Is Private School Worth the Investment?

A value-cost assessment of an independent secondary school

In admission, I am often asked some variation of this question. The question is a good one. It allows me to talk about why a family would choose Govs, and I appreciate that what I offer needs to be accurate, authentic, and valuable. After all, there are costs associated with attending a private school, and as much as The Governor’s Academy has earned the right to be selective in our admission process, families are making choices, too.

What are the costs of attending a private school?

In day-to-day life, we make value-cost assessments all the time. I will choose whether to have a cup of coffee in our school’s dining hall or buy one at a local bakery. We all make choices on what to buy or invest in, and in most cases we can choose between options by weighing the immediate need or impact while considering a long term benefit or risk. Private school is something considered in the same way. For most applicants there is a public school system nearer to home than we are, and while taxes are involved, our tuition is a significant, additional cost. An independent school education includes another cost, too. For most of our students we are either a significant, twice daily, ride away for their families or we become the second home for those who enroll as boarders. Parents or guardians need to see value enough in what we offer to allow their child to be at Governor’s instead of being present for daily life at home.

What makes private school THAT valuable?

Part of the answer is the opportunity to attend school with bright, talented, and ambitious students who learn in an environment where programs and facilities allow for exceptional opportunities and dramatic achievement. That, for many students who love school or who see the investment in education as the most important one for future success, is enough. For some, there is a talent—something the child does better than peers—that is not supported at a nearby school. Our offerings allow for the confidence that the skill will be nurtured and challenged-in equal measure-with other members of the Govs family with a similar passion. For many, the idea that students arrive from around the world into small classrooms where learning happens each day and is enhanced by different perspectives borne of where students are born becomes an exciting accelerator to the educational process.

What is the “Go Far Together” Value Proposition?

At Govs we combine that opportunity for excellence–the Go Far part of our tagline–with a community intentionally and meaningfully connected. That is the Together part. We know that our students will need to be intellectually nimble, resilient, and self motivated in an increasingly complex adult world. Here, our students are not constrained by what they are better at than their peers when they arrive. They are curious and optimistic and find a path toward what they will be good at in life. We believe that they need to see and understand the power of support and collaboration as that not only will be crucial for their success but also will be impactful for those who will see them as leaders in the years ahead.

While what we pay for in life is balanced by an awareness of the corresponding cost—and that is certainly part of the equation for a family considering a private school education—here at Govs we have a larger, longer term sense of purpose. We welcome you to come to our Open House on October 25 or for a visit at a time that is right for you and see for yourself what becoming a part of the Govs family is worth.

Author: Mike Kinnealey, Dean of Enrollment and Assistant Head of School