A question about private schools (Bellaire, River Oaks: real estate, middle schools, prices)

[buckeroo]

Looking at private grade schools and middle schools in the West U/Bellaire area we've noticed that there is a large difference in prices between some of the schools. St. John's/AOS/Presby/ROBS are roughly $17k-$20k per year. Trafton Academy is about $10k, St. Mark's is about $15k, Westbury Christian is about $11k.

Why the substantial difference in price? Is it a supply/demand thing? Is the education at some of the schools better than at others?

[astrohip]

Yes.

[KatieKennedy]

The higher priced schools have folks lined up to take all their slots and price is no object. However, drill down on the fees. Some schools include meals, books, etc in the tuition while others charge for these above the tuition.

[colcat]

It really depends on what you are looking for. If you are not Christian,however send your kid to a Christian school, well, they are going to learn about the Bible, etc.

[Houston parent]

There are huge disparities in academic rigor between those schools. St. Johns is an academic grind, while the others will be much easier. Westbury Christian is much cheaper because it serves a middle class area. Most of the others serve River Oaks/West U/Bellaire and charge truly obscene tuition simply because the can (supply/demand). In fact, the obscene tuition actually appeals to many people in those areas because they frequently confuse COST with VALUE. River Oaks Baptist, for eaxmple, is nothing special in terms of academics. However, it is located on the edge of River Oaks, and further incorporates that into their name. That automatically warrants a premium tuition in the minds of many area residents. Its the same reason why nearly everything in that area is overpriced.

[buckeroo]

That was my impression - that supply and demand dictated the discrepancies in price.

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by buckeroo

That was my impression - that supply and demand dictated the discrepancies in price.

It does. In both schools and real estate. And while the above poster may not understand, there is a "value" that some parents seek in both the education and the environment in said schools. They don't have to understand it, but the check writers do.