Private schools are by FAR better than anything the public school system could ever offer. This is coming from someone who grew up in Richmond, went to a public school, and through UBC and other schools after made many friends who were from private school upbringings.

Firstly, a private school is performance oriented. Their goals are to PREPARE the child for entry into the world's top universities for networking, and thus entry into the world's top companies etc. By this, I mean for example that say you had a creative knack and wanted to do marketing. The private school would not only give you a crazy workload both academically and extracurricular, but suggest which universities in the world had the top ranked marketing programs, usually judged by which world scale marketing firms recruited their graduates from.

One girl I dated went to Collingwood in West Vancouver, and a previous one years back went to Crofton. Not only did the schools suggest which universities they should go based on their strengths, but those world schools (e.g. Ivy Leagues) actually came out to their schools to talk about what they offered.

The reality is that entry into the most competitive world firms (e.g. investment banks, large corporations etc) tend to hire from a select group of schools. Some major world law firms won't even look at your law school application unless you went to an Ivy League or top UK university. If you look at the board of directors of many hedge funds or multi national corporations, you will see that the credentials of these people are almost all the same. They all tend to have an MBA at Harvard or UPenn, or at least undergrad at these schools. These universities' alumni networks are so strong in the working world that they help each other at all costs and hire their own. The private schools, even in Vancouver, know this, and help the kids get out of Vancouver and into the world scene. This is the reason private schools are also called "Prep" schools -- their role is to prepare the child to enter that world.

On the other hand, the public school system (which I also endured) does not have this role. It is funded by the tax-payer and the Provincial (or State, depending on where you live) and its role is to develop the next generation of citizens tailored to the needs of the area. For instance, if they needed more workers in a certain field for the next generation, they would increase hands on programs for channeling the kids into a certain direction. There is nothing wrong with this, but it does not serve to provide the best interests for the child. Nobody in my high school told me that there were huge paying jobs in the big city, and how the system worked to become rich.

The other stark difference between public and private school is the networking. The parents who can afford private schools will likely be professionals, or well-informed entrepreneurs. These are among the most successful and most knowledgeable people in the city. By meeting such people, your child's network will become deeply developed from young and become confident, knowing that he/she is empowered from the get-go.

One of my best friend's fathers was the first Chinese Canadian pupil at St George's in the 1950s or 40s. He was a boarding student, and he would tell us the stories of his room-mates, who were the Brown Brothers (Ford dealership owners), the son of Rogers Sugar, and someone else I can't recall right now, and the pranks they would pull at school. Although racism against the Chinese was very heavy in those days, he would tell us that these two childhood friends of his would help him immeasurably in the Vancouver business world years onwards.

Anyways, put your kid in a private school. No way I'm putting mine in a public school, knowing what I know now.

Private schools have to, and should be, better. Clients are paying through the teeth for results.

Public schools, as another member alluded to, has to take in everybody....... the behaviour kids, the mentally handicapped, the retards who don't want to be there, etc.

It's amazing, however, how well public schools do, considering the shit they have to put up with.

Cool story bro.

Don't expect to get into Crofton or York unless you have shitload of cash, working in a notable position at a famous company or went to an Ivy league school. They interview parents abilities rather than the children. On another note, I know someone that actually switched over from public to private during high school rather than starting from kindergarten, so far they seem to be doing quite well in academics [now going to NYU].

both Crofton and York is only asking 16k a year plus some other fees. Not really that expensive considering your kid will get the best schooling and networking.

Not to mention smaller class sizes so you get more one on one time with the teachers. Teachers are also available during lunch time and after school for hours. Curriculum is goal orientated meaning it's geared towards making the next level easier. Ie: The content covered in Grade 10 will include content from Grade 11 and 11 from 12, etc. Note taking, studying and exam writing is designed to be the same way as it would be in University.

In addition, you don't have to deal with students and teachers who are not their to learn. Every one is there for the same purpose and that is to succeed at a University level.

Community service is not an option is a requirement. Same with extra-curricular activities. Not to mention, it's service is stressed for the sole purpose of helping out those in need, NOT to boost a resume.

The school wants affluent and stable families in their student body. There is a general perception that affluent families will yield better children as parents worked hard to achieve their status in their lives; they expect the kids will be taught the same way at home. Unfortunately perception isn't reality.

Don't forget that you need to donate to the school at the annual fair :heckno: .

Great comments by achiam. But unfortunately, there is no right/wrong answer to the whole public vs private school debate. Private schools aren't for everybody. It really depends on the person - and I speak from experience.

