ATL private school - Westminster, Pace, Lovett (Atlanta, Jackson: job market, top schools)

[jolene20]

Hello all,

I am new to this forum but have been finding a lot of useful information about school choices. So I have just registered to ask a question.

My daughter applied to Atlanta private school this year (for pre-first), and the results just came out yesterday. She got into Pace and Lovett (we are quite excited about these good offers) but was waitlisted at Westminster. Our top choice is Westminster, because we really liked its academic rigor (my understanding is that it is ranked #1 in SE for academic rigor).

We toured all three schools, and it seems Westminster is a bit more diverse than the other two schools (it is a right perception). So I am wondering if someone who had similar experience in the past could comment on (1) is there a chance to get-off Westminster's Waitlist? (2) How does Pace and Lovett compared to Westminster? If we would like a similar experience as Westminster for our kids, which one should we choose?

Just to add to the list, we are in Jackson Elementary School zone, which is considered a very good public school and could be our backup option.

Thank you in advance for your opinions very much.

[arjay57]

I'd be inclined to go with Jackson and save the money. You child will get a terrific education and have a very tidy nest egg waiting on her.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I'd be inclined to go with Jackson and save the money. You child will get a terrific education and have a very tidy nest egg waiting on her.

I absolutely agree with arjay on this. Two of my children went K-12 at Westminster. Two went to public schools. The Westminster grads have had no more success than my public school grads. After spending around $325,000 per child for a Westminster education, you would think there would be more bang for the buck...

[pinetreelover]

There is a chance that you could get off the wait list at Westminster, but it is very slim. However, these times are weird right now and I would imagine (especially for early grades) that there are some families who were in a different financial situation when they submitted applications in January and that with the current economic instability they might decline their child's spot, opening up more wait list opportunities.

Academic rigor doesn't really come into play until middle and high school. For the early learning grades, schools (even Westminster) are focusing on instilling a love of learning, fostering creativity and curiosity and providing sound character building opportunities along with solid academics. Perhaps, if you don't have your heart set on Lovett or Pace, Jackson is a great option for a few years while you get to know what type of a student your child will be and save private school for later years.

[jolene20]

Thank you very much arjay57, AnskleyPark, and pintreelover for your reply and details thoughts! Especially AnsleyPark for sharing your experience. This is really helpful.

We do not object to the idea of going to Jackson elementary; in fact, our daughter attended there for K this year, and we loved the teacher and the school principal - they are so loving and caring for kids. We are quite happy there.

The only (slight) worry or concern we had is that I heard it will be even more competitive to apply for a private school in 6th grade for middle school or in 8th grade for high school because many Buckhead family now are planning for the same: public elementary school and then top private schools, which seems to be the economically-wise. Our daughter is very bright and sweet, and she is loved by all teachers she had in the past (I am sure all parents feel that way for their kids); I have a mother-urge that wants to ensure she could get into these schools eventually. So how do you think about this, to what extent is this the case? I really appreciate everyone being so open to sharing and spending the time and effort to share your experience and opinion.

Plus a little bit of background: we are first-generation immigrants (east-Asian) and having been in this country for 16 years now; I did my Ph.D. in the US, and my husband is currently working on his Ph.D. Our kids were born here in Atlanta, so we really treat this our second home-town. But we are not familiar with the secondary school systems here in the US (a lot to learn and re-learn), so we are not sure what would be the possible hurdles we will have in the process of applying to these top schools in the future (e.g., we are definitely not Legacy). I guess the sense of "insecurity" (I think that's what it is deep-down) makes me feel like to grab any possible opportunity for our kids early on. We are economically frugal (can possibly afford private school but need to make some sacrifices).

[CMMom]

If you choose either Lovett or Pace and want to apply to Westminster later, you will go through it all again and have to deal with the SSAT instead of the JATP (which may be fine for many, but is an obstacle for some kids). I agree that the chances of getting in off the waitlist at Westminster are slim, although I also acknowledge that this year is much different than any other year in recent memory (maybe since the 2008 recession).

If you have any doubts about Lovett or Pace (both of which are fantastic schools and considered "first-tier" independent schools in the Atlanta area), I would not recommend accepting either offer. I would go with arjay's suggestion. But, if you're willing to open your mind to the possibility that either school *could* be the EXACT right school for your daughter, than go for it. You may find that by the end of K (or 1st or 5th), you'll be like, "How could I have ever contemplated going anywhere BUT here?" Lingering doubts and "what-ifs" will drive you crazy. Take control of your situation.

As I wrote on another private school post, you have to go with your gut. That's scary for some people because it invokes the unknown. But you can't predict what the situation will be when your child is in middle school. You may determine along the way that your child is NOT a good fit for Westminster (not everyone is, despite how bright they might be). JMHO.

[Joe_P]

The cost of these schools especially at that grade level is sky high.

You're already paying for a good school.

[ATLTJL]

The Westminster grads have had no more success than my public school grads.

This is fascinating to me.

How old are your kids now? I'm just curious because obviously, you don't get a better education at private school than you could at public school, necessarily. But I would at least think you would graduate with a cohort that is much more likely to be successful in life, giving you a leg up in getting better jobs, etc. in the future by leveraging those relationships.

I know that's true of college. Maybe not so true for primary school? I don't know....

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

This is fascinating to me.

How old are your kids now? I'm just curious because obviously, you don't get a better education at private school than you could at public school, necessarily. But I would at least think you would graduate with a cohort that is much more likely to be successful in life, giving you a leg up in getting better jobs, etc. in the future by leveraging those relationships.

I know that's true of college. Maybe not so true for primary school? I don't know....

We've had children and grandchildren at both public and private schools and I can't say that it has made much (if any) difference as to how they have fared in life.

On the other hand, I do believe university connections can be useful in the job market. Most employers want to know where you went to college and/or graduate and professional school.

However, once you actually get on the job I'm not sure it makes much difference. It's how you perform.

[jolene20]

Thank you so much, everyone! This is a great discussion and very informative! Many different perspectives.

I actually attended one of these top "Ivy"s for my Ph.D. (super lucky, in retrospect), so I really agree, from what I observe of my cohort, "I do believe university connections can be useful in the job market. Most employers want to know where you went to college and/or graduate and professional school. However, once you actually get on the job, I'm not sure it makes much difference. It's how you perform."

I really love my graduate school university: it really transformed my life, not just the job prospect, but becoming a more cultivated person compared to an old-self. But now I do not think that there is even a slim chance to send my kids there (it's really up to them, a lot of uncertainty, and requires too much luck).

Regarding the choice of school: my daughter's current school's principal called me after she learned about our situation and that I really like what she said: "It is very important to become organized, and being able to manage your time to accomplish your goal." So regardless of where to send kids, I now view this my goal.