<p>good match is the most important. My S would not fit into private school and he had smarts to go where he belonged - public. D. has been in tiny private elementary/junior (only 4 kids in her 8th grade). Public would have been a shock. She ended up at the smallest private HS in our area (33 kids in her class) where she found life long group of friends and great preparation for college. As college junior she credits her HS for her academic success, mentioned it many times.</p>