My son went to private schools from Kindergarten. Yes, it cost a lot of money. Had I invested that money instead, he would have a 7 figure trust fund by the time he graduated from college. So why did I not do that?
It’s actually quite simple, I liked the intensely competitive and accomplished peer group and the academic pressure from the teachers that the best private schools in our area bring to the table. My son got a top notch education, something which the best public schools in our area do not even come close to, even though their levels are also very high. This may not help with college admission, but that is OK. There are many colleges in the USA.