And I gave CLINTON trouble when he was elected...

[bjornolf]

for sending Chelsea to private school. I remember many people saying "what, the public schools aren't good enough for the democrat's kid who talks about how great public school is and will be with him in office?" Now, Barack Obama's sending his daughters to Sidwell Friends, where the tuition is $28.5K/yr for elementary school, and $29.5K/yr middle school? Wow. I mean, the guy can send his kids anywhere he wants to, of course, but his two daughters will cost him basically $60K a year in tuition alone. If that trend continues, I don't even want to SEE their college bills! Yipes. I wish I had that kind of bread to blow on MY kids' educations!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...112103248.html

[TillyGalore]

I think private school is the way to go for any president's child/children. Perhaps I'm being naive, but I would think the secret service would have an easier time protecting the president's children at a private school than at a public school. Plus, in this particular case, the secret service and Sidwell have experience protecting a child of a previous POTUS, thus can parlay that experience/knowledge gained, to the Obama girls.

If you were making $400,000 like the president and living in public housing (I just had to put that in, I would guess the Obamas are paying off a mortgage), you could afford to send your kids to a private school and then college.

[Windsor]

If you were making $400,000 like the president and living in public housing (I just had to put that in, I would guess the Obamas are paying off a mortgage), you could afford to send your kids to a private school and then college.

I would expect that the Obama girls would have no difficulty getting generous scholarships when the time comes...

Loni

[bjornolf]

Excellent points, and I agree wholeheartedly. I admit that I'm not a fan of the man, but I have no problem with his choices for his kids. I didn't really have a problem with Clinton's either, it was more a tongue in cheek commentary. In this case, I was more expressing shock at what private elementary schools charge these days. I looked up my old school, St. Stephen's, in nearby Alexandria, VA, which charged around $3K/yr when I attended in the late 80s. They charge just under $25K/yr now. Surely 20 years of inflation don't account for a nearly 800% increase in cost, do they? WTH is going on?

[TillyGalore]

I would expect that the Obama girls would have no difficulty getting generous scholarships when the time comes...

Loni

Agreed!

I feel sorry for the young children of presidents. They have to grow up so fast, and they do so in the public eye. Even though their parents try to limit their exposure. I was looking at pics of Malia and Sasha on their first day of school, who among us had to be escorted into school with armed guards. Sure, you couldn't see the weapons, but they were there. And, this wasn't just Monday, this will be every day until their father leaves the WH. Wonder if Chelsea has met with these young lady's to give them any advice. Though Chelsea was a little older than Malia when she moved into the WH.

Even though I didn't receive "generous scholarships" growing up, I wouldn't trade my childhood for theirs. Bless their hearts!

[bjornolf]

Agreed!

I feel sorry for the young children of presidents. They have to grow up so fast, and they do so in the public eye. Even though their parents try to limit their exposure. I was looking at pics of Malia and Sasha on their first day of school, who among us had to be escorted into school with armed guards. Sure, you couldn't see the weapons, but they were there. And, this wasn't just Monday, this will be every day until their father leaves the WH. Wonder if Chelsea has met with these young lady's to give them any advice. Though Chelsea was a little older than Malia when she moved into the WH.

Even though I didn't receive "generous scholarships" growing up, I wouldn't trade my childhood for theirs. Bless their hearts!

That's one reason I'd never consider running for president (assuming that were even an option for me of course, HA! ). I just wouldn't do that to my kids. I'd wait 'til they were grown up and moved out before I'd consider running, or AT LEAST in college. Which means I'd have to wait 'til Katie was at least 18, which would make me 51. If I decided to wait 'til she was out of college, I'd be 55.

[Bostondevil]

Excellent points, and I agree wholeheartedly. I admit that I'm not a fan of the man, but I have no problem with his choices for his kids. I didn't really have a problem with Clinton's either, it was more a tongue in cheek commentary. In this case, I was more expressing shock at what private elementary schools charge these days. I looked up my old school, St. Stephen's, in nearby Alexandria, VA, which charged around $3K/yr when I attended in the late 80s. They charge just under $25K/yr now. Surely 20 years of inflation don't account for a nearly 800% increase in cost, do they? WTH is going on?

Capitalism. So far, the market will bear it.

[Bluedog]

In addition to the security/privacy aspect (which I think is plenty reason enough to warrant sending his children to private school as them in DC public schools would be a madhouse), Obama has flatly stated that the public schools aren't where they need to be, so it's not like he's trying to hide that fact. Obama even said that Arne Duncan, his pick for Secretary of Education, agrees with him that the schools need drastic improvement. I would expect somebody to give their children the best education possible if they can afford it.

