<p>nodrama, i don’t know. maybe it is the income where you think you are doing really well until you start looking at prep school tuition and start sweating!</p>
<p>catg,
The tuition was of no concern to me, princess literally is one.</p>
<p>The vast majority of kids go to public school, and in this country there are many wonderful ones. I am lucky to be able to live in a town with one of the top rated public schools in my state, and my daughter’s friends there are thriving. Smart kids, their schedules are full of honors classes, and they will go to great colleges. I know my daughter could have gotten a great education there. Nonetheless, she’s at Andover. Why? For who she is as an individual, it made sense. Is a boarding school or elite prep school best for everyone? An emphatic NO. Are kids just as smart and motivated as she is doing well at her public school? An emphatic YES. I think that anyone who tries to say that prep school/top boarding school is across the board superior to a public school education is just plain wrong. But for the right kids, a place like Andover is fantastic, and to knock the benefits by questioning whether college chances are affected adversely, especially without data, is silly. For those of us with the luxury to choose, it’s all about what’s right for an individual kid. </p>
<p>Also, as a scientist, I’ve appreciated Padre’s effort to bring data into the discussion.</p>
<p>nicely put lemonade, much better than what I was trying to say</p>
<p>I think one of the overlooked pluses is that for certain “nerdy” kids being with other “nerdy” kids can be a terrific social experience that would not exist to the same degree in public HS where there are only a few super “nerds”. Exeter from what I hear has loads of this type of kiddo. 
I use nerd in the most positive sense!</p>
<p>My son has loved his charter school because it was filled with kids “just like him”- not the same religion, race or socioeconomic background- the same super interest in science, math, computers ect…</p>
<p>Another thought, for those of us whose children will not be legacies at top colleges prep school may be a more important factor in future matriculation.</p>