How important is your child's school? (Dallas, Austin: house, transfer, buy)

[stan4]

Originally Posted by UnfairPark

I wouldn't argue with that. You are absolutely right. These small, elite, well-connected, selective, high budget, wealthy donors backing, custom academics/extracurriculars, with dedicated college counseling from as early on as middle school, can provide opportunities that best of the best open enrollment public school can ever strive for.

Only issue is that 50k+ for two kids for 12 years leaves little to nothing for retirement or college education for even relatively upper tier of middle class. You are not going to send a kid to St Marks for 12 years and then ask him to go to UTD because Duke is too expensive.

Mmmmmm...UT Austin, actually.

And the point isn't sending my kids to this school to get them into a fancy pants college. It's about the environment and resources that will ensure he does well wherever he goes. It's about not beating the love of learning out of him by putting him on an educational conveyor belt.

[walker1977]

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

Interesting - is there a particular age you would recommend children starting private school (e.g. are they ok in public school until Middle School...Jr. High....High School....?)

What private schools in Dallas proper are the best for college bound students?

3 best private high schools in Texas are right here in Dallas - CultureMap Dallas


St. Marks, Hockaday, Greenhill were just recently ranked as the 3 best high schools in Texas

In terms of national ranking for private schools:

St. Marks #17
Hockaday #30
Greenhill #39

Not bad considering they are basically day schools and are competing against boarding schools on the east/west coast. They were the only 3 DFW schools to make the top 100 list nationally. As mentioned previously, however, there are plenty of other excellent private schools as well here.

[TeamLynn]

I often think the top kids will do well in most schools.
It's the kids in the middle to near top that will do better...they'll be pulled up and challenged and probably grow.
Where they could have coasted in a less challenging environment.
They may have to learn to study in high school, which will benefit them in college and in life.
If the are below average, they may very well do worse.....being frustrated and be left behind.

I like my friend's kid who came here in 9th grade speaking virtually no English...went to not so great of a DISD school. Makes Valdictorian and full scholarship to top university. I think if she would have gone to school in a top district, she would not be at that level. Teachers loved her because she wanted to do well. Also after school at home she had a study room. Very little tv...work...etc....expectations of parents and brothers and sisters is that you do well, study hard, learn English and study at least twice as much as everyone else or more.

I have nothing to back up my thoughts....just suspicions.

[kyam11]

I guess the difference between me is that I don't measure success by what school they get into or where they go to college or high school . Don't get me wrong I want my child to go to the best college and high school they can but at the end of the day success is measured how they monetize the college and/or high school they go to.

Going to Harvard making $80,000 a year isn't success to me.

I know the academics and most aren't going to like this, but my neighborhood is filled with people who went to what most here would consider normal schools. Most Ivy league grads can't afford to live in my neighborhood.

For those that do go to top schools and figure out a way to monetize it in "the real world" that is success.

Getting into Harvard to major in underwater basket weaving is worthless.

Yes school matter and you should get your child to the best college they can get to so they can reach the real measure that matters which is the ability to monetize what they have learned so that they have an easier life.

[Soonhun]

Originally Posted by mSooner

Personal anecdote

I did my freshman year at Lake Dallas High, right after my family moved here and we were in a rental until our home in another state sold.

It was fine enough. There were challenging AP classes with good teachers. I don't think I would have suffered academically there. However, the group of kids who "cared" was small. The girls who cared the most (and graduated in the top 3 eventually) were my best friends. Outside of that, there were maybe 15-20 kids in my grade that were really trying.

I've always seen that as a reason to go to less "desirable" schools. Especially if a child wants to stay in Texas and attend a public university, since that individual has a greater chance of reaching the top ten or eight percent. And while peer groups in schools may be important, a child can easily from peer groups elsewhere, such as a community based on religion or a sports team.

