Public school vs Private school - Honolulu

[lyndsay1234]

I just entered this site while doing research for an article I am writing on the value of difference in education between public and private school. First off, I must say that you have a very beautiful and considerate objective in thinking that the money could be put to better use. And there are starving people in Africa, dehydrated people in Sudan, suppressed people in Burma... the list can go on.... But having that mind set alone will give you the passion and drive to do something about it as you grow. Right now, you need to make an investment in your future to aid that growth. Go to private school..... It's really important.... I am a graduate of Kalaheo High School, a very non-creditable public school..... and only having left the island for travel abroad I realized how uneducated I am, and how far I have to go to even keep up with conversation let alone engaged in intellectual ones. Not only do I feel that the education is of great importance but the mental mind set is immense when comparing the two. I feel that if you are in a motivated environment you strive to be better or at least stay afloat with your surroundings. My sister in law, a brilliant result of Punahou, said it better than anyone: "In public school they teach you to be an employee, in private school they teach you to be the employer." Get the best education you can and there will be no regrets. Good luck.

[amagab]

Why do you people keep saying that private school is more expensive than public. IT IS NOT! Public schooling cost just as much as the best private schools in Hawaii. The numbers I saw last month was that each public student cost $15K/year to educate. The only difference when you go to private school is that you pay for BOTH private and public education and when you go to public school you don't pay the full tuition because it's covered by us tax payers. Imagine how high our taxes would be if all private students decided to go to public school. The state would go bankrupt.

Mid-Pac is a great school but unfortunately they allow for a lot of slackers and bums to be enrolled. They are not very strict......at least not in the lower grades.

[whynot?]

Originally Posted by amagab

. . . The numbers I saw last month was that each public student cost $15K/year to educate. . . .

That is a stunning number! That would put Hawaii just below DC (at over $16,000/student the highest in the country), and in the pack with New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Alaska, and Wyoming which usually comprise the top ten states for K-12 spending. (With varying results, of course.)

I am surprised that Hawaii, which has been in the solid middle of per-student spending for decades, would move up so far so fast. Do you know where you read that? The highest number I've ever seen for a Hawaii school was $12,079/student at Wailupe, which was disclosed in the recent discussion about whether to close it because it was so much more expensive than Aina Haina.

Mahalo.

[808n310]

Congrats on getting into MPI, have you tried for Punahou or Iolani?

I'm not too familiar with MPI, but you should jump at the chance if Punahou or Iolani accepted you. Both of these schools have fantastic reps for a lot of the major colleges and you'll have a much easier time getting in. I mean literally, SC sent a whole recruiting team to our school and basically guaranteed anyone admission w/ a 3.0 and 1100+ SAT (which is like 95 percent of the class). Plus, if you're an advanced student, there will be much, much more classes to choose from. Also too, there are a lot of clubs, activites and extra curriculars that you may not find available at a public school. Oh, I went to Iolani btw.

On the flip side it can be hyper-competitive and if you're used to easily succeeding, or always academically being better than others, this can be a problem. I think my year we had 38 of the 65 National Merit Semi Finalists in the state, so that gives you an idea of the people that you're swimming with, but it raises the bar for everyone.

Good luck and have fun, high school is the beeest!

[amagab]

Originally Posted by whynot?

Do you know where you read that?

The most recent issue (May 2009) of Honolulu Magazine.

[ElPasoMom]

I would definitely go for Mid-Pac. It may not be as prestigious as Iolani or Punahou (go there if you can!) but the atmosphere would be more conducive to learning than going to a public school. I excelled at public school and did everything- AP/honors, extracurriculars, volunteering, etc. but it's infinitely harder to stay motivated when your peers are underachievers.

[wb3690]

go to private school........

we are moving this summer and my 7th grader says he's just ready to be around other kids who are more motivated. I am generalizing a little bit here, but as uch as we love hawaii the public schools are one of the worst things about it..........so we're looking forward to getting our kids into a public school system where kids are motivated and wanting to achieve, not just get to the weekend which is what alot of the kids in my son's school seem to be.

the environment you are in will really help to shape/mold you for the future without you even knowing about it......

good luck!

[VlyRoadKid]

My son (From Mass.) is currently visiting his girlfriend in Oahu, who just graduated yesterday (I forget which private school she attended). She told me she went to a private school because the public ones were "so bad". Her parents also had high expectations of her academically. I guess it paid off, since she was accepted to several prestigious colleges and is going to attend UMass/Amherst this fall.

However, she did say she had been "miserable" at the heavy load of homework an expectations placed on her. So, if you're not the academic type, you might not like a private school as much. Here in Mass., due to Ed. Reform and its higher standards, there is not as much difference between the private and public schools. In your case, it sounds like you have to choose between a sub-par education at a public school and good one at a private school.