Private School Tuition

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24

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  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
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    This, folks, is why high taxes work out in the end. No tuition fees!

    Hardly. High taxes mean that your tax dollars are held hostage by the public school system. If you want your kid to go elsewhere, you're free to, of course. At your own expense.

    This is a sore point with me. I lived in a very well-regarded school district in Bergen County, NJ and DS was falling through the cracks. I sent him to HS at NY Military Academy and he blossomed- got into physical shape, was described as "driven" and "disciplined" by one teacher, and was an officer of 2 companies when he graduated. He's now got a Math degre, a good job, a house, and a fiancee we love.

    From 1999-2003, I paid about $24K per year for room, board, school fees and uniforms. Worth every penny.

    Wouldn't it have been nice to have had your tax pennies to put towards that 100K price tag? Competition breeds results, competition between children and between schools. Why is Harvard or Yale so much more desirable than most public universities? Because they compete and offer results. The public school system stiffles competition between children and themselves, children and other children, between teachers and between schools. They promote mediocrity.
  • Desterknee
    Desterknee Posts: 1,056 Member
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    I am childless but I helped my mother pay for my little brother's private high school tuition.

    It was $6,000 for tuition plus various fees and lunch money. This was about 5 years ago.
  • fitfortrack1
    fitfortrack1 Posts: 15
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    Reading all of these answers makes me feel absurd. My parents paid $39,000 a year for mine New York City...freaking crazy right??
  • tobejune
    tobejune Posts: 177
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    I went to private school as a child. My parents made incredible personal and financial sacrifices to offer me the education they thought best. Tuition was about $2000/year when I started kindergarten (in 1994) and $6000/ year when I graduated 8th grade (in 2003). Currently at the same school tuition is $3000 for 3-day kindergarten, $5000 for 5-day kindergarten, $7000 for grades 1-4, and I believe $8000-8500 for 5-8th grades. I recently looked into enrolling my son there but totally can't afford it for at least a few more years. *sigh* This is in Minnesota, by the way.


    Just out of curiosity, who is winning the debate?
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    The public schools in our city are atrocious. We have a 46% proficient literacy rate in the district at the 10th grade level.

    Thusly my child is, and will continue to be, in a private school. We did the research on all the schools test scores, facilities, extra-curriculars, etc… We landed at Lutheran elementary that is about $3000/year (for members, $4500 for non-members). The Lutheran High is about $7000.

    I don't think it's bad, actually. Daycare was $12,000/year.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    This, folks, is why high taxes work out in the end. No tuition fees!

    Hardly. High taxes mean that your tax dollars are held hostage by the public school system. If you want your kid to go elsewhere, you're free to, of course. At your own expense.

    This is a sore point with me. I lived in a very well-regarded school district in Bergen County, NJ and DS was falling through the cracks. I sent him to HS at NY Military Academy and he blossomed- got into physical shape, was described as "driven" and "disciplined" by one teacher, and was an officer of 2 companies when he graduated. He's now got a Math degre, a good job, a house, and a fiancee we love.

    From 1999-2003, I paid about $24K per year for room, board, school fees and uniforms. Worth every penny.

    Wouldn't it have been nice to have had your tax pennies to put towards that 100K price tag? Competition breeds results, competition between children and between schools. Why is Harvard or Yale so much more desirable than most public universities? Because they compete and offer results. NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND stiffles competition between children and themselves, children and other children, between teachers and between schools. It promotes mediocrity.

    Fixed it for you...it's no child left behind.

    ANNNNNNNNNND here we go.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Reading all of these answers makes me feel absurd. My parents paid $39,000 a year for mine New York City...freaking crazy right??

    That just made me clench every muscle in my body *shudders*
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
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    This, folks, is why high taxes work out in the end. No tuition fees!

    Oooh, you're not American... yeah, that's not how it works here :ohwell:
  • Fit_Vixen1
    Fit_Vixen1 Posts: 419
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    Reading all of these answers makes me feel absurd. My parents paid $39,000 a year for mine New York City...freaking crazy right??


    Uhmmmm, we are talking about high school right?!?!? HOLY CRAP!!!!!
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
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    This, folks, is why high taxes work out in the end. No tuition fees!

    Oooh, you're not American... yeah, that's not how it works here :ohwell:

    Yeah, insert one of umpteen studies showing how much more efficient private schools in the USA are than public here....
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
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    Montessouri schools for K-8 here are about $8,000 per year.
  • gymboreejunkie
    gymboreejunkie Posts: 25 Member
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    Chicago area... Two kids going to private grade school. My tuition is $483/mo (for both kids) or $5796/year. There are some manditory raffles and things like that throughout the year as well.

