@Work; they call tearing the paper ceiling (diploma, get it?)

But I don’t think this is a realistic expectation for the kids at Big3

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids didn't go to private because we couldn't afford it. But I went to an excellent private school and I felt the education there was better than my first 2 years of college at a flagship U.

The education really is better at certain school compared to most publics and it lasts a lifetime.

+1. Education for the 13 formative years is a lot more important than education for 4. Not that the top private schools are sending kids to any colleges ranked lower than Top 50.

Wrong. My kid got into higher ranked schools but chose one ranked less than 50 because linear ranking is silly, it changes, and ultimately it doesn't matter. Choose the college that is best for you and what you want to do.

You are relentless. Agree to disagree.