Are preparatory schools worth the cost?

[Dawson Leery]

Poll question: Are preparatory schools worth the cost?

The cost of these schools ranges from $15,000(day school) to $40,000 (boarding schools).

Examples:
http://www.roxburylatin.org/index.aspx
http://www.groton.org/
http://www.exeter.edu/
http://www.milton.edu/
http://www.wra.net/
http://www.yorkprep.org/
http://www.choate.edu/
http://www.bbns.org/

Please feel free to discuss the matter further.

[devils chaplain]

1. Apparently our politicians think so. N/T

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. Do not forget Sidwell Friends or Punahou

[TBF]

3. If the goal is to be a successful capitalist, of course. Same with certain private colleges. nt

[cali]

9. honestly, I know more than a few people who went to prep school

who are very, very creative folks and not terribly successful capitalists.

[JVS]

4. If you have worry about that, the school probably won't improver your situation.

It's a class thing. If you're part of the ruling class you both can afford it and your children need to go there to meet other members of the class. If you have trouble affording it, your kid might make a few contacts but probably won't be full fledged.

[Brickbat]

5. I'd say hell no.

Depends on what you're looking for, of course. But frankly, I see it as a pretty big waste, generally.

[Lyric]

6. I doubt if the education is, but the name brand is worth its weight in gold.

There are probably public schools that provide as good or better in terms of education, but god knows that getting to put "Phillips Exeter" on your resume is worth the tuition, in terms of its association with the wealthy elite.

Of course, that's a sad commentary on our culture in and of itself.

[Dawson Leery]

7. Seeing that Phillips Exeter was founded on Calvinist

principles, one could only expect them to be the school of the wealthy elite.

[cali]

8. I'm not sure they were in my case

but my sisters sure got a lot of mileage out of their Choate days.

[provis99]

10. yes. the education is no better,

but students go for the political and business connections, not the education.