private schools in Houston/sugarland

[LizzySWW]

Originally Posted by swopoe

I now want to comment on a reputation post I just got. Someone told me that Sugar Land GT is still a year behind the above mentioned private high schools. And my response to that is "so what?" I have no intention of sending my children to those private high schools. I don't rely on the schools to be the only teachers of my children. My husband and I are their teachers as well. I would venture to say that my son could give any of those private school kids a run for their money, no joke. My husband and I value education very highly, as evidenced by our multiple advanced degrees. Our parents were/are teachers. We are products of public schools. I have no doubts that our children are going to be just fine, with or without private school.

My support of FBISD still stands.

They're wrong & that's why you got an anonymous comment. Anyone with ties to Houston's better privates knows they comp with our better public GT programs. I've personally watched good students from our better privates transfer to good public schools & struggle in the GT program. My public schooled family & private schooled family (attended Houston's top privates) got into the same universities. Both were equally successful in earning advanced degrees & both have enjoyed similar career successes. I'm not against privates, they serve a purpose and we're lucky to have good private options.......however they are only academically superior to public GT programs in the minds of those with a need-to-one-up-you complex.

[pdouglas]

Originally Posted by N. Olikee

Are you committed to living in Sugarland? If so, forget about Kinkaid and St. John's..........in my mind, just plains nuts to go that far! Don't know anything about awty, but in looking at its location......again......nuts.

I don't know why anyone would live in Sugarland and work in Downtown Houston, but if that's the way it is, I would look at options closer to Sugarland.

Actually, I would move to Memorial and enroll him in an SBISD school.

I live in Richmond, daughter attends St. Johns and I work in The Medical Center. Catching the HOV gives me a quick commute to town.

[CindyDavis]

Originally Posted by LizzySWW

They're wrong & that's why you got an anonymous comment. Anyone with ties to Houston's better privates knows they comp with our better public GT programs. I've personally watched good students from our better privates transfer to good public schools & struggle in the GT program. My public schooled family & private schooled family (attended Houston's top privates) got into the same universities. Both were equally successful in earning advanced degrees & both have enjoyed similar career successes. I'm not against privates, they serve a purpose and we're lucky to have good private options.......however they are only academically superior to public GT programs in the minds of those with a need-to-one-up-you complex.

There are many public schools throughout the Houston area that will provide a fine high school education and prepare motivated students well for college acceptance. Other than St. John's, no Houston-based high school has an edge on getting an inordinate number of their students into exceptionally highly rated colleges. Some will tell you that they do, but the data indicates otherwise. My experience is that public schools such as Memorial, Woodlands and Bellaire are just as likely to get a strong student into a top college as Strake Jesuit, Kinkaid or Awty.

As such, I agree.

[fnh]

Originally Posted by CindyDavis

There are many public schools throughout the Houston area that will provide a fine high school education and prepare motivated students well for college acceptance. Other than St. John's, no Houston-based high school has an edge on getting an inordinate number of their students into exceptionally highly rated colleges. Some will tell you that they do, but the data indicates otherwise. My experience is that public schools such as Memorial, Woodlands and Bellaire are just as likely to get a strong student into a top college as Strake Jesuit, Kinkaid or Awty.

As such, I agree.

This is somewhat true, but I always caution parents that you can't really compare Awty to the other high schools by college acceptances. Awty is a bona fide International/French school and many if not most seniors do not apply to the standard list of American colleges, choosing instead to attend excellent universities all over the world. No other high school in Houston can come close to touching this, but most American parents wouldn't care - they see only US colleges on the horizon.

(Considering that the students are majority non-American, Awty compares surprisingly well on National Merit recognition - second only to St. John's in the list above.)

IMO, there are much more important considerations than college acceptances in choosing a school for your child, especially when that child is entering kindergarten.

[CindyDavis]

Originally Posted by fnh

This is somewhat true, but I always caution parents that you can't really compare Awty to the other high schools by college acceptances. Awty is a bona fide International/French school and many if not most seniors do not apply to the standard list of American colleges, choosing instead to attend excellent universities all over the world. No other high school in Houston can come close to touching this, but most American parents wouldn't care - they see only US colleges on the horizon.

(Considering that the students are majority non-American, Awty compares surprisingly well on National Merit recognition - second only to St. John's in the list above.)

IMO, there are much more important considerations than college acceptances in choosing a school for your child, especially when that child is entering kindergarten.

You are correct regarding Awty on the international side. My comment was addressing the American side of the school.

Regarding your final comment, I was responding to a comment from another person that was specifically addressing college acceptance. So before rolling your eyes at others, kindly read their responses in the context in which they were intend.

[fnh]

My apologies. I realize you were not the first to bring it up, and my comment was not meant to be directed at you personally but rather a general statement about using college acceptances as a measure of school success. In any event, the OP is specifically asking about private schools in Houston and is not seeking a comparison of public v. private.

Also to clarify, there is no American side at Awty. There are proportionally more Americans in the International section than French since classes are taught in English, but there is a significant percentage of expats in the International section as well.

[CindyDavis]

Originally Posted by fnh

My apologies. I realize you were not the first to bring it up, and my comment was not meant to be directed at you personally but rather a general statement about using college acceptances as a measure of school success. In any event, the OP is specifically asking about private schools in Houston and is not seeking a comparison of public v. private.

Also to clarify, there is no American side at Awty. There are proportionally more Americans in the International section than French since classes are taught in English, but there is a significant percentage of expats in the International section as well.

I stand corrected. Thanks for the information.

[tkehawk]

You might want to check out Fort Bend Christian Academy in Sugar Land. It is a great school.