<p>Go public and save your money for college if your child can get the honors/AP courses there. Many of the public HS’s in our blue collar area do better than the Catholic one at the various local academic competitions. If the public school is large enough there will be enough good students for your child to be with her academic peer group. She will also have much more freedom to disagree with majority opinions. Her social/emotional growth may be better- will the private school allow disagreement with its fundamental messages?</p>
<p>Do talk with the public HS guidance counselor (not a secretary only) about the courses your D could take over the 4 years and any other concerns. You are a taxpayer and this is already your school. No matter where your child attends school it is up to her to perform to the best of her ability. Public schools have more accountability and you have more rights. Also consider hidden costs- fundraisers, for example.</p>
<p>Diverse backgrounds provide their own education. Religion does matter. There are conservative and liberal Catholic dioceses- if you live in a liberal town the Catholics will be more liberal than in a conservative area, which will influence classroom discussions. A liberal college Catholic center kept me going to church in college, I couldn’t tolerate it at a conservative college- they did things that weren’t allowed in the liberal one according to the conservative one. This will also be true at the HS level.</p>