Deciding to start a family is very big, and very exciting decision. It also leads you to have to make many other decisions, like where you want to raise your children, for example. Deciding where to raise your children depends on many things, and among them is the type of education you want your child to have. Thinking about your child’s education is bound to bring up the age old debate of private versus public schools, and since there are even private preschools and private elementary schools, you have to make a decision fairly early on. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, and often times it comes down to your personal preference as a parent. Below are some things to consider when thinking about private versus public schools.
- Price – One of the biggest differences between private and public schools is the price. You need to pay tuition in order for your child to attend a private school, which can be very expensive. Public schools, on the other hand, are paid for by taxes so there is no fee to attend. That said, private school scholarships are often available, so if money is an issue, this could open some doors.
- Curriculum – Often times one of the advantages of private schools is that they have a stricter curriculum than public schools. They also often have stricter graduation requirements, so many people feel as though they offer better preparation for college. That’s not to say that all public schools have a poor curriculum. Many public schools rank just as high as private schools when it comes to state testing.
- Uniforms – It is often disputed whether or not the uniforms required by private schools are good or bad. Pro-uniform people argue that it is another one of the benefits of private schools because it creates an equal environment and causes fewer distractions. Opponents would say that the freedom of clothing choice in public schools is and advantage because it allows students to feel more comfortable and allows them to express themselves.