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Most school districts on LI are good so most people are going to end up with one. What do you expect them to do, jam themselves into the lowest 5% to satisfy the liberal social agenda? Most people don't want to experiment with their kids. I know, it's crazy. You're free to do it though when you grow up.
The best predictor/indicator of your child's future success are:
1. Parenting (how much u push your kids, how stable household is, value for education you instill, etc)
2. Family income/Parent educational attainment
I come from a below-average to average school system on Long Island (by many ppl's standards) and at my *respected* University upstate, there are so many people from the top 10 school districts in the SAME exact dorm and suite with me: we're in the exact same boat. And no my scenario is not 'rare', 'unusual' or 'one of a kind': there are many students in my suite/floor from LI districts much "worse" than mine who live among students from the "good school systems" on LI.
Whenever I see one, I just think "damn, their parents really screwed up"- They could've been living in a big beautiful house in [insert area here] but they had to sacrifice that and bum it out in some ugly tiny box in a so-called "good school district".
You also hear about heavy drugs and heroin in many of the "good school systems". I won't throw the names out but it doesn't take too much digging to find out which they were.
I'm not just up&sayin to throw your kids in Miami or Detroit Public Schools but as long as the school system is at least somewhat reasonable then I don't see why not? Not to mention that school systems can&oftentimes do become "bad" anyways. So god forbid you buy your 3 bdr 1 bath ranch for $580k and then its no longer considered to be in a "good school district".
So when are you guys gonna stop wastin your money? lol
I don't believe people are "wasting their money"... You pointed out parenting, and parents income as being main factors that will determine how well a child will do; however, this really isn't enough. I work in NYC public schools, and while these factors do have weight to them, what I find to be more important are the values and norms of kids peers, and the parents of their peers.
I see firsthand every day, children that come from good homes, with good parents, and fall into mediocrity because of who they are around on a daily basis. Once kids start school, they spend more time with their peers than with their family, and that is very important to consider.
Unless kids are going to private schools, or NYC's specialized high schools (and a few other non specialized), there is a huge chance that they will be going to school with kids who's parents values differ greatly from theirs. Not to mention, NYC school system is in shambles, and no longer can parents truly assume that all schools educate kids equally. People who choose where they will live based on school districts are simply making sure that they as well as they're children around around like minded people.
I don't have children yet, and Im a resident of NYC.. There's not a day that goes by where I don't promise to move before having children. I know that I will most likely not be able to afford to live on Long Island, nor would I want to for other reasons. But, schools districts, and socio economic demographics will no doubt play a huge part in choosing where to raise my family.
I think the net net here is that the District is secondary to the quality of the parents and the priority they put on education with their kids. Of course more of these parents gather in "better" districts but that's really just a function of economics and earnings.
I do agree with the point that our children's peers can set the bar for success. Having gone to one of the "Best districts on LI", it's heartbreaking to see how many alumni are either drug addicts, pushing a shovel or still leeching of their rich parents as a result. The few who remain tell me things haven't changed too much over the years despite the impressive list of Intel Scholars.
I think the best move it to strike the balance with a district that's good enough, in a community that shares in your values and aspirations. Rewarding success at home and keeping an unflinching eye on who your kid hangs out with is paramount as well. Anyone who thinks they can buy their child's success by struggling to get into a district they can barely afford (or lives subpar as a result) is a fool.
Crooks
Last edited by Crookhaven; 02-10-2013 at 05:41 AM..
I think the net net here is that the District is secondary to the quality of the parents and the priority they put on education with their kids. Of course more of these parents gather in "better" districts but that's really just a function of economics and earnings.
I do agree with the point that our children's peers can set the bar for success. Having gone to one of the "Best districts on LI", it's heartbreaking to see how many alumni are either drug addicts, pushing a shovel or still leeching of their rich parents as a result. The few who remain tell me things haven't changed too much over the years despite the impressive list of Intel Scholars.
I think the best move it to strike the balance with a district that's good enough, in a community that shares in your values and aspirations. Rewarding success at home and keeping an unflinching eye on who your kid hangs out with is paramount as well. Anyone who thinks they can buy their child's success by struggling to get into a district they can barely afford (or lives subpar as a result) is a fool.
Crooks
For a guy that says alot of silly things this is spot on. I couldn't agree more. Very well said.
To chime into this thread- and while I don't really agree with the opinion of the OP- having seen more than my share of schools. There's some things to note from it-
#1- The top schools, generally do have top parents and good income. We're talking here Manhasset, Port Wash, North Shore, Jericho, Plainview-OB, Syosset, Great Neck, East Williston etc. Those places have kids who ON AVERAGE, are going to better than average schools, and getting scholarship money OR, and what the OP leaves out, is that have a tremendous offering of AP courses that students ON AVERAGE take, and go into University with 15 credits finished from the start.
It does depend on the parent/student combo, but parents know that the average will likely work out for them and their kid will have good opportunities in this district and it becomes worth their money. Better socializing for their kids and themselves, makes the homes "worthwhile".
#2- The problem with the school system is that it begins and ends on LI at HS. There are no top universities on LI that recruit from the high schools, and there are no top businesses on LI that recruit from the universities. Ultimately if one is raised to value family over career and independence, they are likely to return to LI and put to waste that education.
To chime into this thread- and while I don't really agree with the opinion of the OP- having seen more than my share of schools. There's some things to note from it-
#1- The top schools, generally do have top parents and good income. We're talking here Manhasset, Port Wash, North Shore, Jericho, Plainview-OB, Syosset, Great Neck, East Williston etc. Those places have kids who ON AVERAGE, are going to better than average schools, and getting scholarship money OR, and what the OP leaves out, is that have a tremendous offering of AP courses that students ON AVERAGE take, and go into University with 15 credits finished from the start.
It does depend on the parent/student combo, but parents know that the average will likely work out for them and their kid will have good opportunities in this district and it becomes worth their money. Better socializing for their kids and themselves, makes the homes "worthwhile".
#2- The problem with the school system is that it begins and ends on LI at HS. There are no top universities on LI that recruit from the high schools, and there are no top businesses on LI that recruit from the universities. Ultimately if one is raised to value family over career and independence, they are likely to return to LI and put to waste that education.
Choosing to value family over career and independence is a personal choice. It doesn't mean that people such as myself wasted my education. It just means that I made different choices in life than you did.
Choosing to value family over career and independence is a personal choice. It doesn't mean that people such as myself wasted my education. It just means that I made different choices in life than you did.
It's a personal choice, but one that isn't in your best financial interest.
Certainly education is never wasted, but the fact of the matter is, you can live comfortably with family in other suburbs in the US for 5x lower the cost... if you don't expect to power-parent and get your child into a top school hoping they will go on to have financial independence, I can't see a reason to choose LI schools as the property values here are overpriced and the taxes are high.
It's a personal choice, but one that isn't in your best financial interest.
Certainly education is never wasted, but the fact of the matter is, you can live comfortably with family in other suburbs in the US for 5x lower the cost...
5x lower the cost...where, in Detroit? lol Seriously, I'd like to know exactly where it's 5x lower the cost. Do you live there?
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