Private schools (1 Viewer)

[MC24]

I know a lot of people here go to public schools but asking for a friend:

What is the atmosphere/environment like at private girls schools like Pymble Ladies College, Abbotsleigh, PLC Sydney, SCEGGS, Meriden, Queenwood, Wenona etc? Are private schools really better than public schools (not just in terms of facilities)? Would selective schools be better than private schools?

 

[dasfas]

You can get some real stuck up assholes but most people and nice, genuine and fun to hang around with - same as with public schools. You tend to get more studious peers which can push you up due to the competition.

 

[Auzendriel]

I went to two public high schools and moved to a private school last year (MLC), life has never been better. I love the environment and the facilities I finally found good friends who I shared interests with.

However, I never went to a selective high school (didn't have permanent residency until it was too late), and I reckon they're pretty good too.

 

[idkkdi]

You can get some real stuck up assholes but most people and nice, genuine and fun to hang around with - same as with public schools. You tend to get more studious peers which can push you up due to the competition.

take this dudes words with a grain of salt. syd gram is quite different from your average independent school. good academics are a sign of less problems.

I know a lot of people here go to public schools but asking for a friend:

What is the atmosphere/environment like at private girls schools like Pymble Ladies College, Abbotsleigh, PLC Sydney, SCEGGS, Meriden, Queenwood, Wenona etc? Are private schools really better than public schools (not just in terms of facilities)? Would selective schools be better than private schools?

personally heard that bullying is pretty bad at certain girls private schools. searching the web might reveal a bit more. it's to be expected of girls who realise their family is rich and that they can do whatever they want/be bothered about rather meaningless things.
imo, the higher the academic ranking, the better the indication that people aren't caring/bothered by meaningless things on average, and the less 'messed up' stuff going on.

selective schools depend. ranking to ranking there's quite a big difference. top tier, we're looking at a very *cough* imbalanced demographic. academic environment is more competitive on average than private schools and average intelligence should be higher. however, teaching quality should be lower due to higher wages at private schools lol.
if very academically inclined/curious perhaps go ruse. frankly being around smart students accelerates development of smartness.

otherwise, imo, always take the private school route if it's comfortably affordable. ngl, I kinda want an swimming pool inside of my school lol.

 

[idkkdi]

I went to two public high schools and moved to a private school last year (MLC), life has never been better. I love the environment and the facilities I finally found good friends who I shared interests with.

However, I never went to a selective high school (didn't have permanent residency until it was too late), and I reckon they're pretty good too.

with that handwriting, i should have realised you went to a private school lol.

 

[pikachu975]

I know a lot of people here go to public schools but asking for a friend:

What is the atmosphere/environment like at private girls schools like Pymble Ladies College, Abbotsleigh, PLC Sydney, SCEGGS, Meriden, Queenwood, Wenona etc? Are private schools really better than public schools (not just in terms of facilities)? Would selective schools be better than private schools?

I went to a Catholic/Private school (not sure if that counts) but everyone was supportive/working together for HSC, not much snaking (which I've heard is common in top selective schools but I didn't go to one so it's not 100% true, just what I've heard). I found some of my teachers to be really good which might be due to higher pay but at the same time I feel like if your teacher is good or not is just a coin flip regarding if they actually care if you do well or if they just want the money.

 

[idkkdi]

I went to a Catholic/Private school (not sure if that counts) but everyone was supportive/working together for HSC, not much snaking (which I've heard is common in top selective schools but I didn't go to one so it's not 100% true, just what I've heard). I found some of my teachers to be really good which might be due to higher pay but at the same time I feel like if your teacher is good or not is just a coin flip regarding if they actually care if you do well or if they just want the money.

catholic's are quite different from the 30K+ privates aren't they?

 

[Auzendriel]

with that handwriting, i should have realised you went to a private school lol.

jokes on you i'm basically the only person with slanted cursive handwriting in my year. quite the conversation starter

 

[pikachu975]

catholic's are quite different from the 30K+ privates aren't they?

Ahh I just assumed a private was any school that costed money to go to but if it's just the really expensive ones then ignore what I wrote

 

[Saxtoni]

Such schools are very cool and the atmosphere is great, but you need to be prepared for a large number of tasks because learning there is very serious. Each school has its own peculiarities and complexities because different schools have different teachers and different children. However, everywhere there is a problem with learning and writing essays, for example. For convenience, you can use the service essayservicescanner.com with reviews of various writing services. After all, I once wanted to use the service Papernow but after reading the reviews I was disappointed. I would not trust the service without reading the response because obviously, it may not be true.

 

[CM_Tutor]

Different schools will have different atmospheres and cultures. Competition, for example, can produce a collective work ethic that helps to improve the performance of everyone, but it can also produce rivalries and individualism that reflects the values of a zero-sum game - that one can only benefit at the expense of someone else.

I am not female and I attended an all-boys private school, but it was evident to me at the time and in tutoring since that private schools are not the same and what suits one student may not suit another. Wenona, for example, has a smaller cohort that seems more supportive of one another and does not have the tight focus on academic performance over other achievements that is present in some other schools.

If considering a private school, perhaps start by considering what you want both in terms of environment and outcomes, and then look for schools that align with those.

