How big are the class sizes at those close to zero schools? I will pay 12k next year for my boy to attend a school that has an average class size of eleven. So I feel pretty good.
Went to a school like that myself- top notch education, but your top notch kids can get that from any of the great schools- public or private. We are very fortunate in LI to have top ranked public schools. A class of 20 students has it's benefits too- you learn from your peers as well as your teachers. Latin or economics with 6-12 kids a class was not all that it was cracked up to be.
By the way, our local public is often on the US News top 100. Still does not compare to my son's private where most faculty have PhDs. And to be honest, while my kid is in the top one percent athletically, he is not a stellar student. Just above average. So it is worth it to get him to a better environment. My daughter is a great student and could thrive anywhere. So, the point is, it depends on the family, the kid, the circumstances, etc. But you already know that's, yet you guys cannot seem to refrain from acting like a bunch of middle school girls snarking on each other's clothes....glad I'm down here in VA.
