private or public schools?

[newyorkaise]

Well, I can't really vote yet cuz I just started at a public school like last week for the first time! :lol:

I went to a private school from Kindergarten-8th grade. It was a French-American School (my dad is French) and my parents really wanted me to learn how to read and write in French and all that stuff. I really liked it there because it was small, everyone knew everybody (tho that could be kinda bad sometimes) and it was racially diverse. I mean, we had people not only from French origins but also Asia, African, South American etc... It really taught me how to work with people who were different from me. Sadly though, the school only went up to 10th grade and then after that I would have had to commute into Manhattan every day to go to the French school there and my parents didn't want me doing that.

So I had a great experience at the FAS which was a private school. After that, I transferred to an all girls' catholic high school and it was even smaller than my old one. From 5th to 12th grade there were like 300 girls!! At FAS, there were 600 from nursery to 10th. Anyways, I liked it there the first year but the second year, things just went downhill. One of my really good friends left and I had a hard time connecting with my other friends. The education there was good but it was so small and the girls acted so childishly when it came to guys, they were just so desperate cuz some of them had been there since 5th grade and it just drove me crazy. The teachers were great but I had had enough so in 11th grade (this year) I decided to transfer to the local public HS.

So far, it's been okay. The school's a lot bigger and there are alot more people and transferring junior year is hard cuz there are all those cliques already formed. But I've been a few people who seem really nice so for now I'm doing okay. Most of my teachers seem normal so it's good.

However, I do miss the racial diversity. Everyone in my HS is Irish, white, and/or Jewish so it's very "jappy" and preppy. I don't play sports, but to be popular, it seems you have to play a sport here. There are alot of Asians but they tend to stay together.

If the public schools are good why pay the extra money unless you have religious prefrences.

People don't necessarily go to religious high schools because of religious preferences. I've known some Jewish/Atheist people to go to religious schools just for the education because some catholic/jewish schools have got a good rep. Also, I only went to a religious school for 2 years, the French/American school was secular, so not all private schools are religious.
And one of the reasons my parents let me go to public is because the public HS in my town is in the top 50 of the country, in fact I get more homework there then I did at my catholic school. Not all of the HS where I live are good anyway, so I'm lucky to live in a town with a good HS.

Also I can now wear what I want, no more stupid uniform! I had to wear a uniform at the catholic school and while no one judges you on the basis of what u wear, I like the freedom to choose my own clothes. And no more stupid laptop either. (For those of you who go to laptop schools, I'm sorry but I hated lugging that stupid thing around. Plus we didn't even use it that much in class, people would just be surfing the internet aimlessly...)

 

[scope]

i went to a public high school and right now i am in a public college. i think that most of the people in my classes in college that went to private schools are more prepared for college than public school kids. i mean some private schools around here are set up for special areas of study. Like there is a science and tech school near me and those kids are more prepare once they get into college for their degree program. I am a cs major and I wish i would have had the chance to go to one of those schools because i think i would be understanding some of the items that i am learning in my 300 level classes that i dont know now because my hs didnt cover that subject matter, but the private school did. so if you have the chance to go to a private school i would say go for it. i wish i would have.

 

[~Summers~]

ok question: which one is which one? cuz we don't use the same words for private and public...then you'll get my opinion! help a confuzzled pii. 

[post="999453"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]​

lol :lol: I was confused too, in this thread private school is a school you have to pay to attend. And public school is your basic state school i.e. free

 

[alias8000]

Kimmi, I don't hafta wear a skirt and a tie every day and I have uniform...

and newyorkaise, that's right about people going to religious schools just for education. i'll prolly end up going to a catholic hs and i'm not a part of any religion, but not an atheist. but neway, i'm only gonna go for education. education is what matters. not, what's the latest fad, most popular kid in school, yadda yadda yadda. what about just being YOU.

and anna, i hafta agree about the closeness and the clique-y-ness. the closeness.. wow i've known the same people since like 1st grade and there have been people coming and going. but also i'm close the teachers. some of them are like family because you've known them for so long.

