Last month, I spoke with a family preparing to move to Centreville. They were deeply contemplating whether to enroll their child in a public school or look into private schools as their child is about to enter middle school. When I asked why they were considering private schools despite the Fairfax County public school district having a relatively good reputation nationwide, they replied that they wanted to closely examine the curriculum and college admission results leading up to college entrance. From my long-term observation of the housing market in this area, I can say that such concerns tend to arise around the same time each year.

The Flint Hill School, located in Oakton, which is a 20-minute drive from Centreville, is frequently mentioned among Korean parents. For the 2026-27 school year, the tuition for upper school, which includes grades 9 through 12, is $56,965 per student. This includes a laptop and lunch, while costs for uniforms, textbooks, and transportation are additional.

There is also a separate college advising program to assist with college admissions. This program includes individual consultations with admissions officers, essay coaching, and support for campus tours, structured in a step-by-step manner. The school explains that graduates who have gone through this process feel better prepared for college than their peers.

While the tuition may seem burdensome at first glance, the story changes when you consider the college admission results. Recently, there have been cases of graduates being accepted to Ivy League and equivalent universities such as Brown, Cornell, Pennsylvania, Princeton, Stanford, Duke, Northwestern, Georgetown, Tufts, and Wellesley. Additionally, large public universities like the University of Michigan, University of Virginia, UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Penn State, as well as prestigious engineering schools like Carnegie Mellon, Rice, MIT, and Caltech, are also included. The school has stated that in recent years, graduates have gone on to over 200 different colleges.

There is an important point to note here. These results are the culmination of the school's curriculum and college guidance programs that have been developed over a long period. The frequent mention of this school within the Korean parent community is ultimately due to word-of-mouth regarding its admission results and academic management methods.

If the tuition is too burdensome, there are ways to be assigned to high schools within the Fairfax County public school district that offer advanced classes and AP courses, which are college-level courses. However, school district boundaries can change frequently based on addresses, so it is advisable to check directly on the county education department's website to see which school is assigned to a specific address before securing a home. If you want to reference school ratings, you can check scores on sites like GreatSchools or Niche, but keep in mind that these ratings are updated annually, so it's important to verify that the information is current.

Now, let's move on to housing prices. According to RentCafe data from August 2026, the average rent in Centreville is $2,366. This is a decrease of 6.67% from $2,535 a year ago. A one-bedroom apartment averages $2,156, a two-bedroom $2,471, and a three-bedroom around $3,170. For reference, Zumper data indicates that the rent in Centreville is about 1.4 times the national median rent of $1,925. Given its proximity to Washington D.C., it is definitely on the higher side compared to the national average.

Families moving from out of state should also consider that Virginia's property tax and insurance structures may differ from their previous residence. Since tax rates and assessment methods vary by county, it is safer to confirm the exact amounts with the tax department of the respective county. In times like these, when mortgage rates fluctuate frequently, the calculations of whether renting or buying is more advantageous can change monthly. Since the terms offered by lenders can vary, it is advisable to obtain estimates from multiple sources for comparison.

Ultimately, whether to choose private or public schooling depends on the child's learning style and the family's financial planning. By considering both tuition and rent together, it may become easier to outline a budget for the coming years. This article does not constitute investment or legal advice, and it is recommended to consult with both the school and real estate professionals before proceeding with enrollment and contracts.