Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 21:10     Subject: If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
Anonymous wrote:I’m guessing OP chose to ask about NoVa because the private schools in NoVa aren’t that great (I live in NoVa). There’s not a great selection and the ones that are here honestly don’t seem worth it, apart from 1-2. Even those are arguably not better than the best options at public (eg Langley, McLean high). But I think the answer is mostly the same across the board, and is usually one of these—have so much money so what better investment is there; cultural- ie a mix of parents grew up in private school and want the same for their kids / parents want kids to associate with people who are like them financially or in an environment that is predominantly white culture; parents are anxious that their kids won’t stand out in competitive public schools or will be precluded from social networking, elite opportunities etc that happen in private. I think there are some who genuinely l need it for the reasons others listed here but in my experience, those are not as common as parents convincing themselves that their kids need small class sizes etc.


It's basically this. Whites who can afford private school don't want their kids to be around a lot of black and brown kids in public schools. The few in private? Palatable.

NOVA / DC area is one of the most diverse in the country, however, education-wise, whites want it like somewhere in Indiana.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 20:49     Subject: If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:To avoid our zoned middle school.


Which school district?



FCPS and to avoid Luther Jackson MS.

We weren’t alone - several of our neighbors did same.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 20:49     Subject: If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
Anonymous wrote:Grew up in Langley zone. Transferred to a private high school that was much more diverse. I am embarrassed to say this, but I had never met anyone from PG and thought it was no man's land. After meeting students from PG in high school, I became aware of how ignorant I truly was.

I think it is a preference. If you think it would be a good fit, you can give it a try (if it is financially feasible.)

I have known many who have great experiences at Meridien HS. It is similar to many high performing public high schools in the NYC and Boston area because there is community control and an overall smaller class size.


You sound much more rational than some people on here. DC private school is WAY more economically and racially diverse than our public ES. (Look, things change as the pyramids get bigger through MS and HS). Our local ES is essentially white and also very rich. I don’t think some of the private school folks actually realize this, particularly those in upper NW.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 20:41     Subject: If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Public schools give me the ick


Wow


I get this even if I wouldn’t use the word “ick.” We toured our neighborhood elementary school. It felt cold, institutional, chaotic, the playground and facilities were tired and I left feeling sad at the thought of sending my rising kindergartner there every day. The private school we chose instead had such a warm and joyful feeling in contrast. There are several other differences that made private the clear choice, but going just off the feeling I got by visiting, the public school left me feeling kind of sad and the privates we applied to have me a feeling of warmth and happiness.

My kids are now in high school and we never thought about moving them to public after that initial tour.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 20:29     Subject: If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
I think you guys underestimate how hard it is to go private in a hcol area most people have to tough it out in a public school I know i did and my kid might too.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 20:22     Subject: Re:If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:All these things you can find in good public school districts.


Most public school parents are ignorant about how bad public school education is because they have no point of comparison, especially those who are Millennials and Gen Z.

The best school district in VA is Falls Church. At the high school level, it is no match for Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS, or Potomac.



+100
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 20:20     Subject: If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
Parents at private schools don’t want financial aid kids there. Why mingle with the riff raff who could just be slumming it in public school instead.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 20:18     Subject: If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
I am PP. I do not know how it compares to private schools in DC because it would be comparing apples to oranges. As a public school, FCCPS has to provide education for all residents of FCC.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 20:17     Subject: If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
Grew up in Langley zone. Transferred to a private high school that was much more diverse. I am embarrassed to say this, but I had never met anyone from PG and thought it was no man's land. After meeting students from PG in high school, I became aware of how ignorant I truly was.

I think it is a preference. If you think it would be a good fit, you can give it a try (if it is financially feasible.)

I have known many who have great experiences at Meridien HS. It is similar to many high performing public high schools in the NYC and Boston area because there is community control and an overall smaller class size.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 20:04     Subject: Re:If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:All these things you can find in good public school districts.


Most public school parents are ignorant about how bad public school education is because they have no point of comparison, especially those who are Millennials and Gen Z.

The best school district in VA is Falls Church. At the high school level, it is no match for Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS, or Potomac.


I read this thread because I send child to one of these schools from Nova. My experience with my neighborhood cohort from is: they are just as educated — if not more so — than the private school set. This is because those schools place a huge emphasis on financial aid so there are many UMC kids. Not true in my neighborhood. Things change when you are talking about the local really great public HS which feeds from several neighborhoods. But the idea that my neighbors are stupid is ignorant. They are oft times hug believers in public schools. Nova is a big place.


Who places a huge emphasis on financial aid?
At most of the schools you listed above, 75% to 80%+ of families pay the total cost (tuition, plus fees). Walking the walk is much harder than talking the talk.


At Sidwell, 1 in 4 students in the US is on financial aid. 25%. That is MUCH higher than my local neighborhood elementary school bounded geographically by housing that costs $2M+. Sidwell US is WAY more economically diverse than most economically segregated neighborhoods.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 17:36     Subject: Re:If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:All these things you can find in good public school districts.


Most public school parents are ignorant about how bad public school education is because they have no point of comparison, especially those who are Millennials and Gen Z.

The best school district in VA is Falls Church. At the high school level, it is no match for Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS, or Potomac.


I read this thread because I send child to one of these schools from Nova. My experience with my neighborhood cohort from is: they are just as educated — if not more so — than the private school set. This is because those schools place a huge emphasis on financial aid so there are many UMC kids. Not true in my neighborhood. Things change when you are talking about the local really great public HS which feeds from several neighborhoods. But the idea that my neighbors are stupid is ignorant. They are oft times hug believers in public schools. Nova is a big place.


Who places a huge emphasis on financial aid?
At most of the schools you listed above, 75% to 80%+ of families pay the total cost (tuition, plus fees). Walking the walk is much harder than talking the talk.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 17:25     Subject: Re:If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:All these things you can find in good public school districts.


Most public school parents are ignorant about how bad public school education is because they have no point of comparison, especially those who are Millennials and Gen Z.

The best school district in VA is Falls Church. At the high school level, it is no match for Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS, or Potomac.


I read this thread because I send child to one of these schools from Nova. My experience with my neighborhood cohort from is: they are just as educated — if not more so — than the private school set. This is because those schools place a huge emphasis on financial aid so there are many UMC kids. Not true in my neighborhood. Things change when you are talking about the local really great public HS which feeds from several neighborhoods. But the idea that my neighbors are stupid is ignorant. They are oft times hug believers in public schools. Nova is a big place.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 16:35     Subject: Re:If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
Anonymous wrote:All these things you can find in good public school districts.


Most public school parents are ignorant about how bad public school education is because they have no point of comparison, especially those who are Millennials and Gen Z.

The best school district in VA is Falls Church. At the high school level, it is no match for Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS, or Potomac.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 15:35     Subject: Re:If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
Anonymous wrote:All these things you can find in good public school districts.

As one comment mentioned sometimes it’s cheaper to take the hit with private school and have cheaper rent or mortgage when they graduate then always have high rent or mortgage in a good district.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2025 15:29     Subject: If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?
Anonymous wrote:Anyone who said "woke" I'm glad you're not at my kid's school. I specifically am calling out "woke" because you clearly are being brainwashed and can't think clearly for yourself.


It is a continuum. You don’t have to agree with other people, and they don’t have to agree with you.