commuting from berwyn to Philly

[pman]

Originally Posted by zionrug

Private schools are slightly overrated.I attended a highly regarded single sex private school on the Main Line and the majority of my peers are either floundering at financial advisor jobs or working at Vanguard for 35K a year.Plenty are working for their parents.

I wasn't using salary as a measure of education. I don't think it's overrated at all, but things do even out over the course of a 4 year college degree. I was an an alright student in HS but better prepared for college than many of the PS honor students in college. It's worth noting that being well educated or smart isn't the same as being ambitious but I guess you aren't really worried about education, just earning potential.

[orrmobl]

I've said it once and I'll say it again: Private school is one of the last remnants of the old class system in America, just one more way to keep the brown and less wealthy people in their place. Kind of like gated commmunities and the use of home alarms. Studies and anecdotal evidence both point to public schools being every bit as good -if not better- than private schools AND the bonus is that that money can then be used to pay for a four year degree.

Why smart middle class people realize this and smart rich ones do not, I'll never understand. But I guess that's the point: when you have that much money you don't need to concern yourself with how it's spent.

[bryson662001]

Originally Posted by orrmobl

just one more way to keep the brown and less wealthy people in their place. Kind of like .... the use of home alarms.

What a curious thought. Home alarms are used to keep brown people in their place

[orrmobl]

Originally Posted by bryson662001

What a curious thought. Home alarms are used to keep brown people in their place

The irrational fear of minorities and the underclass is part and parcel of being wealthy and white in America.

[movingwithkids]

Thanks for the input. We were hoping to get into a good school district BUT not at the expense of my husband's state of mind. He will need to commute by car and our realtor just told us that it will be at least an hour each way. I wouldn't want that for him. We want to be in the Mainline but I have been reading posts about people not being so welcoming to new people.We're Asians and have lived in places where diversity was a norm-- NYC and San Francisco. I noticed that Radnor does not just happen to be a school district but it also had a good percentage of Asian students. Upper Dublin seems to be a good too though it isn't given special mention in national lists. What do you think of this school district or area? Again, thanks for those that replied.

[maf763]

Upper Dublin is an excellent school district.

[pman]

Originally Posted by orrmobl

I've said it once and I'll say it again: Private school is one of the last remnants of the old class system in America, just one more way to keep the brown and less wealthy people in their place. Kind of like gated commmunities and the use of home alarms. Studies and anecdotal evidence both point to public schools being every bit as good -if not better- than private schools AND the bonus is that that money can then be used to pay for a four year degree.

Why smart middle class people realize this and smart rich ones do not, I'll never understand. But I guess that's the point: when you have that much money you don't need to concern yourself with how it's spent.

I'd say this is bunk. We weren't rich. Many of the kids in my school had parents who spent a good deal less than their public school counterparts. they lived in smaller houses, drove less fancy cars, and didn't spend two weeks at the shore like many public school kids whose parents had a lot more money since they didn't pay for their children's education. I'm also calling shenanigans on the ridiculous brown people claim. there are plenty of good public schools with only a token brown person in them. In order to get into a good district you have to make good money to afford a house there and pay the property taxes, thus it's self selecting. I believe the good or better is most likely a made up "fact." Quite simply, politics produces an inferior education. Would lower class people be better off if they received money to send their kids to whatever school accepted them? of course, but subtley classist suburbanites don't want lower class (esp brown) people in their kids public school so they oppose such a system. Lastly, I'm also calling shenanigans on zionrug's anecdotal evidence. the private school folks I know aren't "stuck in financial advisor jobs" they're engineers, sales reps, financial managers, architects, accountants, professionals, programmers, etc. Sure, some worked for Vanguard when they first got out of college as many do, it's an excellent place to work. their training is extensive. Interestingly, the two "richest" people I know got decidedly average grades in college as well, even on the lower end...OTOH, they were smooth operators and ended up being excellent salesmen. The US public school system is among the worst in the developed world and even "good schools" turn out inferior products, thought some private schools also do so.