 

[FuNnYcHiCkEn]

My school has about 1000 students from years 8-12. Its a pretty small governement school. I used to go to another governement school which had close to 2000 students. It was WAY too big! I dunno what the sizes of schools are like in america but in my opinion about 100 people is good. The private schools here have smalled classes and your with the same people in each class. I hate that! You dont get to meet as many people and if u hate someone, your stuck with them!
Also, the uniforms over here (aus) are way different. Here a governement school makes you wear a polo shirt, jeans or pants, and a uniform jumper. The polo tops and jumpers are uniform but the pants can be pretty much what you like as long as their close to the right colour.
Private school here have WAY stricter uniforms. FOr the co-eds. all students have to wear a shirt, tie, v-neck jumper, blazer, skirts/pants and tights. THe all girl school have two seperate uniforms. summer and winter. The summer uniform is normally some weird dress woth a funny looking hat. An the winter uniform is like 10 layers! A shirt, a weird smock thing, jumper, blazer, tie and tights. oh and with all the priate schools here you have to wear formal shoes.

 

[alias8000]

i feel sorry bout the uniform for the private schoolers in aussie-land! that's really sad! but your uniform is really similar to mine! really, similar

my school has less than 150 students. and that's K-8.

 

[FuNnYcHiCkEn]

Wow! Thats a REALLY small school!!!
Oh wait! :lol: thats kindy to year 8 right??? Well over here, primary school (K-7) are smaller. The one I went to only had like 200 students.

 

[alias8000]

Yup! But i've known a lot of my classmates since I was 6. a lot of them ahve finished already cuz they were older and stuff. and also a lot of people have left but also a ton of new people have come. even my old teachers! but still, some of these teachers are like friends and family.

 

[FuNnYcHiCkEn]

Yeah, this year I've become really close to my teachers, they're really supportive and will go out of their way to help you prepare for exams and things. And just to clarify I GO TO A GOVERMENT SCHOOL!

 

[alias8000]

my teachers do that too! and they make sure you really know the data and understand everything. in math and stuff, if we get problems and exercises wrong, we fix them and find out what we did wrong. we dont' just let it pass. they make sure that we really KNOW it and can apply it. and if we forget some of it in the future, we go back and review it, then go back to where we were.

 

[xinli11]

my teachers do that too!  and they make sure you really know the data and understand everything. in math and stuff, if we get problems and exercises wrong, we fix them and find out what we did wrong. we dont' just let it pass. they make sure that we really KNOW it and can apply it. and if we forget some of it in the future, we go back and review it, then go back to where we were.

[post="999903"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]​

That's awesome taht your teachers are proactive. Our teachers really cared too. But, you had to take the initiative to ask them and stay after school. I became good friends with my physics and chem teachers back in high school. We still send each other articles we find interesting in the different journals (nature, Jama, etc)

Xin Li

 

[Aliasfan13]

My school is 6-12 and we have about 740 this year. I like private schools. You get to know everyone.

 

[KateJones47]

public. I went to a public school before, but now I'm at a catholic HS. I don't like it. I hate the lack of diversity. (Almost everyone is white and catholic) and the uniforms. I HATE the uniforms. They say you should concentrate on learning instead of what you're wearing. How can anyone concentrate on learning when you have to make sure your shirt is tucked in at all times and when you're wearing an uncomfortable skirt that's meant to sit at your natural waistline. And it doesn't stop people from picking on you for what you wear. They still laugh at you if you have "uncool" shoes, or socks, or a purse.

And considering I'm agnostic (which my parents don't know), I hate going to a religion class everyday for 4 years. And then there's mass once or twice a month in the overcrowded gym with the priest rambling on and on about who-knows-what.

And a lot of public schools where I live have better facilities and a bigger selection of classes (including honors and AP).

 

[mystery_chick]

my teachers do that too!  and they make sure you really know the data and understand everything. in math and stuff, if we get problems and exercises wrong, we fix them and find out what we did wrong. we dont' just let it pass. they make sure that we really KNOW it and can apply it. and if we forget some of it in the future, we go back and review it, then go back to where we were.