 

[Yakult1]

I know a lot of people here go to public schools but asking for a friend:

What is the atmosphere/environment like at private girls schools like Pymble Ladies College, Abbotsleigh, PLC Sydney, SCEGGS, Meriden, Queenwood, Wenona etc? Are private schools really better than public schools (not just in terms of facilities)? Would selective schools be better than private schools?

Im at Parramatta Marist right now (not the most private especially in the catholic sector) but still a decently expensive school. I'd say the experience has been very collaborative. Most students here work together and we get along quite well. Academically, the school was 46th in the state in 2020 and we predict an even higher result for the 2021 hsc. If you have the academic capability n order to get into a top 10/20 selective school i would say just go for that instead, however, some catholic schools with high paying fees do have some great STEM/Art facilities and that coul dalso be a reason to attend a catholic school.

I would say it comes down to what you value more. I have had a great time here and cant really remember a time where we snitched on each other or a case where the top student has been hoarding notes, overall it seems to be way more collobarative then a top 10 selective school, where more than 90% of the grade does private tutoring at Kurt or Du or some other external college (not dissing them, lowkey jealous but it is what it is)

 

[Yakult1]

Is it true that 1/2 of the School Environment is gay?

All boys schools are sus for sure

 

[uh??]

hi, Im in year 10 and I go to a public school and it is top 90. I am really wanting to get into a top uni that being over seas such as the UK or the US unis. Therefore Im going to be needing the top grades (internal and the ATAR) and as well as the support in extracurricular activities. Would moving to a private school help? if so, what ones are really good? Thanks

 

[Test-king12]

I know a lot of people here go to public schools but asking for a friend:

What is the atmosphere/environment like at private girls schools like Pymble Ladies College, Abbotsleigh, PLC Sydney, SCEGGS, Meriden, Queenwood, Wenona etc? Are private schools really better than public schools (not just in terms of facilities)? Would selective schools be better than private schools?

never been to a public school but id imagine private schools are much better

 

[igor9]

hi, Im in year 10 and I go to a public school and it is top 90. I am really wanting to get into a top uni that being over seas such as the UK or the US unis. Therefore Im going to be needing the top grades (internal and the ATAR) and as well as the support in extracurricular activities. Would moving to a private school help? if so, what ones are really good? Thanks

william clarke college

 

[uh??]

william clarke college

never been to a public school but id imagine private schools are much better

what are the benefits of being in a private school over public?

 

[igor9]

what are the benefits of being in a private school over public?

you get better ppl around u unless ur stupid and willingly mingle with idiots, and probably like u said better internals, but I really wouldn't make that my main factor to switch over since that is kinda superficial.

 

[iloveeggs]

hi, Im in year 10 and I go to a public school and it is top 90. I am really wanting to get into a top uni that being over seas such as the UK or the US unis. Therefore Im going to be needing the top grades (internal and the ATAR) and as well as the support in extracurricular activities. Would moving to a private school help? if so, what ones are really good? Thanks

moving to a higher ranked school, even a private school doesnt necessity boost your academic and extracurricular performance in any way it just prevents you from being dragged down by a cohort in a lower ranked school that might drag you down. if you're smart and very hardworking in a top 90 you will be alr

if you really still want to prevent being dragged by your cohort (which is unlikely if youre smart enough to be at the top of your current school), you can move up to a selective school or high ranking private school (both are pretty much same thing in terms of academic environment, private has access to better resources but they perform similarly). but be warned, since your moving in y11 youll drop significantly in terms of your performance bc everythign in high ranking schools gets harder and more competitive and its unlikely that if you were like 1st in your current school that youll still be ranked up top in a higher ranked school.

also foreign unis actually care more abt extracurriculars and stuff but once you get to a really academically motivated school they have a lot less of an emphasis on extracurriculars in y12 and stuff so that might not be the best fit for you

 

[Average Boreduser]

if you really still want to prevent being dragged by your cohort (which is unlikely if youre smart enough to be at the top of your current school), you can move up to a selective school or high ranking private school (both are pretty much same thing in terms of academic environment, private has access to better resources but they perform similarly). but be warned, since your moving in y11 youll drop significantly in terms of your performance bc everythign in high ranking schools gets harder and more competitive and its unlikely that if you were like 1st in your current school that youll still be ranked up top in a higher ranked school.

also foreign unis actually care more abt extracurriculars and stuff but once you get to a really academically motivated school they have a lot less of an emphasis on extracurriculars in y12 and stuff so that might not be the best fit for you

Not exactly true for the last to parras. Private schools (GPS ones at least) have a significant emphasis on cocurriculars, to the point where they force students undertaking programs. In the case they don't attend before exams (fyi these programs are run after school on mondays), they can be vulnerable to lose %ages out of their hsc exams. Same goes for sport if not attending trainings or saturday sports. There are also much more international application assistance in these schools (mine especially for some reason runs programs specialising specifically on just this and have found heaps of success, getting students into oxford, cambridge, etc). In terms of clubs, heaps are available, and you are given the opportunities to put forth new ones if you have evidence students would be interested. In terms of being bogged down after moving in yr 11, I did not feel much of a huge difference moving from a 140th ranked school to a top 50. This is maybe because I switched from coed to single sex education so take this w a grain of salt.