DS prepping for SHSAT and doing well. He's scoring high enough now for Stuy and would be happy with Brooklyn Tech (not that we've visited any of these places). I thought that sounded fine, but now I'm thinking we're making a big mistake not applying to privates. Am I closing the door on opportunities? He'd be fine around rich kids, that wouldn't be a big issue. He's secure about that stuff. I'm a single mom and we're solid financially - I bought an apartment a long time ago - but I make 80k and would need FA. Honestly, I'm poor enough that we'd likely get it.
I don't think of ourselves as a private school family, but then I see other middle class kids with good aid and I think .. well shit, why not my kid. But of course I know nothing about private schools. So there's that too.
You should ABSOLUTELY try.
Why not apply and see if he likes them? Just be honest with him from the beginning that if they don’t offer you enough aid you will not be able to send him no matter what.
100% apply. Give yourself, and most importantly your son, options.
Apply. You want to see what all your options are. Just an FYI - don't assume you will like Brooklyn Tech.
Also, I think at the HS level, you don't interact with the other families as much, so you don't have to worry as much about "fitting in."
This is 100% true. My DS went to a K-8 and then switched for HS to another private. We never spent any time with the HS parents outside of things like curriculum night and the annual fundraiser, which was a very nice change, we have our own friends and were not looking for a "scene."
Which schools? What are your college goals? I don't think we will bother because we aren't rich enough to buy a spot in college but have too much money for FA. Competition based on merit will favor us at a SHSAT.