I went to Vancouver College for 8-12, and got good grades. Once I got to UBC, it felt like I was out of jail - so guess what? I skipped like crazy and got crappy grades. Got a degree, but not my first choice as many options were unavailable to due my poor grades. I'm not a dumb kid either, just didn't try my best. And that's my biggest regret.

Exact same thing happened to my sister, who went to LFA for 8-12.

Other things I noticed about private school kids (in general):
-huge sense of entitlement
-can't do anything on their own (they're practically spoon-fed at school)
-snobby towards public school kids
-strong in some areas, weak in others (rather than well-rounded)
-sheltered

The one definite thing about private schools is that the teachers won't ever go on strike.

How much can "opening doors to success" be attributed purely through academics? vs. the comparison of certain individuals just growing up in an elite social circle? And by elite I mean people who can throw away $20 - $30k expense annually just for your kid's education alone.


Because when you throw in the word "networking" & "world's top companies" well...

Going to a private school does not equally result in those negative things, that is a combination of school and home atmosphere. I don't think you should be worried about sending your daughter to a private school.

I personally have a good experience coming from a private school (albeit a co-ed school) and while there may be a few individuals who have entitlement issues, for the most part, school should not be raising your kid, you should be the one who has the biggest influence on their attitude in life.

Coming from someone who went to both a public and private school, I find that although the teachers may not be better at a private school, the amount of attention that each student gets is pretty substantial compared to public school. This is a double edged sword as they are there to help you when you need it, but it doesn't really help a student become independent in their studies.

Overall I think that if you have the money and want to provide a different atmosphere..private school is very expensive and the only way I could afford it is that my parents worked for the school and I got discounted tuition. So if you can support it, it is well worth it, however...if its going to break the bank a public school will get the job done.

I took Math 11 at a public school one summer to get ahead. I finished with a grade of 90%. I went back to my private school and they insisted that I take it again with them. Eventually, I gave in and decided to take it again; I got 70% doing it the 2nd time around at my private school. Some of the reason why was obviously because I didn't put as much effort the 2nd time around, knowing I had already gotten 90%, but most of the reason why was because the material was a lot more advanced.

It's a lot tougher to ace the material at private schools than it is at public schools, simply because the material is far more advanced at private schools. The provincial exams, on the other hand, seemed like jokes compared to the advanced material that we had actually learned. Universities that are taking applicants know this and therefore, your lower marks at private school do not hurt you. I had very mediocre marks (maybe even less than mediocre) at my private school, but got accepted everywhere I had applied, even when my marks were below the expected cut-off.

Another thing that has been left unsaid about private schools is that academics is only a portion of what you get taught. Respect, personal integrity, moral character, responsibility, leadership, and the importance of community service are just a few other things that students will learn if attending a good private school.

Plus, private schools offer amazing extracurricular activities to students, which is one of the prime reasons why many private school students enter top American schools, including Ivy Leagues. There is a reason why they are gateway schools to many top universities; a whole new calibre of students, which is very different from the public system. But of course, it is really dependent on the person as there are no doubt many many top students from a public school system.

Also, you are allowed to work at your own pace in private school. My teacher's son is grade 9 but is working at grade 11 level at St. Georges, and I know many more other friends who have skipped grades at private school. If your daughter is smart, private schools offer flexibility.

Also amazing resources. St. Georges elementary kids all have MacBook Pros available for usage LOLOLOL

I think connections are better established at post-secondary level. Private schools just prepare your children better.

Nevertheless, if your children is good at studying and gets straight A, I think public school isn't a worse option, since it gives children better understanding of the society (people from all different background).

I want my children to go to Ivy league. But I don't think putting them in private school is deemed necessary.

2 pages deep into a Girl Private School thread and this hasn't gone to the NSFW section yet? Doesn't seem like RS...

This is, of course, in combination with solid work ethic. I have met many friends who work managing level jobs or work as lawyers at top tier world firms, and after a certain amount of time you really realize they come from the same paths.
Elite universities followed by private schooling. Of course this isn't always the case as I know someone at a top tier NY law firm who came from public school in Surrey and clawed their way up, but the frequency of this isn't by chance.

went to VC as well and I can vouch on the sheltered lifestyle of a lot of the LFA girls I knew. I wish VC had offered some wood work/cooking classes to add on top of academics.

Think of the type of children your child will come into contact to and build connections with. Many most likely come from wealthy families who have instilled in their kids from day one the value of education and the attitudes necessary to be successful. Their parents themselves are probably highly educated and connected. I think its very important to surround your kid with positive influences at such a critical time and to pick the best school they can go (it helps that they screen people). This is no different than parents that BS their address so their kids can go to the best west side schools. One of my best friends did this and in his group of friends many became professionals (accountant, pharmacist, MBA, going for masters degrees, etc) so my belief is that these influences may hopefully motivate your child too. While it does not guarantee success, I think it certainly increase the odds of it.

