What is even the point of private schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our private school taught our kids how to capitalize and write in complete sentences.

That’s what you are getting for $60k
a year? My neighborhood Catholic school teaches that successfully in first grade and their students are crushing MAP scores.

Which DC Metro private schools charge $60k/year?!?

There are a few at 56 or so per year and when you add in the rest it is darn near 60.

Just say you’re wrong and move on.

My children attend Sidwell. While the cost is high ($55,000), Sidwell does not nickel and dime you. Outside of books, that cost is pretty all-inclusive (laptop, lunch, sports uniforms, yearbook, etc), unless your child elects to participate in special activities. Even the books have been fairly reasonable—about $300 to $500/year.

Sidwell is neither the best school nor the most expensive. Just recognize you have limited exposure to the full range of possibilities associated with this question and then STFU. Seriously. Your answer could not be more wrong or more pompous.

Lol—your child must attend Bullis or BIM. Seethe!

Nope. Sorry. Not seething bc no need.

Mmmkay. You sound very bitter though.

Not really. Actually not at all. You just throw around insults too much and don’t like getting called on your fact free drivel.

Ok, bitter _itch.

Nice, low quality, dummy ad hominem response that proves my point. Are you drunk or always this dumb?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our private school taught our kids how to capitalize and write in complete sentences.

That’s what you are getting for $60k
a year? My neighborhood Catholic school teaches that successfully in first grade and their students are crushing MAP scores.

Which DC Metro private schools charge $60k/year?!?

There are a few at 56 or so per year and when you add in the rest it is darn near 60.

Just say you’re wrong and move on.

My children attend Sidwell. While the cost is high ($55,000), Sidwell does not nickel and dime you. Outside of books, that cost is pretty all-inclusive (laptop, lunch, sports uniforms, yearbook, etc), unless your child elects to participate in special activities. Even the books have been fairly reasonable—about $300 to $500/year.

Sidwell is neither the best school nor the most expensive. Just recognize you have limited exposure to the full range of possibilities associated with this question and then STFU. Seriously. Your answer could not be more wrong or more pompous.

Lol—your child must attend Bullis or BIM. Seethe!

Nope. Sorry. Not seething bc no need.

Mmmkay. You sound very bitter though.

Not really. Actually not at all. You just throw around insults too much and don’t like getting called on your fact free drivel.

Ok, bitter _itch.

Nice, low quality, dummy ad hominem response that proves my point. Are you drunk or always this dumb?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a better question is, is private school worth $50-60k compared to maybe hiring a tutor for your kid.

And the answer, as any economist who has ever run an optimization problem knows, depends on your budget and what you're looking for (what goes into your "demand" curve).

Do you have a spare $120k for two kids and you won't really notice it's gone? Or does sending your kid to private school mean you're not funding your retirement or their 529 account? If the latter, go public.

Then there's the demand side. Given that we've decided that private school no longer gets your kid into Yale, what else are people looking for in a private school? If it's learning how to capitalize (which is nonsense, so let's say it's learning how to write essays, although publics do teach that too), a tutor can teach your kid that for a fraction of the cost. The answer also depends on non-quantifiable things that go into the demand curve. Like, I have to imagine, getting your kid away from those declasse public school kids so your kid can learn how to shake hands. Or something. What else? Is it in-depth study of the Coming of Age novel (hello NCS) or religion? Can your kid wait until college or do that through your house of worship?

I’ll take your question as an honest inquiry, though your tone suggests you may not be open to any different view.

In my family’s experience private school is a luxury, no different than buying a fancy car when an old Honda would get you to the same places. You have a different experience in the fancy car though, and if you can’t afford it or don’t value that you should absolutely stick with the Honda.

At the beginning of freshman year the college counseling team reached out to my daughter individually to talk through course selection and extracurriculars that would most likely lead her to a college she would enjoy. They have regular individual meetings throughout her four years to walk her through every step of the selection and application process, including mock interviews and multiple essay reviews. Classes are small and teachers are given time during the day to meet with students about anything they need so it’s hard to slip through the cracks or get behind. Recommendation letters are easy to come by.

Sports, clubs, and arts enrichment activities are plentiful and have room for all students who are encouraged to join. They have multiple opportunities for school trips overseas and individual or small group internships while in high school.

