<p>Do you think independent schools are better than public schools, and do you think paying the tuition is worth it. Also how you would know which schools are better in each category</p>
<p>It really depends on the school on both ends...</p>
<p>the public school Im going to right now is great. 3rd in state in SAT scores if I remember right...</p>
<p>and 2 of the 46 seniors are going to harvard</p>
<p>Prep schools just make you work harder.
If you work hard in public school, I don't think prep school is necessary.
Of course there are amazing programs/facilities/teachers in preps, but paying 50Gs every year is definitely outrageous...unless you get FA
Remember this: prep schools are just like corporate companies; they wouldn't be standing still if students hadn't paid so much money.</p>
<p>Whose prep school cost 50,000 a year? Even Andover and Exeter are only like, what, 35 thou? Anyway, I think unless you're at the very top tier (ie elite nyc schools, cali schools, and northeastern corridor schools) or the very bottom (compton, rural areas), that public and private kids have an equal chance to suceed. I spent K-8 in private, and now go to a public. The public is way easier, even though I'm in a 'prestigious' program, but private was easier in the sense that you knew your teachers better and it was easier to get help. But I did well in both systems, and academically I can't really complain about either. The only really sucky thing about publics is the standardized testing. You basically spend the entire year preparing for a test instead of learning, and it's just a stupid system that honors and AP kids should be exempt from.</p>
<p>Most places.</p>
<p>If you combine the budget you'll have to spend when you go to prep school will be somewhere around 50Gs. The tuition alone costs about 35~40, then you add up the other extra costs (furnitures,books,supplies,foods,etc).
And prep school kids write standardized testings too. Prep school kids needs to study for SAT, APs too. Actually everyone needs to write them at some point in their high school lives.</p>
<p>I think princessbell meant standardized testing by the city/state.</p>
<p>so the Statewide exam in Michigan for example (not the SAT/AP)</p>
<p>^ You're referring to the MME? That has got to be the best thing to come to our schools in a while, in terms of testing.</p>
<p>mrclassicfreek,</p>
<p>the most elite prep schools do not cost 50k--including all "extra" costs. tuition is rarely above $25,000--the $35,000 mark is with room and board. I highly doubt there are $15,000 of "extra" expenses a year. I know when I went to private high school it sure didn't cost that much...</p>
<p>From St. Paul's School's website: (one of the best high schools in the world)</p>
<p>Tuition $37,250
Mandatory Fees $800
Estimated Additions $2,800
Estimated Total Cost $40,850
(not including travel)</p>
<p>I'm going to a private prep school and I only spent a day there as part of the admissions process and already noticed how much harder the work was. It was a totally different environment from the school I go to now.</p>
<p>In our country have public schools strong tradition and are almost the best ones. Althought there are few great private gymnasiums (= prep school, academy). In the US, as I got, there are most known private boarding schools? So if you want "the name", boarding prep is the best choise. But some of public schools are also great - but for the most of the world without name. So you can get great (or bad) education at public as well as at private - but public dont have names.</p>
<p>Basically all of the Asian population here in the rural school I go to went to some private school with most ending up in Exeter, but then my parents aren't the most knowledged on schools so I didn't go this year but plans to next year. However I'm moving to the Boston area and got mixed feelings on the public system there so I also wanted to know how you can find the better schools in an area, or it's private school for me</p>
<p>I didn't know you need furnitures in the private schools...</p>
<p>You only need furniture in some boarding schools. </p>
<p>My school cost 25k and its one of the top tier schools in my state(NJ). The big selling point of our school is that our college advisors are ex-admission people and have connections at most top colleges.</p>
<p>Public school can be good too if you can stay focused and do work. I don't...like I should be doing an english paper that's due in 10 hours...</p>