I may be biased since I went to one and so did my mom. Her tuition was insane so pretty much all her friends were the daughters of bosses (factory and company owners). Her best friend to this day came from one of the founding family of HK public transportation company and is now junior ceo of a billion dollar casino. Of course, there are others that ended up with average jobs that do not even require university because they had no ambition or the personality to go far. But I still think that these connections are a foundation on which they could do business together in the future if the opportunity rolls around and potentially can benefit their kids who will probably be well acquainted if the relationship is kept up.

I think private school quality is miles better in Ontario than in BC, just because of the choices and diversity of schools there... You don't typically get a parking lot with just cars that are more than $100k. Disclaimer: I went to a private boarding school in Ontario, where most of the teachers live in onsite houses. My sister went to a place called Branksome Hall, one really good thing is the alums, people like senators etc would go back and talk to the students and spend time with them (since it is a boarding school). I think one of the former students visited and invited her to stand in for surgery, my sister now is a MD PhD.

You should consider your daughters personality FIRST rather than having dead set to go to any private school. Some kids just can't hack the clique mentality of private schools; if your daughter is introverted, you would think twice, especially boarding. Since any private school is a closed ecosystem, the students are often biased to be extroverts/leaders etc. They are also encouraged to push themselves, which can be hard on the kid. I noticed a lot of students changed schools after a year or so because they can't adapt to the culture / mentality. You should also think whether you like to be part of the school community too, since you have to join the community as a parent. Participate at the prospective schools' activities etc wine auctions etc., just to see if you even like the people there.

As for "networking", I am still in touch with a lot of my boarding school friends, there are always dinner / pub night when old teachers etc are in town... We often send clients to one another etc.. However there are quite a significant portion of the population "inherits" family businesses, no matter it is a hedge fund, a law firm or s construction firm.

I find career networking is more useful in university. I went to a university in NY, a lot of people there are mentors etc.. that helped me start up.. and vice versa.

I went to Southridge in White Rock, a coed private school and I think I can best sum up my thoughts on the subject by saying that a private school is superior in almost every way but not necessarily by enough to outweigh the costs. I went to school with some very smart and driven people and not surprisingly they are doing very well for themselves. On the flip side, I went to school with some people who weren't and not surprisingly, they are not doing anything extraordinary with their lives.

I feel like people have this concept that private school will turn their kids into successes... the reality of the situation is if your kid wants to be a success, they will have more tools and more mentoring at their disposal, but ultimately, they will succeed because they want it regardless of which school they go to. If your kid is an average kid without much ambition or drive, they will skate by just like they would at a public school. The private school might keep a tighter reign on them and force them to keep up a little more vigorously, but when they leave private school, kids will be who they are.

If the money simply wasn't an issue at all, I don't see how you couldn't recommend a public school, but that's not the situation for most people. My parents were at the low end of the economic scale at Southridge and had to give up much more than most did to afford to send my sister and I to Southridge. I like to think that it was worth it for them, but I find myself questioning it some days.

Hope that helps,
Mark

LOL I was going to refrain from posting to keep it appropriate but I agree. I also remember back in HS I would often meet or see other friends with these new chicks who seemed to be extra skanky who were always from some private school. I guess the whole thing about if you keep telling them you can't do it they just want to do it more. The whole girls only, good grades thing sometimes back fires.

private schools are not all that its cracked up to be, it really depends where you go

both me and my brother went to st.john's academy and hated it. i felt that i had better education and one on one time with the teachers when i went to burnett secondary, my brother decided to finish his education at burnett secondary too, by far better

not only was my education not as good as i expected, the rules and uniforms sucked, the only good thing i had going was the sports, they had rugby, cricket, baseball, basketball, and there own swimming pool.

my brothers close friend went to st.george's school and graduated from there, but also told us about the amount of drugs that was dealt there


also, another thing to consider, just because your child is going to a private school, does not mean she will have a far better education or better manners, its up to the child to be determined to be better. public school have advance placement courses and some richmond secondary school are highly ranked in education and sports.

Haha I went/about to graduate from St. John's School. Completely the opposite for me, way better education there than public

^lol seriously!?

is mr.stevens still the principle? that fat tobacco chewing ass

^ did you go to burnett after all the gang memebers were kicked out (2007 ish)or before?

I guess one on one time is really dependent on the teachers. Some teachers really want to teach and will go to great lengths while some are just gtfo after three. Try to look for teachers that have been at the school for eons, rarely will new teachers give tons of one on one time after school or in class.