I spoke with a family considering a move to Dallas. Usually, the first questions that come up in these consultations are quite similar.

"Which neighborhoods have good school districts?" "What are the home prices like?"

However, this father was different. His first question was, "Where do St. Mark's graduates actually go to college?"

He plans to move to Dallas with his son, but instead of deciding on a house first, he wants to find out about the school his child will attend before choosing a neighborhood to live in.

I actually think this order makes more sense.

If you are a Korean family in Dallas that values education for your children, you have likely heard of St. Mark's School of Texas.

It is a prestigious private school for boys located near Preston Hollow in Dallas.

The school places significant importance on college guidance, starting serious college counseling in the 11th grade, and a considerable number of college admissions representatives visit each year.

So, where do students actually go to college?

According to data from the graduating class of 2026, 17 students are going to the University of Texas at Austin, 8 to Texas A&M, 6 to Boston College, and 4 each to Duke and Northwestern.

Students have also been accepted to Ivy League schools such as Harvard, Yale, Columbia, the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, and Brown, as well as to MIT, Stanford, Georgetown, Vanderbilt, and Rice.

This explains why parents who are interested in their children's education in Dallas pay attention to this school.

The issue, however, is tuition. For the 2026-27 school year, the tuition for lower grades is already over $30,000 per year, and for high school, it exceeds $40,000.

When you factor in school activities and other costs, it is certainly not a light burden.

Fortunately, there is a financial aid system, so not all families pay the full tuition amount. If you are interested, it is better to explore the admission process and the possibility of financial aid rather than giving up right away by thinking, "We can't afford it."

And if you are considering St. Mark's, the housing issue comes into play as well.

Nearby areas include University Park and Highland Park, which are part of the Park Cities.

These areas are nice to live in and convenient for commuting, but you might be shocked by the home prices, as homes over $1 million are common.

That said, you don't necessarily have to live right next to the school.

If you venture a little further out, you can lower the cost of homes or rent. However, you need to consider the time it takes to drop your child off at school every morning. In Dallas, you also have to account for traffic during rush hours, so you shouldn't judge distances based solely on what you see on a map.

Especially for those moving to Texas from other states, it's essential to calculate property taxes.

While Texas has no state income tax, making it seem like taxes are low, the burden of property taxes can be significant. If you buy an expensive home, the property taxes you pay each year will also be substantial.

Ultimately, families considering a private school like St. Mark's should not only calculate tuition.

You need to look at how much tuition is, whether you can receive financial aid, where you will live, how much home prices and property taxes are, and whether daily commuting is feasible—all at once.

So, for families moving to Dallas for the first time, I would advise against signing a lease or buying a home right away.

First, visit the school, check on admission possibilities, tuition, and financial aid, and once you have a good idea of which school is suitable for your child, then narrow down your living area.