How many openings for 3rd grade at GDS?
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Anonymous
| How many openings are typically available at GDS for 3rd grade? It says they expand slightly but do not give a number. |
pbraverman
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That is accurate in my experience. I would guess they don't offer a specific number because it's very low, and when there are slots they often go to siblings, talented kids who have just moved to DC, and other relatively unusual constituencies. For example (this is only for example — I don't know the actual numbers), say the second grade is three sections of 15 kids, a total of 45. The reason the number of admits is so low for third grade is that third grade also has 3 x 15, and the numbers don't expand to 60 students until grade 4. So the actual number of spots may be 0, or it may be 4, and it will depend mostly on how many families are leaving the school for various reasons. They probably won't have a good idea of that until families' plans for 2020–2021 become clearer, which usually begins to happen around the time re-enrollment contracts are offered in February. If you love the school, you'll have to go through the application process, unless they suggest otherwise. That said, I think it's fair to ask them not to review your application if there are no spots available. Last year another competitive school had no openings for 8, and told a family with whom I worked that they wouldn't read applications if there were no spots. To their credit they were very candid about it and kept the family informed along the way. |
Anonymous
As a former parent at PDS (which ends in 2nd grade), I find this very hard to believe given the number of graduates who have gone to GDS for 3rd grade in recent years. |
Anonymous
This current school year 4 from PDS went to GDS. I believe that they had a total of 8 slots for 3rd grade. |
pbraverman
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I want to be clear that I have never discussed with Kim or Ronnie, the GDS lower school directors, exactly how this works at GDS; this point is pretty specific and deep in the weeds, so to speak. I'm only offering some examples of the way the math might reasonably work at any school. So, if any school anticipates some number of matriculants from a particular feeder school with whom they've had a long and successful relationship, they may not count those spots in the "available" numbers. Again, I'm not saying GDS does this specifically — just that there are usually contingencies that nobody, in some cases even the school, has any way of knowing in advance. One example is how many siblings will show up in a given year. If it's sometimes 5 and other times 15 (in sixth or ninth grade, e.g.), that means they can't convey accurately in advance how many spots will be available. I hope that makes sense — I'm certainly not trying to confuse the issue or to claim very specific inside knowledge I don't have. |
Anonymous
| I know, it's hard, if you don't get in your kids are screwed for life - even at age 8. I know you want to be at such a special place that is so important they even get to close down 42 St NW for an indefinite period of time, inconveniencing all of the little people who work for the parents of students as well as public school families, so they can build their new Palace of Entitlement. |
Anonymous
| Why so salty? I thought OP’s question was harmless. |
Anonymous
I'm sorry that your kid didn't get in. |