Comments on: Kevin on Coming Back to Gonzaga (By Danny Harris)

By: Pennywise

Pennywise — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:06:42 +0000

Well I think the fundamental issue is who can pay tuition and fees on top of taxes to send their kid to school. I certainly couldn’t not at present. Fingers crossed of course, but if a 5 year old showed up on my doorstep claiming to be my kid, I’d need to head to MD. Not that there aren’t bad schools there as well, but its a no brainer for lower middle class folks like me to flee DC in such circumstances. Whether you like it or not, $16K is a fortune to some of us. Kudos to the Gonzaga and the other Jesuit schools of course, but I couldn’t afford them and I wouldn’t qualify for their aid I’d guess. Not class warfare, just fact.

By: vonstallin

vonstallin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:28:48 +0000

I saw the purple and the field and imdeiatly thought cardoza….

I said to myself…”Dudes hardcore”….

Then I noticed it said Gonzaga…
meh…lol

By: Ragged Dog

Ragged Dog — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:18:42 +0000

So, my best friend in college graduated from Gonzaga and I graduated from a MCPS. He was very successful in high school. He was a lot less successful in college… graduating with as close a 2.0 as is possible to graduate with. Having spent 4 years with the kid I noticed that his study skills were crap and he seemed to get lost in a 30k person school. I have seen similar characteristics from other private school kids…basically it’s a tough transition to more anonymous settings with no one guiding you, checking up on you and holding your hand to get you into college (I have a cousin that went to St Alban’s that experienced similar problems). Whereas, I had already pretty much dealt with self sufficiency/anonymity from grade school on and so the anonymity of college wasn’t a big surprise. With that said, I really have a lot of respect for the Jesuit education model which, ideally, incorporates a lot of morality and personal development, much of which is non-existent outside of team sports in public school. I have spoken with a few people who really benefited from the character development.

That and the fact that you are sending your kids into a hell hole in DCPS makes the $16k seem like a good idea and a bargain if you’re a city dweller.

By: Dead Presidents

Dead Presidents — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:31:52 +0000

Wow lots of class warfare on this thread. People should be able to send their kids to a school that costs a million bucks if they want to. And I don’t think this school is obligated to give out any financial aid, so they have they are contributing almost 2 mill in financial aid should be lauded, not castigated.

By: Geezer

Geezer — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:12:23 +0000

Uh, price check please. Many private schools in DC, including early elementary education), are WELL OVER $25,000/ yr (eg, Georgetown Day, Sidwell, WIS, NCS, Maret – look at their websites) while most Catholic elementary schools are about $8,000 a year- that is a $17,000+ per year differnece. Thus, they are considered quite a bargain for parents who are not comfortable with their district public school.

By: Pennywise

Pennywise — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:09:26 +0000

So $1.9 million would provide for about 118 students to attend for a year. Wonder what their total enrollment is… Regardless, I doubt the tuition assistance would help a middle class family, its probably designed for the poverty stricken. Thank goodness for MD and VA schools I guess…

By: Carlton

Carlton — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:58:20 +0000

I agree with Kevin. Kids need to have a better understanding of poverty and how those not ‘priviledged’ live. I am torn by this story. On the hand, Gonzaga seems to provide opportunities for those less fortunate, but on the other it seems like a blue blooded institution where annual tuition costs almost $20,000. I would imagine that the latter are the majority, but am still happy that there are opportunities for the less fortunate there.

By: Eagle

Eagle — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:56:12 +0000

From Gonzaga’s website:

“Gonzaga strives to ensure that anyone who is accepted to Gonzaga is not prevented from attending because of financial reasons. In 2009-2010 Gonzaga students will receive a total of $1,900,000.00 to assist their tuition obligations.”

By: Pennywise

Pennywise — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:36:38 +0000

Is that where Fenty’s kids went before he sent them to upper NW to a “public” school?

$16K a year for Gonzaga…. Ugh. Hope I never ever have children in DC and need to contemplate those sorts of costs.

By: Fonzy

Fonzy — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:17:56 +0000

Sorry ladies, he’s gay. Aye, jess kidding.

KJ,
Enjoy your 15min on the PoP!