<p>Now that it is the college admissions season, any one wondering or having buyer's remorse of spending 200 grand only to see the Jr from BS only got into a so so college?</p>
<p>BS is an end in-of-itself. Anone who “buys” his/her child’s high school years at a bs only for the college acceptance chances has wasted his or her money. The chances to get into a top school are just as high in most public high school or independent day schools. </p>
<p>ROI is an absolutely moronic reason to send a child to boarding school. Aside from the money you have had a child leave home before the usual time – to do that merely to get a college fat letter is just–wrong.</p>
<p>Seriously, if that is the only thing you care about save your “200 grand” as you so put it. </p>
<p>I am sorry if it seems I get worked up about this-- but this obsession with “means” and not “ends” in education strikes a big nerve.</p>
<p>Don’t feed the ■■■■■. If this person is really interested in this topic, s/he will find older threads in the archives that cover it, no need to start this divisive discussion anew.</p>
<p>And, +100 to @etondad. That is the answer.</p>
<p>My brother went to Ole Miss. </p>
<p>He’s the President of a highly successful multi-national company. </p>
<p>I would have no problem with my daughter attending her uncle’s alma mater; and I’m confident we won’t be having buyer’s remorse. </p>
<p>She’s going to HS for HS.</p>
<p>Dear Parents:</p>
<p>As life continues after high school, how can prep school be an “end in itself?” If we recall the Aristotle we studied in college, an end in itself is an ultimate end, one that all means should seek to achieve. For Aristotle, this ultimate end is happiness. And happiness, of course, is a lifelong endeavor that does not begin or end in high school. </p>
<p>In my view, prep school is desirable both for itself and for the sake of its results. We can fairly debate the relative importance of these results. But I don’t think we can summarily state that college acceptance is not one of the many positive results a prep school education offers.</p>
<p>In my view, promoting independence and developing critical thinking skills are far more important products of prep school education than college matriculation. In fact, I believe that an obsession with college matriculation can deprive parents and students of the happiness Aristotle regards as the ultimate end of all our actions.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, I don’t imagine that I have a monopoly on the truth. So, I don’t take umbrage when others disagree with me. After all, if prep school is both a good in itself and a means to other beneficial purposes, can’t the same be said of college? If so, why wouldn’t all prep school parents want a good college experience for their children? </p>
<p>Reasonable people can disagree about what constitutes a good college experience. So, we shouldn’t preempt discussion or declare that concerns about college admission are somehow politically incorrect. CC should be more than an echo chamber where members sing only to the choir. Let’s welcome all points of views, not admonish those who disagree with us.</p>
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<p>Critical thinking skills and independence can be acquired at public schools as well for 200K less.</p>
<p>pwalsh,</p>
<p>I understand and share your concern about the cost of a prep school education. But, in my experience, a child who stays home does not become as independent as a child who attends boarding school. And while some public schools are excellent, I think they are exceptions to the general rule that top prep schools do a better job of inculcating critical thinking skills than overcrowded and underfunded public schools do. Whether these benefits are worth $200,000 is a question full pay parents should answer for themselves.</p>
<p>Which brings up another question: if you could get a full ride at a “so so college,” is it worthwhile to reject the offer and pay $200k for an Ivy education?</p>
<p>I think that the best education communities essentially start with low teacher-student ratios , or small classes. Isn’t that perhaps the common denominator of all the BS? And something shared by the other independents? For one thing, it’s pretty well established that whether a child writes or not in school has much to do with the teacher’s calculation of numbers and the time available for grading. Personal bonding and authentic relationships also are a by-product of the low ratio. What those thousands pay for, in large part, are all those teachers. The large class/small classe difference is, imho, the elephant in the room of public school reform. (Obviously, there are some outstanding successes in the ps world; just not enough, and in a very different “community”.)</p>
<p>Low student-teacher ratio can be achieved at private day schools for about 120K instead of 200K.</p>
<p>@pwalsh – but only if a private day school is available in your area. There are large swaths of this country where there are no private options. Charger78 says it so well re class size and quality of education. In my state class sizes are ranging in the 35-60 range. How can a teacher possibly meet the learning needs of that many individuals? We deal with anti-BS discrimination, but it beats the alternative.</p>
<p>Dear Parents:</p>
<p>Another thing to keep in mind is that financial aid parents often lack the luxury to view prep school only as an end in itself. They understand that the best colleges are also the ones that offer the most generous debt free financial aid. As a result, admittance to a top college can be a matter of economic necessity for them. Indeed, in many instances, it may be the only thing that separates their child from incurring crippling financial aid debt or attending what many might regard as a less desirable state school.</p>
<p>There are no day schools around us. Our public does have small classes. What that means is that when the (American) French teacher hands out a worksheet on ADVERBS and proceeds to tell the class, “I will do this as painless as possible”, only six kids are there to hear it and maybe two to catch the irony.</p>
<p>Neatoburrito- LOL. Are you sure we don’t live in the same county? The New England Appalachians?</p>
<p>JMilton- That was our situation and I thank God every day that a successful experience at prep school led directly to colleges/universities with generous financial aid. We were lucky though, to get in before the financial meltdown of 2008 that changed the financial aid landscape for a lot of people.</p>
<p>Best colleges is an illusion perpetrated by private colleges to anxious parents. You can get knock-your-socks-off-good education at a public college. So you can save on both private high schools and private colleges and be totally debt free.</p>
<p>^^^In this case, I agree with @pwalsh. There are PLENTY of good colleges where kids can get a “knock-your-socks-off” education that are not going to consign them to a lifetime of debt. Just as we say about BS admissions, you have to cast a wide net and do your research. There are more than five or ten universities out there that will give a kid a great education and provide funds to do it.</p>
<p>As for satisfaction with college results from BS, I can only speak to what I’ve seen looking at the matriculation lists at Choate for the past three years, and I haven’t seen a clinker yet. I’m pretty sure that’s the case with the rest of the BS, too. I think disappointment comes when there are either unrealistic expectations or a kid (or his parents) is dead-set on only handful of very selective choices that don’t come through. All of our BS kids WILL go to college, and all of them WILL get great educations–just like they are getting now. I think you’d have to slide very, very far down the college list before the quality of the education slips below the quality of BS, certainly farther down the chain than the BS matriculation lists show.</p>
<p>As Exie always used to say, I just want my kid to be healthy, happy, and fulfilled.</p>
<p>Pwalsh - I agree that a stellar education can be obtained at some public high schools and at some state universities. However, nobody is getting a stellar education at my local PHS. Neatoburrito’s either. </p>
<p>I am a wholehearted supporter of public education.</p>