Would you go into debt for your childs secondary education?

[Phteven]

Sadly that's not the case in the banking industry Bron

Bath, I think it will be the practice in the banking industry in Australia in a few years. My uncle is a director of one of the large English banks and his bank has done a lot to eliminate the old boy network because they want a higher standard of employee. When he was the director of an Australian bank a few years ago they were just starting to make changes that English banks had made a few years previously. I suspect that in employment too Australia is a few years behind.

[Lulu]

Bath, I think it will be the practice in the banking industry in Australia in a few years. My uncle is a director of one of the large English banks and his bank has done a lot to eliminate the old boy network because they want a higher standard of employee. When he was the director of an Australian bank a few years ago they were just starting to make changes that English banks had made a few years previously. I suspect that in employment too Australia is a few years behind.

Very very true. I can attest to that because I've been working for my father (psychologist) for the past 15 years. One of the biggest HR companies in Aus uses his aptitude tests for the upper end employment of all the big industries (hr, mining etc). They came to him years ago because they were sick of losing thousands of $$$ employing people that looked good on paper but not up to scratch in reality.

You know, it's AMAZING how many people in high corporate roles really truly want to be out painting landscapes instead....

[Astrid]

It is so interesting how our education experiences are so different. For my first 2 years of high school I went to the 2nd worst school in the area, it was bad, it was falling down, had rat, kids pulled knives on teachers etc. You know what though? I received the best education at that school. The teachers were passionate to teach those who were willing to learn. In year 8 I was top 97% in the state for maths and top 95% for science, I was also Dux one semester. Yes this school had a bad rep, but if you came out of it with good marks it actually made you very employable as it meant you were smart.

For year 9 & 10 I went to one of the top schools in the area as we had moved, it was the public equivalent of a private school. My education plummeted, there was so much more favouritism amongst the teachers who actually tried to be friends with the popular kids. They were so hell bend on school averages that if you were average or doing well you were ingored. A lot of effort was put into the kids who could not wait to leave when they hit 16. They had a horrible self learn system that was just not for me, I lost my love for science and was falling to the bottom of the class (to silly to know that self learn meant cheating, not learning). I was still top at maths, but the maths teacher had his favourites and ignored their cheating, so I looked liked I was bottom of the advanced maths class. It all came out in the maths competitions that I was actually good at maths and his favourites were not.

I deeply regret the change in schools, I was warned by the teachers to not make the change. Anyway what I am getting at? Basically that reputation may not be the best bearing on what is the better school for my children. I would much rather help fund raise for a public school that meets the needs of my children than give money to a private school that may look good for them to have on a resume.

[shellbell3]

Well a little off topic but I remembered a funny story DF told me bout public/ private.
When he was 18 him and a mate were totally drunk rifling thru clothing bin. Police came along took them back to the police station, asked his mate what school did you go to, he replied B.... grammer, well they were so nice to him drove him home straight away.
Asked Df where he went which he repied B.... High (the local public school). They turned round to him yelled 'get in the cell punk' and locked him up for 4 hours. True story.

I do know too of jobs going to people that had private school background. If it comes down to 2 applicants the one that went to the better school will win out.

[Phteven]

If I was interviewing and I had 2 applicants who were equal except for the school I would take the one who went to what I percieved as the lesser school. If one had more oppurtunities but they are both in the same place then the one with less opportunities has come further and thus has more drive and potential.

ETA - If you move to a different state or country there's a good chance that future employers won't have a clue whether your school is private or public. I know QLD and NSW schools but no other states. You could go to the poshest school in Victoria and I wouldn't know it.

[shellbell3]

Yeah a friend of mines husband does that. He is now in a high up position and started in a local public school that had a bad rep so he likes to give people that chance.