I grew up going to public schools all the way through college, and the only time I attended private school was for grad school. My perception is only a handful of parents ever really kept an eye on their kids education. I mean, the area where I grew up is an affluent one, most of my friends' parents were successful people (Tom Hanks had a place nearby, but it's unclear whether he lived there at all). My parents were pretty strict on me on education, but I managed to average a meager 3.0 GPA throughout HS and college (to the disappointment of my parents), and my grad school work was the only time I ever made the dean's list

A friend of mine who went through private school told me his parents and his friends' parents kept a hawk's eye on their education throughout. The guy went to Stanford and then Harvard for his grad work - a world of difference. Of course he didn't have any of the play time I had - his schedule were pretty much set by his parents through HS: chess, piano, violin, languages, math, tennis, etc. He ferried from one after school study to another.

Looking at my friend's friends and my HS friends, I have to say a tough love stand on education seems to work out better. Many of my HS friends went through the Ventura County Prison system (a buddy of mine is a sheriff's deputy there), most never made it through college, only a handful got their grad degree, and only 2 are going through post grad work. The private school people are now VPs or VIPs at large firms, doctors, attorneys, running their own biz, or doing something successful in life.

What's your take on education for kids? Let them roam free or be tough?

 

I do value education. However, I definitely do not want my kids to live like that.

 

out of sight out of mind....... my parents divorced when i was in 7th grade... i got to live with my dad (that sucked)..... he didn't give a shit about much of anything as long as I passed...

I graduated something like 180 out of 320 in highschool...about a 2.2 average....

In college I smartened up a little and had just below a 3.0 avg....... I really just memorized stuff and did not really learn much in college. For my background, I am doing pretty decent.

I have no idea what anyone from my High School does... I haven't seen or talked to anyone in a long time. Hopefully the are all janitors with fat ugly wives.

Love is fun, sex is heaven...we are the class of '87.

 

I value education, and I try my best to get good grades so my parents don't have to worry. But junior high is nothing, and I'm ready for high school.

 

My Parents put me through private school here in California, which is WAY more expensive then the private school in Canada which was just as good if not better education. I value it every day, being able to have smaller class sizes and many teachers who are also college professors. I ended up graduating 2nd in my class with a 4.421 GPA, pretty good SAT, played soccer, was in band, newspaper, ASB, I ended up getting into all the colleges I wanted (two Ivy league) and I am grateful I didn't go to the public school down the street called Granite Hills where there was a shooting last year. It just seems the overall mentality of my school was more geared toward my personality which is a work hard play hard personality, where as a good majority of public school kids forget the work part. I will surely sacrafice a nicer lifestyle down the road to send my children to a private school.
-Steve.

 

My parents encouraged me earlier on, and they kept an eye on my studies at all times, but through high school, and now the beginning of university, I am old enough to make my own decisions and they have realized that... It is ultimately up to me whether I want to succeed or not, but my parents don't put any pressure on me as they have in the past...

 

I would say that it totally depends upon the individual not the parent. My older brother finished his undergrad degree in six years with around a 2.5. I finished my undergrad in four with a 3.6 and my master's in one year with a 3.8. My parents raised us both pretty much the same way. It is up to the individual to determine their success in school, not their parents checkbook.

 

My parents were very strict as well, but none of it means anything if you can't see what all that education is good for. I don't even think it matters if you go to an Ivy League school or a state school as long as you have concrete goals during college. The only time I think it's worth it to get private education is during graduate school as one is very focused and knows what they want out of their education. I did end up graduating from an Ivy school only to realize that it was a waste of money for the way the thought students, problem sets upon problem sets. It is not a horrific way to instill knowledge, but you can do that at any Big 10 school or any decent state school. My ultimate advise is to get an education, but don't push your kids to the edge. And suggest they attend a college where they will be in the top tier so they can go to Harvard or Yale for graduate school.

 

my parents were tough on me during elementary and middle school, but for high school they knew they could trust me and they were right. i had a 3.85 cumalative gpa for high school and currently have a 3.7 gpa in college(computer science owns me).

if parents teach their kids to be responsible early in life, they won't need to be reminded in the future.

 

My parents divorced around when I was in junior high, I pretty much had to decide myself what I wanted to do. We didn't have a lot of money, so going to private school in HS was out of the question, I also have to attend a public in-state University, so it's not necessarity determined by what your parents want, but what they can afford.