Are you considering sending your child to private school? If you did not attend private school yourself, you’re likely heard the common, negative myths that surround this style of schooling. Before you make the decision of where to send your child, make sure you know what’s fact and what’s fiction when it comes to your child’s future education.
- “Private school is only for rich kids.”
In the past, this may have been the case, but things have changed over the last few decades. Private schools are now looking for more diversity in their student population, so even students who don’t come from wealthy families are able to attend because of scholarships and other forms of financial aid. - “Private school is more difficult than public school.”
The level of difficulty depends on the specific school. Some private schools greatly emphasize academic achievement, so the workload and expectations will be higher at those schools. Other private schools have similar standards to those of public schools, and some even have lower standards and lower test scores. - “Students are required to wear a uniform.”
There are definitely still quite a few religious-affiliated private schools that require a strict uniform, but most are moving toward a business casual dress code that encompasses more choices for the students. For example, even if students have to wear a polo or button-down and a pair of pants or a skirt, they’ll usually still get to choose the colors. Some private schools have casual Fridays as well, where students are able to express themselves within reasonable limits. - “Kids are sheltered and not prepared for the real world.”
Many people perceive private-schooled children as out-of-touch with the real world. Just because a child attends an all-boys, all-girls, or religious school doesn’t mean they will not be prepared for the real world after high school. Private school students are involved in other activities outside of school and learn close to the same material as other students, so they are not any less ready than public school students. - “All private schools are religious.”
Religion-based private schools are the most popular kind, but there are a lot of other non-religious private schools as well. The non-religious private schools are usually pretty competitive in terms of acceptance and have very high academic standards. Some religious schools have started accepting students of different faiths as well. They usually still require chapel attendance for everyone, but they won’t deny students based on faith.
