It’s something that millions of parents across the world can agree on, and it’s probably something that you agree with, too, if you’re reading this right now: giving your kids the best education possible is one of the most effective ways to ensure that they’re successful and happy, long after they graduate. As Americans, we’re pretty lucky in this department — parents and kids have tons of options available when it comes to early education, starting with private kindergarten schools and pre-school programs and going all the way up to preparatory academy pre-college programs.

If you’re thinking about sending your child to a private high school, middle school, or grade school — or if you’ve decided that you definitely do want to send your kid to one of these schools, and you’re now trying to convince him/her to go — here’s a short list that might help convince you and your family that private schools are definitely the way to go:

• Teachers and school administrators tend to enjoy working in schools much more than public schools, noting that the atmosphere is often more positive and encouraging for students.
  

• Smaller class sizes often play a large role in this warm environment; not only can teachers get to know their students better and offer more help, but the students really get to know their own peers.
  

• For SAT tests: National data shows that private school students average about 541 in reading, 579 in math, and 550 in writing. Public school students average about 497 in reading, 514 in math, and 489 in writing. These numbers don’t necessarily prove that private school students are smarter — they prove that private high schools often have better resources to provide students, and they allocate a lot of time and effort into ensuring the future success of their students.
  

• And of course, many parents send their kids to private high schools with the hopes that the kids will be successful after graduating — and their hopes are not in vain. Many studies have shown that private school students are more likely to earn college degrees in their early 20s than their public school counterparts.

Middle school and high school may not make up a large portion of your life, when you look at those years in the big picture; but it’s hard to deny that these years are incredibly important for development both in and outside the classroom. It may sound cliche, but a good education really is invaluable — and if you can’t say for sure just how much your child’s education will help him or her, then you know you’ve found a good school with limitless opportunities. Get more info here.