There are ridiculous daily indulgences that we laugh about, like the variety of lattes available at the school cafe and the occasional sushi chef that comes to the cafeteria. I don’t think anyone is just paying for the oat milk lattes they enjoy in the gazebo though the campus is beautiful and there are several intentionally inviting indoor and outdoor spots where my daughter will sit for an hour with friends.

All of the things I hear from my neighbors in our local public about assaults, drugs in the bathrooms, overcrowding, unavailable administrators, etc are not part of our experience. Maybe none of that is worth it to you, I think my kids will end up in the same colleges as many of their public school friends. I’m pretty sure they’ve had a different experience in high school getting there and that’s worth the money to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:to have smaller class sizes and not have teachers and administrators who are stretched beyond limit - only worth it if the education is on par with public (this is a high bar for some in the DMV, and a low bar for others)

its cheaper to move than to pay second mortgage in private school costs?

I’m the PP whose kid saw kids vaping in the classroom and more (I didn’t even list all the issues). We already live in a supposedly good school district. People move to our district “for the schools,” which in hindsight is a ludicrous concept.

I wonder about this too. People who built their entire lives around “being in a good school district” that they may or may not be able to afford and having no sense of what actually happens in this “good schools.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a better question is, is private school worth $50-60k compared to maybe hiring a tutor for your kid.

And the answer, as any economist who has ever run an optimization problem knows, depends on your budget and what you're looking for (what goes into your "demand" curve).

Do you have a spare $120k for two kids and you won't really notice it's gone? Or does sending your kid to private school mean you're not funding your retirement or their 529 account? If the latter, go public.

Then there's the demand side. Given that we've decided that private school no longer gets your kid into Yale, what else are people looking for in a private school? If it's learning how to capitalize (which is nonsense, so let's say it's learning how to write essays, although publics do teach that too), a tutor can teach your kid that for a fraction of the cost. The answer also depends on non-quantifiable things that go into the demand curve. Like, I have to imagine, getting your kid away from those declasse public school kids so your kid can learn how to shake hands. Or something. What else? Is it in-depth study of the Coming of Age novel (hello NCS) or religion? Can your kid wait until college or do that through your house of worship?

I’ll take your question as an honest inquiry, though your tone suggests you may not be open to any different view.

In my family’s experience private school is a luxury, no different than buying a fancy car when an old Honda would get you to the same places. You have a different experience in the fancy car though, and if you can’t afford it or don’t value that you should absolutely stick with the Honda.

At the beginning of freshman year the college counseling team reached out to my daughter individually to talk through course selection and extracurriculars that would most likely lead her to a college she would enjoy. They have regular individual meetings throughout her four years to walk her through every step of the selection and application process, including mock interviews and multiple essay reviews. Classes are small and teachers are given time during the day to meet with students about anything they need so it’s hard to slip through the cracks or get behind. Recommendation letters are easy to come by.

Sports, clubs, and arts enrichment activities are plentiful and have room for all students who are encouraged to join. They have multiple opportunities for school trips overseas and individual or small group internships while in high school.

There are ridiculous daily indulgences that we laugh about, like the variety of lattes available at the school cafe and the occasional sushi chef that comes to the cafeteria. I don’t think anyone is just paying for the oat milk lattes they enjoy in the gazebo though the campus is beautiful and there are several intentionally inviting indoor and outdoor spots where my daughter will sit for an hour with friends.

All of the things I hear from my neighbors in our local public about assaults, drugs in the bathrooms, overcrowding, unavailable administrators, etc are not part of our experience. Maybe none of that is worth it to you, I think my kids will end up in the same colleges as many of their public school friends. I’m pretty sure they’ve had a different experience in high school getting there and that’s worth the money to me.

PP here. Thanks for this thoughtful response. I didn't give our reasons for leaving private for public because that's not the point of the private school forum. Friends have told us why they kept their kids in private, and I was just curious if there's more, that's all.

[Anonymous]

What is the point? Nobody knows, but we are working hard to figure it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:with how it is nearly impossble for kids to get into Ivys unhooked.

with the insane woke brainwashing and the inbedding of politics into the circirulum and the loss of traditional learning

with schools and universities disregarding objective measures like SAT scores, AP test scores.

with top universities graduates having problems paying off their student loans and getting jobs


It all just feels pointless.

