Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I agree with what all the most recent posts are saying. It is a very personal choice. I have my opinion formed BECAUSE I know many people who have graduated from Millburn Highschool and trust me, they are NOT doing great things. (And their parents are very dissapointed because they, like many, thought Millburn Highschool was the holy grail). I have friends from all over New Jersey...including friends who grew up in Staten Island where their highschools were horrendous and they are making 1million+ a year(honestly). And they did not go to ANY IVY league schools! (they are in computers and finance).
So I guess I personally have been exposed to people/relatives around me who were just very ambitious and are the minority!
Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to live in Millburn and not everyone can get into/afford IVY colleges. It's the facts of life. Does this mean that my child (I don't live in Millburn) is doomed to always lag behind others who went to Millburn or Ivy schools, regardless of her attitude & performance?
There are those who think the only car to drive to work is a MB, BMW.Lexus. Others seem to be able to get back and forth to their jobs driving, Hondas, Chevys. Fords. ( I'll bet some of them even make more money that the luxury drivers)
There are those who think the only car to drive to work is a MB, BMW.Lexus. Others seem to be able to get back and forth to their jobs driving, Hondas, Chevys. Fords. ( I'll bet some of them even make more money that the luxury drivers)
Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to live in Millburn and not everyone can get into/afford IVY colleges. It's the facts of life. Does this mean that my child (I don't live in Millburn) is doomed to always lag behind others who went to Millburn or Ivy schools, regardless of her attitude & performance?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! Most people who can afford to live in Millburn did not grow up in Millburn!
It's a complex question and the answers are complex as well. You want a black and white answer when the reality is there is all kinds of shades of gray to this issue......
Read some of the other answers carefully--it will give you a better insight into what is being said... or using a sports analogy, maybe that's a better example.
Let's say you have a specific goal of getting your child into the major leagues.... First you have to consider if they have the talent. Second you have to consider where they will get the best training. Third you have hope your child reaches their potential and actually exceeds. Fourth--you either have to go to where the scouts are--and if not, well then you have to get a scout to come to you. Fifth--you have to hope they get into a good program where they can excel and sixth...you need some luck and happenstance to make it all come together.
So back to you--you could say my child is a good baseball player but he is not good enough to get into the minors and I don't live where the top scouts are..... Will he ever play the big leagues? The answer is--maybe, but you better your chances going where the resources are and in the end, your child needs the talent and drive to make it happen. Is he doomed NEVER to play in the big leagues? No, never say never.....but just because you dream of the big leagues, doesn't make it a sure thing that my child will get there...
Anyway--I am no athlete (obvious!) but I am just trying to explain a bit of what is being said....
As to why I am so adamant about getting this point out there? Because to some degree, I was a high achiever post college and it took a lot of bumps for me to get where I was going. I never understood until I got older how to some degree, the cards were stacked against me due to factors beyond my control. Did I achieve my dreams? Actually I did. Do I want my kids to do what I did? Nah--I just want them to be happy, like themselves, be optimistic and do a job they love. Am I going to do all in my power to give them exposure to the stuff I did not have? Yes--but I recognize completely that 1) it's not the end all be all and 2) it has some damaging costs. I think about this all the time....
IN the end, love your kids, read to your kids, support your kids, and let them live out their own destinies and dreams. There is no right or wrong. But the question and discussion started with WHY people pay so much for homes in Millburn and I am just trying to answer that. But please know--there are no absolutes at all whatsover! Most Millburn graduates do not morph into Bill Gates, who by the way, grew up in Washington state (not Millburn!!! :-) ) and dropped out of Harvard.
Is Millburn really such an exclusive place? I just did a quick search out of curiosity and while it's a little pricey, it doesn't seem that expensive. However even the most expensive houses looked kinda old-fashioned and outdated. It doesn't seem like an attractive place to live in my opinion, if what I saw is representative of the town overall. Certainly not nice enough to be snobby over. Oh well.
Nah--it's not that exclusive--just a little price prohibitive. I think the point is exactly what you just said--for the $$, you don't get that much. It is a very cute and charming area--especially the Old Short Hills area which is extremely charming. It has a nice main street, great access into NYC--but not more so than other cute towns like Maplewood.
It's the school system that is the biggest mack-daddy draw....more than anything else. I really think there are other towns on the train line that are more attractive but it's the school that draws.....
Nah--it's not that exclusive--just a little price prohibitive. I think the point is exactly what you just said--for the $$, you don't get that much. It is a very cute and charming area--especially the Old Short Hills area which is extremely charming. It has a nice main street, great access into NYC--but not more so than other cute towns like Maplewood.
It's the school system that is the biggest mack-daddy draw....more than anything else. I really think there are other towns on the train line that are more attractive but it's the school that draws.....
Sometimes people can get hurt falling off that high horse. This years number one could be next years number five.
Please, enough braggadocio.
I have no idea why year after year NJ Monthly includes some public school academies (like High Tech, the #11 school in the country) and not others (like McNair).
All of the Monmouth Co academies were left out and they beat Millburn on HSPA, SAT, etc. Most of the student performance factors and far better than McNair Academy.
Why would the exclude some academies and not others? Seems suspect in terms of methodology.
I have no idea why year after year NJ Monthly includes some public school academies (like High Tech, the #11 school in the country) and not others (like McNair).
All of the Monmouth Co academies were left out and they beat Millburn on HSPA, SAT, etc. Most of the student performance factors and far better than McNair Academy.
Why would the exclude some academies and not others? Seems suspect in terms of methodology.
I agree. They should exclude ALL schools that get to cherry pick their students.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
