Is it Savannah Country Day School, or just a good public school without tuition worries? This was the dilemma faced by a family preparing to move to Savannah.

Savannah Country Day School is a private college preparatory school with 1,028 students from preschool through 12th grade.

As of 2024, the tuition is $19,525.

Looking at the college admission results, there are graduates who have been accepted to Stanford, Duke, Williams College, the University of Pennsylvania, and the California Institute of Technology.

The school describes its rigorous yet manageable curriculum as preparing students for college admission.

The $20,000 tuition is close to the average for private schools in Georgia. The college admission results span a wide range of top universities.

However, the total number of AP courses and the overall matriculation rate are not confirmed by publicly available data. It is best to contact the school directly for accurate information on this.

Housing costs should also be considered. The average home value in Savannah is $335,719 according to Zillow, which is a 0.5 percent decrease from the previous year.

However, there is a wide range of prices. As of January this year, entry-level homes are priced at $157,380, starter homes at $281,064, mid-range homes at $368,620, upper-tier homes at $548,049, and luxury homes at $1,273,636. Areas close to the school, like the South Historic District, can average up to $939,202.

This aspect can be advantageous, but that aspect can be a burden.

If you choose a private school, academic performance is clear, but you must also bear the tuition and the high housing costs in the nearby area.

On the other hand, if you choose a public school district, you can reduce housing costs, but you will need to verify the ratings of the assigned school individually.

Let's also clarify what AP is. It stands for Advanced Placement, a program that allows high school students to take college-level courses and earn college credit based on their exam scores.

The exact number of AP courses at this school is not confirmed by public data, but the school states that it includes AP courses in its college preparatory curriculum. Checking ratings from Niche or GreatSchools can also help in making a decision.

Renting first to experience the area is another option. Areas close to the school are known to have high rental prices as well as high sale prices. For accurate rental costs, it is best to check directly on sites like Rent.com or Apartments.com.

Before making a decision, it is also recommended to visit the school in person. Observing the campus atmosphere, faculty, and students' actual lives can reveal aspects that are difficult to understand from just the data.

Exploring nearby neighborhoods at different times can help you get a real sense of living there.

Since Savannah is also known as a tourist destination, the neighborhood atmosphere can vary greatly between weekdays and weekends, so it's good to check this as well.

GreatSchools is a nonprofit site that rates schools in the U.S. from 1 to 10. Families considering public school districts should check the scores of schools in their areas to aid in their decision-making. Private schools often compare using Niche reviews or graduate admission results instead of these official ratings.

School district boundaries change frequently, so it is safe to verify the assigned school for a given address before purchasing. The timing of the move should also be considered. Settling in comfortably before the new school year begins allows more time for the child to adjust, so keep this in mind.