10 things private schools won't tell you.
By Sandra E. Martin
From the September/October 2003 issue of MoneySense magazine

Like most parents, you've probably wondered how much private school really costs. Maybe you've even done a little nosing around on the Internet, and discovered that sending your son to Upper Canada College, the most prestigious boys' school in the country, will set you back about $20,000 a year. While the left side of your brain says you can't afford it, the right side of your brain counters with the very compelling argument that hundreds of rich, influential and wildly successful men have graduated from this place: Conrad Black, Peter C. Newman, Robertson Davies. Putting your kid in the midst of such esteemed company has got to be worth 20 grand a year. Right? Maybe. Maybe not. It all depends on who your child is, and what kind of education would suit him best.

"There are many people who have a 'dream school' in mind, which may or may not fit their kid at all," says Catherine McCauley, a Toronto teacher and guidance counselor who has worked in both the public and private school systems. "Think of your child first and what their needs are — social, emotional, physical, intellectual. Start by trying to find a school for your child, not trying to make your child fit a school." You don't have to be an expert like McCauley to find the right school for your kids; you just have to know your kids. Recognize that they're individuals with their own specific strengths and interests and you're halfway there. The how-tos in this article, culled from education professionals and veteran parents, will take you the rest of the way.

"Private" doesn't always mean "better." Too often, parents jump the gun and pay for tuition, assuming that all are preferable to public ones. Not so, says Judy Winberg is a special education teacher and guidance counselor for almost 30 years, whose Toronto-based Options in Education consulting firm helps parents find the best school program for their children's needs, in both the public and private systems. "What you're guaranteed when you go into private is you've got teachers who are there by choice, as opposed to being placed there [as they often are in public school systems]. And your class size is going to be smaller — they put a ceiling on class size, and they don't go over it because they're accountable to a board. After that there are no guarantees. There are no guarantees at all."

Our academic record may be meaningless.

Be especially wary of schools that promise to improve your high-school-age kid's grades just in time for the university application deadline. "There are now that are fly-by-night places. The universities don't even know much about them," warns Paul Axelrod, dean of the faculty of education at Toronto's York University. "Kids who go there are kids who are trying to bone up on their grades or their language skills, and their records show that they did very poorly in the public system. Then they go to one of these private schools, and all of a sudden their grades balloon." Inflated grades may help the grads of these spurious schools to get into university, but it won't help them get a degree. The well-respected that boast 100% university acceptance do so not by giving away good grades, but by making them more difficult to achieve. "I often had kids who would say to me, 'my friend who goes to public school has a higher average than I do and I work so much harder'," McCauley recalls from her years as a private school guidance counselor. "We were really helping prepare them with a lot of the skills that will not only help them get into university, but stay in university: the study skills, the organization, how to write. All of that, it was tougher for them."

That said, while you may have dreams of raising a Nobel laureate, sticking your kid in a school with the best reputation for high-performing students may not help her bring home good grades, even if she is exceptionally bright. If the school's teaching style doesn't match your child's learning style, she may have trouble absorbing her lessons.

So how do you find that perfect match? To a certain degree, you can rely on the admissions department to determine whether the school and your kid are made for each other. "If they get a reputation as having a school that families abandon ship from, that's a problem. It's as important to the school that it's a good fit for your family as it is for you," observes Michaéla Koch, a Toronto parent who's been through the admissions process twice with her kids. That's why, in addition to having their academic record looked at, children are often asked to write essays and sit through personal interviews before a school gives them the green light.

Those steps can be essential to finding the right fit, especially in schools where the number of applications far exceed the number of empty desks. (At the renowned Upper Canada College, for example, only one out of every four boys who apply is accepted.) But they can be tiring and stressful for your kid, not to mention expensive for you — charge a fee for each application, which means that putting your kid's name in at a half dozen places could set you back close to a grand. So before you apply, narrow your top contenders down to a shortlist of two or three schools. For tips on how to do that, see Class distinctions.

