Best Public high school vs Best Private school

Agree that guidance is one of the top features of a private HS. On the other hand, hiring a college counselor is a lot cheaper than several years of tuition.

As for the other stuff (which @jonri did a good job pointing out), some publics have some nice labs/facilities/etc. as well (you really need to research). Plus, some of the stuff like sports can be done via clubs outside of school. Obviously, some folks still think spending money on a private HS is worthwhile. The alumni network of some top high schools (though I’d include magnets there along with top privates) rival that of some elite private colleges. A lot of that stuff does kind of fall in to the “luxury good” category to me, though. Maybe if I had excess money, I’d consider it, but I wouldn’t jeopardize retirement or savings for it.