[post="999903"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]​

I dont' think that's necessarily a good thing, i mean in elementary school, it's great, but once you hit high school, it should be your responsibility to keep track of your work, not your teacher. Think about it, if you're not used to actually asking for your work, and assumes that your teacher's going to automatically give it to you, then what happens when university comes and your prof probably wont' even end up knowning your name?
--Mandy

 

[Sydney Bristow 2300844]

And public school is your basic state school i.e. free

[post="999517"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]​

You have to pay via Taxes

 

[Marlene]

Private schools also suck cause we take classes like Logic, Rhetoric and all that bull and are required to complete 3 years of Latin to graduate...and we're all hypocrits(sp?)

[post="999084"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]​

For those requirements I can't think of like a single elite catholic school in the city that does that except one or two...and a few independent schools located in strategic locations in the city...the upper east and west side...and a few schools along the central park area.

I don't even want to discuss my graduation requirements. But I have a two-year latin/ancient greek requirement as well...most people take three. (Latin isn’t exactly a dead language…it shows in legal terms and journalism…plus it’s pretty handy for the SATs) I feel your pain...I'm just happy I don't have to take a logic class. :blink: 1000 kids 9-12...about 10 classes a grade...but it's individualized scheduling so I don't have to deal with the exact same faces every waking hour.

I personally like public schools because the only place I've been to, is a local parochial school. (For convenience reasons for only my very early years of education.)

I'm basically going to null out independent schools because the last time I checked my mother wasn't going to pay at least 25k a year for high school.

I personally like public because there are so many highly reputable schools in the city with fantastic programs and facilities...and if they don't have they you can mooch off a college in some cases. I personally like my school because it's one of the smaller schools yet we aren't deprived of facilities (like some unfortunately are) and senior year we have a bridge program and we basically have the option of taking free college classes on the campus we're located on. It's a state...or is it city college so...the Ivy Leagues usually won't take the credit. Regardless it's a great experience.

But I definitely understand why a lot of people come to believe that private schools are a lot better...in some cases they are and the environment is definitely better then public schools in general.

On another note...you say you like your teachers...I mean it is beneficial that they go through everything with you. But don't you have the sense that they are babying and holding back individuals that don't have to these topics reviewed. Which I find absolutely daunting...thank goodness for optional tutoring on tuesday...so you go if you need to and it's the same teachers and a much smaller and intimate group...who ever shows up. But as you get accustomed to have everything reviewed for you how are you going to develop your own independent study skills that you can use for college and beyond...being spoon feed isn't always a good thing.

Last thing...people in public schools complain that they don't know the people in their class. (Well I'm not sure how huge the school is...so maybe my argument is absolutely off) But perhaps they just weren't an active part of the school...I mean you can't just expect to meet everyone in your classes...extracurricular activities...teams…clubs…etc.

 

[Aliasfan13]

Yesterday I went to a Bible study and one of the moms was saying that her daughter has to stand in class because there is not enough chairs and desks!! That's horrible! She went to a public school with about 3000 students and they have to rotate every half hour to sit down. That's awful.

 

[~Summers~]

You have to pay via Taxes

[post="1002052"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]​

Well your parent's do

 

[Aliasfan13]

haha yeah. My mom always says, "Oh, we're paying for private school for all three kids. The government doesn't give any tax break, we don't live lavishly like most people do. Why dont they give a tax break!" Yeah, mom, like the government's gonna examine how we live and have pity on us and give us a break!

 

[Marlene]

Yesterday I went to a Bible study and one of  the moms was saying that her daughter has to stand in class because there is not enough chairs and desks!! That's horrible! She went to a public school with about 3000 students and they have to rotate every half hour to sit down. That's awful.

[post="1002610"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]​

That's horrible...and ridiculous....well that's what happened to me the first three days of school freshmen year when I was manually changed to the right math class for those few days before they redid the schedules...and I got a new math class. We had spare chairs...just no tables...and I gave up...and sort of spralled on the floor. Cozy...but not good for tests...and then I had an english class with like 10 people it it...goes to show how much they mess up in the beginning. My french class is sort of crowded at the moment...the classes are never that big...well a bunch of people should be in higher level french...spanish...or japanese anyways...but there seriously has to be soemthing done is someone doesn't have a seat in class. Is this a permanent thing as of now?