17 Benefits of Sending Your Child to Private School

Quality Food

Many independent schools offer healthy food included with the tuition. Think fresh fruits and vegetables, a selection of restaurant cuisine, vegan options, low fat and salt content, non-GMO--the opposite of the traditional glob of “mystery meat” and vending machine sodas or chips available in many public schools.

First-Rate Facilities

A good private school will have large, modern, well-lit and clean gymnasia, swimming pools, ice rinks, boathouses, tracks, theaters, workout rooms, dark rooms, wood shops, tennis courts, science labs, computer rooms, art studios, classrooms, lounges, and all the other complex facilities that make up a fine school.

In-School Activities

Private schools often host a variety of activities for students, from martial arts classes to morning Pilates workouts, from guest lecturers to art exhibitions.

Extra Sports

Private schools can offer sports that many students will want to try or that they are already quite good at, like fencing, rugby, rowing, squash, lacrosse, skiing, ultimate frisbee, and sailing.

Accountable College Counseling

Whereas many public school college counseling departments serve hundreds of students per counselor, a good private school will feature a counselor to student ratio of at most 50:1. Counselors will meet with students and families frequently during the process and can provide personalized advice in college selection and application strategies.

Alumni Networks

A private school alumni association gives you, as a graduate, access to thousands of successful professionals all over the world. Many private schools have annual alumni association meetings in larger American cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Annual reunions can be major social events, with parties and sports contests, performances, and guest speakers.

Personal Relationships with Faculty

Many private school graduates I have known cite their close interaction with talented and caring teachers as the best part of their high school experience. For many alumni, those connections can last the better part of a lifetime.