<p>@Cogent: Ill bite. As much as I always end up saying what an amazing experience this has been and how happy DS is, and how wonderful the school is, I still struggle with the cost. We are not uber-wealthy, and we do not receive financial aid, so we are paying full freight for a luxury we can pay for but may not be able to afford; there is a distinction. Like @wcmom1958 says, if we had good local options I dont think wed be doing this, but we DO have local schools that other kids are attending and somehow managing to avoid the penal system. Each day I drive by the school our son would have attended and wonder once again just why that option (or any other of the choices our state allows) was not good enough. Given the type of student our son is, Im pretty sure he would do extremely well in any of the local programs even if the challenge is not there. He would still go on to college and, most likely, become a productive member of society. Would he be as happy, well educated, and experienced in the short run? Probably not, but just what are we buying for $50K/year, and what are we sacrificing? Im embarrassed to admit that this decision which should be irrevocably made still plagues me when I consider that our air conditioner may not hold out much longer, our old cars are showing signs of dementia, and Im just sure there is a black swan in our future.</p>
<p>Let me short circuit all the reasons for and benefits of BS that everyone here is just itching to post and say that I agree with you all. No need to list all the amazing things in the BS candy store or the intangibles that the boarding experience offers or the unmatched quality that is there. Its all been said before, and who can argue with giving your kid the best education you can? As I posted earlier, just watching DS navigate his world with an ease that I am certain he did not learn in this pond takes my breath away and makes me say, Priceless! But, is it? Im just being honest that even though we can write that check, I sometimes wonder if were crazy to continue doing so when I cant exactly quantify the downside of NOT providing DS with this elite privilege. In a world where so many people struggle just to survive, I wonder about the sanity and morality of spending $200K for a teenager to attend a NE BS. Could that money be better spent for a greater good and, if so, would I spend it or hoard it? The question bothers me.</p>
<p>Ultimately, we are putting a tremendous burden on our son because we have raised him to believe that to him whom much has been given, much is expected. The implication is that he must somehow use what he is learning/becoming for the greater good, at a level above what would be required of him otherwise, but is BS enabling him to contribute more than he would if he had stayed home and been educated at less cost? Will he be a better person for this experience? Well never know.</p>
<p>So, @Cogent, there it is. Is this buyers remorse or just a rant born of my small-mindedness and increasingly hormonal state? You be the judge. (Now, back to the choir loft to continue singing the praises of BS.)</p>