Would you send your kids to private school?

Originally Posted by yousharenow

Had a great convo with some people last night, wanted to take the pulse here.

I grew up in the richest county in Tx, so we had great Public schools. I think that for most people, if you live in a good safe area, and you have good public schools, why WOULDN'T you send your kids to public schools?

GF went to private school as Ohio had horrible public schools, I get that reasoning.

But Unless you want your kids to be taught some religious Dogma, sports reasons, and you live in an area with good schools..why wouldn't you just use the public system?

Public schools here are so far ahead of Private it is rediculous. Private do not have to meet the strict guidlines of public schools. I would be cheating my kids to send them private.....and throwing college money out the window

Originally Posted by wild willy

Public schools here are so far ahead of Private it is rediculous. Private do not have to meet the strict guidlines of public schools. I would be cheating my kids to send them private.....and throwing college money out the window

Just so we're clear....you believe that people are intentionally paying many thousands of dollars per year per student to receive an inferior education with no benefit over public schools?



Heck of a business plan and they have a lot of people duped into thinking otherwise. Maybe this is just varies by locale though and yours is an anomaly.

Originally Posted by SLVR JDM

Just so we're clear....you believe that people are intentionally paying many thousands of dollars per year per student to receive an inferior education with no benefit over public schools?



Heck of a business plan and they have a lot of people duped into thinking otherwise. Maybe this is just varies by locale though and yours is an anomaly.

Are you both in the same school zone or not?

Originally Posted by sea6speed

Are you both in the same school zone or not?

Exactly .........no. I said here, where I live. Lots of kids leaving the private for this reason.

They are getting screwed

Originally Posted by sea6speed

Are you both in the same school zone or not?

No. I am in the suburbs of St. Louis (if I read your question correctly). That is why I mentioned this might be true of his locale, but is not universal.

If I didn't think (nay, KNOW) I was getting a better education overall at a private school I would save my money. Test scores do not tell the entire story about what is going on at a school.

For my wife and I, this is a decision that is still up in the air and is dependent on finances at this point.

Originally Posted by wild willy

Exactly .........no. I said here, where I live. Lots of kids leaving the private for this reason.

They are getting screwed

Gotcha, makes sense. Sucks that the parents flushed money down a toilet, but it is great to have excellent pubic schools as an option.

Originally Posted by bimmerfan08

Or spent on a quality college education where schooling really does matter.

You have done a pretty convincing job in proving that state schools are a great option. Are you saying that saving for a more expensive college education is a better option in your book?

Originally Posted by SLVR JDM

No. I am in the suburbs of St. Louis (if I read your question correctly). That is why I mentioned this might be true of his locale, but is not universal.

If I didn't think (nay, KNOW) I was getting a better education overall at a private school I would save my money. Test scores do not tell the entire story about what is going on at a school.

For my wife and I, this is a decision that is still up in the air and is dependent on finances at this point.

I think you've got it right. There is a lot more going on in private schools than just the scores.

Some of the private schools have really stuck up kids, avoid those.

Some of them are much better at giving kids big picture perspective than any public school could hope to be. Namely- actually- many quaker schools, and some other religious schools.

I say do both, It's what I did. You get to view more of the spectrum, and depending on the private school, the networking can be extremely good. Most of my friends came from the private high school I went to, even though I was only there for a year. Compared to the public high school I went to, where I felt like a ghost. The public school experience is far more like the real world, but the private school has potential to be far more stimulating. Educationally I found the public school to be slightly better, since they don't try and baby you.

Once your kid has a few years in the high school system, have them test out and start up at the local JC, even more real world, and they get usable college credits.

I went through 12 years of private school. 10 of which were Catholic based with all of the the same students. There were never any fights, gangs, huge disturbances, shootings, or major theft.

Plus I now have a life long relationship with dozens of people that will likely have high paying and influential positions in the community. I'd say it was worth every penny.

I went a public school in a good neighborhood that was supposedly one of the better public schools in my area. I watched a kid get stabbed 20+ times when I was a freshman.

Originally Posted by tock172

I went a public school in a good neighborhood that was supposedly one of the better public schools in my area. I watched a kid get stabbed 20+ times when I was a freshman.

Did your school district have a busing program by any chance?

Originally Posted by sea6speed

Did your school district have a busing program by any chance?

You know it!

Now that we've opened this can of worms, I fully believe we should abolish busing and instead use that money to improve the schools we are busing students away from. Then the trash can stay out of my neighborhood. No more stabbings

I feel like kids who go to private schools are in a bubble of safeness and not exposed. Almost like they are being protected and sheltered. You learn A LOT outside of the classrooms at a public school! Not saying education is not important! But being exposed is important as well.

Originally Posted by tock172

You know it!

Now that we've opened this can of worms, I fully believe we should abolish busing and instead use that money to improve the schools we are busing students away from. Then the trash can stay out of my neighborhood. No more stabbings

100% agree. I'm not sure how it works, but I don't understand why my tax dollars are being spent to educate kids that are not in my district. I have to foot the bill so that they can get a better education? Meh.

Originally Posted by casino is no lie

From a psychologist's perspective your personality is already well defined before you even enter college and will change very little in the future. It's possible, but the extent is limited.

I was one of the shyest people growing up and when I hit about 21 I was like wtf I have thoughts in my head I need to share lol. That could also be the alcohol.

Originally Posted by jmcdolej

How many parents send their kids to private school just to say that they do?

I think more than you would recommend, for the same reason soccer moms want a german car rather than a Hyundai for no REAL reason.

Originally Posted by SLVR JDM

I'm investing in the front end of their education so that by the time they get to college they have a solid foundation to build on and hopefully more choices in which college to attend.