Small classes, community, dress code, college like classes with professors many of whom have their doctorates, college-level athletic fields, strong alumni network, the list goes on

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We left DCPS for top privates in 9th grade because my kids could barely write a basic essay.
Also, I have personally known many DCPS grads who struggled in college. Sure, on DCUM somebody's uncle's cousin's friend left JR and aced his classes at Harvard but in my real-life world, among people I know and trust, (relatives, close friends, etc) there are many grads who struggled. So the point of private school for us is far, far better instruction.

How did your kid get into a top private without being able to write a basic essay?

[Anonymous]

Snob appeal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a better question is, is private school worth $50-60k compared to maybe hiring a tutor for your kid.

And the answer, as any economist who has ever run an optimization problem knows, depends on your budget and what you're looking for (what goes into your "demand" curve).

Do you have a spare $120k for two kids and you won't really notice it's gone? Or does sending your kid to private school mean you're not funding your retirement or their 529 account? If the latter, go public.

Then there's the demand side. Given that we've decided that private school no longer gets your kid into Yale, what else are people looking for in a private school? If it's learning how to capitalize (which is nonsense, so let's say it's learning how to write essays, although publics do teach that too), a tutor can teach your kid that for a fraction of the cost. The answer also depends on non-quantifiable things that go into the demand curve. Like, I have to imagine, getting your kid away from those declasse public school kids so your kid can learn how to shake hands. Or something. What else? Is it in-depth study of the Coming of Age novel (hello NCS) or religion? Can your kid wait until college or do that through your house of worship?

I’ll take your question as an honest inquiry, though your tone suggests you may not be open to any different view.

In my family’s experience private school is a luxury, no different than buying a fancy car when an old Honda would get you to the same places. You have a different experience in the fancy car though, and if you can’t afford it or don’t value that you should absolutely stick with the Honda.

At the beginning of freshman year the college counseling team reached out to my daughter individually to talk through course selection and extracurriculars that would most likely lead her to a college she would enjoy. They have regular individual meetings throughout her four years to walk her through every step of the selection and application process, including mock interviews and multiple essay reviews. Classes are small and teachers are given time during the day to meet with students about anything they need so it’s hard to slip through the cracks or get behind. Recommendation letters are easy to come by.

Sports, clubs, and arts enrichment activities are plentiful and have room for all students who are encouraged to join. They have multiple opportunities for school trips overseas and individual or small group internships while in high school.

There are ridiculous daily indulgences that we laugh about, like the variety of lattes available at the school cafe and the occasional sushi chef that comes to the cafeteria. I don’t think anyone is just paying for the oat milk lattes they enjoy in the gazebo though the campus is beautiful and there are several intentionally inviting indoor and outdoor spots where my daughter will sit for an hour with friends.

All of the things I hear from my neighbors in our local public about assaults, drugs in the bathrooms, overcrowding, unavailable administrators, etc are not part of our experience. Maybe none of that is worth it to you, I think my kids will end up in the same colleges as many of their public school friends. I’m pretty sure they’ve had a different experience in high school getting there and that’s worth the money to me.

So basically a Country Club for the kids of wealthy parents? I hope she has a nice trust fund because I have no idea how your DD will compete in the working world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the point? Nobody knows, but we are working hard to figure it out.

Everyone knows but does not want to say it out loud - social cachet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a better question is, is private school worth $50-60k compared to maybe hiring a tutor for your kid.

And the answer, as any economist who has ever run an optimization problem knows, depends on your budget and what you're looking for (what goes into your "demand" curve).

Do you have a spare $120k for two kids and you won't really notice it's gone? Or does sending your kid to private school mean you're not funding your retirement or their 529 account? If the latter, go public.

Then there's the demand side. Given that we've decided that private school no longer gets your kid into Yale, what else are people looking for in a private school? If it's learning how to capitalize (which is nonsense, so let's say it's learning how to write essays, although publics do teach that too), a tutor can teach your kid that for a fraction of the cost. The answer also depends on non-quantifiable things that go into the demand curve. Like, I have to imagine, getting your kid away from those declasse public school kids so your kid can learn how to shake hands. Or something. What else? Is it in-depth study of the Coming of Age novel (hello NCS) or religion? Can your kid wait until college or do that through your house of worship?

