OP, not only the gut but the science is on your side. The Economist this week, specifically about DC, confirming that private adds no value, not when it comes to academics anyway. The article uses it to inform the voucher question but the analysis underpinning it basically asks the question whether "one and the same child" (controlling for all sorts of variables) does differently in private vs. public school. The result is that "one and the same child" learns more and faster in public school. So you'd want to choose private to slow your child's academic progress. I'm guessing there could be good reasons to do that but the rest is conspicuous consumption, i.e. should be considered only if you don't what to do with your money.
http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21721640-should-you-spend-your-voucher-one-private-schools-are-doing-worse-washington-dc

Does someone know the link to the original study at the basis of that article?

OP, your decision makes plenty of sense. In elementary, the Big 3 are better than most (but not all) of the publics in many ways (emphasis on social and emotional skills, hands-on activities, etc), but worse in others (heavy on specific values (eg, GDS is militant about tolerance, Sidwell is dour), culture warped by wealth, etc.).

You're fine. Don't sweat it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is me as well and like one of the PPs, there are a bunch of Big 3 parents at our school as well. Part of it is that the costs are that much higher, but part of it is that we know what the benefits are -- and aren't.

+1

There is also much more of a 'culture of celebrity' than there used to be, and a lot of us don't want our kids (or ourselves!) in that environment. We live in MoCo and one thing I really missed as a kid was going to our neighborhood school.

PP here. There's also a staggering amount of wealth with so many private school families these days, creating such an artificial environment. I also LOVE our neighborhood and school.

Anonymous wrote:I went to a big 3 and both my kids are in dcps elementary school. At least in ES, I think the neighborhood community is more valuable than whatever educational advantages private school would offer. That calculus might change in MS or HS.

+1

Anonymous wrote:This is me as well and like one of the PPs, there are a bunch of Big 3 parents at our school as well. Part of it is that the costs are that much higher, but part of it is that we know what the benefits are -- and aren't.

+1

There is also much more of a 'culture of celebrity' than there used to be, and a lot of us don't want our kids (or ourselves!) in that environment. We live in MoCo and one thing I really missed as a kid was going to our neighborhood school.

This is me as well and like one of the PPs, there are a bunch of Big 3 parents at our school as well. Part of it is that the costs are that much higher, but part of it is that we know what the benefits are -- and aren't.

Anonymous wrote:So you are ok with the sacrifices your parents made, but aren't willing to do the same for your kids?

The relative costs are much higher now than they were then. And college is much more expensive so saving for that has to be a priority.

Anonymous wrote:

Are there any other parents here who went to a Big 3 (or other private in the area) who decided to send their kids public? And why did you make that choice?

In our case the choice was made for us because the Big 3 private I went to rejected my daughter.

Haha, me too. We sent both kids to another private for elementary but then switched to MCPS (Whitman). Nothing to do with finances, it was just a better fit. Most of my friends from HS who are still local send their kids to public school - mostly MCPS. A few send them to other private schools (NCS, St Johns, Maret, Madeira are ones I can think of). Surprisingly few send them to our Big 3.

On a different note, I went to a highly ranked college, but we are sending our child to a CC first with a transfer. I just can't see myself shelling out $30k for 4 years when the end result will be the same.

OP, it's not complicated, and you already wrote the answer yourself in your post: You simply can't reasonably afford private school. There are many things we all want in life for ourselves and our children, but we cannot afford them all. So we all do the best we can with what we can afford, and we all make hard choices among imperfect options. You looked at your situation - solid public school, house and neighborhood you like, jobs you have, lifestyle you want, etc - and you figured out the best combination of tradeoffs that work best for your family. No need to beat yourself up about it. If you figure out later that there's a different combination that works better for your family, you can change then.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you are ok with the sacrifices your parents made, but aren't willing to do the same for your kids?

Privates are far more of a financial burden than they were a generation ago, even adjusted for inflation. A generation ago they were achievable but a stretch for middle-class families. Today they're achievable but a stretch for one-percenters. Same with housing, btw.

100% true.

I went to a big 3 and send my kids to MCPS. Very happy.

Anonymous wrote:So you are ok with the sacrifices your parents made, but aren't willing to do the same for your kids?

Privates are far more of a financial burden than they were a generation ago, even adjusted for inflation. A generation ago they were achievable but a stretch for middle-class families. Today they're achievable but a stretch for one-percenters. Same with housing, btw.

Anonymous wrote:Tell me the naysayers that times have changed in the city, really changed. Ten years ago, most of us with elementary school age children EotP would have bought houses in Upper NW, chosen privates, or bailed to the burbs by middle school.

+1. They probably think 14th Street is scary too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you are ok with the sacrifices your parents made, but aren't willing to do the same for your kids?

Some people think the public education is BETTER.

Whot? I am PP, I went to private school on a scholarship, so my parents didn't pay much. They made their choices and I get to make mine. It doesn't reflect a judgment on them. I made an effort to afford to live in a good school zone, and they didn't need to do that bc of my scholarship. It's not like I'm getting Janney for free.

Are there any other parents here who went to a Big 3 (or other private in the area) who decided to send their kids public? And why did you make that choice?

In our case the choice was made for us because the Big 3 private I went to rejected my daughter.