[orrmobl]

Pman, please enlighten us with some facts - show us this 1 token person - T/E, the best district around here has about 20% non-white people, so please let us know where this mythical 1 token district is.

And please explain to us why the wealthiest public districts have the best of everything - test scores, activities, student/teacher ratio, funding - and yet the snobs continue to send their kids to private school?

Folks like me aspire to move to those districts for no other reason than the education is the best, taxes cover the cost, and the homes appreciate accordingly.

The wealthy are no smarter than anyone else, often they are just lucky to have been born into a rich family and have the right contacts (GW Bush anyone?) - and then they follow each other like sheep.

If by private school you were referring to Catholic school, that is a different beast altogether, although I would argue the education there is subpar. I'm speaking of the $15-25K-a-year schools, starting in kindergarten for crying out loud. What a complete waste of money for no other reason than that everyone else in your class is doing it and it ensures your kids attend school with the "right" people. No thanks.

[orrmobl]

Originally Posted by movingwithkids

Thanks for the input. We were hoping to get into a good school district BUT not at the expense of my husband's state of mind. He will need to commute by car and our realtor just told us that it will be at least an hour each way. I wouldn't want that for him. We want to be in the Mainline but I have been reading posts about people not being so welcoming to new people.We're Asians and have lived in places where diversity was a norm-- NYC and San Francisco. I noticed that Radnor does not just happen to be a school district but it also had a good percentage of Asian students. Upper Dublin seems to be a good too though it isn't given special mention in national lists. What do you think of this school district or area? Again, thanks for those that replied.

Tredyffrin has 15% Asian/Indian school population. Radnor is snob city and has lazy spoiled kids - I would not recommend it. Upper Dublin was ranked 11th (out of 500) district in the state. That puts in on the level with the Main Line districts (it bested Lower Merion last year) and better than some of the better known districts around here - I wouldn't hesistate to put my kids in school there if I found a house that worked for us.

[pman]

Originally Posted by orrmobl

Pman, please enlighten us with some facts - show us this 1 token person - T/E, the best district around here has about 20% non-white people, so please let us know where this mythical 1 token district is.

yeah, mythical just like white flight. there are lots of asians in T/E these days, not exactly the brown people you were most likely referring to.

Originally Posted by orrmobl

And please explain to us why the wealthiest public districts have the best of everything - test scores, activities, student/teacher ratio, funding - and yet the snobs continue to send their kids to private school?

actually, T/E doesn't have the "best funding" that would be lower merion, and that's partly because so many kids there go to private school. that also factors in T/E. In case you missed it, they are self selecting. It's like buying into a private school...a district full of snobs. Jenkintown is wealthy, materialistic, and full of snobs as are many of the other districts. what's the median income in T/E?

Originally Posted by orrmobl

Folks like me aspire to move to those districts for no other reason than the education is the best, taxes cover the cost, and the homes appreciate accordingly.

as noted, it's not the best. taxes do cover the cost and I don't blame you for looking for a handout.

Originally Posted by orrmobl

The wealthy are no smarter than anyone else, often they are just lucky to have been born into a rich family and have the right contacts (GW Bush anyone?) - and then they follow each other like sheep.

didn't say they were, that's irrelevant and off topic. I might as well say most parents in these districts are greedy, self centered Moderator cut: people who won't pony up for their children's education and expect someone else to subsidize their extravagant lifestyle.

Originally Posted by orrmobl

If by private school you were referring to Catholic school, that is a different beast altogether, although I would argue the education there is subpar. I'm speaking of the $15-25K-a-year schools, starting in kindergarten for crying out loud. What a complete waste of money for no other reason than that everyone else in your class is doing it and it ensures your kids attend school with the "right" people. No thanks.

It's subpar compared to other countries but certainly not compared to public schools. Lower Merion spends $24/yr per student, enough to send them to a snob school. Yes, I went to a private Catholic school & received a superior education to that received at T/E. unlike you, my parents weren't looking for a handout so they could spend more of their money on fancy cars.