For years now, people have been debating on whether or not private schooling is all it’s cracked up to be. There is a lot of stereotypes however that circulate around that just aren’t true. And whether or not private schoolings are actually better or not, here are my top five misconceptions I receive about private schooling.

1. Inherently rich/privileged

While a common theme of private schooling is the cost of tuition, many people who attend private schooling cannot afford to actually go. Many parents struggle to put their children through private schools because they see it worth it due to the educational and environmental benefits. Yes, a percentage of people who attend a private school may very well have a good amount of money, but that doesn’t mean the entirety of the school is. A good chunk of the school is on academic scholarships or financial aid.

2. Athletic scholarships

Another big one I received a few times was a rumor going around about how private high schools gave scholarships and full rides to their athletes. In at least my experience and knowledge, this does not happen and is not allowed to happen. Scholarships are only something that can be given through academics in private high schools through the HSPT, and even then, is it incredibly difficult to receive those.

3. We think we are better

Along with money comes the snobs, and if there’s one thing that private schools get a bad rap for is how snobby we come off as. To be truthful, we aren’t really that snobby. Or at least, I’m not. A lot of people who attend private schools aren’t snobby. But, we get this rap due to other misconceptions regarding education, environment, and money.

4. Our education isn't better

Actually, it is. This is NOT to discount students in public school and how smart they may be. I know first-hand that there are many individuals at public highs schools that are just as smart and smarter than some of the top students at private schools. But, there’s something to be said about paying $12,000 a year. The private schools have more money and therefore can afford to hire more qualified and experienced teachers. Because of this, students’ education becomes incredibly enriched. Two teachers, one from a private and one from a public, could be handed the same textbook, but what they end up doing with it can be completely different.

5. We are smarter

Yes, our education might be better quality or value, but that does not constitute us to all be smarter. Intelligence is not measure by the quality of the education. A student must apply themselves to the subjects as well. Typically, at private schools most students do apply themselves because they know the amount of money that is being used to send them there. But for the most part, teenagers will be teenagers, and in the end their education comes down to whether or not the decide to apply themselves to school.

Public school systems are not bad! I do not believe that I am superior in any way, but I do believe that there is a benefit to private schools. School choice is important. Not at all public schools are the best though, and the ability to have the choice to send your children to a private school should be important. Private schools need to break down their stereotypes and show that they can be a leg up when achieving higher education.