What to do, what to do.

Pre-College Issues High School Life
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<p>I just found out that my dad isn't movng to Toronto. He doesn't think that he can live off a $100,000 a year salary since it's oh so expensive to live there. I guess he's just too afraid to finally start paying for his own condo for once in his life. </p>

<p>He lives in Ottawa now and he decided not to take the job offer after nine months of him talking about it. He said he'll actually end up taking home less because he thinks the cost of living in Toronto off a $100,000 salary is impossible. He's only make around $60,000 now, which is a lot since he doesn't even have to pay rent. (My grandma does).</p>

<p>I was hoping he would move to Toronto so I could go to a good private school up there, then come down here (four hours away) to my mom's so I could get a break from him. </p>

<p>I don't really want to move to Ottawa because I would have to live with my dad the whole except for about a month in the summer. We already get enough fights in one-month summer vacation. I couldn't imagine living with him for a year straight. </p>

<p>My grandma in Ottawa has offered to have me move in with her and go to a decent private school. I wouldn't want to do that because she lives in a small apartment, and she would have to adjust her whole life for me. She already has enough stress. I don't want to make her have a heart attack.</p>

<p>I don't want to live here with my mom. We, also get in a lot of fights but not as much as me and my dad. I'd end up going to a sucky public school or go to an okay private school thirty minutes away in Ann Arbor. I could go to a better public school in Ottawa, though, for free.</p>

<p>Another option is to stick it out for one more year and apply to boarding school. Once again, there's a problem with this. Tuition at boarding school is more than some universities. Most people have said that my family won't get financial aid so paying for it would be difficult. On top of that, I would miss my ggrandma a lot, but I could see her a few times a year.</p>

<p>So...what should I do? </p>

<p>Sorry for the rambling, by the way.</p>

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<p>Haha. No worries about the rambling.. I think that you should go with your mom. Just personally. My opinion.</p>

<p>Why?</p>

<p>Your grandma: For sure no. Although it'd be nice living with her, the troubles would cause her too much. Just as you said.</p>

<p>Your dad: Paying so much for a boarding school may not be worth it :)</p>

<p>Why mom? It'll be free schooling. And public schools tend to create a huge social environment for kids. Is it at least a pretty good public school? If so I stand by my advice to go there.
+ Less fights as you said.</p>

<p>:) Just my opinion, Don't change your life based on what I say though. =) Best of luck .</p>

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<p>My public school is horrible. Really horrible. It came in tenth out of ten high schools in the county on the MEAP test. It sucks. Plain and simple. It doesn't really have a wide course range like some boarding shcool I'm interested in have.</p>

<p>Man, I shouldn't even have went to Andover's, SPS', Deerfield's, etc. website. Now that I know there's something way better, I want it. lol.</p>

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<p>Ahaha! I know what you mean. I wish my parents sent me to Andover, Exeter, TJHSST, etc.. haha. =/ Then i suggest to wait out for that boarding school :)</p>

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<p>....................</p>

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<p>Maybe you could could check the public schools were your gandma are any good. If there better then were you are know you could at least get a leg up.</p>

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<p>I could go to a pretty good private school where my grandma lives.</p>

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<p>public school is more than good enough for you.</p>

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<p>toronto was cheap i thought???</p>

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<p>How much adjusting would your grandmother have to do? I would talk to her about it, because if she did offer she might not mind some small adjustments. And if you're worried about the fact she already has stress, is it possible that you would be able to help her somewhat? Right now I would reccomend the Grandmother, but I would definitely talk to her about it.</p>

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<p>And by the way... a salary of 100,000 should be plenty to live in Toronto on.</p>

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<p>Jon, first, may I ask how much this boarding school would cost? I would conjecture to say that any prestigious private boarding would cost nearly $40K. 40K a year really can put a crunch on your families budget especially with college looming in the future. Are there any decent private high schools in the area? To be honest, I can't imagine why a private boarding would be superior to a decent private day school. </p>

<pre><code> Boarding school, IMO, would be a great opportunity with a great education. But you must take into consideration the huge amount of money that would be spent at this boarding school without fin aid.
</code></pre>

<p>Before you start signing admission papers to said boarding school, take alook around at the private high schools in your area. You may find that the educational quality at a private high school matches or exceeds that of a boarding school.</p>

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<p>"You may find that the educational quality at a private high school matches or exceeds that of a boarding school."</p>

<p>It doesn't. The only private school that I could go to here in Michigan is Greenhills School in Ann Arbor. That's $15,000 which isn't that much compared to $35,000 a year at boarding school. That's also a half an hour away, and my mom works, so I would have to get a ride from someone. I called the school and asked if there were any families in my area that goes to Greenhills and are willing to carpool and he said yes. So as of now, transportation isn't an issue. I looked at their curriculum online and it's not that impressive. It's not that much of a difference from the school I'm at now.</p>

<p>"And by the way... a salary of 100,000 should be plenty to live in Toronto on."</p>

<p>Yeah, I know. He just thinks it's expensive because his mother has been paying for everything all his life. </p>

<p>If my dad keeps the $65k job he's at now, then do you think some boarding schools would give financial aid? Although, even if they do and we still have to pay some, I don't want to take out $200k in loans for college. I'll probably have to do that anyway since my twin sister is going to college the same year I am. Wow.. $80k a year on college on a $115k salary...I don't think so.</p>

<p>So yeah... I don't know what to do.</p>

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<p>Twin sister going to college at the same time will cut your expected family contributioin in halk. You might get some aid.</p>

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<p>Awesome. Thanks.</p>

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<p>going to a regular private school isnt so bad; remember, whichever school you go to, its you that will get urself into college. a bs like exeter will only decrease ur chances. unless ur aiming for the experience and education more than the prestige. </p>

<p>dont be worried, u'll have a blast in whatever school u go to. even though im going to boarding school next year, i know that i would have also had a fantastic time in my local high school.</p>

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<p>What boarding school are you going to?</p>