Deciding whether to send your child to a private school can be challenging. As a parent, you want to ensure that your child is getting the best education possible. You must make the right decision. When you’re debating between sending your child to public school and sending your child to private school, there are a few reasons why private schools stand out. Let’s discuss some reasons parents are sending their children to private schools in this day and age, here:
The Quality of Education Is Better
Kids attend school to learn, so you want to ensure your child is going to a place where they will get a top-notch education. As upsetting as it is, sometimes public schools do not provide the quality education that children deserve. In private schools, your child will get a more individualized and specialized education. When your child goes to a private school, you can be confident in the fact they can take AP and Dual Enrollment classes in high school. For younger students, they will still be able to enroll in rigorous courses.
Graduation Rates Are Higher in Private School
When it comes down to it, whether you’ve got a sixth grader or a ninth grader, the end goal is that your child finishes school with a high school diploma. So, when you’re choosing a school for your child, you want to look at the graduation rate. It just so happens that private schools have a higher graduation rate than public schools do. According to recent data from the 2018-2019 school year, public schools have a graduation rate of 86%. Private schools, on the other hand, have a graduation rate of 96.4%. The data makes a statement: students who attend private schools are more likely to graduate than students who attend public schools.
More Students Attend College
With the acknowledgment that some students thrive without going to college, for many students, their ultimate goal is going to college. Of course, as a parent, you want to help your child achieve their goals. Therefore, if you and your child have decided they are college-bound, attending a private school is the better option. Oftentimes, in public school, students will go to trade school, the military, or enter the workforce after graduating. In the 2018-2019 school year, only 44% of public school seniors enrolled in college the next year. If your child is interested in college, they want to be surrounded by like-minded students who have similar ambitions. So, sending your student to a private school is a great way to help your child achieve their goal of getting into the college of their choice.
SAT and ACT Scores Are Higher
To reiterate, students who want to go to college are better suited to attend private schools. The education sets them up to succeed in higher education. One way private schools do this is by providing students with the skills they need to thrive on standardized tests. Public school-educated students tend to score lower on the ACT. They tend to score about 4 points lower than students who are private school-educated. Therefore, if your child wants to get into a competitive college, sending them to a private school can be a great way to give them an edge over their competitors.
The Extracurricular Activities Available Are More Diverse in a Private School
Children deserve to participate in activities that interest them. In public schools, sometimes there are no offerings that correspond with a student’s strengths. When your child attends private school, there are plenty of extracurricular activities, sports, and volunteering opportunities available. Your child can make friends and enhance their resume by participating in school-sanctioned activities.
Your Child Will Enter a Thriving Alumni Network
Private school graduates tend to want to keep in touch with those who graduate after them. So, through networking channels like LinkedIn, your child can find internship and job opportunities through past Tenney School alumni. Additionally, because your child will be learning alongside gifted and creative students, their peers will become a strong professional network for them, too. Between the students in their grade and those who have come before them, your child will become a part of a successful network after attending private school.
Class Sizes Are Smaller in a Private School
Whether your child needs extra help in school or they’re gifted and need more specialized coursework, each child could benefit from having the teacher’s undivided attention. However, when a child attends public school, they’re more likely to have large class sizes. This can detract from their intellectual growth. In private schools, on the other hand, students will be in smaller classes. This leads to more one-on-one time with the teacher. This is crucial for students’ development as thinkers.
Another benefit to there being small class sizes in school is that your child can make lifelong friends. When there are large class sizes, it might be harder for more reserved children to make friends. However, when students are in intimate classes, it makes it easier to befriend their peers. Students who attend private schools are likely to graduate having a tight-knit group of friends that will last for years to come. As a parent, it feels good to know that your child is learning among their friends.
Join the Community of Satisfied Parents at The Tenney School
Admittedly, it can be daunting to decide to send your child to a private school. Especially if you’ve already sent your child to public school for the beginning of their educational years. So, if you’re still anxious about sending your child to private school, talk to others who have kids in private school. Sometimes, the best way to figure out whether or not your child should go to private school is to listen to what other parents have said about private school.
Because so many students return to The Tenney School year after year, you might benefit from discussing the curriculum and opportunities with other satisfied parents. Our community is filled with families who are happy with their private school experience. So, don’t hesitate to reach out to members of our community or our school. Contact us, for more information about private schools and all we have to offer at The Tenney School.