So we were hanging out at a playground in Central Park last October (see this), and I got to talking to another parent about the schools in New York City. Seems it's a whole other world from what I'm used to. You get to choose the school your child attends, but you have to apply...and you may not get your first choice.
The one man I was talking to -- who happens to work as a special ed teacher in a New York City school -- explained how he and his wife were already applying to kindergartens for their daughter -- for NEXT year. He said the high school directory is as thick as a phonebook. And the research involved is incredible.
Interesting.
But what I found even more interesting is when he explained that the little "joke" in New York City is to ask a woman when she's pregnant if she's picked her preschool program yet. Apparently it's very competitive and very costly. A preschool in the area around Central Park goes for...are you ready??....hold onto your hats now....to quote Dave Barry, "I'm not making this up.".....
$30,000 a year.
Yep! (That's more than three years at my university rolled into one year of preschool!!) And people pay it because apparently their child has a better time getting into an Ivy League school as a result of the preschool he/she attended at 3.
Egads!
All I can say is: Thank God for homeschooling!!!
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