Chicago Living - Relocation Guide 2008 - (Page 63)

nearly 11 percent, or 260,000 students, enrolled in the state attend nonpublic schools. In Cook County, which includes Chicago, nearly 167,000 students— roughly 17 percent—make up the nonpublic enrollment. But interest and an ability to pay tuition and fees aren’t enough to get kids into many Chicago-area private schools. In recent years, the number of students applying to get into some of the more popular schools far outweighed the number of available slots. After spaces are given to siblings of older students and Catholic schools make up the largest number of nonpublic schools in Chicago. children of faculty, the few remaining openings are then doled out. Savvy parents know that extra effort in the form of connections, volunteering and donations can weigh on admission decisions, and often work those angles heavily to ensure their children land a spot in one of these “hard-to-get-into” schools. Catholic schools make up the largest number of nonpublic schools in Chicago. The Archdiocese of Chicago has a total of 256 schools—217 elementary schools and 39 high schools in Cook and Lake counties, with approximately 98,000 students and 5,350 teachers in its school system. According to the Archdiocese, the student/teacher ratio at area elementary schools is 18 to 1, and 16 to 1 at area secondary schools. Elementary school tuitions at Chicago Catholic schools average in the $2,000 range; for high school tuition, that figure increases to an average of $7 ,000. Sacred Heart Schools, on the city’s far North Side, is one of the city’s best2008 Chic a go L i ving fa r L e f t : P h o t o b y D i a n e fa L L o n , c o u r t e s y o f s a c r e D h e a r t s c h o o L s known Catholic schools. Roughly 650 students attend the coed school, which includes grades K-8 (there are single sex classrooms for grades 1-8). Its reputation for strong academics attracts a student body from throughout the Chicagoland area, 30 percent to 40 percent of which is non-Catholic. (Tuition here averages way above other Catholic schools, at about $13,500.) At the high school level, Fenwick High School in the near West suburb of Oak Park is a coed college preparatory school, specializing in liberal arts and sciences, with approximately 1,150 students. It consistently ranks among the top high schools in the state in math, science, music, sports and other subjects. A directory of Chicago area Catholic schools is available from the Office of Catholic Education at the Archdiocese of Chicago. Of course, there are parochial schools in the Chicago area representing many other faiths as well. Some organizations that can provide helpful information on school options include the Community Foundation for Jewish Education of Chicago, the Chicagoland Christian School Network and the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. A p p r ox i m a t e l y 12 , 0 0 0 s tu d e n t s around Chicago attend independent, or nonsectarian, schools like the Lycée Francais, according to the Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools. These schools tend to be more expensive than those with a religious affiliation, with tuition ranging from $8,000 to $20,000. Among them is the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. Located on the U of C campus in the Hyde Park neighborhood on the city’s South Side, the four schools run by the university for children in pre-K-12 are considered among the most prestigious in the city. The 1,700 Lab students have an opportunity to be part of the university’s rich academic and social circles, and many of the high school students take college-level classes. Others do scientific research under the guidance of the university’s professors. ■ The Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools holds a free fair for prospective families annual interested in its member schools each October. c h i c a g o l i v i n g m a g. c o m 63 http://www.chicagolivingmag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Chicago Living - Relocation Guide 2008

Contents A Letter from the Governor Contributing Writers Welcome Home Finding a Home Schools, Health Care & Business Excellence Arts & Entertainment Advertiser Index Chicago Resources Back Page

Chicago Living - Relocation Guide 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.