Am I getting my money's worth?

[Nikki]

First, I’d like to thank you all for being willing to step up, and out, to ask the hard questions and take the “unpopular” line.
I’d like to share a little about my family’s situation to inspire you to keep going, and to know who you’re standing up for.
As an alumni, I believe in the Academy experience. As a former financial aid recipient, I appreciated the opportunity that every day brought. The Academy taught us to think, and to make a difference in the world…..and this may be coming back to haunt them. I now have a child at the Academy, and, thanks to my top-notch education, I’ve been able to move up the economic ladder just enough to not qualify for financial aid. So, first impression: shock at the 300% increase in the cost of tuition in the past 20 years! In order to make this happen for my child I have gone back to work and my salary goes straight to the Academy. So, perhaps needless to say, I look with a more scrutinizing eye at what is being offered than I did the first time around.
Unfortunately, we have been more disappointed than impressed. We were excited about the amazing new natatorium facility, and then disappointed that there would be no swim team for 6-7 graders, and only two weeks of swimming thru PE. We looked forward to outdoor experiences for our child, only to find out that there was little engagement from the “guides”, no outdoor skills training, and inappropriate foul language was the only lasting impression made on our child. We have anticipated exploring new sports via after school athletics, only to learn that my $24,000 doesn’t guarantee a spot on the team. We have heard about the renowned new company that will renovate lunch into a fabulous, fresh and healthy dining experience, but in reality my child has indigestion daily from trying to eat lunch in less than 10 minutes (when they haven’t run out before he was able to get any).
As other parents have mentioned, an education is only as good as the effort the student is willing to put in to it, and a child can succeed anywhere if driven to….so I begin to wonder, What do I gain by choosing to invest $24000 a year into my child’s education? Is it just a “brand name” education? Or are we justified in expecting more…more opportunities, more engagement, more enjoyment in learning, more transparency? And less….less resistance, less apathy, less secrets, less run around?

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