Applications for Private schools - Fall 2013 (Atlanta: assess, moving, suite)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

I don't blame people for using HOPE but it must be a little painful to see all the public school kids who are in the same place, doing just as well from a public school background. There are lots of reasons to utilize private schools -- getting into college probably wouldn't be my top choice.

Totally agree. If you want your kid to go to an Ivy (and I'm not sure that's the brass ring it once was) there far more cost effective ways to do it.

[intownmom]

I believe Westminster changed its policy requiring its faculty to be Christian over twenty years ago, not too long after this article was published:

Atlanta School's Ban on Hiring Non-Christians Opens a Debate - NYTimes.com

[arjay57]

Thanks for that article.

It makes this point which is pretty good:

"Einstein couldn't have taught math there; Jesus couldn't have taught there," said Pat Finley, the father of a Westminster alumnus. "If you value your academic standing, you have to go for the best faculty you can find."

It's hard to claim you are a top school if you wouldn't hire Einstein or Jesus.

[1Mom2Boys]

I have an acquaintance who sent three kids to Westminster, K-12. He was discouraged that his youngest was not even accepted to UGA. Said that they only have a certain number of students they will take from each high school and, at Westminster, those spots get filled pretty fast by above average students who want to take advantage of Hope. His child had to go to a state school out-of-state where he's paying a lot more for a lesser education. If he could do it again - he says he'd send them to Westminster for elementary and middle and to a public school for high school.

I've said it a few times on C-D - I've chosen private (son is in KG/pre-1st) for a number of reasons. But sending him to an Ivy is not one of them. Class size, teacher accountability, curriculum (not teaching to the state test) and a peer group of similarly adjusted students (academically) are some.

[PeteATL41]

Let's face it the Ivies and the like reject numerous applicants with 4.0 GPAs and 2300+ SAT scores each year (and seem to take pride in doing so) The decision to send your kids to any independent schools should be based on the experience they will have along the way and the relationships that they will develop. I don't think anyone can predict that a child years away from college applications will be competitive for for particular college(absent extraordinary connections to the insitiution in question) when it comes time to apply.

[AtlJan]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

I struggle, for a kid who could do well in public school, to think that 250 thousand dollars spent k-12 to end up at UGA (even with HOPE) is necessarily a good investment. (And I had a child in private school). I don't blame people for using HOPE but it must be a little painful to see all the public school kids who are in the same place, doing just as well from a public school background. There are lots of reasons to utilize private schools -- getting into college probably wouldn't be my top choice.

LMM, You really cannot judge another person's financial decisions without knowing their net worth. For many people, the tuition is not a big deal and doesn't impact their lifestyle at all. In addition, for many people who grew up in Atlanta, going to private school is a tradition, as big a tradition as cheering for the Dawgs. . .so going to Lovett and then UGA . . .or Westminster and then Auburn. . .that is totally as planned. To outsiders, it may seem upside down and backward--but it isn't at all within the culture. As a Southern Christian conservative, I will tell you I would be more comfortable with my children going to a Southern state school than any of the prestigious, but very liberal, NE colleges.

[lastminutemom]

Originally Posted by AtlJan

LMM, You really cannot judge another person's financial decisions without knowing their net worth. For many people, the tuition is not a big deal and doesn't impact their lifestyle at all. In addition, for many people who grew up in Atlanta, going to private school is a tradition, as big a tradition as cheering for the Dawgs. . .so going to Lovett and then UGA . . .or Westminster and then Auburn. . .that is totally as planned. To outsiders, it may seem upside down and backward--but it isn't at all within the culture. As a Southern Christian conservative, I will tell you I would be more comfortable with my children going to a Southern state school than any of the prestigious, but very liberal, NE colleges.

And I am aware that there are many, many folks just like you in Atlanta.

I do want to say though, because I know many private school families. They aren't all like you and many are disappointed with the options their kids have. It is to them that I am speaking about realistic expectations.

But, I want to also point out, that you can send your kids to a dozen or more private Christian high schools in ATL that don't cost as much as the Buckhead three and your child will still end up being able to get into most big Southern Us.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

And I am aware that there are many, many folks just like you in Atlanta.

I do want to say though, because I know many private school families. They aren't all like you and many are disappointed with the options their kids have. It is to them that I am speaking about realistic expectations.

I hear that. There are plenty of old money families for whom the Westminster>UGA connection (or some variation thereof) is standard operating procedure. The tuition is not a challenge.

It's a somewhat different world for those not to the manor born. Attempting to crack the elite circles is no easy task, and that's no different in Atlanta than in other cities.

Can you get your kid into the "big three" (or four)? Maybe, with some luck and a great deal of perseverance by the parental units.

Will it help get you into an Ivy League college? Perhaps, although your chances coming out of a strong public high school are just about as good, assuming your child is truly a strong candidate.

Even if all that happens, does that mean your youngun has or will ascend to the upper echelon? Hm...

[AtlJan]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

And I am aware that there are many, many folks just like you in Atlanta.

I do want to say though, because I know many private school families. They aren't all like you and many are disappointed with the options their kids have. It is to them that I am speaking about realistic expectations.

But, I want to also point out, that you can send your kids to a dozen or more private Christian high schools in ATL that don't cost as much as the Buckhead three and your child will still end up being able to get into most big Southern Us.

I'm well aware of those schools and have a lot of respect for them. I guess my point is, it isn't a big difference for us whether the school is $10K or 20K or 29K (the latter being what we pay now). It isn't about sending our children to the cheapest school we can in order to get them into a certain college. We're just trying to get them the highest quality education (public or private) in elementary and high school so that they can live a purposeful life, regardless of where they go to college.

Maybe you meant "you" in a generic sense, and if so, then, yes, of course, I'm sure some of the parents who choose a less expensive Christian school are doing so to save money, but I think most are choosing the school because it is what they are looking for theologically/pedagogically and is close to where they live. The ones near us are in the $20K range or are not what we are looking for.

Really, if $10K/year either way makes that much difference in the budget for a family, I'm not sure private is the way to go for them. . .but that is another thread.

[snsh5713]

I'm beginning to feel that there are two types of demographics/ family types that approach the big privates. One is an upper crust, for whom money is not an issue and they want the best and name brand education for their child. The other is upper middle class, that is making a stretch financially and making sacrifices, in order to afford this education and send their child to these schools, in the hope and assumption that it is going to give their child better opportunities for college.

Can you get your kid into the "big three" (or four)? Maybe, with some luck and a great deal of perseverance by the parental units.

I found this statement quite intriguing. Why do you need luck and perseverance to break into this elite club. Does hard work, and a good previous academic, test score, and EC record, not speak for itself for admission purposes?

Also, even if there are parents with money and elite backgrounds who send their kids to these schools....I don't think they can "buy" their way at every step and now get their kids into Harvard, Princeton, Yale and other Ivy League colleges...Again, maybe I'm naïve but I don't think money gets you in through every door...