Anonymous
03/25/2025 16:45
Subject: Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
OP, what does private school have to do with Ivy League colleges?
Anonymous
03/25/2025 16:41
Subject: Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
Anonymous wrote:We thought it was worth it 4-8th grade. Around a better peer group without majorly disruptive students. The expectations of turning in work on time, learning to study for tests, etc.
Elementary public was good -met neighbors, easy to supplement particularly math. Oldest went to private school and the pace was pretty slow. Younger two we waited and hoped for a space in upper elementary.
And how did that go? Were you in DC, MD or VA?
Anonymous
03/25/2025 16:35
Subject: Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
In my school we asked for coding and robotics but instead they revised humanities and history to get rid of the racial biases in the curriculum.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 16:07
Subject: Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
How does the school get feedback on its curriculum? in particular, the high school cuirriculumAnonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Do you see in parent meetings that the academic program could improve? In my kids private school everyone says it’s perfect. There is no constructive feedback at al. It’s a private school in dc.
Are you asking about constructive feedback to the student on the student's performance? Or feedback on the curriculum?
The school periodically updates its curriculum, as it should, but I don't think that comes out of parent meetings. Most of the parent-initiated changes are around things like homework and field trips.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 16:06
Subject: Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
We thought it was worth it 4-8th grade. Around a better peer group without majorly disruptive students. The expectations of turning in work on time, learning to study for tests, etc.
Elementary public was good -met neighbors, easy to supplement particularly math. Oldest went to private school and the pace was pretty slow. Younger two we waited and hoped for a space in upper elementary.
Elementary public was good -met neighbors, easy to supplement particularly math. Oldest went to private school and the pace was pretty slow. Younger two we waited and hoped for a space in upper elementary.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 15:57
Subject: Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
Anonymous wrote:Do you see in parent meetings that the academic program could improve? In my kids private school everyone says it’s perfect. There is no constructive feedback at al. It’s a private school in dc.
Are you asking about constructive feedback to the student on the student's performance? Or feedback on the curriculum?
The school periodically updates its curriculum, as it should, but I don't think that comes out of parent meetings. Most of the parent-initiated changes are around things like homework and field trips.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 15:55
Subject: Re:Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
Anonymous wrote:You make $3mm/yr and can't deal with two kids in private? or do you mean 3mm NW?Anonymous wrote:We make $3M+ and it still feels like an insane amount going out the door
Yea, that math makes no sense or this person has some sort of costly vice. We make around a third of that annually, and our one child has comfortably been in costly private since they were 4, and we will be OK in retirement. It is annoying to think that we will spent have spent over half a million through high school, but it is a choice that works for our family. It's all personal though and YMMV.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 15:54
Subject: Re:Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
Anonymous wrote:You make $3mm/yr and can't deal with two kids in private? or do you mean 3mm NW?Anonymous wrote:We make $3M+ and it still feels like an insane amount going out the door
"Insane" doesn't mean "unmanagable"
They mean that that money could be spent to help more people in a more important way.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 15:52
Subject: Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
For almsot everything, free government welfare service is always cheaper than a premium private version. Whether it's wroth it depends on your wealth and your priorities.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 15:49
Subject: Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
Do you see in parent meetings that the academic program could improve? In my kids private school everyone says it’s perfect. There is no constructive feedback at al. It’s a private school in dc.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 15:27
Subject: Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
It's specific to kid and school. I see a meaningful difference or we wouldn't be doing it, but I understand why other people make different choices.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 15:24
Subject: Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
There is no magic formula.
Either your public school serves your kid well or you put them in private.
If you do private for the sake of saying "my kid goes to private" or for religious reasons you are not a good parent.
Either your public school serves your kid well or you put them in private.
If you do private for the sake of saying "my kid goes to private" or for religious reasons you are not a good parent.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 15:23
Subject: Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
Anonymous wrote:As others have said, if you only look at private school as a means to a specific college outcome then it makes no sense. But I don’t think that is how most private school families view it.
LOL no of course not given the predominance of religious privates that kids attend.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 15:18
Subject: Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Do not see any difference
That’s because you didn’t select a good private school.
+ 1.
We make sacrifices (small house and non fancy but paid off cars) but can still save for 529 and retirement. I would not go through all of this for a subpar school where the experience is the same as public.
Anonymous
03/25/2025 15:16
Subject: Is the cost of attending independent schools justified?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Do not see any difference
That’s because you didn’t select a good private school.
Not really. It is considered very good. But most parents are not really involved to check the content of math and humanities.
Also you don’t see any concrete feedback from parents. Everybody keeps saying is the perfect school.