Reply to What is even the point of private schools?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]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?[/quote]

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.[/quote]

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.[/quote]

Lol.  Sick burn.  Because we all know kids of private schools never can compete in the real world.  I hope you can afford to buy your kid a nice leaf blower.[/quote]

The scholarship kids are crushing it in the real world. Latte McSushi is flushed out within five years. [/quote]

You read that whole post and you think the only thing that matters is the food?[/quote]

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