The cost of college by the time my kids will attend will be astronomical, so unless parents are very wealthy, they cannot save enough to pay for college in whole. I'd rather prepare them with solid elementary and high school foundations so that they can have a better shot at competing for scholarships and learn good studying habits from a young age. If my kids are not taking it seriously then it is a waste, so it is up to them to make the most of the opportunity I'm giving them.

I realize this is not a traditional viewpoint and goes against the grain of saving for college vs. saving for elementary/high schools.

Different strokes for different folks. Money will likely have to be borrowed for college in any case, so I'm willing to take the risk.

In Texas, they had this thing called the "Texas Tomorrow Fund". Essentially, it was a saving account you started for your kid when they were younger where you would be able to send your kids to any public state College at TODAY's tuition rates. I'm surprised more states don't do this.

Originally Posted by SLVR JDM

Just so we're clear....you believe that people are intentionally paying many thousands of dollars per year per student to receive an inferior education with no benefit over public schools?



Heck of a business plan and they have a lot of people duped into thinking otherwise. Maybe this is just varies by locale though and yours is an anomaly.

I think you are giving people more credit than is due, there are plenty of people with more dollars than sense. This overwhelming idea that there is a higher "quality" of people that send their kids to private school is absurd.

Originally Posted by k2pilot

I say do both, It's what I did. You get to view more of the spectrum, and depending on the private school, the networking can be extremely good. Most of my friends came from the private high school I went to, even though I was only there for a year. Compared to the public high school I went to, where I felt like a ghost. The public school experience is far more like the real world, but the private school has potential to be far more stimulating. Educationally I found the public school to be slightly better, since they don't try and baby you.

Once your kid has a few years in the high school system, have them test out and start up at the local JC, even more real world, and they get usable college credits.

This is the best advice ever. If I can take the class at my local CC for 1/4th the price and transfer it in, I do. I'll run completely out of classes around the 60hr mark that I can take at CC - so much $$$ saved!

I went to parochial gradeschool, and a Marianist highschool (private) and would love to send my future son there (it's an all boys school). I felt I got a good mix there because it was people from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds. If my wife and I are so inclined when we have kids, we'll probably send them to private highschool. Definitely not a Catholic one, but one that is run by the Jesuits, Marianists, or something similar.

Originally Posted by SLVR JDM

I live in an excellent school district, but I'm still likely sending my kids to private schools. Why? Public schools have to deal with a lot of state and district level nonsense which private schools do not. Avoiding the administrative and misguided curriculum nonsense allows the teachers at a private school to focus on teaching, not administrative BS that takes up the majority public school teachers' time.

My wife is a teacher in the district and it is an issue that is big enough that the teachers are pushing back to the administration up to the superintendent. Keep in mind these are "excellent" schools too, at least by state scoring standards. Just think if they had time to focus on actual teaching rather than simply trying to get the kids to score well on state tests.

JMHO.

I'm sure my kids will get a fine education either way, but I'd prefer to give them a leg up from the beginning.

What highschool did you go to?????

Originally Posted by GlockMan

Summary: it completely depends on the situation.

This is really the best thing in the entire thread. It 100% completely depends on the situation.

Originally Posted by wild willy

Public schools here are so far ahead of Private it is rediculous. Private do not have to meet the strict guidlines of public schools. I would be cheating my kids to send them private.....and throwing college money out the window

That's not true in the area that I live in....private schools are governed by a set of standards just like public. Also, may want to work on the spelling....seems as if the public system failed you

Originally Posted by yousharenow

In Texas, they had this thing called the "Texas Tomorrow Fund". Essentially, it was a saving account you started for your kid when they were younger where you would be able to send your kids to any public state College at TODAY's tuition rates. I'm surprised more states don't do this.

Most states do do that, but it's kind of a gamble. What if your kid doesn't want to go to college? What if they don't want to go to THAT college? It's potential money wasted. It's better to stick it into something more flexible like a 529.

Originally Posted by DylloS

I was one of the shyest people growing up and when I hit about 21 I was like wtf I have thoughts in my head I need to share lol. That could also be the alcohol.

There is a difference between maturing and personality. The latter shapes who you are at all stages of maturity.

Originally Posted by yousharenow

I think you are giving people more credit than is due, there are plenty of people with more dollars than sense. This overwhelming idea that there is a higher "quality" of people that send their kids to private school is absurd.

Werd.

When I did go to private school, it was with the kids of some seriously successful people, this said nothing of the kids, or the school. I called it "daycare for rich kids". The school wouldn't let you fail, so we all got laptops and spent 90% of the day screwing off. Come graduation time hardly any of those kids went on to very impressive colleges or careers. All the hard working smart ones I knew came out of public school, that said so did some of the biggest screw ups, it's sink or swim!

Originally Posted by yousharenow

This is the best advice ever. If I can take the class at my local CC for 1/4th the price and transfer it in, I do. I'll run completely out of classes around the 60hr mark that I can take at CC - so much $$$ saved!

I think everyone here is preaching their own path as the best, including us.

Originally Posted by VaderDave

This is an important point. One of the things many private schools seem to have over public schools nowadays is the ability to provide really good extracurricular programs (sports, music, drama, art, etc.). So part of the question becomes whether there are good alternative programs in your community to fill that gap for your kid and his or her personal interests.

Your kid's personal hobbies could potentially be far beyond the scope of any extracurricular activities the school may offer, and if that were the case, then it's more important he/she has free time to pursue those interests, this is where private schools can get in the way as they're far more time intensive than a public school. It's better to learn those extracurricular interests outside the scope of a school, since the majority of the time their structure gets in the way of real learning.