GDS...is it as good as its reputation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People with this described GDS attitude who start working in my company and demand unearned perks, renegotiate salary and think all their ideas are superb don't last long. Maybe it's generational, but for now there are others who are innovative and still work well with a team.

Would you say that correlates with the new hires not having worked in 'menial'/minimum wage jobs in their youth?
You learn a lot about hard work, getting along and how not great you are despite your education until you work on z/y/z at those jobs
Also, someone who can take out endless bags of trash, carry heavy plates of food or mop up fish guts is not likely to be spoiled
Lots of private school kids go on pricey service trips over the summer - it is work, but with other rich kids. It's not the same as having an actual job.

[Anonymous]

I started out thinking what's wrong with this thread is that it has almost nothing to do with GDS and everything to do with a few mid-level managers' desire to assert their own superiority vis a vis millenials and/or rich kids.

But, on a deeper level, there's just a real clash of educational cultures here and it's probably not coincidental that GDS (rather than, say, Sidwell) brings out these sorts of visceral reactions. The fundamental question is what should education do? One answer is teach you to know your place and that you're not so special. The other answer is encourage you to push your own limits and to realize that every individual is a co-creator of the culture we live in.

Not surprisingly, given that framing, I fall in the second camp. And think that the real problem is when the latter sort of education is made available almost exclusively to children of privilege.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell encourages similar challenging, as do many other schools in the area. They just aren't as douchey about it.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell has an air of noblesse oblige which involves "knowing your place" just as much as education for subordination does. None of that kids on a first name basis with teachers BS either. So for the status-oriented/driven folks it's comparatively inoffensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell encourages similar challenging, as do many other schools in the area. They just aren't as douchey about it.

Can't say exactly why, but this word does describe the GDS culture rather well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actual GDS parent here. Obviously, we're partial to GDS and the quality and depth of its high school academics are a good fit for our child. But, your child will be well served at all the schools mentioned already. There are differences among them, but they are all excellent. But, because of their selectivity and huge number of applicants, odds are that you will not be choosing among multiple acceptances.

What's important at the consideration stage of the process is figuring out where you think your child will thrive. Open houses are a piece of the process, but they are like cattle calls filled with lots of families that may or not be serious about attending the school. That's why they are a little cursory. The real sense of the school will come when you do a tour and play date and interview. Your child will come home with opinions to consider with yours. It is also perfectly appropriate to decide not to proceed with the application if the tour and play date didn't feel right.

Thanks. Of course I will be choosing from multiple acceptances - my child is about as good as they come . Seriously, you are absolutely correct which is why I hesitate to not see the process through because I want to maximize our options of getting into at least one of our top choices.

Omg are we talking about a kindergartener here? She's as good as they come? Really - just your child?
This is why I totally refused this process when our kids were young. Your child will be especially insufferable
as an teen and adult unless these schools are good at teaching humility somehow (which I doubt).
Maybe she'll do herself a favor and have terribly rebellious teenage years so she can 'get over herself'.

You will fit right in at this school - I hear that thinking your kid is the best thing on the planet is de rigeur there.
Don't apply anywhere else!

Are you really THAT dense?!? I was being funny! Making a joke! Get over yourself!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell encourages similar challenging, as do many other schools in the area. They just aren't as douchey about it.

Can't say exactly why, but this word does describe the GDS culture rather well.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actual GDS parent here. Obviously, we're partial to GDS and the quality and depth of its high school academics are a good fit for our child. But, your child will be well served at all the schools mentioned already. There are differences among them, but they are all excellent. But, because of their selectivity and huge number of applicants, odds are that you will not be choosing among multiple acceptances.

What's important at the consideration stage of the process is figuring out where you think your child will thrive. Open houses are a piece of the process, but they are like cattle calls filled with lots of families that may or not be serious about attending the school. That's why they are a little cursory. The real sense of the school will come when you do a tour and play date and interview. Your child will come home with opinions to consider with yours. It is also perfectly appropriate to decide not to proceed with the application if the tour and play date didn't feel right.

Thanks. Of course I will be choosing from multiple acceptances - my child is about as good as they come . Seriously, you are absolutely correct which is why I hesitate to not see the process through because I want to maximize our options of getting into at least one of our top choices.

