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Top of the class | Public vs. private schools in Montreal

Students from Ecole Bilingue Notre-Dame de Sion courtesy of Montreal Families

Whether one type of schooling is better than another will vary case to case given that better is a relative term. What onefamily may find appealing in a private school may be what pushes another family away. While choosing a school is apersonal decision, it’s important to know that one school is not necessarily greater than another simply because it isprivate. Rather, the better school for any given person depends upon how well of a fit the school is for the student’sinterests, strengths and goals, and the family’s preferences and priorities. Knowing what criteria is most important to youbefore jumping into the decision-making process will help you sort through all the options faster and more smoothly.Though the decision is personal for each family, there are some indisputable differences between public vs. privateeducation that you should be aware of as you begin your search. Luckily, Montreal has a great selection of both privateand public schools, so you’re likely to receive an excellent education from either option.

Public vs. Private School Tuition

For many people, tuition amount is high on the list of criteria to consider when choosing between a public or privateschool. Truthfully, private school tuitions in Montreal will generally cost between $15,000 and $20,000 per year, whilepublic school, of course, is free. This type of financial decision needs to be made based on the value you feel you will getout of a given school. The criteria below may help you decide whether it is worth the cost or not.

Public vs. Private School Opportunities

Sports

For both elementary and high school students in Montreal, the sports programs and offerings within public and privateschools are nearly the same. Under the GMAA, the Greater Montreal Interscholastic Athletic Association that representsboth the English Montreal School Board and the English Private Schools in Montreal, public and private schools studentscompete against each other in the same sports and at the same levels. If a heavy focus on sports is important to you, youmay want to consider a Sport-Études program within the city that offers adapted education programs for high-performanceathletes. Otherwise, the athletic opportunities will be relatively the same throughout Montreal, while some schools mayplace a heavier focus on certain sports depending on their history.

Extracurriculars and College

From my personal experience, private schools do a better job of preparing students for university, simply based on howthe curriculum has been created and on the different types of programs, committees and opportunities offered within theschool. While this may not apply to every school, most private schools will offer specific opportunities both in and out ofclass, such as volunteer experience, international development trips, A.P. classes, leadership committees and more, thatwill both give students invaluable experiences to take with them in their futures, as well as help them to get noticed bycolleges.

Public vs. Private School Environment

Facilities

More often than not, the facilities of private schools will be superior to those of public schools in Montreal. Lower CanadaCollege, for example, a private school located in the Notre-Dame-de-Grace neighbourhood, recently built one of Canada’sfirst environmentally friendly ice rinks, on top of having several other new, impressive, and fully equipped facilities acrosscampus. Naturally, new buildings will be a rarity at public schools, that generally stick to basic structures and solelyfunctional facilities.

Peer Group

While schools in certain areas are likely to be populated by students from the surrounding neighbourhoods, both publicand private schools tend to have different types student populations. Elementary and high school will play a huge role in achild’s life, and the people they surround themselves with at that age will have a great influence on their development. Thedifferences within students will vary within each school, but it’s important to identify what the characteristics are of eachstudent body that you’re considering before actually choosing a school.

Teachers

There is often some debate over public vs. private school teachers, their qualifications, and their dedication to thestudents. Ultimately, while the teachers in private schools may generally have higher educations, it is difficult to generalizethe other factors for all public and private schools. Of course, the happiness of teachers, and perhaps their level of effort,can often be attributed to the behaviour of students, physical working environment or salary, which can also be connectedto the type of school. However, my personal experience at both a public and private school would suggest that greatteachers can be found at either type of school, and cannot be determined from a first glance.

My greatest suggestion for deciding on any school is to attend an open house. Seeing the facilities, meeting the staff, andinteracting with current students will be the best way for you to decide whether or not a given school is the right fit for you!

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