Government figures also indicate that 41 percent of all private elementary and secondary schools -- more than 27,000 nationwide -- charged less than $2,500 per year for tuition, and only about 21 percent of all private schools charged more than $5,000 per year in tuition.
According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), achievement tests in reading, mathematics and science show higher average scores for private school students. And private schools tend to require more years of core academic subjects for high school graduation than do public schools, with some variation across school types. On average, graduates of private high schools have completed more advanced courses than public school graduates in science, athematics and foreign language.
In addition, NCES also showed that students who had attended private school in 8th grade were twice as likely as those who had attended public school to have completed a bachelor's or higher degree by their mid-20s, and far less likely to have had no postsecondary education.
Is a Christian education in elementary, middle or high school worth sacrificing for now, instead of saving for college? Well, Barna's research concerning biblical worldviews seems to indicate that a person's worldview needs early nurturing. So, at the very least, perhaps parents should give Christian education a closer look.
Paying for College Expenses
By the year 2008 the U.S. Department of Education projects costs of a four-year state college education to range from $35,000 to $40,000, and private college costs could double or triple. If these projections are correct, a family should begin to set savings goals as soon as possible, preferably while the prospective student is in preschool rather than high school.
Of course the most economical way to attend college is for a student to live at home, attend a relatively inexpensive community college one or two years, work part time to save money, then transfer to a four-year school.
Proverbs 16:26 says, "A worker's appetite works for him." When children help to earn their way, the education they seek often means a great deal more to them.
Grants and scholarships offer a good type of college money, because they are usually tax free and don't have to be repaid. Both are offered by colleges, for-profit organizations, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. Federal and state grants usually are restricted to students who can prove that they have a great financial need.
Successfully locating, applying for and receiving grants and scholarships requires time, energy, persistence and patience. Begin your search early to learn about the variety of resources well in advance of any application deadlines.