[BlueDevilBaby]

A news program here in DC said that the public schools also were not equipped to handle the press swarm every day, citing Amy Carter's experience.

[Highlander]

Capitalism. So far, the market will bear it.

Yep. It's like Duke's tuition. As long as they continue to have 18,000+ applications for under 1,800 spots annually, they can essentially charge whatever they want. So they increase the cost by 8% a year until the market tells them to stop. So far it hasn't.

We priced Duke in 15 years for our preschool children. Estimated cost for 4 years of Duke by 2022 assuming 8% annual increases is about half a mil. What killed me is that even if I put money away now and made 8% on it annually (a pretty good return), I'd be no different than if I tried to pay for it all out of pocket right now.

[dukemomLA]

When my daughter was graduating from High School and desperately wanted to attend Duke, I vowed that I would sleep in my car, if necessary, to make that happen. (Fortunately I didn't have to do that).

My son-in-law's sister Kay works at Georgetown Prep in D.C., which is the other school the Obamas were considering. Even Kay expressed the concern that her school was not set up with the security needed to protect these children.

Sidwell Friends is equipped to do so -- through past experience. And yes, I am not an advocate of private schools. But to think Barack and Michele should venture their children into public schools, is a nightmare.

These are your children, the love of your life. I applaud the Obama's for doing whatever it takes to (hopefully) assure that their girls receive the best education possible -- and most importantly, the safety to do such.

[Johnboy]

My son-in-law's sister Kay works at Georgetown Prep in D.C., which is the other school the Obamas were considering. Even Kay expressed the concern that her school was not set up with the security needed to protect these children.

Georgetown Prep seems to be a boys school. Do I have the wrong Gerogetown Prep or do you mean Georgetown Day School?

I ask because the high school building for Georgetown Day School is directly behind my parents' house, built on land my family (Mom's side) sold to them that was once my great-grandfather's property.

[snowdenscold]

Georgetown Prep seems to be a boys school. Do I have the wrong Gerogetown Prep or do you mean Georgetown Day School?

I ask because the high school building for Georgetown Day School is directly behind my parents' house, built on land my family (Mom's side) sold to them that was once my great-grandfather's property.

Ooooh, GDS - I remember competing against them a lot back in It's Academic / Quiz Bowl back in high school. I remember going down there for a tournament they hosted one time.

Your family should have waited a bit longer to sell the land

[Bluedog]

Yep. It's like Duke's tuition. As long as they continue to have 18,000+ applications for under 1,800 spots annually, they can essentially charge whatever they want. So they increase the cost by 8% a year until the market tells them to stop. So far it hasn't.

Another reason I suspect for increasing tuition is increasing financial aid support (which is a good thing). While Duke tuition is around $40,000, the average financial aid package is $30,000, $25k in grants which doesn't have to be paid back. So, the average Duke student on financial aid only has to pay $15k/yr or so, which is about 40% of the student body. Thus, the other 60% has to make up for the lost revenue and pick up the slack.

As the tuition price increases, more and more individuals will qualify for financial aid since it's based on EFC (estimated family contribution); thus, it's conceivable that only the wealthy will have to pay full cost at some point. At schools like Harvard, that is already the case, where families who make between $80,000 to $180,000/yr only have to pay 10% of their income annually. And those under $60,000, go to Harvard completely free, while the $60,000 - $80,000 range pays greatly reduced prices.

Just to be clear, I think increasing financial aid is a positive thing. But I do think it's reasonable to argue that it is partially responsible for increasing tuition costs at elite institutions.

[blazindw]

Georgetown Prep seems to be a boys school. Do I have the wrong Gerogetown Prep or do you mean Georgetown Day School?

I ask because the high school building for Georgetown Day School is directly behind my parents' house, built on land my family (Mom's side) sold to them that was once my great-grandfather's property.

You are correct, it was Georgetown Day that they were considering. Georgetown Prep is in North Bethesda/Rockville and is a boys school.

The Bethesda Sidwell campus is about a block and a half from me. Funny, I never knew that was the place until the Obamas decided to send their kids there. I have yet to hear or see the motorcade, but then again, I probably won't since I'm right across from the metro which I use to get to work.

[hamster]

Another reason I suspect for increasing tuition is increasing financial aid support (which is a good thing). While Duke tuition is around $40,000, the average financial aid package is $30,000, $25k in grants which doesn't have to be paid back. So, the average Duke student on financial aid only has to pay $15k/yr or so, which is about 40% of the student body. Thus, the other 60% has to make up for the lost revenue and pick up the slack.

I've always been concerned that this would result in a bimodal distribution. Those that qualify for financial aid and the wealthy. Do the children of middle class and upper middle class families get squeezed out of these types of institutions?