Winsor School: One of Boston's Best Private Schools
<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/privateschool/1/9/N/5/200539496-001.jpg" alt="Boston" /></p> <p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/od/bostonschool1/a/A-Profile-Of-The-Winsor-School-Boston.htm">The Winsor School </a>in the Longwood neighborhood of Boston is one of the country's most selective girls' schools. A school for academically motivated girls, Winsor has been educating girls since its founding in 1886 on Beacon Hill. Now educating 430 girls in grades 5-12, Winsor sends students to some of the best colleges in the country. In addition to its rigorous academic program, commitment to diversity, and fine extracurricular activities, Winsor offers&#160;<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/od/secondaryschools/a/4-Advantages-Of-Single-Sex-Schools.htm">the advantages of a single-sex school.</a></p> <p><em>Photo: Boston, Allan Baxter/Getty Images</em></p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/08/winsor-school-one-of-bostons-best-private-schools.htm">Winsor School: One of Boston's Best Private Schools</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/">About.com Private Schools</a> on Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 at 20:30:07.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/08/winsor-school-one-of-bostons-best-private-schools.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/08/winsor-school-one-of-bostons-best-private-schools.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://privateschool.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/08/winsor-school-one-of-bostons-best-private-schools.htm&#038;zItl=Winsor School: One of Boston's Best Private Schools">Email this</a></p>
The Advantages of Single-Sex Schools
<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/privateschool/1/9/b/5/73582503.jpg" alt="Girls Schools" /></p> <p>While some experts still think the jury is out on the advantages of single-sex schools, many studies have shown that students in all-boys' or all-girls' schools benefit from their environment. They tend to have more confidence and behave better than similar peers in co-ed environments. In addition, there are <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/od/secondaryschools/a/4-Advantages-Of-Single-Sex-Schools.htm"> other advantages of private single-sex schools </a> you may not have considered. For example, the conversation about Shakespeare's <em>Hamlet</em> in a boys' school can concentrate on what it means to resolve one's relationship with one's father, while a female mathematician's visit to a girls' school has special resonance. Single-sex schools often have dynamic classrooms in which students aren't afraid to voice their ideas.</p> <p><em>Photo: Andersen Ross/Getty Images</em></p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/06/the-advantages-of-single-sex-schools.htm">The Advantages of Single-Sex Schools </a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/">About.com Private Schools</a> on Monday, February 6th, 2012 at 20:41:18.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/06/the-advantages-of-single-sex-schools.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/06/the-advantages-of-single-sex-schools.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://privateschool.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/06/the-advantages-of-single-sex-schools.htm&#038;zItl=The Advantages of Single-Sex Schools ">Email this</a></p>
Looking for a Private School Teaching Job?
<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/privateschool/1/9/c/6/dv1940077.jpg" alt="Teacher Standing by a Map of the USA in a Classroom" /></p> <p>Looking to teach in an independent school? Cornelia Iredell, who runs Independent School Placement with her husband Jim, offers <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu= http://privateschool.about.com/od/employment/a/Advice-About-Finding-A-Private-School-Teaching-Job.htm"> advice about how new teachers can get their foot in the door </a> and explains what independent schools are looking for in their new hires. Even in this difficult economy, it's possible for recent graduates to get teaching experience and for mid-career professionals to transition into working in independent schools.</p> <p><em>Photo: Digital Vision/Getty Images </em></p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/02/looking-for-a-private-school-teaching-job.htm">Looking for a Private School Teaching Job?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/">About.com Private Schools</a> on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 08:11:06.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/02/looking-for-a-private-school-teaching-job.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/02/looking-for-a-private-school-teaching-job.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://privateschool.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/02/looking-for-a-private-school-teaching-job.htm&#038;zItl=Looking for a Private School Teaching Job?">Email this</a></p>
The History of African-Americans at Early Independent Schools
<p><img class="alignright" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/privateschool/1/9/C/A/civil-rights-march.jpg" alt="civil rights march" width="150" height="100" /></p> <p>February is African-American History Month, and, in addition to reflecting on the subject during the rest of the year, it's the time to think about the valiant struggle of African-American students to gain access to high-quality education. Long before the 1954 landmark <em>Brown v. Board of Education </em> case in which the Supreme Court declared that "separate but equal" education was inherently unequal, African-American students were trying to access college-preparatory education and there were schools that dared to have integrated student bodies. Though some these schools have now largely been forgotten, they were critical in educating African-American leaders.&#160;<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/od/issues/a/The-History-Of-African-American-Students-At-Private-Schools.htm">Read more about the history of African-American students at early independent schools.</a></p> <p><em>Photo: Civil Rights march, c. 1963/Buyenlarge, Getty Images </em></p> <p><a href="http://privateschool.about.com/od/issues/a/The-History-Of-African-American-Students-At-Private-Schools.htm"></a></p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/01/the-history-of-african-americans-at-early-independent-schools.htm">The History of African-Americans at Early Independent Schools</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/">About.com Private Schools</a> on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 08:30:17.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/01/the-history-of-african-americans-at-early-independent-schools.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/01/the-history-of-african-americans-at-early-independent-schools.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://privateschool.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/02/01/the-history-of-african-americans-at-early-independent-schools.htm&#038;zItl=The History of African-Americans at Early Independent Schools">Email this</a></p>
How to Change from One Private School to Another
<p>Sometimes, the school you chose for your child when she was younger simply isn't working for her anymore. She may find herself falling behind academically or socially, or she may want to cultivate a new interest. Don't be afraid to look for a new school that's a better fit for the young adult she is becoming. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/od/secondaryschools/a/Changing-From-One-Private-School-To-Another.htm">Here are some strategies to ease your child and your family into the process of finding a new school.</a></p> <p><img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/privateschool/1/9/h/9/student-holding-papers-.jpg" alt="admittted" /><em>Photo: Matt Cardy/Getty Images</em></p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/01/23/how-to-change-private-schools.htm">How to Change from One Private School to Another</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/">About.com Private Schools</a> on Monday, January 23rd, 2012 at 19:57:49.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/01/23/how-to-change-private-schools.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/01/23/how-to-change-private-schools.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://privateschool.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://privateschool.about.com/b/2012/01/23/how-to-change-private-schools.htm&#038;zItl=How to Change from One Private School to Another">Email this</a></p>





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