    That may seem like a lot, but when I priced out what it would cost for before and after school care at the public school I am actually saving money.

    Plus, the private school has all day kindergarten and the public school didn't.

    This is what worked for us, but it's not for everyone.
  • AmandaPandah
    AmandaPandah Posts: 222 Member
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    I'M JUST SAYING.

    The public school system in SWEDEN is very well made. We get free lunch (good food as well), lots of teachers, more help if you need it, activities after school... all for free. Private schools hardly exist, and the ones that do are way weird.

    We also get health and dental care for free. Just putting that out there ;)

    Sorry for getting off topic lol
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
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    Paid for my own tuition from Year 7 -13 in an Anglican Boarding School for young ladies(lol) in NZ. For foreign student's at that time they charged NZ$15K per term for Years 7 -9 (3 terms per year) and NZ$30K per term for Years 9 - 13. Boarding fees was NZ$10K for foreign students + NZ$5K per term for miscellaneous costs. Extra charge fees for books etc - NZ$5K per year. Exam fees - NZ$ 1100 per subject during exam years(10-13) - 13 subjects. School Health Insurance coverage - NZ$700 per year. Travel Insurance - $1000 per year. Transport allowance - NZ$ 3000 per year.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Chicago area... Two kids going to private grade school. My tuition is $483/mo (for both kids) or $5796/year. There are some manditory raffles and things like that throughout the year as well.

    That may seem like a lot, but when I priced out what it would cost for before and after school care at the public school I am actually saving money.

    Plus, the private school has all day kindergarten and the public school didn't.

    This is what worked for us, but it's not for everyone.

    I'm in the Milwaukee area and it's somewhat similar... the private offers us in school before/after care (additional fee), great hot lunches actually, full day kindergarten, smaller class sizes, etc. But there are some negatives. Our school currently doesn't offer foreign language, or music (instruments), things like that... We just have to do those activities on our time.
  • atomiclauren
    atomiclauren Posts: 689 Member
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    I went to a private Montessori school for a couple years - today's tuition is about $11k/year (they go up to 9th grade).

    I paid less for college and almost less for grad school :sick:
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
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    I'M JUST SAYING.

    The public school system in SWEDEN is very well made. We get free lunch (good food as well), lots of teachers, more help if you need it, activities after school... all for free. Private schools hardly exist, and the ones that do are way weird.

    We also get health and dental care for free. Just putting that out there ;)

    Sorry for getting off topic lol
    yeah, you guy's tax structure is FAR different than here. We could get this thread axed quickly by squabling over which is better.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    I'M JUST SAYING.

    The public school system in SWEDEN is very well made. We get free lunch (good food as well), lots of teachers, more help if you need it, activities after school... all for free. Private schools hardly exist, and the ones that do are way weird.

    We also get health and dental care for free. Just putting that out there ;)

    Sorry for getting off topic lol
    yeah, you guy's tax structure is FAR different than here. We could get this thread axed quickly by squabling over which is better.

    Honestly, there's such a drastic difference, you can't compare... I'm not ignoring her posts, it just doesn't apply at all to my Wisconsin life *LOL* And sadly, I can't move to Sweden! :grumble:
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
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    Wouldn't it have been nice to have had your tax pennies to put towards that 100K price tag? Competition breeds results, competition between children and between schools. Why is Harvard or Yale so much more desirable than most public universities? Because they compete and offer results. The public school system stiffles competition between children and themselves, children and other children, between teachers and between schools. They promote mediocrity.

    Oops- I fat-fingered the number. It was $14K/year at the time. But, in answer to your question, yes. It was clear that the staff knew that I could take my son and my money elsewhere if it wasn't working out. The staff at the public school never figured out that I didn't use my then-husband's last name. I was Ms. Jones and my son was J Smith (same last name as Dad). I don't know how many times those bozos addressed me as Mrs. Smith even though that wasn't my name- legally, socially or anything else. The private school staff grasped it immediately. A small detail that wasn't material to my son's education, but it spoke volumes to me.
  • Nyksta
    Nyksta Posts: 241 Member
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    I work in a private school here in London (UK) and for Grades 1 - 5 is £8000 per term (3 terms per year) plus £1000 capital development fee per year.

    Lunch, PE kit, Extra Activities and bus service are all charged on top of this.

    Luckily, my daughter gets an 85% discount since I work there... I still pay a wad of money for schooling that could theoretically come free from the state. However, she's receiving a much better curriculum (IB PYP), fantastic facilities, learning the violin and has a very small class size compared to state. Plus the fact I get to spy on her throughout the day :D

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