I’ll take your question as an honest inquiry, though your tone suggests you may not be open to any different view.

In my family’s experience private school is a luxury, no different than buying a fancy car when an old Honda would get you to the same places. You have a different experience in the fancy car though, and if you can’t afford it or don’t value that you should absolutely stick with the Honda.

At the beginning of freshman year the college counseling team reached out to my daughter individually to talk through course selection and extracurriculars that would most likely lead her to a college she would enjoy. They have regular individual meetings throughout her four years to walk her through every step of the selection and application process, including mock interviews and multiple essay reviews. Classes are small and teachers are given time during the day to meet with students about anything they need so it’s hard to slip through the cracks or get behind. Recommendation letters are easy to come by.

Sports, clubs, and arts enrichment activities are plentiful and have room for all students who are encouraged to join. They have multiple opportunities for school trips overseas and individual or small group internships while in high school.

There are ridiculous daily indulgences that we laugh about, like the variety of lattes available at the school cafe and the occasional sushi chef that comes to the cafeteria. I don’t think anyone is just paying for the oat milk lattes they enjoy in the gazebo though the campus is beautiful and there are several intentionally inviting indoor and outdoor spots where my daughter will sit for an hour with friends.

All of the things I hear from my neighbors in our local public about assaults, drugs in the bathrooms, overcrowding, unavailable administrators, etc are not part of our experience. Maybe none of that is worth it to you, I think my kids will end up in the same colleges as many of their public school friends. I’m pretty sure they’ve had a different experience in high school getting there and that’s worth the money to me.

So basically a Country Club for the kids of wealthy parents? I hope she has a nice trust fund because I have no idea how your DD will compete in the working world.

She’s not a brilliant kid but she is a very hard worker and her school experience has built up her skills and confidence. Given what I’ve seen of her school alums I think she’ll do very well in college and the working world. Who knows though, all of us are just trying to do what we think is best for our kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a better question is, is private school worth $50-60k compared to maybe hiring a tutor for your kid.

And the answer, as any economist who has ever run an optimization problem knows, depends on your budget and what you're looking for (what goes into your "demand" curve).

Do you have a spare $120k for two kids and you won't really notice it's gone? Or does sending your kid to private school mean you're not funding your retirement or their 529 account? If the latter, go public.

Then there's the demand side. Given that we've decided that private school no longer gets your kid into Yale, what else are people looking for in a private school? If it's learning how to capitalize (which is nonsense, so let's say it's learning how to write essays, although publics do teach that too), a tutor can teach your kid that for a fraction of the cost. The answer also depends on non-quantifiable things that go into the demand curve. Like, I have to imagine, getting your kid away from those declasse public school kids so your kid can learn how to shake hands. Or something. What else? Is it in-depth study of the Coming of Age novel (hello NCS) or religion? Can your kid wait until college or do that through your house of worship?

I’ll take your question as an honest inquiry, though your tone suggests you may not be open to any different view.

In my family’s experience private school is a luxury, no different than buying a fancy car when an old Honda would get you to the same places. You have a different experience in the fancy car though, and if you can’t afford it or don’t value that you should absolutely stick with the Honda.

At the beginning of freshman year the college counseling team reached out to my daughter individually to talk through course selection and extracurriculars that would most likely lead her to a college she would enjoy. They have regular individual meetings throughout her four years to walk her through every step of the selection and application process, including mock interviews and multiple essay reviews. Classes are small and teachers are given time during the day to meet with students about anything they need so it’s hard to slip through the cracks or get behind. Recommendation letters are easy to come by.

Sports, clubs, and arts enrichment activities are plentiful and have room for all students who are encouraged to join. They have multiple opportunities for school trips overseas and individual or small group internships while in high school.

There are ridiculous daily indulgences that we laugh about, like the variety of lattes available at the school cafe and the occasional sushi chef that comes to the cafeteria. I don’t think anyone is just paying for the oat milk lattes they enjoy in the gazebo though the campus is beautiful and there are several intentionally inviting indoor and outdoor spots where my daughter will sit for an hour with friends.

