According to a 2023 US News survey of the countries with the best school systems in the world, America ranks number one on the list and therefore provides its citizens with the best education system in the world. However, despite its number one ranking, there has been an ongoing debate within the country about which American school system actually provides a better overall experience for its students: private or public.
Mariam Zakhary, a Westminster student who attended various public schools throughout her childhood expressed that the reason she prefers attending private schools instead of public schools because she feels that Westminster provides her with a safe place to grow in her faith: “I really like that I have a place where I can be reminded to work on my relationship with God. That way I don’t just attend church on Sunday and have that to be the [only] day, and like when I kind of fall out [of a routine of setting aside time for God], I’m reminded of it and that’s really helpful.”
Although a child’s experience at a school does matter, I think we can all agree on the main reason why parents send their kids to private school: to get into a good college. The majority of parents who send their children to private schools are well off financially so it is no surprise that they want to use their wealth to give their children the key to a high paying job in America: a college degree from a reputable institution. So in order to provide that for their children, wealthy parents often send them to college prep schools, but how much does attending a private high school actually help students with college admissions?
In a study conducted by Worth Magazine, statisticians found that 94 of the top 100 feeder schools into Ivy League schools were private. This shows that students from private schools have a clear edge over students from public schools in terms of their chances of acceptance into Ivy level institutions. Between the plethora of advanced classes, various extracurricular activities, highly trained professors, and overall college-focused education that private high schools proffer to their students, they help their students fulfill most of the requirements that Ivy League colleges look for in their applicants. Private schools simply focus more on preparing their students for the college application process, and the extra opportunities for resume building that the administrations of such institutions provide for their students as well as the college counselors’ insider knowledge on the requirements and preferences of Ivy League colleges gives private school students a definite advantage over their public school peers.
Despite the various benefits that private schools offer, the majority of Americans opt to send their children to public schools instead. There are a plethora of reasons why many parents choose private schools over public schools, namely the monetary benefits of not having to pay extra tuition, shorter commute times for parents, and the chance to expose their children to the real world.
Although Mariam conveyed the fact that she preferred private school due to the Christian-friendly environment, she also expressed her appreciation for the accepting environment public schools provided: “My favorite part about it [attending public school] is that I think people are pretty used to other opinions. […] I feel like when we had controversial discussions, people were less judgemental because they were more accustomed to it.”
In addition to offering children a less judgemental atmosphere, public schools also offer a much more affordable alternative to private schools. Private schools often demand high tuition payments from the parents of their attendees, and for the average American who only makes roughly $60,000 per year, a tuition of $5,000-$20,000 dollars a year is simply unreasonable. However, the public school system is a government-run organization, so it derives its funding from tax dollars rather than mandatory tuition payments. This allows US citizens to provide their children with one of the best primary and secondary educations in the world without having to pay extra money out of their personal income, which is a great opportunity for low income families who need the money they save to make ends meet.
Personally, I believe that the decision parents make as to where they want to send their children to school comes down to what they value in an education. People who value a Christ-centered school environment and are in comfortable financial situations often opt to send their children to private schools because money is not an issue for them and they believe that the values of private schools align with their values. Conversely, parents who send their children to public schools often do so because they value the convenience of the public school system and the real world experience it gives their children. Ultimately, the American school system offers a great education to all of its students; whether or not parents decide to send their kids to private or public schools, they’re guaranteed one of the best educations the world has to offer.
