Anonymous wrote:Also kind of frustrating about Sidwell -- some private schools charge lower tuition for the lower grades, in line with the lower costs associated with those years. Not at Sidwell. All students, regardless of grade, are the same tuition. The effect, thus, is that during the lower school years, parents subsidize the upper grades. If your child stays there throughout their education, I suppose that it evens out -- you'll later be subsidized by the younger kids' tuition.

I agree with your point about the lower grades paying a relatively exorbitant tuition. At least in the upper school you receive the benefit of advanced classes and counseling to prepare your student for good colleges and universities.

Tuition for 2016-2017 at a peer k-12 school in expensive Los Angeles.

Tuition and fees for 2016-17

Grades K-5 = $26,400

Grades 6-8 = $30,900

Grades 9-12 = $34,

Anonymous wrote:

Remember that when you calculate costs for employees you need to add an additional 20% to the salary to account for payroll tax and benefits costs.

A more common figure for benefits costs is 30%+, especially at places where benefits tend towards the generous side (i.e., not McDonalds/WalMart store managers).

Also kind of frustrating about Sidwell -- some private schools charge lower tuition for the lower grades, in line with the lower costs associated with those years. Not at Sidwell. All students, regardless of grade, are the same tuition. The effect, thus, is that during the lower school years, parents subsidize the upper grades. If your child stays there throughout their education, I suppose that it evens out -- you'll later be subsidized by the younger kids' tuition.

Anonymous wrote:I am disappointed that the Sidwell board has not lived up to their stated intent to keep increases under 3%. Even 3% is unsustainable, but having a target I thought was helpful. This year is 3.75%, last year was also over 3.

What statement are you referring to?

I am disappointed that the Sidwell board has not lived up to their stated intent to keep increases under 3%. Even 3% is unsustainable, but having a target I thought was helpful. This year is 3.75%, last year was also over 3.

Anonymous wrote:News flash....ALL the D.C. Area privates will be over 40k next year. gDS, Maret, the cathedral schools.

Not Maret. Cathedral schools and Field have been over $40,000 for at least a couple years now and it's no surprise others will join that expensive category. Re: Maret, unlike many schools that increase tuition 3% some years and 6%+, etc. other years, Maret's website explains that they strive to keep annual tuition increases at or below the rate of inflation. According to the website, Maret's upper school tuition this year is $36,730, so even a 3% increase would have next year's upper school tuition @$37,850.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:News flash....ALL the D.C. Area privates will be over 40k next year. gDS, Maret, the cathedral schools.

Just wanted to point out that Maret is NOT over $40,000 - the administration and board have made it a priority to slow the increases and to try to keep the school as affordable as possible. It's still expensive obviously, but the gap between Maret tuition and other similar schools has been growing every year. We're paying $32,000 for our lower schoolers.

https://www.maret.org/admission/tuition-financial-aid

Yes, Maret is so much better. Tuition at the upper school this year is just a little under $37k. Guess what, next year it will be almost $39k, before the cost of books, and they have a postage stamp for athletic facilities. Radically different approach.

LOL. That was pretty good.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:News flash....ALL the D.C. Area privates will be over 40k next year. gDS, Maret, the cathedral schools.

Just wanted to point out that Maret is NOT over $40,000 - the administration and board have made it a priority to slow the increases and to try to keep the school as affordable as possible. It's still expensive obviously, but the gap between Maret tuition and other similar schools has been growing every year. We're paying $32,000 for our lower schoolers.

https://www.maret.org/admission/tuition-financial-aid

Yes, Maret is so much better. Tuition at the upper school this year is just a little under $37k. Guess what, next year it will be almost $39k, before the cost of books, and they have a postage stamp for athletic facilities. Radically different approach.

Anonymous wrote:News flash....ALL the D.C. Area privates will be over 40k next year. gDS, Maret, the cathedral schools.

Just wanted to point out that Maret is NOT over $40,000 - the administration and board have made it a priority to slow the increases and to try to keep the school as affordable as possible. It's still expensive obviously, but the gap between Maret tuition and other similar schools has been growing every year. We're paying $32,000 for our lower schoolers.

https://www.maret.org/admission/tuition-financial-aid

There are lots of private schools at $40K and above tuition for MS and HS. Sidwell is just catching up so get used to it.

Hope all of the GDS kids accepted at an Ivy. For $40k per year I would expect nothing less. Otherwise you are getting ripped off.

I have a kid a couple years out of college who started in PK. The tuition was $12k.

Tuition tripled during his time at the school. I did a spread sheet once and decided it wss too aggressive- I couldn't imagine tuition would push past $30k. I paid @$34k the year he graduated.

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid a couple years out of college who started in PK who started in PK. The tuition was $12k.

Yikes!!!

I have a kid a couple years out of college who started in PK who started in PK. The tuition was $12k.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So we started a few years ago at around 34k- and it's now going to be OVER 40k for next year. Keep this in mind folks as you make your decisions for next year.

Surreal.

There is more to this than meets the eye. When this poster presumably started in LS, the cost of the LS was less than the MS and US. Then a few years ago, the school made everyone pay the same tuition so LS families had one year where there was a large jump. So the increase if you started in LS has been steeper, but should level off to the normal range of 3-4+%. The 3.75% increase this year was less than the last two years, for example.