Portland Private school wait lists (Beaverton, Lake Oswego: mortgage, house, neighborhoods)

[Youdlikethat]

We are in the process of relocating to Portland from out of state. The private school game is a very different animal in Portland but we are used to the competitive nature.

My child was recently wait listed at Catlin Gabel and OES, both which we liked very much. I gather that it varies by year but anyone who may be more familiar than I with the reputation, what are the chances for movement? Where we are, wait listing is a formality and the elite schools don’t get much movement. Is that kind of the drill here too? Trying to decide if we need to completely mentally move on. We haven’t found any other schools we really like. Not looking for public for personal reasons.

[Hockeygirl063]

Portland area has some EXCELLENT public schools When are you moving? I'm not sure but there may be deadlines for applying to those two school for the reason you said they are very competitive. Check on their websites. It is possible you may have to wait a year. If so I would recommend Beaverton School District. How old are your kids?

[Nell Plotts]

Keep in mind the fact that OES's high school has very high academic standards for admission. You can graduate from their grade school and not be admitted to OES high school. If you want a K-12 program Catlin should be your first choice.

[texasdiver]

A much smaller percentage of students attend private schools in Oregon compared to places like the Northeast. And the majority of students that do attend private schools generally attend parochial schools for religious reasons. So the market for upscale prep schools like Catlin Gable and OES is miniscule compared to equivalent size metro areas on the east coast. That's why you are finding so few options. After those two schools there are a few niche schools and some decent catholic schools then it drops off quickly. Especially at the HS level.

What happens here is that people generally move to the neighborhoods that have the best rated public schools. The monthly increase in housing price is still generally less than the cost of one or more private prep school tuitions. At a place like Catlin Gabel you are closing in on $40,000 per year for tuition and all the various fees: https://www.catlin.edu/cf_elements/e...irstload=false Call it $36,000/year which comes to $3,000/mo and you are talking about the monthly mortgage payments on a $500,000+ house.

So Portlanders move to places like Lake Oswego, West Linn, parts of Beaverton, Riverside, the Lincoln or Wilson attendance areas on the Portland west side, or Camas, WA. Some of those schools have a very prep-school atmosphere with all the affluent kids who are attending.

[Nell Plotts]

Riverdale is sometimes spoken of as Oregon's private public school. I have a classmate who purchased a home in that enrollment area because he wanted his the grandchild, who lived with him, to attended Riverdale. Once the grandchild graduated from high school the family sold the house and moved.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

Riverdale is sometimes spoken of as Oregon's private public school. I have a classmate who purchased a home in that enrollment area because he wanted his the grandchild, who lived with him, to attended Riverdale. Once the grandchild graduated from high school the family sold the house and moved.

Exactly. I wrote Riverside but meant Riverdale. It's a tiny little school district sandwiched between Lake Oswego and Portland in one of the most upscale areas of Portland.

[Youdlikethat]

Thanks for the replies. My child is 6. I guess I was more wondering the chances of movement off of the wait list. I will check into these areas as second choices. We are from California and have moved a great deal.

[StealthRabbit]

age 6 - age 12 you will have a bundle of great choices in Private and even a few in Public edu.

I would not sweat it, you should have no problem getting a place at your fav private school by middle / high school (BTW... much can change in edu / jobs / locations in 6 more yrs)

One thing to consider, if the job / lifestyle allows for travel, taking young kids age 6 - 12 internationally for work / living is a supreme experience (For kids and parents). Kids open up a lot of opportunities / relationships!

Since we traveled daily while living and working overseas... we chose to home / un-school... let the experience do the teaching. Our kids did a lot of the international daily shopping at fresh markets and budgeting / travel / currency exchange. The real benefit was in how they developed all kinds of friends! (usually adults at museums / transit, markets, historical sites, parks...). 15+ yrs beyond U, our kids turned out OK, (as will yours!)

good luck!

[Nell Plotts]

Much depends on your lifestyle and educational goals for your child. You need to be aware that as your child gets older social pressure to participate in some activities can be an issue. If you are already going to Sun Valley to ski, no problem, but if the cost of private school tuition precludes that activity you may want to reconsider your school choice.

One of the families in my circle have enrolled their children in an international school downtown because they want their children fluent in Mandarin. The eldest is entering middle school, aging out of that program. They learned that West Sylvan middle school, a Portland Public School, offers Mandarin and they live near that school's school bus. They are in the Lincoln High School enrollment area.

Those kids will not ski at Sun Valley but they are likely to be on a swim team. Let me assure you that swim team practice will drive your calendar. Been there, done that.

If you live in the following grade school enrollment areas (feeders to Lincoln and West Sylvan) you will have lots of options: Chapman, Ainsworth. I have seen a Catlin Gabel school bus going to the Multnomah Athletic Club (a private club offering lots of activities for families, admission by lottery & recommendation about once every 5-10 years).

IMHO live in the Ainsworth enrollment area, send your child to Ainsworth, and spend your $ on the MAC.

[VelouriaPDX]

It really depends where you are on the waitlist. If you are in position 1-5 there is a chance. Beyond that, it is unlikely.

There are people who apply to some private schools here as a back-up plan. Their first choice is a free charter or public focus option school but those lottery results usually don't come out until late Spring. So, they get a place at a private school but if the lottery results give them a spot at Opal or Emerson (for example) they will forfeit the private school spot and then the school will pull from the waitlist.