Private High Schools Vs. Public High Schools, Which do you choose?

Most teenagers attend high school for three to four years. During this time they make the initial transition from child to early adulthood. Finding the right high school to match your son or daughter's interests is vital. High schools can be publicly funded institutions or private schools. Each choice has both advantages and disadvantages.

Private High Schools
Private high schools can be found all over the United States as well as abroad. Private high schools may be further divided into two categories: private day schools and private boarding schools. Day schools are schools where students attend class and then go home to their own homes. Boarding schools are schools where students take class and then room on a campus adjacent to the classroom. A private high school may be secular institution or one based around religious principles.

Public High Schools
Public high schools are schools that have free admission to all students living in a particular school district. Taxpayers fund nearly all aspects of the school, from teachers' salaries to books to classroom aids. A public high school may be a large institution with thousands of students attending, or much smaller with only a handful of students bussed in from many different parts of the county.

Private High School Advantages
Private high schools have many unique advantages. Many such schools are extremely well endowed by past alumni. As a result they can offer students access to well-maintained athletic fields, pleasantly landscaped campuses and varied course materials. School administrators have a great deal of liberty when it comes to choosing instructors. They can hire a published novelist even though she has no teaching credentials. Class size in private high school tends to be much smaller as well. Students who are interested in a particular subject such as Latin can find a class to meet their desire to explore that subject without restrictions.

Public High School Advantages
Public high school attendance also has advantages. Students can learn to interact with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, thus mastering one of life's most essential skills. A student may also have more study opportunities in large public high school rather than a small, rural private school. Most public high schools are located near a student's home, making it easier to attend.

Private High School Disadvantages
Private high schools charge tuition to attend that is usually thousands of dollars per year. Most families cannot afford this sum. Private high schools may have a very homogeneous student population, making students ill equipped to work with others who don't share their beliefs or culture.

Public High School Disadvantages
Attending a public high school can mean lack of access to resources. Public high schools are usually funded via property taxes. Some districts do not have resources to fund local high schools. Students may face inexperienced teachers, broken down facilities, outdated textbooks and unmotivated fellow classmates.