Lake Mary Public Versus Private Schooling (Seminole, Princeton: brokers, lawyers, school district)

[annerk]

I'm not so sure about the "illiterate" part. Read some of the posts from kids educated in Florida and accepted into universities here. Just downright scary. These kids can't spell (I'm not talking about typos--something I'm very guilty of), can't construct a sentence, and their grammar is atrocious.

[Bessette]

We moved from Heathrow to Alaqua Lakes for a bigger home and nicer neighborhood. Being zoned for a better school was also a plus. My kids are not in school yet. There are lots of things to do here. There is a "town center" off of 46A called Colonial Town Center. With restaurants, movie theaters and stores. I liked the Dr Phillips/Windermere area when we first moved here 7yrs ago and very happy we live in Seminole County and Lake Mary area. Check out free lunch %'s and you can get a better idea of areas. Seminole County is one of the wealthiest counties in FL. There is also lots of touristy traffic and crime down by Dr Phillips area. Hope that helps.

[nativefla]

I have no desire for my children to have a "northern" prep school education. So I guess sub-par from a northern standard will have to do. My senior son was accepted at University of Virginia, Univ. of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Wake Forest Univ., Vanderbilt, Davidson, and UF. He has received a full academic scholarship in the honors college of his first choice. He applied only to schools in the south because that's where he wants to be and he is from a long line of southerners.

Trinity is the best choice locally and we make sacrifices because our kids are worth it. FYI, Trinity is not $20,000 per year and they offer financial aid based on need. Could my son have done as well at Lake Mary High and received the same offers from these top 50 tier schools? We'll never know. But I have to think the good students are going to well wherever they are. I think the major difference is the teachers at Trinity love to teach and want to see the kids learn. At Lake Mary, many are just glorified baby sitters. They don't want to be there any more than the kids do. We hosted a German exchange student for a year and she attended Lake Mary High. We were worried about the language barrier and scheduled somewhat easy classes for her. That was a mistake. She got straight A's and thought high school in the U.S. was a joke. German education is no doubt more rigorous and intense than it is here.

Bottom line, Trinity is not the the elitist school many people think. Many families, especially with the economics today, receive some sort of financial aid, and many families have two working parents in order to send their kids there. It's a matter of personal choice. Sacrifice for your children to get the best education available, or rely on the government to do it.

[annerk]

Not sure why you wouldn't want your children to have the best possible education, but whatever. It sounds like they are on the right track, maybe not ahead of the game, but at least on the right track. Good luck to them.

[nativefla]

Originally Posted by annerk

Not sure why you wouldn't want your children to have the best possible education, but whatever. It sounds like they are on the right track, maybe not ahead of the game, but at least on the right track. Good luck to them.

I'm not sure if that comment was intended for me or not. I do want my kids to have the best education possible. That's why they're at Trinity Prep. You make it sound like we should be sending them up north if we really want the best for them. Not ahead of the game, huh? Acceptance at some of the finest colleges in the country is not ahead of the game? A full academic scholarship in an honors program is not ahead of the game? I must not understand the game.

[annerk]

You said, "I have no desire for my children to have a "northern" prep school education. "

SAT scores prove that overall northern prep schools are better than the ones here. Not sure why you would act like there was something wrong with a northern education. BTW--there are more kids from northern prep schools accepted into Ivy League schools than southern kids.

I'm sure your child is very smart and a good student, but there is no getting around that southern schools, even private southern schools, are not at the same level as their northern counterparts.

[idr591]

Originally Posted by annerk

SAT scores prove that overall northern prep schools are better than the ones here.

Do you have a link that reports SAT scores by school?

[annerk]

Originally Posted by idr591

Do you have a link that reports SAT scores by school?

You'll have to visit each schools web site individually, but they are posted. I'm not pulling this stuff out of my ear.

[nativefla]

Originally Posted by annerk

You said, "I have no desire for my children to have a "northern" prep school education. "

SAT scores prove that overall northern prep schools are better than the ones here. Not sure why you would act like there was something wrong with a northern education. BTW--there are more kids from northern prep schools accepted into Ivy League schools than southern kids.

I'm sure your child is very smart and a good student, but there is no getting around that southern schools, even private southern schools, are not at the same level as their northern counterparts.

Oh, I see. Southerners can never do it as good as it's done up north. Same old story from transplanted northerners. Has it ever occurred to you southern kids don't apply to the Ivys because the Ivys are in the north? My kid could have been accepted to the Ivys, but didn't apply because the northeastern liberal atmosphere didn't appeal to him. Since you think SAT scores offer proof of the qualitiy of the school, my son scored a 1580 out of 1600 (perfect 800 in math). Let me ask you, if everything is so much better up north, why do so many northerners want to live down south?

[annerk]

Originally Posted by nativefla

Oh, I see. Southerners can never do it as good as it's done up north. Same old story from transplanted northerners. Has it ever occurred to you southern kids don't apply to the Ivys because the Ivys are in the north? My kid could have been accepted to the Ivys, but didn't apply because the northeastern liberal atmosphere didn't appeal to him. Since you think SAT scores offer proof of the qualitiy of the school, my son scored a 1580 out of 1600 (perfect 800 in math). Let me ask you, if everything is so much better up north, why do so many northerners want to live down south?

All I'm giving you is statistics. You implied that there was something wrong with northern education, I gave facts. I've already said that I'm glad your child has done well.

I moved here because I liked the weather. I saved my money for 15 years while I looked around various parts of the south, got my child educated up north, sold my house and moved.