I don't want to start a debate on public vs private school, but do you honestly thing that, if you were to list the 1000 peoples who admired the most, in all walks of life (politics, business, arts, sport, science, etc.), then study, if those people went to public or private school, do you think, that there will be a clear cut case, one way or another?

Is such a study, ever done?

I don't know of any such study, but I think there would be a higher than average percentage of them from private school. I'm not sure whether private school is actually better, but those who go to private school have a lot of money, and having a lot of wealth to start with means you are much more likely to succeed in business or politics. Arts and sciences, as well; advanced education programs are expensive, and if daddy is a millionaire, then it's really easy to be able to afford 12 years of university to get that MD or PhD or whatever it is.

While this is mostly true, success in *some* fields is rare or off limits to people from privileged backgrounds. There is no shortage of sports stars that grew up working class or poor. There are also many entertainers and artists that grew up working class or poor. In fact, art that is made by people who are affluent or middle class is often seen as lacking authenticity or depth and so middle class or affluent people may be discriminated against in certain fields of the arts or entertainment. For example Rap music by Black people from poor neighborhoods is preferred to Rap music made by White people from the suburbs.

I think if the private schools are any better, it would be only because not as many students attend a private school. Teachers have more time to work with students individually... By the way, I think the public school system is a joke, but I really don't see any viable alternatives...

Nah, SoT, it's all about $$$...private schools are receiving, as a rule, so much more per pupil than are public ones that it's not even funny.

Private school students would likely have more opportunities. There is a good chance their parents are in positions to introduce their children to employers and professionals.

Really,success is a personal thing, just some people measure it differently.

Originally posted by uberarcanist
Nah, SoT, it's all about $$$...private schools are receiving, as a rule, so much more per pupil than are public ones that it's not even funny.

Yeah, but what I was saying is that if, and that is a big if, private schools are any better, it is only because the teachers have more time to spend with students individually in a private school system.. Public schools are way too over crowded....

[edit on 17-8-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Keep in mind many of these people were educated during the 19th century and earlier where
i) there was little public education available
ii) the world was less sophisticated.

Let us take Abraham Lincoln as an example. At the time Lincoln was a youth tin rural Kentucky, there was no real educational system to speak of. Lincoln was also able to become a patent lawyer with the equivalent of a high school diploma.

Today, we have a public school system thoughout the country. Also, if you want to become a patent lawyer, you need to get at a minimum a university degree to be licensed before the USPTO, and have a J.D. degree to be admitted to a State Bar. Many patent lawyers also hold Masters and Ph.D. degrees.

I know this is a somewhat old thread, but I just got back from vacation so it's new to me .

There are many different types of both private and public schools. On the private side you have some religion-affiliated schools that cost next to nothing (I had a friend go to a Catholic school and it was only about $1700/year) to schools that are more for the upper-middle class that range from $20k/year to $60k and up. The experiences and potential for financial success are much different.

The private school environment is also filled with much less distraction because students don't have to worry about fights, gangs, theft, fashion (because of uniforms), needing a part-time job, and the like. Also, the family environment at home is generally more stable because there's at least one parent who is obviously involved in their child's life to some degree because somebody's paying the tuition. All of this enables the students to focus more on their studies.

On the public side there are many magnet schools that specialize in all kinds of different topics that don't accept just anybody like the regular public schools must, so obviously the standard is higher. There are also charter schools that, as far as I know, get their funding from the city and not the state - I know at least some of which in my area are quite well regarded. Then for regular public schools the quality varies not only by state-system, but by neighborhood, because schools get much of their funding from property taxes.

Many, maybe most, private K-12 schools offer financial aid and scholarships to good students and gifted athletes/musicians/actors/etc, so it's not all rich kids that go to the expensive schools. The thing is, at least for my K-12, such scholarships are not common knowledge like university scholarships are.

I honestly believe you can get a good education anywhere as long as the student cares and seeks it out, but the environment in which one is taught can make quite a difference. But one good piece of paper makes it easier to be given the opportunity for the next good piece of paper which makes it easier to get a great many little green papers eventually.