Applications for Private schools - Fall 2013 (Atlanta, North Atlanta: transplants, elementary school, tax)

[snsh5713]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaLakeSearch

Westminster is the hardest to gain admission.

My wife and I had no problems getting into the other "big" schools ITP. We had recommendations and connections at all the other "big" schools.

GeorgiaLake Search...

If you don't mind my asking, what kind of recommendations and connections did you have. Are you referring to letters of recommendation

[snsh5713]

Last minute mom "I think, that having Ivy League parents, helps at some of these schools. (though that certainly isn't written down anywhere)"

In reference to this comment that you posted...are you referring to parents that have actually gone to Ivy League Schools....or as a generic about parents that seem educationally pedigreed and financially well off

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by dblackga

Being able to say, "My kids go to Westminster/Pace/Lovett" is, in many cases, bragging rights for the parents.

How oh-so true.

[AtlJan]

Originally Posted by snsh5713

Last minute mom "I think, that having Ivy League parents, helps at some of these schools. (though that certainly isn't written down anywhere)"

In reference to this comment that you posted...are you referring to parents that have actually gone to Ivy League Schools....or as a generic about parents that seem educationally pedigreed and financially well off

I know you asked this of LMM, but I will say that it adds a plus if the parents actually attended an Ivy League school.

I don't know how much the letters of recommendation help, but I do think they can turn an "unknown quantity" family into a known quantity. Say, if three current families right glowing letters stating that they've known you for years, you're lovely and you've been highly involved at their church/club/charity etc. It doesn't hurt. They'll put it in the file and if your child is borderline, it might help.

I have written letters for and gone to speak to the admissions director on behalf of kids/families whom I think are a good fit. I mean, why not? And I would never do it for someone who I don't think would be an asset to the school.

And, really, keep an open mind about the schools and apply to a lot of them. Remember, wherever they end up, five years from now you will be a part of great school community and you won't be able to imagine their having gone anywhere else.

[ChefRamsey]

Woodward and Westminster are great private schools. They place incredibly when it comes to colleges.

[jpatlanta]

Three of my workmates got kids into Westminster in the last year. Not sure its that hard at all as two of them were recent re-los with no ties to Atlanta. Only thing they had in common was they all live in the 30327 zip. Likewise my daughter got offers from Pace and AIS (we went with AIS).

What I really want to know is if it makes more sense to re-locate to another state (assuming you can) rather than pay these crazy fees for marginal results. In other words are you better off paying an extra 4k a month on mortgage and property tax in NJ, Westchester or MA and going public with 2 plus kids? It seems like plenty of professional people re-locate to GA thinking its cheaper and then many realise that with school fees maybe GA is not so cheap

Is there any way to see how Westminster for example ranks against some of the best public schools in the NE? In discussions with work mates it seems like more kids get into Ivy League from NE publics (in good districts) as a ratio than GA privates, is this really true?

[deacongirl]

Originally Posted by jpatlanta

Three of my workmates got kids into Westminster in the last year. Not sure its that hard at all as two of them were recent re-los with no ties to Atlanta. Only thing they had in common was they all live in the 30327 zip. Likewise my daughter got offers from Pace and AIS (we went with AIS).

What I really want to know is if it makes more sense to re-locate to another state (assuming you can) rather than pay these crazy fees for marginal results. In other words are you better off paying an extra 4k a month on mortgage and property tax in NJ, Westchester or MA and going public with 2 plus kids? It seems like plenty of professional people re-locate to GA thinking its cheaper and then many realise that with school fees maybe GA is not so cheap

Is there any way to see how Westminster for example ranks against some of the best public schools in the NE? In discussions with work mates it seems like more kids get into Ivy League from NE publics (in good districts) as a ratio than GA privates, is this really true?

Walton is higher ranked nationally (fwiw) than my NE public that sent plenty of kids to Ivies. So if a family is considering relocating to the NE for public schools, I would think it might make sense to consider relocating to East Cobb or similar for public schools that are competitive nationally and still have a low cost of living and only have to deal with moving a house rather than new job etc. If we could afford to live ITP and afford private school as well I would absolutely do it to be closer to my husband's work downtown, but it isn't because I think my daughter would get a better education. I don't believe that kids at a public school in the NE will be getting a better education than my daughter who will be a freshman at Walton next year.

