Is Sidwell really Sadwell?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have been hearing that high school culture at Sidwell can be toxic. That recent mental health study survey showed that majority of students felt depressed or were clinically diagnosed as such. That whole culture of school is entitled, arrogant and mean. By senior year, you want to just have the pain of this place end and move on to a better chapter of your life

Three kids in or recently graduated from the US.

OP why don’t you tell us where you’re “hearing” this and what your point is in posting these declarative statements, as though they are facts?

I were a tad cynical I would suspect that you have an 8th grader whose application to Sidwell was due last week, and you are a bit freaked out realizing the low chance of admission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The last years of Sidwell are one giant stress-fest. Same at NCS. Same at St Albans. Same for high-achievers at all the best public schools in the area.

You need to prepare your kids to not give in to panic when they see every other kid going into conniptions.

Don't try to universalize Sidwell’s problems to all similar schools. This is not how I would describe the environment at STA. And definitely not the experience at GDS. Kids at Sidwell and NCS are stuck in their pressure cookers.

Yes that is why GDS is not a “big 3”.

[Anonymous]

The pressure mostly comes from the parents who see anything less than an A as utter failure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have been hearing that high school culture at Sidwell can be toxic. That recent mental health study survey showed that majority of students felt depressed or were clinically diagnosed as such. That whole culture of school is entitled, arrogant and mean. By senior year, you want to just have the pain of this place end and move on to a better chapter of your life

Three kids in or recently graduated from the US.

OP why don’t you tell us where you’re “hearing” this and what your point is in posting these declarative statements, as though they are facts?

I were a tad cynical I would suspect that you have an 8th grader whose application to Sidwell was due last week, and you are a bit freaked out realizing the low chance of admission.

Why do people always post this? Does anyone really think a negative post about your school is some sort of three-dimensional admissions chess move?

[Anonymous]

The nickname “Sadwell No Friends” has been around forever. All the private schools have a name. All the kids at the schools know them. It’s just a joke. Don’t take it so seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The last years of Sidwell are one giant stress-fest. Same at NCS. Same at St Albans. Same for high-achievers at all the best public schools in the area.

You need to prepare your kids to not give in to panic when they see every other kid going into conniptions.

Don't try to universalize Sidwell’s problems to all similar schools. This is not how I would describe the environment at STA. And definitely not the experience at GDS. Kids at Sidwell and NCS are stuck in their pressure cookers.

Speak for yourself. My daughter is at NCS and is not stuck there. They are quite happy and thriving and have much more free time than their sibling that attended another Big 3 school.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell really has some of you in a chokehold. At least 2-5 new threads are created about this school each week. I don’t think any other school gets this much consistent and sustained attention (and hate) in the Private School Forum. Just an observation.

Carry on with your Sidwell obsession…

[Anonymous]

Agree it is getting strangely obsessive on this board. . . I have three very happy, very different kids at SFS. We've never felt that it's a pressure cooker, and we frequently remark on how down to earth and warm the school community has been along the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have been hearing that high school culture at Sidwell can be toxic. That recent mental health study survey showed that majority of students felt depressed or were clinically diagnosed as such. That whole culture of school is entitled, arrogant and mean. By senior year, you want to just have the pain of this place end and move on to a better chapter of your life

Three kids in or recently graduated from the US.

OP why don’t you tell us where you’re “hearing” this and what your point is in posting these declarative statements, as though they are facts?

I were a tad cynical I would suspect that you have an 8th grader whose application to Sidwell was due last week, and you are a bit freaked out realizing the low chance of admission.

Why do people always post this? Does anyone really think a negative post about your school is some sort of three-dimensional admissions chess move?

Not for most schools. But for Sidwell? Absolutely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The pressure mostly comes from the parents who see anything less than an A as utter failure.

The school would love to tell you this. They are forever pointing a finger at parents and never looking in the mirror. Most parents are perfectly fine but are assumed to be a nightmare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The nickname “Sadwell No Friends” has been around forever. All the private schools have a name. All the kids at the schools know them. It’s just a joke. Don’t take it so seriously.

But this is actually true for some kids and Sidwell does not notice or care one bit about those kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The nickname “Sadwell No Friends” has been around forever. All the private schools have a name. All the kids at the schools know them. It’s just a joke. Don’t take it so seriously.

But this is actually true for some kids and Sidwell does not notice or care one bit about those kids.

This “is actually true for some kids” at every school. Students struggle with depression, and other mental health issues, at every school. Sidwell is not an exception to that rule, nor is it an outlier. What’s your point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have been hearing that high school culture at Sidwell can be toxic. That recent mental health study survey showed that majority of students felt depressed or were clinically diagnosed as such. That whole culture of school is entitled, arrogant and mean. By senior year, you want to just have the pain of this place end and move on to a better chapter of your life

Three kids in or recently graduated from the US.

OP why don’t you tell us where you’re “hearing” this and what your point is in posting these declarative statements, as though they are facts?

I were a tad cynical I would suspect that you have an 8th grader whose application to Sidwell was due last week, and you are a bit freaked out realizing the low chance of admission.

Why do people always post this? Does anyone really think a negative post about your school is some sort of three-dimensional admissions chess move?

Not for most schools. But for Sidwell? Absolutely.

Fits with all the navel-gazing at Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The nickname “Sadwell No Friends” has been around forever. All the private schools have a name. All the kids at the schools know them. It’s just a joke. Don’t take it so seriously.

But this is actually true for some kids and Sidwell does not notice or care one bit about those kids.

This “is actually true for some kids” at every school. Students struggle with depression, and other mental health issues, at every school. Sidwell is not an exception to that rule, nor is it an outlier. What’s your point?

The point would be that Sidwell does not have a particularly warm approach from teachers or admin. There is very little expectation for mentoring. And, yes, it does occur among those who are outgoing and of course there are some teachers that are warm. Every school we know of has a higher bar for the student advisory role and generally employs more kindness into the ethos of the school from the top down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The nickname “Sadwell No Friends” has been around forever. All the private schools have a name. All the kids at the schools know them. It’s just a joke. Don’t take it so seriously.

But this is actually true for some kids and Sidwell does not notice or care one bit about those kids.

This “is actually true for some kids” at every school. Students struggle with depression, and other mental health issues, at every school. Sidwell is not an exception to that rule, nor is it an outlier. What’s your point?

The point would be that Sidwell does not have a particularly warm approach from teachers or admin. There is very little expectation for mentoring. And, yes, it does occur among those who are outgoing and of course there are some teachers that are warm. Every school we know of has a higher bar for the student advisory role and generally employs more kindness into the ethos of the school from the top down.

If you actually had a child at Sidwell, you would know this isn’t true.

Two quick examples:
1. There are weekly required advisory meetings with your assigned/selected faculty/administrator advisor; and
2. My children participated in Sidwell’s peer mentorship program, where they were matched with a senior. They met weekly with their student mentor.

While no place is perfect, my children love Sidwell. They have told me many times that there’s no other school they would prefer to attend over Sidwell. This entire thread is nonsense. However, I understand that people love to hate Sidwell, so these ridiculous posts will continue.