Before you spend $30,000 or more on a year at private school for your child, you need to ask five questions and be guided by the answers you receive.
Before you spend $30,000 or more on a year at private school for your child, you need to ask five questions and be guided by the answers you receive:
1. Does it get the results you want?
2. Does what the school teaches jibe with your requirements?
3. Will your child be happy there?
4. Is the school financially stable?
5. How will you pay for it?
There is a bit more to the process, of course, but asking these five questions will get you started on the extensive due diligence which you must do before you spend approximately $150,000 for four years of private day school or approximately $200,000 for four years of boarding school. Tuitions vary. Some are much less. Some a great deal more. We are
discussing high school and middle school too. The primary grades will run you $8,000 - $15,000 depending on the school.
Remember: private schools in the United States are not subsidized by government funding. So they will charge whatever the market forces and their budgets determine can and needs to be charged. Having said that, be aware that most private schools offer financial aid programs, some of which will pay for everything provided you are able to meet their family income thresholds. Always ask about financial aid.
Scoping out private schools is very much like buying a house or renting an apartment. There are many emotional factors which most certainly influence your final choice of a home. But you also are savvy enough to do your due diligence simply because you are investing so much money. Same with a private school. Your gut will tell you which one is right for your child. But do your research carefully.
1. Does it get the results you want?
What kind of results are you looking for? Start with where the school's graduates matriculate or go on to. If you feel that your child must attend an Ivy League college, the school you are looking at should send a large number of its graduates to the Ivies or similar top tier colleges. If that doesn't matter to you - and I am not saying it should - look at the list of college acceptances carefully. Ask yourself if those are the kinds of colleges you had in mind for your child.
Are you looking for specialty subjects and activities such as the arts, robotics, crew, riding and so on? Then inspect those programs and subject offerings thoroughly before committing.
2. Does what the school teaches jibe with your requirements?
There are about as many educational philosophies in the private school as there are private schools. Wny is there not more homogeneity? Simply because that's the whole point of private schools. Each one is unique. There are dozens of nuances and variations even within schools affiliated with affinity and religious groups. Is progressive education what you really want? Or do you want the well-defined and highly structured programs which are Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate curricula? The choice is yours. But be sure to explore the curriculum and the way it is taught. Assume nothing.
3. Will your child be happy there?
This is certainly the ultimate goal of selecting the right private school for your child. You do not want a miserable child on your hands. On the other hand, you must realize that there will be a short period of adjustment while she gets used to her new friends, her new teachers. If the school has a summer session, you might consider sending her to one so that
the school miraculously becomes her school and it's her idea to go there in the first place.
4. Is the school financially stable?
For many parents this is a tough question to ask But it is important to know the financial condition of any institution to which you plan to send your child. It's kind of like buying a condo only to discover three months after purchase that the reserves are insufficient to pay for a much-needed new roof. The last thing you want to face is an unexpected tuition increase or surcharge or worse. Prudent management of a school's resources will manifest itself in little things such as the general appearance of the grounds and facilities. Skimping on maintenance only delays the inevitable.
Not for profit private schools have to file a tax return. These Form 990s, as they are called, are available online. Peruse the last few years returns or better yet have your accountant peruse them and alert you to any red flags. He will most certainly be able to spot them.
5. How will you pay for it?
Not every child who attends private school comes from a family with annual earnings north of $500,000. Furthermore, private schools proactively seek to diversify their student body as much as they can. Therefore, if you believe in the concept and spirit of private education but feel that you cannot afford to pay all or any of the expenses, ask the school about
financial aid. This is a question which you must not put off until the end of the process. Be forthright and honest when you meet with school admissions staff. They have the answers. And those answers may surprise you.
Evaluating and Choosing a Private School How should parents evaluate and choose a private school? Read about some helpful tips regarding this important decision.
Before You Spend $30k on Private School... Before you spend $30,000 or more on a year at private school for your child, you need to ask five questions and be guided by the answers you receive.
What Do Schools Say About Ranking? Ranks really don't matter. I have said that for years. But let's see what the schools have to say about the matter.
Is It Worth Using a Consultant? Here are the reasons why using the services of a professional educational consultant is worth it.
Choosing a Prep School Here's a recap of the steps you need to follow to find the right school for your child. Work through the process in sequence from beginning to end.
How Do They Teach? Part of evaluating the schools on your short list is examining how the teaching is done.
Technology in Private Schools Private schools use technology to support and enhance their academic programs. Most of them have been doing this since the early 1990's.
Open Houses You must visit schools on your short list. Open houses are an efficient way to do this. More on organizing this task here.
Sports Programs Sports are important in private schools. But they are also balanced properly by the emphasis on solid academics.
Choosing a School: 5 Must Haves Whether you are just beginning the process of choosing a private school or several months into it, make sure that you keep these five 'must haves' front and center in your thinking.
Single Sex Education at a Glance Think of single sex education as another option as you consider which school is the right one for your child.
Do Ranks Matter? How do I know how this school compares with the others I am considering? Has anybody ranked private schools?
The Value of a Private School Education Why pay $30,000, $40,000 or more for something which public education gives you for free? Here are five reasons why you would do so.
What is Really Important in Choosing a School? What is really important in choosing a private school? Ranks? Academics? Financial aid? Sports programs? Arts programs? One of these criteria doesn't matter. The others do.
Small Is Good Private schools offer individualized attention to their students because their class sizes are generally small.
What Overseas Parents Need To Know If you live outside the United States, choosing an American private school can be a confusing process. Here is an overview of the process.
Do You Know....? If you know the answers to all these questions, you probably teach or work in a private school. Be that as it may, these questions contain links with the answers.
Boarding or Day School? Many parents agonize over sending their child to boarding school or keeping them at home and sending them to day school. A look at the pros and cons here.
When Should You Consider a Therapeutic School? It is a heart-stopping moment for any parent when you realize that your child needs much more help than you can give him at home and at his current school. Perhaps a therapeutic school is the answer.
Traditional vs Non-traditional Schools Early on in the process of choosing a private school for your child you need to decide whether to send her to a traditional or non-traditional school.
Single Sex or Coeducation? Sooner or later you ought to consider a single sex school as opposed to a traditional coeducational school. Why? For several reasons.
Don't Just Look at Price! Identifying schools which fit your requirements includes dealing with paying for that education. But don't just look at price.
When Should You Consider a Special Needs School? Dealing with the reality that your child has a learning difference can be a defining moment for many parents. So much is at stake. Special needs schools offer programs and highly trained faculty.
Why Ranking Schools Makes No Sense Journalists love to create lists because you and I love lists. But lists such as top ten private schools can be deceptive.
If We Did Rank Schools... Ranking private schools is almost impossible because it is so difficult to gather the data needed to compare statistics. If we did rank schools, this is how to do it.
Saving Time and Money Choosing a School The Internet has made finding schools and finding out more about them much more efficient than it was ten years ago.
Choosing Schools: The Safe School The idea behind a safe school is that you know your child will get into at least one of the schools on your short list. Let's start by reviewing the steps in the process.
Private School Jobs Teaching in a private school is different from teaching in a public school. Find out more here including information on duties, compensation and where to find jobs.
Choosing a School: 5 Must Haves Whether you are just beginning the process of choosing a private school or several months into it, make sure that you keep these five 'must haves' front and center in your thinking.
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How Much Do Schools Cost? Private schools charge everything from nothing at all to well over $50,000 a year for their services. Here are some examples of what the various types of private schools charge.
Marketing the Small Private School
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