All of the things I hear from my neighbors in our local public about assaults, drugs in the bathrooms, overcrowding, unavailable administrators, etc are not part of our experience. Maybe none of that is worth it to you, I think my kids will end up in the same colleges as many of their public school friends. I’m pretty sure they’ve had a different experience in high school getting there and that’s worth the money to me.

So basically a Country Club for the kids of wealthy parents? I hope she has a nice trust fund because I have no idea how your DD will compete in the working world.

My kid in private has an extremely high IQ and probably would have no use for a trust fund.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the point? Nobody knows, but we are working hard to figure it out.

Everyone knows but does not want to say it out loud - social cachet.

I wish it was social cache but for us it’s been the opposite. I feel like I have to explain why we had a good reason for leaving our public school lest we be seen as “the real problem with public schools.” Our public school dragged its feet when we contacted them to get accommodations for our DC. Only when we came with an external assessment, that *we* had to pay for, did they even begin to talk about engaging the district. We just couldn’t risk our DC getting lost in the system waiting for supports that they were actively pushing against. It felt like a gamble and the advocacy was exhausting. For us, the private school was worth stepping off that roller coaster. Whether it remains the best solution is a year-by-year conversation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a better question is, is private school worth $50-60k compared to maybe hiring a tutor for your kid.

And the answer, as any economist who has ever run an optimization problem knows, depends on your budget and what you're looking for (what goes into your "demand" curve).

Do you have a spare $120k for two kids and you won't really notice it's gone? Or does sending your kid to private school mean you're not funding your retirement or their 529 account? If the latter, go public.

Then there's the demand side. Given that we've decided that private school no longer gets your kid into Yale, what else are people looking for in a private school? If it's learning how to capitalize (which is nonsense, so let's say it's learning how to write essays, although publics do teach that too), a tutor can teach your kid that for a fraction of the cost. The answer also depends on non-quantifiable things that go into the demand curve. Like, I have to imagine, getting your kid away from those declasse public school kids so your kid can learn how to shake hands. Or something. What else? Is it in-depth study of the Coming of Age novel (hello NCS) or religion? Can your kid wait until college or do that through your house of worship?

I’ll take your question as an honest inquiry, though your tone suggests you may not be open to any different view.

In my family’s experience private school is a luxury, no different than buying a fancy car when an old Honda would get you to the same places. You have a different experience in the fancy car though, and if you can’t afford it or don’t value that you should absolutely stick with the Honda.

At the beginning of freshman year the college counseling team reached out to my daughter individually to talk through course selection and extracurriculars that would most likely lead her to a college she would enjoy. They have regular individual meetings throughout her four years to walk her through every step of the selection and application process, including mock interviews and multiple essay reviews. Classes are small and teachers are given time during the day to meet with students about anything they need so it’s hard to slip through the cracks or get behind. Recommendation letters are easy to come by.

Sports, clubs, and arts enrichment activities are plentiful and have room for all students who are encouraged to join. They have multiple opportunities for school trips overseas and individual or small group internships while in high school.

There are ridiculous daily indulgences that we laugh about, like the variety of lattes available at the school cafe and the occasional sushi chef that comes to the cafeteria. I don’t think anyone is just paying for the oat milk lattes they enjoy in the gazebo though the campus is beautiful and there are several intentionally inviting indoor and outdoor spots where my daughter will sit for an hour with friends.

All of the things I hear from my neighbors in our local public about assaults, drugs in the bathrooms, overcrowding, unavailable administrators, etc are not part of our experience. Maybe none of that is worth it to you, I think my kids will end up in the same colleges as many of their public school friends. I’m pretty sure they’ve had a different experience in high school getting there and that’s worth the money to me.

So basically a Country Club for the kids of wealthy parents? I hope she has a nice trust fund because I have no idea how your DD will compete in the working world.

She’s not a brilliant kid but she is a very hard worker and her school experience has built up her skills and confidence. Given what I’ve seen of her school alums I think she’ll do very well in college and the working world. Who knows though, all of us are just trying to do what we think is best for our kids.

Love you for this. Each child is different so why do we act like a one size fits all approach will magically work for all of them? Why don’t we discuss fit in K-12 the same way we do with colleges? It’s no less an issue just because the students are minors. Not every school will work for every kid. And that’s ok. Also, brava to your DD for her hard work. Sounds like she found a good place for her.