<p>Tuition at NYC high schools now exceeds $30,000 _ more than Harvard </p>
<p>By NAHAL TOOSI </p>
<p>Associated Press Writer </p>
<p>March 10, 2006 </p>
<p>NEW YORK -- Tuition at some of New York City's elite high schools has surpassed $30,000, marking a new, but not-that-shocking milestone in the ever-rising cost of private education in the city. </p>
<p>The milestone is part of a trend that has seen tuition skyrocket to the point that it is now cheaper for students to get an Ivy League education than it is to attend many of New York's top schools. </p>
<p>And if anyone thinks there's a going to be a "tuition bubble" that is going to burst, think again, experts say. </p>
<p>"By the year 2015, these schools will be $50,000, and they would still have wait lists," said Amanda Uhry, head of Manhattan Private School Advisors, who credited the demand for private schools to failing public schools. "It's like a feeding frenzy around here." </p>
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[quote]
The fierce competition for private preschool in New York City has been propelled to such a frenzy this year by the increased numbers of children vying for scarce slots that it could be mistaken for a kiddie version of "The Apprentice."</p>
<p>Take the case of the Rabbani twins, who live on the Upper West Side. Their father, Usman Rabbani, graduated from Yale 10 years ago, has a master's degree from Harvard and works for a major drug company in Manhattan. Despite his accomplishments, Mr. Rabbani was stumped when he sat down to compose a short essay a couple of months ago.</p>
<p>His assignment? To profile his two toddlers. Of his 18-month-old son Humza he eventually wrote, "He knows that birds like to sit on rooftops when they are not on the ground, that cats and dogs like to be petted, and that the blue racquetballs in the can belong in the racquetball court upstairs."</p>
<p>About Humza's twin, Raza, he wrote, "He is happy to point out all his body parts when asked."
<p>To be fair, with those essays they are trying to weed out parents who know nothing about their own children and who are instead seeking admission to these schools in order to enter a certain social milieu. There were a couple of scandals a couple of years back about people actually bribing board members, because the private schools do serve as a social network for the parents. </p>
<p>I remember when we went to a private school's orientation near our house and they said they weren't looking for kids from wealthy families or famous families; they were looking for kids whose parents had books all over the house. Of course, we are such parents but we couldn't begin to afford the tuition! lol A bit of a paradox there...</p>
<p>Re these schools being more expensive than Harvard, 1) they would surely provide a lot more personal attention 2) many private schools, even with big reputations, don't pay their teachers as much as even the crummy publics. Maybe these pricey schools are actually paying their teachers and 3) they do give scholarships, so I assume there is a "soak the rich" approach to help pay for them</p>
<p>I have said it many times and I will say it again: I went to public school and I ended up at the same college as a lot of private school kids and I don't feel behind at all. This is kind of ridiculous. Doesn't NYC have those really good public magnet schools?</p>
<p>I go to a specialized New York City high school. Yes, it's true that New York City does have some good magnet schools, but there are roughly 10 schools that you can attend which will guarantee you a good enough education to go to the nation's top schools. Most teens who do not get into these elite high schools (Hunter College High, School Stuyvesant, Bronx High School of Science, etc.) go to private schools so that they can still receive a good education. For this reason, the private schools can charge obscene amounts of money because parents will pay it.</p>
<p>To be honest, had I not been accepted into one of the specialized high schools, my parents probably would have moved out of New York City and into a better school district.</p>
<p>I paid $28,00 for DS senior year of high school this year. Worth every penny.
DS has been raised in cities where public school is not a true consideration. For those who want to sit back and criticize, go ahead. It is easy to be holier than thou when you are not on the ground in the situation. For those of us who live in certain cities, private school is the way to go.