[DevilAlumna]

Ooooh, GDS - I remember competing against them a lot back in It's Academic / Quiz Bowl back in high school. I remember going down there for a tournament they hosted one time.

Quiz Bowl - what, did you go to some geek high school or something?

Not to send this thread to the PPB, but considering that the Congress controls the DC schools budget, and many members of Congress have their full-time residence in the DC area, you'd think they'd be a little more interested in funding the school system so their own children could attend a decent school gratis.


Note: Snowdenscold & I attended the same HS...

[Acymetric]

Another reason I suspect for increasing tuition is increasing financial aid support (which is a good thing). While Duke tuition is around $40,000, the average financial aid package is $30,000, $25k in grants which doesn't have to be paid back. So, the average Duke student on financial aid only has to pay $15k/yr or so, which is about 40% of the student body. Thus, the other 60% has to make up for the lost revenue and pick up the slack.

As the tuition price increases, more and more individuals will qualify for financial aid since it's based on EFC (estimated family contribution); thus, it's conceivable that only the wealthy will have to pay full cost at some point. At schools like Harvard, that is already the case, where families who make between $80,000 to $180,000/yr only have to pay 10% of their income annually. And those under $60,000, go to Harvard completely free, while the $60,000 - $80,000 range pays greatly reduced prices.

Just to be clear, I think increasing financial aid is a positive thing. But I do think it's reasonable to argue that it is partially responsible for increasing tuition costs at elite institutions.

There is no slack as far as Duke is concerned. Scholarships come from donations, grants, and loans from external sources (federal, corporate, or individual). If a student is in school at Duke, Duke is getting $40,000 dollars from someone, whether it is from donors, the government, lenders, or the student him/herself. So there isn't any slack to be picked up by students paying full tuition.

That is how I understand it to work, someone please call me out if I'm wrong.

I've always been concerned that this would result in a bimodal distribution. Those that qualify for financial aid and the wealthy. Do the children of middle class and upper middle class families get squeezed out of these types of institutions?

This is a good point, and something that I'm going through right now (I'm 20, for context). I don't qualify for any financial aid at all, but my parents certainly can't afford to send me to a private school that costs 20k+ a year. The rich just take the money out of pocket, poorer students can get grants and federal aid, and the middle class that doesn't qualify for need based aid either has to break the bank to pay for college out of pocket, or take private loans which are often much more expensive than the federal loans. Not sure what a good solution to that issue is. Of course this inevitably starts the argument of where lines for rich, middle class, and poor should be drawn.

[kmspeaks]

I've always been concerned that this would result in a bimodal distribution. Those that qualify for financial aid and the wealthy. Do the children of middle class and upper middle class families get squeezed out of these types of institutions?

I'm a senior now and it has been my experience both in my own family and in talking to others that the financial aid process is typically not very helpful for middle class families. I was lucky enough to pay for my school with an athletic scholarship but my brother and sister are going to have a very large amount of debt upon graduation.
The amount of aid you receive is based upon the expected contribution from your parents but this amount is rarely reasonable. When my younger siblings entered college my parents expected contribution towards my education actually increased. I still can't figure that one out.

[Bluedog]

There is no slack as far as Duke is concerned. Scholarships come from donations, grants, and loans from external sources (federal, corporate, or individual). If a student is in school at Duke, Duke is getting $40,000 dollars from someone, whether it is from donors, the government, lenders, or the student him/herself. So there isn't any slack to be picked up by students paying full tuition.

That is how I understand it to work, someone please call me out if I'm wrong.

I could be wrong, but the scenario you stated is true at schools were financial aid has a separate endowment and is fully-endowed at places like Harvard and Princeton. However, at Duke, it's not fully endowed (although the $300M financial aid is hoping to correct that). So, while technically you are correct that the $40,000/yr is coming in for each student, I believe it's possible that some of that $40,000 comes from the general endowment that was discretionary funding. So, if it wasn't used for financial aid, it could be used for something else. (I certainly think financial aid is one of the most important aspects of the university though; Duke gave me some myself, which I appreciated greatly!) Since Duke is need-blind and meets all of students demonstrated need, they don't know how much money it's going to cost in a particular year. If they fall short of the necessary funds to provide aid, they have to use the general endowment to pick up the rest. At least, that's how I understand it. I remember seeing a chart somewhere that Princeton and Harvard don't have this issue because they have large enough endowments. I thought it was in a Chronicle article, but I can't seem to find it. It might have even been on the Duke financial aid initiative site somewhere. It's possible I am wrong though - I agree with you that Duke does get $40,000 in some way from each student though, and I wasn't clear about that, so thanks for the clarification.