[1Mom2Boys]

Seems logical that NE schools (public and private) would have better admission rates with the Ivies than schools in the SE. Ivies favor kids from schools that have a track record of sending quality kids to their colleges. And schools in the NE (and the NE in general) have a more robust network of alum/legacy.

That's not to say kids from our privates and publics don't get into Ivies. I know that Pace and Westminster both have FB pages where seniors share their college placements (I think the pages are referred to as "futures" of "insert private school name"). You'll find a solid number of their graduates move on to top rated colleges. But you'll also find that the majority of their grads don't go to Ivies. No school in Atlanta boasts the 30-40% Ivy placements as the top privates in the NE (although it should be noted that those schools' tuitions exceed ours by at least $10k-$15k/yr). If Ivy admission is my priority, I'd move up to the NE for their top privates in a heartbeat.

See: The Making of a Harvard Feeder School | News | The Harvard Crimson

Back to Atlanta, I enrolled my child in private in elementary because I valued the small student to teacher ratio, the well-thought and well-executed curriculum, the advantages of having a similarly selected peer group and the access to resources and facilities that target his growth as a person, not just a student.

Would I love for him to go to an Ivy? Absolutely! Is that why I'm paying $20k/yr for elementary? No.

[deacongirl]

Originally Posted by 1Mom2Boys

Seems logical that NE schools (public and private) would have better admission rates with the Ivies than schools in the SE. Ivies favor kids from schools that have a track record of sending quality kids to their colleges. And schools in the NE (and the NE in general) have a more robust network of alum/legacy.

That's not to say kids from our privates and publics don't get into Ivies. I know that Pace and Westminster both have FB pages where seniors share their college placements (I think the pages are referred to as "futures" of "insert private school name"). You'll find a solid number of their graduates move on to top rated colleges. But you'll also find that the majority of their grads don't go to Ivies. No school in Atlanta boasts the 30-40% Ivy placements as the top privates in the NE (although it should be noted that those schools' tuitions exceed ours by at least $10k-$15k/yr). If Ivy admission is my priority, I'd move up to the NE for their top privates in a heartbeat.

See: The Making of a Harvard Feeder School | News | The Harvard Crimson

Back to Atlanta, I enrolled my child in private in elementary because I valued the small student to teacher ratio, the well-thought and well-executed curriculum, the advantages of having a similarly selected peer group and the access to resources and facilities that target his growth as a person, not just a student.

Would I love for him to go to an Ivy? Absolutely! Is that why I'm paying $20k/yr for elementary? No.

Honestly I think it would be crazy to relocate a family solely with the goal of the kid attending an Ivy. The admit rate to these schools is less than 10%, and I guarantee there are kids from Exeter with stellar grades, test scores and ECs who do not get in. I love the NE, and would be thrilled to move back to my hometown, but in my opinion the quality of education at the top Atlanta privates and at publics like Walton is absolutely comparable to schools in the NE. What if the kid doesn't want to attend an Ivy? There are plenty of universities out there with excellent reputations that might be a better fit for a particular kid anyway. Again, I think there are plenty of good things about living in NE, but it doesn't seem healthy to relocate a whole family with that one goal.

[deacongirl]

Originally Posted by jpatlanta

Three of my workmates got kids into Westminster in the last year. Not sure its that hard at all as two of them were recent re-los with no ties to Atlanta. Only thing they had in common was they all live in the 30327 zip. Likewise my daughter got offers from Pace and AIS (we went with AIS).

What I really want to know is if it makes more sense to re-locate to another state (assuming you can) rather than pay these crazy fees for marginal results. In other words are you better off paying an extra 4k a month on mortgage and property tax in NJ, Westchester or MA and going public with 2 plus kids? It seems like plenty of professional people re-locate to GA thinking its cheaper and then many realise that with school fees maybe GA is not so cheap

Is there any way to see how Westminster for example ranks against some of the best public schools in the NE? In discussions with work mates it seems like more kids get into Ivy League from NE publics (in good districts) as a ratio than GA privates, is this really true?

I think we need to define what the end-goal is here, and what "marginal' results means. I know plenty of very successful (financially and otherwise) adults who attended state schools (or non-ivy privates).