I was out and about the other day and saw thousands of children pouring out of the exhibition centre after having been tested to get into a top private school in Australia. This is the ever controversial debate - is a top private school better and more likely to land a kid in a better job, or is it up to the individual kid and their motivation/intelligence? Does working too hard when you are young rob you of an otherwise happy and free childhood? Hmmmm

As I mentioned in another topic "talent makes capital work". No matter how many BAs, Master's,PhDs, or Doc's you may have your character and experiences is what makes you roll... Not to say that degrees are for fun or that experience and character overcome degrees! No way! BUT, we are humans and each one is very different from another...

My opinion is that one should have a part time job (summer or weekends) but always in combination with their schedule - classes.

Working too hard is too vague... What is "too hard?" can you define it? I think it is not easy exactly because people are so different and so are their needs.

Private Vs. Public institutions... I see it as an investment. When someone faces this dilemma, he/she should think in terms of investing. To go further, it's an investment on your greater asset: yourself! So you have to choose the hardest which is most of the times the better. The more you give the more you take!

Will you find a better job if you graduate from the best? Well, that is a matter of more than a Degree...Are you sure about yourself? Do you "know" people? Do you know exactly what you want from a job or from a company? How do companies in your country value each university? Can you be at your best in all interviews? Difficult ha?

Everyone has to start from somewhere so that he can have a closer "look" to a company and as he/she becomes more experienced he/she will find his/her way. Talent is what we need and Talent is what most companies are looking for! +

Talent + Education + working experience = Success

While I think that education can play a critical part in a persons success I also believe that the drive to succeed is the most important thing. On that note however, I did goto both a public and a private school, and the education which I recieved at the private school was much better.

Private schools all the way. We're often told by the powers that be (whether they're the government or teachers themselves) that it makes no difference. Yet take a look at the stats and more often than not the same people who preach the wonders of public/government schools send their kids off to private ones.

My primary school and high school were both bulldozed and are now a bunch of houses. My high school uniform was skintight acid wash jeans, roller desert boots (high of course) and a light-blue short sleeve shirt which had been taken to with a razor blade.

Hey, I did okay!

Well, I have been to both private and public grade schools, and I have actually found that my public school was better although my mother dispised it. College, on the other hand, must be private. I've heard too many times that a company will refuse a student from a public university. Plus, I love what my private college has to offer.

To tell you the truth, I think that at my private school they fostered my love for design a lot more then at my public school. =]

This is true. I became obsessed with clothing and fashion when I was banned to wear my own at school. On the other hand, my style would have never developed if I had not made great fashion mistakes and victories while dressing for high school.

Private schools are currently poaching state level sport players from Public schools by granting the students sporting scholarships. My school, Penleigh and Essendon Grammar did this exact process.
The family of the child understand that Private schools can provide many more facilities which will guarantee that the student will excell at sport. After they retire from that sport, they can use their education they recieved from the Private school to be guaranteed a good job when their playing days are over. The family of the child knows that private schools have more to offer. That is why they accept the Private schools offer.
This is why Private schools are better than the public school system. It is unfortunate that the "rich" are able to benefit more than the "poor", but that is what our capitalist society is based on.
You get what you pay for.
More money spent on education = a better education.

I consider myself to be a good student, I strive for excellence in every subject and get frustrated when i get anything below 98%. Though I am only in yr 11 i will be finishing maths and physics next year, early as I have taken part in a heavy extension program run by my school. I am a leading student in both the classes even though I am the youngest. When finishing school I intend to study dental science or medicine and am extremly driven to suceed in anything I do. My intention is not to brag but rather make a point, i go to a public school.

More money spent on education = a better education.

True to a certain extent. It is how that money is spent that makes the difference. I go to a public school, but alot of money is spent on tutors and private education outside of school. By private I mean 1 on 1. I find this much more beneficial then being in a classroom, whether it be full of full fee paying students or not.

I personally think it depends on the student. If it is a good student they will succeed anywhere, if not well that's another case. If the student is not motivated themselves then the schools emphasis on sucess will influence them greatly, it is not however necessary that a private school inforces this more then a public one does. The vast number of my friends go to public schools and many say that the school doesn't expect a lot from them, the only reason that they achieve good vce marks is because the magority of the students come fRom families with a lot of money. Academic values have been enforced on them just like my parents have on me. I could have chosen to go to a private school but I didn't see a need.

In summary I think that though the school contributes, it is solely upto the individual. A schools contribution is not based on the money you pay but rather their attitude and teachers etc...