Making a decision to become house poor? - Page 5

[jennybear]

Originally Posted by KateKat

There's no misinformation.

Loyola is an independent private school that is NOT run by the archdiocese. Admission is granted through ISEE/SSAT standardized testing, which is the same test used to determine admission to the other independent private schools that have no religious association, like Dalton, Horace Mann, and Riverdale Country Day. The ISEE/SSAT is also used to determine admissions to other PRIVATE schools with non-Catholic religious instruction. Trinity (EPOSCIPAL) requires it. Friends Seminary (Quaker) also requires it.

Admissions to the high schools that are part of the archdiocese is done through the COOP examination and the COOP is only used for Archdiocese Catholic School admission.

Religious orders has nothing to do with anything. St. Vincent Ferrer (CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE) is under the Dominican Order. Xavier High School (CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE) is under the Jesuit Order. Loyola High School, while Jesuit like Xavier, is NOT an archdiocese school run by the Catholic Church. It is an independent PRIVATE school.

A school does not have to be owned and operated by the Archdiocese to be Catholic. I don't think these schools would describe themselves as "private with Catholic instruction" regardless of which admissions exam they use (unless Catholic schools are much, much different on the east coast).

[jennybear]

Originally Posted by KateKat

There's no misinformation.

Loyola is an independent private school that is NOT run by the archdiocese. Admission is granted through ISEE/SSAT standardized testing, which is the same test used to determine admission to the other independent private schools that have no religious association, like Dalton, Horace Mann, and Riverdale Country Day. The ISEE/SSAT is also used to determine admissions to other PRIVATE schools with non-Catholic religious instruction. Trinity (EPOSCIPAL) requires it. Friends Seminary (Quaker) also requires it.

Admissions to the high schools that are part of the archdiocese is done through the COOP examination and the COOP is only used for Archdiocese Catholic School admission.

Religious orders has nothing to do with anything. St. Vincent Ferrer (CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE) is under the Dominican Order. Xavier High School (CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE) is under the Jesuit Order. Loyola High School, while Jesuit like Xavier, is NOT an archdiocese school run by the Catholic Church. It is an independent PRIVATE school.

Well, it does, actually. Either the school is owned and operated by that religious order (ie: the Jesuits, Franciscans, etc.) or it is owned and operated by the Archdiocese. I'm not sure how one earns the definition of a diocesan school in NY, but it would be unusual for a Jesuit school to fall in that definition since they are owned and governed by the local province.

I may be off base since I'm on the west coast, but I've worked in Jesuit schools for years and have never come across one that is considered diocesan. All have diocesan support and all Catholic schools have to obey the archbishop, but that's really a separate question.

[KateKat]

Originally Posted by jennybear

Well, it does, actually. Either the school is owned and operated by that religious order (ie: the Jesuits, Franciscans, etc.) or it is owned and operated by the Archdiocese. I'm not sure how one earns the definition of a diocesan school in NY, but it would be unusual for a Jesuit school to fall in that definition since they are owned and governed by the local province.

I may be off base since I'm on the west coast, but I've worked in Jesuit schools for years and have never come across one that is considered diocesan. All have diocesan support and all Catholic schools have to obey the archbishop, but that's really a separate question.

I'm not sure how many times I need to say this. NYC Catholic Schools are run by the Archdiocese (Catholic Church). "Catholic" schools not run by the Archdiocese are considered private schools. There is a big difference between the two and NYC parents who choose to send their kids to private schools with religious instruction are not walking around saying that their kids are in Catholic Schools. They're walking around saying their kids are in private schools, because NYC private schools have a prestige factor. NYC Catholic schools do not.

NYC private schools (including the privates with religious instruction) are home to celebrity kids, business mogul kids, and trust fund babies. NYC Catholic schools, while providing and excellent education are not. They offer very different things, offer very different educations, and have very different student bodies.

[KateKat]

Originally Posted by jennybear

A school does not have to be owned and operated by the Archdiocese to be Catholic. I don't think these schools would describe themselves as "private with Catholic instruction" regardless of which admissions exam they use (unless Catholic schools are much, much different on the east coast).

Yes it does. Otherwise it's a PRIVATE school with religious instruction and the private schools do describe themselves as such since they are marketing to a very different body than schools run by the archdiocese. Private schools under the NYS Independent School Association or ISAAGNY have a prestige factor that Catholic Archdiocese schools do not.

I've seen NYC private high schools that cost as much as $36,000 a year. They cater to the rich. Archdiocese schools do not. Both types of schools have hugely different offerings.

The Archdiocese recently got into hot water here because they closed down a middle class school and tried to reopen it as a type of Archdiocese "private" school with $30,000 tuition and private school amenities. They had 2 students in the ENTIRE school. People with an extra $30,000 or so to spend on high school or elementary school tuition rarely choose Archdiocese schools as the above illustrates. They absolutely would choose a PRIVATE school with religious instruction because there is a prestige factor.

[daekini]

KateKat, just wanting to say you're making sense to me!

[alphagirl]

Someone may have already mentioned this but, just try to remember that your monthly mortgage payments should never be more than 25% ( and for many that can be pushing it) than your net monthly income.

A lot of the trouble people are in these days is from paying upwards of 30% of there net income towards mortgages. I'd wait a bit before making your move.

[yitlan]

This has been interesting for me because we are house poor. But I don't regret it. Much.

Obviously ANYONE would like to have more funds to go out to eat, travel, do that weekend activity, indulge your kids a bit. We moved to a bigger house with updates a year ago. Our last house was old and small (one bedroom plus weird office space) with a smallish kitchen. I homeschool and we are home a lot. And I cook everything. Tortillas this morning, ketchup later today, stuff people often buy. So, to move to a bigger house with a bigger kitchen has made me happier, I must admit. I Love that my bigger kids can play while the toddler naps, I love counter space, I love a place to homeschool and put schoolwork. I love that I'm not freezing in the winter and burning up in the summer. I love that my family can come visit and stay with us instead of at a hotel. We've used our guest room every other month or so, sometimes for two weeks at a time. Saves THEM money, I guess!

At my last house, we had to have our entire house replumbed b/c the old pipes went. And then seven months later the gas lines went while it was on the market. Those worries are not looming with this house. Obviously nothing is guaranteed, but the chances are less here!

I occasionally get twinges when thinking about money because we'd love love love to travel more. And I have to really watch our food budget. Anyway, only you can tell what's right for your family. You just have to be sure because to be in a situation like that and feel regret is no fun.

Also, I went to Catholic high school in the DC area, catholic grade school in MD. I just HAVE to know which schools are charging that much!