Seniors prefer private schools over public schools, a growing trend

As seniors hit the peak of college application season, some are applying to more than 20 schools. A big reason for the large number of applications is that more are applying to private schools like Stanford, USC and Santa Clara.

Last year, more SHS seniors applied and went to private colleges than UCs and other public schools, a growing trend that began in 2011, said assistant principal Brian Safine.

One reason for the change is the perception that private colleges offer a better education because of a smaller student population and class sizes.

Senior Randy Tsai has considered how class sizes will affect his education. Tsai’s dream school is Brown University, which has a 8:1 student to faculty ratio. This is less than half of that of UCs, which average 17:1, according to U.S. News.

“Private schools are a much better fit for me than the UC system because I do not want to [struggle] to get into certain popular or required courses,” Tsai said. “I also dislike large classes since that's less opportunity for me to ask [the professor questions] in order to clarify anything I may not understand.”

Students like Tsai are used to “high levels of responsiveness,” Safine said, something many private schools pride themselves on.

Likewise, senior Tesia Sun, who plans to major in business, said private schools have stronger programs geared toward specific areas of study. These schools often also have good networks, providing her with more opportunities to accomplish her goals.

“A good number of public schools don’t specialize in [business],” Sun said. “While UCLA and UC Berkeley have good programs, [schools like] UC Davis don’t even have [specific business programs].”

Yet, not all seniors are applying to more privates schools than publics. Senior Uma Kumar is happy with her decision to apply to just public schools.

Kumar’s choice was most affected by the experiences of her family members, all of whom have gone to public schools. Although she did look at private schools, she said she “didn’t really feel a connection with any of them.”

For these reasons, Kumar wishes to take advantage of the UC system, especially since she wants to stay in California.

“All the top-tiered UCs or really any of them are good schools,” Kumar said. “They are just like any other university, but a cheaper option.”

Likewise, for Kumar, choosing to apply to all public school was not a difficult decision because she does not have her major set in stone and thus does not feel obligated to look for major-specific programs many private schools offer. Although looking to go into social sciences, Kumar plans to start school with an undeclared major.

“I don’t have to look for an intense private school that has a specific program just for me,” Kumar said “It’s easier because I can figure out my major later.”

Although Kumar recognizes that schools like Stanford may offer unrivaled internship opportunities, she thinks public school can offer similar resources to students.

“If you look for [connections and opportunities]: the people, the programs you do, public schools can be just as great as any private school,” Kumar said.

Since the public schools are cheaper than most private schools, cost is a major factor for some students.

As much as Tsai likes the benefits of private schools, he said he won’t go to one unless he receives a strong financial aid package.