Private school vs. college savings: Which is the better investment for your kids?

I have had two boys in public school, then private middle school, and an inner-city public high school. Both of them managed to turn the world upside down in regard to drugs, alcohol, etc. In my opinion that was not due to the schools but was direclty related to family issues of inconsistency of parenting. It all starts and ends at home. The education available in public schools can be incredible but the family must set the example. I am amazed at the number of parents who feel their children will be the great benefactor of a private education where they tend to be in an academically protected environment. The real world does not have fences around it. Children benefit from interacting with others who are different from themselves. It gives a perspective that private education shelters. So far my oldest absolutely aced his senior year in high school after years of sagging, got into his college of choice, walked on as a freshman and made an elite athletic team and has been on dean's list since day 1. We'll see how the second one tackles the world, but I can tell you it will always be what they choose, not what one wishes as a parent. Parents provide an environment and at times direction and/or opportunity. The children may or may not respond to any or all of those. I think parents are kidding themselves sometimes about private school as if "private" has some sort of mystic. Smart children may have good genes going for them, but it is the parenting that will bring it out. Keep in mind that some fairly wealthy bright people went to pretty obscure colleges and perhaps even more obscure elementary, middle and high schools. Do you recall that Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard after his junior year??? Even though part of his education was private, he had a father who was an attorney and a mother who was a teacher. So what do you think worked for him ?

I have a 21 year old son in college and a 12 year old at home in public schools. My son was in public school from K-11 and then changed to private for several reasons. The academic level in the private school far exceeded the public schools and the difference in the private school counselors assistance in scholarship information compared to public school was absolutely second to none (for the private school of course).

Hello... My advice is that as long as you have a strong solid stable family life, it really doesn't matter where you go.. I went to private, catholic elementary school, and public high school. Yes, a big percentage of those high school children were there only because they had no other choice, no motivation whatsoever. However, if you come from a strong family background, it doesn't matter what you're surrounded with, you will always know what you want out of life. That is the important factor in one's life. I chose to send my children to private catholic school, but moreso because of the Religion. It was the determining factor in my case. However, it's shameful to see that some of the parents where my children go to school could care less about the Religion. They have their children there only because it's private, but they could care less about the bigger part of a catholic school, which to me is shameful. So again, I think it has alot to do with what your beliefs are and how committed are you to backing up whatever education your children are getting, and by that I mean the values they are getting at home. That should be the priority!