Reply to Private school for half the cost, would you do it?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I posted on the private school thread already and someone suggested to ask here too, so here it is.
DH and I get an allowance of about half tuition up to $19,000. We make about 170k after taxes. We have two kids and might have another. 
Should we do it? We would not be able to afford $80k per year, but 40k we can do it (60... maybe if my income increases which might double (from 55 after taxes to 90) in a couple of years. What would you do? We are international and travel out of the country to see family twice a year (cheap because usually use miles or trip is paid by DH’s job) once we are there we stay with family. Trips are non-negotiable and a priority for us (we also save money in the summer because kids are in home country for 2-3 months and we don’t ever pay for summer camps. Would you do it at our income level?

We are also planning to move (need a bigger house) and by selling what we have now (we are in DuPont) we can get a bigger house inbound for stoddert, Murch, Lafayette, etc.

We work for international organizations and we have great benefits (pension will be 70% of highest paycheck, home leave money, and we don’t pay taxes except for property taxes).[/quote]

You got good advice on the school choice issue.  I work for the Bank as well and from my experience I can tell you the following three things:

- most people in your situation keep kids in well regarded public elementaries and make the transition to private at middle school or higher level, or move just across the border to MD.

- if you are set on private, you need to expand your choices to more than Sidwell and whatever other school you mentioned. Not to put you down, but these schools have their pick from every well connected, ambitious, highly tutored, rich (not like you and I rich - actually rich) family in DC.  Competition is brutal.  Pick more than two because you may get disappointed.

- from looking at families like yours and mine, your assumption that kids will not ever need summer care is not a solid one.  As your kids get older, their interests will expand, as will their connection to the U.S.  They may not WANT to spend all summer elsewhere.  YOU may not want to spend all summer elsewhere.  If you work, and also if you want to give your kids every advantage, you will have to look into high quality camps because every Sidwell etc family will be doing it as well.  Travel for kids starts getting old at around 9 to 10 years of age - this is based on my observations of the families of my colleagues. [/quote]

OP here. Thanks! Good points![/quote]

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