Applications Steady, Aid Up at Private Schools
Contrary to what you might expect, demand for private schools did not decline this year in response to the tanking economy. One possible explanation offered by a Daily News article today? Parents are worried that the confluence of government budget problems and lower disposable incomes will lead to overpopulation and underperformance of public schools. As…
Contrary to what you might expect, demand for private schools did not decline this year in response to the tanking economy. One possible explanation offered by a Daily News article today? Parents are worried that the confluence of government budget problems and lower disposable incomes will lead to overpopulation and underperformance of public schools. As a result, more parents in private schools are doing whatever it takes to come up with the tuition. Not surprisingly, applications for financial aid have increased. We have gotten more financial aid inquiries, said Ruth Scharf, president of the Manhattan-based Parents League. Yet overall we find that families are committed to educating their children and they are going to find a way to do this. Any tales of parents bailing from private schools in Brooklyn?
An unintended consequence in all of this will be Manhattan parents looking to send they kids to school in Brooklyn. After spending $45-$50K per year for Manhattan private schools, Brooklyn schools are a bargain @ $30K.
I know ’09-’10 applications were up at the preschools and ongoings in Brooklyn Heights that I know about (packer, friends, st anns, plymouth, grace, bhms). I thought people would have applied and then — as the wackness continued — not enrolled if accepted. But wait lists moved very little this year which tells me I’m wrong about that.
In fact, due to an increase in siblings (almost always automatically admitted), there were fewer spots than ever at most schools.
I think next year may be more telling.
Tuition didnt go down at any of these schools. Went up at most (all?) schools.
First of all the article said applications are steady NATIONWIDE according to the National Association of Independent Schools. Besides being a biased source, it really tells us nothing about what is going on related to the 25K+ New York private schools that posters here and the article is commenting on.
Without real data it is hard to say for sure – but I am willing to bet that application acceptance (it only cost like $40 to apply) is way down and transfers to public schools by current students is way up in the high-priced NYC private school world – not that they’d ever tell (imagine if parents started trying to negotiate the tuitions….)
The impact of this downturn is likely to emerge slowly as these kinds of decisions are made well in advance. We are leaving our daughter in private school for her last year of middle school but are seriously considering applying to public high school next fall for entrance in 2011. With no bonuses, we have to cut and this all that’s left. Luckily, we have enough savings to wait it out a little longer but if things don’t turn around, we’ll have to make the change.
Are any private schools cutting tuition in an effort to keep students?
I know of prior yeshiva students from conservative families not hasidic of course, bailing out of the yeshivas due to finances. The inquiries and open houses at out local schools were well attended and enrollment is expected to increase.
“Plus more people have stayed in the City with their school age children than in the recent past” –
I think she means more affluent white people have stayed.
I would disagree. I think some of the public schools have gotten better in recent years but parents of certain educational and income levels have always been leery of the public schools. Plus more people have stayed in the City with their school age children than in the recent past. Also, there has been a national baby boomlet resulting in more children everywhere.
“Any tales of parents bailing from private schools in Brooklyn?”
Yes, ME!