The Cost of Education

Well folks, I did it. I got Aiden into private school for the fall. And it's a school that was one of my top choices too.

I filled out the applications (all four pages of it) and had Aiden's current teacher fill out the teacher evaluation forms (all three pages of it). I took time off of work in order to attend open houses, school tours, bring Aiden to the playdate interviews, and go on parent interviews.

It was stressful. But he's in. I signed on the dotted line and submitted a deposit. He's in.

{Little drummer boy} 

{Just keep swimming...}

I remember when I was a senior in high school and I was in the process of applying to college. I applied to about eight schools and several different scholarship programs. While I received an acceptance letter to all of the schools that I applied to, I decided on Columbia with the aid of The New York Times College Scholarship Program. The college and scholarship application process was stressful, but in the end, I was happy.

For those of you who live in NYC (or follow the private school admissions process in NYC), you know this much is true: the college admissions process ain't got nothing on the NYC kindergarten admissions process.

It's a lot. Besides what I mentioned above -- the open houses, tours, applications and teacher recommendations, child interview, and parent interview -- there's the cost. Private school in NYC can cost upwards of $30,000/year. I'm not kidding. Surely we qualify for some type of financial aid because I'm a single mom, but still, it's a lot. But I'm willing to make the sacrifice, for more reasons than one.

{Scooting around} 

{Boys will be boys}

Judge as you may, but public school in NYC is just not doing it for me. It's just not good enough for me. Or Aiden. Depending on where you live in NYC, you may or may not be zoned for a stellar public school. I love my apartment, I like my neighborhood, I loathe my school district. It's overcrowded, poor performing, and doesn't seem to prepare the students for much of anything. (And I'm being nice.)

I want more for my little brown baby. He deserves more. I'm trying to mold him into a productive citizen and a socially competent member of society. I'm trying to shape and engineer every part of Aiden's life so that the kid can be set up for a successful future. He's smart. He's sweet. He's funny. He's a critical thinker. His talents and creativity needs to be nourished. And challenged. And pushed in a good way.

He's a child of destiny. There's a lot in store for his future. And the stakes are just too high for me to have him in a school system that seems to be designed to see boys like him fail. The school that he'll be going to in the fall is a great one and a really good fit for him. During his years there, I know that I won't be the only one invested in his education, in his future. Surely education may be expensive. But ignorance... well, that's even more expensive.

{He's been running things at CU since he was 1 1/2...}

{...And rocking CU gear since he was 3!}

Through years of research, sweat, stress, and practically making "Get Aiden Into School" my full time job for the past five months, he's in. It's a Pre-K -- 12 school so he's set until we apply to Columbia during his senior year of high school.

He's in. And I don't think I'd be happier than when the kid gets into college.