Are the 'contacts' children make at private school really worth the expense of sending them there?

I have noticed that if you suffer from MPSIA, going to Oxford or Cambridge can really help

yurtjimjams yes, MPSIA (Minor Public School I'm Afraid) attitude still exists in some more traditional banks.

It's true of places like Eton. Or at least it was 15 years ago when a friend going for City jobs with British banks was definitely lacking in her connections (and old Etonion friend going to the same interviews was being asked which parties Ma and Pa were attending this year, she was being asked things like 'and what type of school id this?' etc (it was private suggesting that the well-connectedness doesn't extend past the v big pubic schools). She easily picked up a job with an US bank though.

DragonsEye's example is excellent - I really do see how that would help. But I suspect the wheelerdealer business man in question would be a network-builder & contact-maker wherever he'd been to school!

Yes, MrsB was about to add similar - if the DC are relying on contacts made at school rather than old family contacts it just proves that they are not quite the 'right' type of family .

Mr Inferior went to school with Nathanial Parker, which has been no use either. Although he does get to say Oooh look there's Nat Parker at the telly a lot. Not everyone can do that.

My friend married a privately educated man. He runs his own business and apparently his old school contacts have proved very beneficial. He seems to have his fingers in a few pies - property abroad, some scrap metal venture in south africa etc etc. I suppose in these types of scenarios being 'well connected' may be beneficial as oppose to 'so and so's dad owns a firm of accountants and will take you on as an apprentice'

Dont know anyway - my kids are going to the local comp

what a load of crap

My DH was at school with Hugh Grant. Ponders how this has helped his career. Draws blank.

pfft

as said below, unless Eton / Harrow / Ampleforth (in which case you obv know The Right Types already) it won't be much help.

Bink is slightly right re aspirational career prospects, but that can backfire. Girls in my class, without exception to be doctors, lawyers, journalists or vets. None had ever considered that their aptitude for art could make them a fashion designer, or their manual dexterity that they'd be a really good plumber etc.

although, I can see that if you were socialising with the children of parents who had good jobs then it may help you get in the door, so to speak, re work experience or whatever

iirc most people who work on Vogue etc as fashion assistants coffee makers are word of mouth "my mummy knows the editor" favours

My DH went to one of the top Public Schools, I think 80% of leavers (after uni) go to Sandhurst and/or The City ('just like Daddy').

My DH was not interested in either career, dropped out of uni after one term (they had radically changed the course he had applied English with American studies iirc to English with Politics) and trained to become a journo which has lead to the job he has not (Owner/CEO of one of the UK's top 30 tech PR/Ad agencies).

I can hand on heart say that at no point has any contact he made at school helped him in any way.

Perhaps if he wanted to go into The City it may have done. He is still friends with many people he was at school with and they all work in City/finance.

they're probably right, seems to be it's who you know now rather than what you know

Bink, do stop being reasonable .

Of course it may be that whoever it was has values of such a kind that they are, by their own lights, right ... people who use the phrase "well-connected" (which is SO not one I would use) are usually getting at connected-ness in the sense of titled, or landed-moneyed - like that.

And I suppose if it is your aim that your child marry an earl it is an idea to send them to school with the children of.

I remember reading an article once about a nursery in New York that EVERYONE wanted their children to go to as it fed the next school up which fed the next school up etc etc

so basically, if you child did not get into said nursery, they were doomed. At 3.

barking mad

Oh well, good luck to her I suppose, but I don't quite see how those connections are going to translate into jobs that the young people are not otherwise qualified/skilled to get on their own merits....

Well I went to private school and it was bugger all use to me, on any level

Probably depends on the school imo, and the careers that the children's peers end up in.

And I'd be tempted - rather strongly - to ask her why she has so little confidence in her kids' actual abilities. I'd hate to think my kids were so incapable that they had to pull strings.

Well, shouldn't she wait till they've got jobs, eh? Doesn't stand up, her argument.

bleurch. "well connected", horrible phrase....