[numbersguy100]

Originally Posted by kyam11

I guess the difference between me is that I don't measure success by what school they get into or where they go to college or high school . Don't get me wrong I want my child to go to the best college and high school they can but at the end of the day success is measured how they monetize the college and/or high school they go to.

Going to Harvard making $80,000 a year isn't success to me.

I know the academics and most aren't going to like this, but my neighborhood is filled with people who went to what most here would consider normal schools. Most Ivy league grads can't afford to live in my neighborhood.

For those that do go to top schools and figure out a way to monetize it in "the real world" that is success.

Getting into Harvard to major in underwater basket weaving is worthless.

Yes school matter and you should get your child to the best college they can get to so they can reach the real measure that matters which is the ability to monetize what they have learned so that they have an easier life.

This is a sad existence. I also think you are mistaken about the path of most Ivy League graduates. The most popular jobs are investment banking, consulting, and tech. Many of those jobs pay enough your first year out of undergrad to buy a home in Southlake, let alone further down the line in one's career.

[UnfairPark]

Originally Posted by stan4

Mmmmmm...UT Austin, actually.

And the point isn't sending my kids to this school to get them into a fancy pants college. It's about the environment and resources that will ensure he does well wherever he goes. It's about not beating the love of learning out of him by putting him on an educational conveyor belt.

Not about you wanting to send them anywhere. It's about them getting in top private colleges and wanting to attend and you not being able to afford or afford comfortably after paying 12 years of private school. There is little to no merit money for upper middle class at top private colleges.

[kyam11]

Originally Posted by numbersguy100

This is a sad existence. I also think you are mistaken about the path of most Ivy League graduates. The most popular jobs are investment banking, consulting, and tech. Many of those jobs pay enough your first year out of undergrad to buy a home in Southlake, let alone further down the line in one's career.

Except the median income of a Harvard grad 0-5 years out of school is $70,000 and that is one of the highest. Try again. Sure some make a lot more than that but to act like even more than half make more than $70K is a joke. Even 10 years out the median income is $140,000 today. My first job out of college I was making $130,000 and this was in 1996.

Point is the endgame (for me) is not where they go to school. It is how they monetize where they go to school and how they monetize what they learn in school. Smart isn't being able to regurgitate facts you know. it is the ability to monetize what you know which is why it is a heck of a lot harder than just regurgitating facts.

Having said that my goal is t for my kids to get into and go to the best school they can, but with the understanding that just graduating is not the end game.

[UnfairPark]

Originally Posted by kyam11

I guess the difference between me is that I don't measure success by what school they get into or where they go to college or high school . Don't get me wrong I want my child to go to the best college and high school they can but at the end of the day success is measured how they monetize the college and/or high school they go to.

Going to Harvard making $80,000 a year isn't success to me.

I know the academics and most aren't going to like this, but my neighborhood is filled with people who went to what most here would consider normal schools. Most Ivy league grads can't afford to live in my neighborhood.

For those that do go to top schools and figure out a way to monetize it in "the real world" that is success.

Getting into Harvard to major in underwater basket weaving is worthless.

Yes school matter and you should get your child to the best college they can get to so they can reach the real measure that matters which is the ability to monetize what they have learned so that they have an easier life.

Everyone doesn't equate success with money but if a kid's heart is set upon underwater basket weaving then "normal school" degree is going to be way more worthless. Anyways, earning potential of different majors is a discussion for another thread altogether.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by Parhe

I've always seen that as a reason to go to less "desirable" schools. Especially if a child wants to stay in Texas and attend a public university, since that individual has a greater chance of reaching the top ten or eight percent. And while peer groups in schools may be important, a child can easily from peer groups elsewhere, such as a community based on religion or a sports team.

I get the "game theory" part of that, no question graduating from a less challenging HS bumps ones chances at UT/A&M etc. via an auto-admit. It also, for most kids I'd argue, lessens the chances to earn a competitive admit, which are more desirable at both schools - engineering, hard sciences, business - economics - finance - supply chain etc., pre-health, oceanography, math and many, many more.