DS has applied to a couple of college where tuition toom and board would be less thanhis current tuition. Sure it would be a relief. But I have no regrets about the cost of 14 years of privae school and I thank God I was able to pull it off.</p>
<p>did you read taht second article? the parents heard back earlier, because they applied EARLY DECISION. Wow, i mean when you start getting into RD vs ED vs EA for preschoolers....</p>
<p>WHen DS was moving from private preK/K school to elementary we applied early decision :-) incredible but true. DS was accepted to his first choice and also to other choice, very lucky boy.</p>
<p>I do not get the veiled or unveiled criticisms. The schools are offering a private service and people seem happy and willing to line up to purchase it. </p>
<p>Why would we blame parents for doing what is best for their children? The only difference is that those parents have different means. Would we really expect a family that lives in a $5,000,000 coop to bus their kids to an inner-city school to make a statement of humility? We probably would be equally critical if the same tycoons moved to a tony suburb to send their kids to one of those stellat public high schools?</p>
<p>Also, one might stop to think that the same families who live in the super expensive homes or "apartments" also pay the most in property taxes -that support the bulk of the cost of public education- and are often the biggest philanthropists in town. </p>
<p>Lastly, I seriously doubt that most families who stretch their budgets and forego the luxurious trappings of middle class wealth to send their kids to an expensive private school are doing this with an ulterior motive of social ... climbing. The reasons are often a lot more pedestrian than that and, typically, include ... safety, if not education.</p>
<p>I think what I find the most curious, is that despite enormous wealth in NYC, and despite an obvious clamoring need, that schools have not increased in number to keep up with demand.
Even in Seattle where we have some wealth, albeit lopsided by Jennifer,Rory and Phoebes dad, we have a good number of quality preschools, all teh way up to high schools.Some millionaires do even send their kids to public school, but I admit with all the complexity and problems of the Seattle district, it can't touch the issues of the NYC schools.</p>
<p>My family is middle/lower middle class in NYC, and my dad still would have sent me to private school had I not gotten into one of the specialized high schools. Most people living in the 'burbs have NO idea what a public high school in the city is like.</p>
<p>For those of you who think that it is ridiculous that these schools charge such a high tuition, require essays and have Early Decision options, the beauty of the system is that you don't need to send your children to these schools. Many of you don't even live in New York, and since most of the Manhattan schools in question are day schools, their tuition rates and admissions policies really don't affect you. If a family has the means and desire to send their children to prestigious schools, then that is their business and no one else's. As someone said, there are many good public schools in New York, so if you don't like the private school system, send your kids to public school.</p>
<p>On another note, to those who claim that because kids who go to public school often are accepted to the same private colleges as kids who go to private school, thus a public school education is as valuable as a private school education, you clearly don't understand the purpose of a private education. Parents send their children to private schools for small classes, rigorous curricula and high quality teaching, among many other reasons. Even top-notch magnet schools like Hunter and Stuyvesant don't have these advantages. If parents only wanted their kids to get accepted to a top college, they would simply take the $40,000 they spend on tuition each year and instead make a donation to their alma mater.</p>
<p>actually while I realize that he does send his kids to private school- I sent my oldest there as well, and it is a pretty down to earth school. Considering.
Native Seattlites pride ourselves on not fawning over celebrities, if someone does get all excited, you know they aren't from here ;)</p>
<p>Of course some well known people expect more attention, whether they want it or not, and I have seen some be kindo of taken aback when people dont go "aren't you____? I just loove your work."</p>
<p>( and according to the teacher- who my daughter just went out to have a beer with a few months ago- now thats strange having a beer with your elementary teacher-the kids are quite normal , I think that they are doing a pretty good job- * considering they are Republician and all ya know* :) )</p>
<p>
[quote]
Parents send their children to private schools for small classes, rigorous curricula and high quality teaching, among many other reasons. Even top-notch magnet schools like Hunter and Stuyvesant don't have these advantages.
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Small classes, I agree with. Most of the time the classes are around 34~ kids. But there are exceptions sometimes. Like my Comp Sci class currently has around 17 kids. My Japanese class has around that number as well.</p>
<p>But, who says Stuy doesn't have rigorous curricula nor high quality teaching?</p>
<p>It's true that Stuyvesant does have a very rigorous curiculum, and probably high quality of teaching, but it is simply impossible to teach a class of 34 students in the same way as a class of 8 or 12. Perhaps different style of teaching would be a better way to phrase it. I think Stuyvesant is a great school, but just in a different way than a private school. The great thing is, both types of schools exist, so you can choose which style of high quality education you prefer.</p>
<p>I'm from NYC, was accepted to both Stuyvesant and Music & Art, yet went to my public high school. Granted, this was 30+ years ago, and I don't know what my HS is like today, but I was in honors and AP classes and got an excellent education. I have friends who live in NY and send their kids to public schools and are quite happy. It is very possible to get a good public school education in NYC.</p>