The Pros and Cons of Online Private Schools: A Quick Guide
Online private schools have been on the rise in recent years, offering students an alternative to traditional brick-and-mortar institutions. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many students to shift to online learning, the popularity of online private schools has only increased. But what are the pros and cons of online private schools?
Pros of Online Private Schools
If you are considering enrolling your child in an online education platform, I recommend you read this article till the end before deciding whether to enroll in online public schools or online private schools. I will discuss all aspects of the pros and cons of online private schools below. Let’s start with the advantages.
Pro: Flexibility
One of the biggest advantages of online private schools is the flexibility they offer. Students can work at their own pace and on their own schedule. This allows for a more personalized learning experience and can be especially helpful for students with other commitments, such as athletes, performers, entrepreneurs, travelers, and accelerated learners. At GTS, parents and students can determine their daily schedule and yearly calendar based on their needs and goals. Below are a few examples of flexibility only GTS or similarly high-quality online schools may provide:
Julia travels to Europe with her family during the whole month of February without any interruption of her academic work. She continues to meet with her coach and continues with her coursework in Europe. She, however, chooses to take very limited time off during summer and maintains her regular course load.
Salma lives in Syracuse, New York. She decides to spend two months with her grandparents in Beaufort, South Carolina in April and May. She gets to do that and spends quality time with her grandparents with no disruption to her learning experiences at all.
TJ, an aspiring engineers, gets an internship opportunity with a local engineering firm. She spends from 9–12 Monday through Thursday at the firm. She does her coursework in the afternoon, after coming home for lunch and spending some time with her dog, Hazel, in her backyard.
Ein lives on a ranch with her parents in Idaho and enjoys the life on a ranch. He spends his morning going through his coursework, meeting with his coach, and socializing with his friends at GTS at MetaGlobal virtual campus. Then he spends time riding his horse, Chief, helping his father around the ranch caring for their livestock. He can also switch his weekly schedule as needed, spending a few full days on school work and others working at his ranch.
Pro: Customizable Curriculum
Online private schools often offer a wider range of courses and electives than traditional schools. This allows students to explore their interests and passions in a way that may not be possible in a traditional school setting. GTS offers a wide range of courses ranging from core courses to AP courses, fashion design, and cybersecurity.
At GTS, We develop our own courses in addition to the long list of courses provided by our strategic partners. Our students are never limited by what is currently offered. If they are interested in a course that we do not have, we go above and beyond to either find that course, or, if it is not available, our teachers design it. Based on students’ interests and passions, our teachers also design unique, multidisciplinary courses, too.
Moreover, working with their coaches and teachers, GTS students can design independent studies around topics of their interests. Students then can conduct their independent studies and upon delivery of the mutually agreed upon outcomes they can earn credits. Independent studies are typically seen in higher education. However, GTS brings it into middle and high school level as we serve independent, motivated, self-disciplined, and goal oriented learners.
An example
Here is an example of customizable curriculum at GTS. Marat is an international student at GTS. He is from Russia. He is pretty advanced in math and interested in taking the AMC (American Mathematics Competitions) by Mathematical Association of America (MAA). Therefore, we created a math course for Marat so he can take and prepare for the competition. Marat would not have such a customized curriculum if he had not attend GTS.
Pro: Access to High-Quality Teachers
Online private schools often attract top-quality teachers who may not be available in a traditional school setting. In a physical school, teachers pool is limited to those who live or willing to move to the area in which the school is located. However, online schools may tap into teacher talent across the country or even globally. This can provide students with access to experts in their field and high-quality instruction.
Pro: Safe Learning Environment
Online private schools can provide a safe learning environment for students who may not feel comfortable in a traditional school setting. Many students in America attend large public schools, especially at the high school level. The average high school size is around 1,200 students in America. My daughters went through a suburban high school with 1,600 students.
Imagine all those students walking through the halls of a high school with 1,200 students, eating lunch, and trying to socialize. The sheer size of a high school automatically creates social anxiety in many students at an age they are known to create an imaginary audience, as defined by the famous American child psychologist, David Elkind.
Elkind defined this phenomenon as a feeling as though one’s behaviors and actions are the main focus of other people’s attention and it is common to the adolescent stage of human development. Therefore, it is not surprising that a research study by the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine revealed an estimated 32% of adolescents living in the U.S. experienced an anxiety disorder That is one out of three students! Online education takes such a significant social pressure off of students significantly.
While online private schools offer many advantages, they may not be the best fit for every student. As Tony Wagner notes, “It is not the technology itself, but how it is used that matters most in the classroom.” It is important for families to carefully consider their options and choose the learning environment that is best for their individual needs and preferences. To help prospective parents we included a self-assessment on our website for parents. We call is Goodness of Fit Test and it is to inform parents’ decision to enroll their children in an online program.
Cons of Online Private Schools
In the article where I discuss the pros and cons of online private schools, now it’s time to look at some aspects that might be disadvantageous for some children and parents. I will also talk about how we try to address such challenges.
Con: Lack of Social Interaction
One of the biggest drawbacks of online private schools is the lack of social interaction. Students may miss out on the socialization and collaboration that comes with attending a traditional school. GTS utilizes Virtual Reality technology to address this challenge in online school.
GTS students from different cities and countries come together in virtual reality on our MetaGlobal campus, which has multiple venues such as classrooms, auditorium, amphitheater, common spaces, and more.
Utilizing the MetaGlobal campus, GTS students interact and collaborate with one another in an immersive way. Although, this experience may not ever replace the experience of in-person interactions, it brings back the invaluable social interaction opportunities into online education to a large extent.
Con: Technology Challenges
Online learning requires a reliable internet connection and access to technology. This can be a challenge for students who do not have access to these resources. At GTS, a MetaQuest 2 headset is included in tuition for full-time students.
Con: Cost
Online private schools can be expensive, with some costing more than traditional private schools. This can be a barrier for some students and families. Full-time tuition for private online schools in the US ranges between $5,000 and $40,000. GTS’s goal is to provide a high-quality and affordable education. Therefore, we set our full-time tuition to be $16,000. Additionally, we offer significant amount of scholarships, both merit and need-based. We, offer 30% tuition discount for military and educator families, as an appreciation of their service.
Conclusion
In conclusion, online private schools offer a unique and customizable learning experience that can be beneficial for many students. However, they also come with some drawbacks that need to be carefully considered. It all comes down to each student’s needs and whether an online option like GTS meets those needs. Upon weighing the pros and cons of online private schools, parents can make an informed decision about whether online private school is the right choice for their child.
Dr. Salim Ucan
Founder & CEO of Global Town School