Omg are we talking about a kindergartener here? She's as good as they come? Really - just your child?
This is why I totally refused this process when our kids were young. Your child will be especially insufferable
as an teen and adult unless these schools are good at teaching humility somehow (which I doubt).
Maybe she'll do herself a favor and have terribly rebellious teenage years so she can 'get over herself'.

You will fit right in at this school - I hear that thinking your kid is the best thing on the planet is de rigeur there.
Don't apply anywhere else!

Are you really THAT dense?!? I was being funny! Making a joke! Get over yourself!

The lady doth protest too much

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actual GDS parent here. Obviously, we're partial to GDS and the quality and depth of its high school academics are a good fit for our child. But, your child will be well served at all the schools mentioned already. There are differences among them, but they are all excellent. But, because of their selectivity and huge number of applicants, odds are that you will not be choosing among multiple acceptances.

What's important at the consideration stage of the process is figuring out where you think your child will thrive. Open houses are a piece of the process, but they are like cattle calls filled with lots of families that may or not be serious about attending the school. That's why they are a little cursory. The real sense of the school will come when you do a tour and play date and interview. Your child will come home with opinions to consider with yours. It is also perfectly appropriate to decide not to proceed with the application if the tour and play date didn't feel right.

Thanks. Of course I will be choosing from multiple acceptances - my child is about as good as they come . Seriously, you are absolutely correct which is why I hesitate to not see the process through because I want to maximize our options of getting into at least one of our top choices.

Omg are we talking about a kindergartener here? She's as good as they come? Really - just your child?
This is why I totally refused this process when our kids were young. Your child will be especially insufferable
as an teen and adult unless these schools are good at teaching humility somehow (which I doubt).
Maybe she'll do herself a favor and have terribly rebellious teenage years so she can 'get over herself'.

You will fit right in at this school - I hear that thinking your kid is the best thing on the planet is de rigeur there.
Don't apply anywhere else!

Are you really THAT dense?!? I was being funny! Making a joke! Get over yourself!

The lady doth protest too much

Umm yeah that's it, you've got me pegged. You know my inner thoughts better than I know myself. Moving right along...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I started out thinking what's wrong with this thread is that it has almost nothing to do with GDS and everything to do with a few mid-level managers' desire to assert their own superiority vis a vis millenials and/or rich kids.

But, on a deeper level, there's just a real clash of educational cultures here and it's probably not coincidental that GDS (rather than, say, Sidwell) brings out these sorts of visceral reactions. The fundamental question is what should education do? One answer is teach you to know your place and that you're not so special. The other answer is encourage you to push your own limits and to realize that every individual is a co-creator of the culture we live in.

Not surprisingly, given that framing, I fall in the second camp. And think that the real problem is when the latter sort of education is made available almost exclusively to children of privilege.

You are a GDS HS student. You have a lot of filler words, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell encourages similar challenging, as do many other schools in the area. They just aren't as douchey about it.

Can't say exactly why, but this word does describe the GDS culture rather well.

+1

No, douchey is more landon, GPrep. Maybe a small percentage of StA. GDS is more of the fast-talking, hyper verbal pushy New Yorker entitled loud demonstrative intellectual thing. It all flows from the demographics of the parents who self-select into this school, and not, say, a Cathedral school.

Says I, the neighbor and casual friend of about a zilliion GDS parents.

[Anonymous]

If you are fortunate enough to get into strong schools like GDS, Sidwell, Maret, NCS, be grateful, make your choose and move on. Posting negative comments about the school's you didn't select seems to be an odd way of behaving.

[Anonymous]

*choice

[Anonymous]

No, douchey is more landon, GPrep. Maybe a small percentage of StA. GDS is more of the fast-talking, hyper verbal pushy New Yorker entitled loud demonstrative intellectual thing. It all flows from the demographics of the parents who self-select into this school, and not, say, a Cathedral school.

Says I, the neighbor and casual friend of about a zilliion GDS parents.

"Some of my best friends are Jewish" - is that what you just said?

[Anonymous]

well if self righteous narcissism isn't douchey, find me another term.