When did GDS become so well regarded?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When the Obamas visited it.

But then the USSS persuaded them on Sidwell because it was easier for the agents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up here in the 80s and it was considered a school where kids went that didn't "get in" - things have changed - what happened and when?

Still the same, except that it's tougher to get in like all other good DC privates.

[Anonymous]

No, some people actually choose GDS over Sidwell. Why? The vibe has gotten seriously arrogant and obnoxious at Sidwell in the last 10 years. Admissions is fully aware of the influx of parents who have little respect for Quaker beliefs. The school itself has come far from its Quaker roots.

GDS students, while facing as rigorous an academic curriculum -- arguably better in the math and sciences -- as Sidwell, enjoy their studies more and are less freaked out that the students at Sidwell. Because of the high status name brand, a lot of controlling, Tiger parents [Ivy or bust] send their children to Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

In the 80s and 90s, GDS was regarded as a progressive/hippy, liberal intellectual school for Jewish and African American kids. It was where journalists and activists send their children. I don’t think the intellectual or academic quality of the school was ever really questioned; it was just more anti-establishment than Sidwell and the Cathedral Schools. The previous headmaster, Peter Branch, did a ton a fundraising and schmoozing, and as the city became wealthier, more and more mainstream “establishment” families started sending their kids to GDS. I’d say for the last 20 years GDS has been on a trajectory that for better or for worse, put it in the same league as other well known independent schools in the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:50 years ago, China was a communist backwater. Today it is the second largest economy in the world, on the heels of the US. What is your point? That people don't work to change things?

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maret was a last resort school, and Bullis wasn't even a laughable options.

I think, as the public schools continued to deteriorate in the 1990's (DCPS and DC in general hit a nadir during the crack epidemic and latter Barry years) and testing and overcrowding overtook the MoCo schools in the late 1990's and early 2000's, there is a huge influx of new demand that made "the top" schools even harder to get into and it trickled "down" to GDS and Maret and as those became more in demand, it tickled "down" to Burke, Field, St Andrews, WIS etc.

Families do choose WIS over “Big 3”, hate to break it to you. But you can stay in your bubble.

[Anonymous]

It really isn't. But it has more backers on this board than other schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the 80s and early 90s GDS was the school where liberal, Jewish intellectuals sent their kids. WASPY types never considered it because of that. Slowly I think folks started to realize that the kids were getting a great education there and what had been a mostly Jewish school (albeit very reform/progressive) started to change demographically. Also GDS had a reputation for being integrated early on and DC was a VERY segregated city so that probably held its reputation down in certain circles

That’s probably accurate. I went to Sidwell in the 70s-80s and GDS was definitely more crunchy. It is newer than the others so that makes a difference. Of course I don’t remember Sidwell being all that in those days either. It was the cathedral schools that attracted the old money people.

[Anonymous]

It's not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, some people actually choose GDS over Sidwell. Why? The vibe has gotten seriously arrogant and obnoxious at Sidwell in the last 10 years. Admissions is fully aware of the influx of parents who have little respect for Quaker beliefs. The school itself has come far from its Quaker roots.

GDS students, while facing as rigorous an academic curriculum -- arguably better in the math and sciences -- as Sidwell, enjoy their studies more and are less freaked out that the students at Sidwell. Because of the high status name brand, a lot of controlling, Tiger parents [Ivy or bust] send their children to Sidwell.

Sidwell has been living off the Obama buzz for a long time, but that’s faded now.

[Anonymous]

Please hang up your Sidwell-bashing megaphone. You’re tired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up here in the 80s and 90s and I agree. GDS was nbd. It had no reputation at all. It wasn’t on people’s radar.

Disagree! I remember it being the “cool” school where the kids had freedom and could call teachers by their first name. It was seen as progressive/non-traditional, at least this was my POV as a kid who didn’t attend. A school that kids liked but parents not so much!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up here in the 80s and 90s and I agree. GDS was nbd. It had no reputation at all. It wasn’t on people’s radar.

Disagree! I remember it being the “cool” school where the kids had freedom and could call teachers by their first name. It was seen as progressive/non-traditional, at least this was my POV as a kid who didn’t attend. A school that kids liked but parents not so much!

When did it become a hook to Harvard?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, some people actually choose GDS over Sidwell. Why? The vibe has gotten seriously arrogant and obnoxious at Sidwell in the last 10 years. Admissions is fully aware of the influx of parents who have little respect for Quaker beliefs. The school itself has come far from its Quaker roots.

GDS students, while facing as rigorous an academic curriculum -- arguably better in the math and sciences -- as Sidwell, enjoy their studies more and are less freaked out that the students at Sidwell. Because of the high status name brand, a lot of controlling, Tiger parents [Ivy or bust] send their children to Sidwell.

Your first paragraph is just ridiculous and arrogant and wrong.

Your second paragraph is worse, and neither are backed by any facts. Please just stop.

[Anonymous]

I don't think GDS is attractive to anyone who thinks of schools the way they think of country clubs. When I was in high school in the 1980s, there were still lots of parents/families that didn't want to send their children to school with Jews (let alone blacks, Asians, or Latinos). So "couldn't get in elsewhere" often was a matter of ethnicity. When we were house shopping a couple years ago in Cleveland Park, the realtor, who had an all-boys Catholic school sticker on her car, couldn't keep herself from repeatedly calling it "Jewish Day." Bigotry just isn't limited to Appalachia.