High School....stay with Public or go to Private if you can?

[Tucson]

Gosh, are you talking about a University lab school? I would take that over a public HS, any day. She would meet so many kids with her own interests.

If I was checking everything about the two schools, I would write the police department and ask how many times they have been called to each of the schools.

[DunninLA]

Jofus, there are two separate issues here:

1) Getting into a private school that might not accept your DD through the front door admissions process

2) Getting scholarship money so that the private school is more affordable.

I don't know your finances, and you didn't mention specifically whether the "recruiting" involves a tuition break.

If you can afford it, and if the private school clearly offers a higher quality education to your DD than does your local public, by all means use the athletic hook in the same way that applicants to colleges do.

[jofus]

Tucson, we're in a small town in WV. I'm not gonna say it never happens, but thankfully the cops don't spend a lot of time at either school.

Dunnin, I'm pretty sure she could get in if she tried, athletics or no, she gets straight A's, good test scores, never been in trouble, etc. We could probably afford to pay the tuition if we wanted to (well, maybe if we gave up travel softball, not to mention travel soccer ), but we just never really gave it much serious thought before.

But, I figure if she can go without us shelling out the $$$$, it may be worth giving it a chance.

[TN_BUCKETDAD]

Speaking from experience. 4 years ago my DD was recuited as a 7th grader to play at a local private school. She was offered a partial scholarship to attend through tuition assistance and sponsorship. ($10000 of the $15000/yr tuition) $5000 is still alot on a cop's salary. Started off great, she liked the classes and teachers. She had a pretty good year at ball, 8-1 as a pitcher w/ 1 perfect game and hit just under .600. Biggest problem were the girls from wealthy families who look down on DD and called her names. When the time came to sign papers for the next year, we were told that our portion of the $15000 would be $10000. Unfortunately I couldn't afford that much and we transferred out. We later found out that they had recuited another pitcher and our sponsorship money went to her. I do have some sour grapes, not toward the other girl, she was better than DD, but toward the school for wasting a year of eligibility for DD. With that being said, she would still be there just for the education if I could have afforded it.

[greenandblue]

Spazsdad -I don't recall saying that all kids in private school are being forced to go there, but Iwill generalize and say that a majority of them aren't there by their own choice.

[ballguy]

Seems pretty simple to me. Take softball away from the equation. Would you send your DD to this school anyway? As far as I'm concerned softball is just icing on the cake.

[3Bsnag]

Spazsdad -I don't recall saying that all kids in private school are being forced to go there, but I will generalize and say that a majority of them aren't there by their own choice.

What???
Of course the majority are "forced" to go to private school. Parents want better for their kids than what is being offered publicly. The kids have better judgment than parents?

IMO, kids should have input, but no actual decision making authority. Maybe I feel this way because mine is younger, but I barely value her opinion on what clothes she picks out or her version of a healthy dinner. School choice is not in their realm of experience/knowledge.

[jofus]

Yeah, I'm thinking we should seriously consider it.

I took my DD to watch their volleyball team last night. They need serious help, my DD's middle school team would pound them. Which is probably why she is looking for girls that play both softball and volleyball

The really interesting thing though, is that apparently the boys basketball team had a little pick up scrimmage planned for after the volleyball game. On the way out the door, I saw Coach Huggins from WVU, a coach from Coastal Carolina, a couple WV conference school coaches, and I heard this morning that Howland (UCLA's coach), along with assistance coaches from USC, NCSt, and St. Bonadventure at least, were also there last night.

To watch a pick up game....

Mainly for this guy...

[Tucson]

It sounds like fun. I would go there to wear the t shirt, if nothing else.

[Skarp]

I would go there to wear the t shirt, if nothing else.

Naughty!!