Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fit is a word used by rich people who get to choose where to send their child to school. The majority of the country doesn't talk about fit.

The majority of the country doesn't feel entitled to go to privates when they can't afford tuition. They simply go to public school, instead of asking other parents to subsidize them.

Can I please vote for you for president!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Just for a point reference so we are all on the same page--what in your book qualifies as middle class? It seems like peoples definition of middle class runs the gamut especially in DC.

In NW DC, Middle class is : college educated , earning between 75 K and 300K a year ( oro slightly less than 75 K if you are a teacher or gov't employee .

I'm a college educated teacher (with a Master's) who makes more than slightly less ($60K). Do I qualify as middle class? If so, what in God's name do I have in common with people who make $300K?

I was wondering the same thing. I am married to a teacher who is in the exact same position as you education wise and salary wise. I am a government attorney so our HHI is close to $175K. His coworkers (who don't know what I do for a living) constantly question how he can afford to live where we do (which is not some rich fancy area) or how he can afford to drive the car he does (a 2005 car with 200,000 miles). When he tells me this I seriously wonder how a single teacher or even two married teachers are living a so called middle class lifestyle? Sorry, but $75K a year is NOT middle class. I do consider my husband and I to be middle class, but given our student loans (over $300K) we are teetering on the lower middle class side. The only thing I have in commone with someone who makes $300K is that my student loan bill is that high. LOL

That being said, as you commented in your most recent post we too are committed to sending our DC to private school even if that means working a second job to make it happen.

The median HHI in DC in 2013 was 67K. In Arlington it was 102K. The differences by neighborhood are quite striking, but if you think 175 K is not middle class, you must live in McLean, North Arlington, or upper NW DC. Elsewhere, it is well above the median.

http://www.city-data.com/income/income-Washington-District-of-Columbia.html

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fit is a word used by rich people who get to choose where to send their child to school. The majority of the country doesn't talk about fit.

The majority of the country doesn't feel entitled to go to privates when they can't afford tuition. They simply go to public school, instead of asking other parents to subsidize them.

The parents don't ask. The school asks and you have every right to decline. But you don't and then you bitch about it. If you don't want to donate money so that students who don't have the means to attend stay out, then don't donate. But most parents are sheep and don't want to say no to the annual fund.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fit is a word used by rich people who get to choose where to send their child to school. The majority of the country doesn't talk about fit.

The majority of the country doesn't feel entitled to go to privates when they can't afford tuition. They simply go to public school, instead of asking other parents to subsidize them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fit is a word used by rich people who get to choose where to send their child to school. The majority of the country doesn't talk about fit.

The majority of the country doesn't feel entitled to go to privates when they can't afford tuition. They simply go to public school, instead of asking other parents to subsidize them.

Anonymous wrote:Fit is a word used by rich people who get to choose where to send their child to school. The majority of the country doesn't talk about fit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Just for a point reference so we are all on the same page--what in your book qualifies as middle class? It seems like peoples definition of middle class runs the gamut especially in DC.

In NW DC, Middle class is : college educated , earning between 75 K and 300K a year ( oro slightly less than 75 K if you are a teacher or gov't employee .

I'm a college educated teacher (with a Master's) who makes more than slightly less ($60K). Do I qualify as middle class? If so, what in God's name do I have in common with people who make $300K?

I was wondering the same thing. I am married to a teacher who is in the exact same position as you education wise and salary wise. I am a government attorney so our HHI is close to $175K. His coworkers (who don't know what I do for a living) constantly question how he can afford to live where we do (which is not some rich fancy area) or how he can afford to drive the car he does (a 2005 car with 200,000 miles). When he tells me this I seriously wonder how a single teacher or even two married teachers are living a so called middle class lifestyle? Sorry, but $75K a year is NOT middle class. I do consider my husband and I to be middle class, but given our student loans (over $300K) we are teetering on the lower middle class side. The only thing I have in commone with someone who makes $300K is that my student loan bill is that high. LOL

That being said, as you commented in your most recent post we too are committed to sending our DC to private school even if that means working a second job to make it happen.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people speak of best fit I'm often puzzled by exactly what that means. How can you really tell without actually enrolling? When you tour a school isnt it just a snap shot in one day of the life of that school. I have toured schools and was underwhelmed. However, after talking to other who toured who had a different reaction I realized that I didn't see everything and my opinon was based on a one time limited experience. On the other hand, I have also toured schools and loved it. Yet after talking to others I found out things that didn't come up in the tour.

I suppose some schools have a reputation for being a certain way, but I find it difficult to let that be the reason I decide against a school. Isn't it completely possible my experience will different?

I think that's what fit means. It's how the school fits your child (and at this age) family. You tour, you talk to current parents, you to talk to former parents, you attend events for admitted families. And then you make your choice. It doesn't mean that the other school would have been anything less than great--just that one felt like it was a better match. What's best for one kid may not be best for another.

Anonymous wrote:When people speak of best fit I'm often puzzled by exactly what that means. How can you really tell without actually enrolling? When you tour a school isnt it just a snap shot in one day of the life of that school. I have toured schools and was underwhelmed. However, after talking to other who toured who had a different reaction I realized that I didn't see everything and my opinon was based on a one time limited experience. On the other hand, I have also toured schools and loved it. Yet after talking to others I found out things that didn't come up in the tour.

I suppose some schools have a reputation for being a certain way, but I find it difficult to let that be the reason I decide against a school. Isn't it completely possible my experience will different?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Just for a point reference so we are all on the same page--what in your book qualifies as middle class? It seems like peoples definition of middle class runs the gamut especially in DC.

In NW DC, Middle class is : college educated , earning between 75 K and 300K a year ( oro slightly less than 75 K if you are a teacher or gov't employee .

I'm a college educated teacher (with a Master's) who makes more than slightly less ($60K). Do I qualify as middle class? If so, what in God's name do I have in common with people who make $300K?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Just for a point reference so we are all on the same page--what in your book qualifies as middle class? It seems like peoples definition of middle class runs the gamut especially in DC.

In NW DC, Middle class is : college educated , earning between 75 K and 300K a year ( oro slightly less than 75 K if you are a teacher or gov't employee .