Choosing WIS over GDS or Sidwell?

[Anonymous]

13:12, that's great, I'm glad to hear that GDS is doing so much with languages. Certainly both schools have wonderful merits.

We DID want an immersion program, as we were seeking true early bilingualism/biliteracy, so we chose WIS over GDS, although I think GDS is a fine school. At the seemingly effortless rate that schooling is proceeding, we expect our child to be trilingual/triliterate within the next few years, and conversant in at least a fourth language by high school. We think this is a true gift to give someone, and I'm not sure that we would pony up $25K+ for a school that didn't offer a comparable big extra that we couldn't find in public school. Just my opinion, and what works for my family.

[Anonymous]

I agree with 13:12. We are particulary excited with the fact that WIS joined the Confucious Classroom Network -- I think the ability to add Chinese as a third language is a tremendous opportunity. Also, there is nothing to prevent a child from attending WIS in the early years for the linguisitics and switiching in 6th/98th if they feel that math and science is lacking.

[Anonymous]

O'm the last post -- meant to say that I agree with 13:36.

[Anonymous]

GDS is adding Chinese in both LS and MS next year (it's already available at the HS), but my DC is bummed that she'd have to give up French (or, more likely, do it outside of school) to add Chinese. It doesn't seem as if you can study two foreign languages simultaneously at GDS, at least not before HS.

[Anonymous]

Very good to know, thank you.

[Anonymous]

From what I've seen and heard, WIS provides really excellent math and science. My DC spent the day at each school and thought GDS 6th gr. math and science were repeating what he'd done in 5th in public shool, but at WIS he was blown away by science and challenged with the math. Granted one day at each may not paint the whole pic. I've also heard from friends that the teachers at WIS in upper school are more available/hands on for kids struggling, partly due to the intimacy of the school. Either school is a great opportunity, for sure. Wish WIS had more p.e. in upper grades, GDS blows it away in terms of phys. fitness/athletics.

[Anonymous]

LOL -- that's the first time I've ever seen GDS have the edge based on athletics! Re teacher availability -- I'm not sure what the basis is for comparison (e.g. teachers are very available at GDS -- not only informally, but in ways that ensure there's someone around to help at specific times and places -- how would you know whether they are more available at WIS?)

That said, I will say that our preference for GDS was kid-specific. We have an intensely academic DC who has broad interests (politics, science, language, music) and who is happiest when working on projects that are in depth and long-term. I could imagine GDS being a less-than-delightful environment for a kid who might struggle academically with some subjects or who prefers shorter assignments that are more directed/less open-ended. I think GDS works best for kids who are academically-oriented and self-motivated.

[Anonymous]

Well, GDS has p.e. 4 or 5 times a week and a bigger variety of sport options. In the end, you're correct, it must be kid specific and WIS is my kid's first choice.

[Anonymous]

I think it is quite comical that GDS/Sidwell are even in the same question as WIS. It is like comparing apples to oranges. It seems like people who are choosing WIS are doing so for the strong foreign language component in addition to a well-rounded education. People who choose GDS/Sidwell want the well-rounded education, recognizing that the foreign language piece, although important, is not the main focal point.

Also, all three schools are great. It amazes me that people feel the need to shred one down to validate why they like another school. My DC got into Sidwell, GDS and Beauvoir. All great schools, we made our decision based off of what would be best for her in the end, and I have never looked back.

[Anonymous]

Read through this thread. Did not recognize any shredding being done. Relax.

[Anonymous]

12:59: It's not about the apples/oranges, it's a choice about which direction you really want your child to go in, either choice opens new doors and new viewpoints. So it's a reasonable comparison to consider IB/smaller/international community vs. larger/academically strong/artistic focus. My child is very artistic and would benefit a great deal from the arts focus, yet his dad and I do business internationally and DC has grown up in a world-view household and experienced other countries a great deal. It's a question of which door they want to walk through, and it's also a very different choice if student is coming out of traditional DCPS into MS or HS vs. entering at low grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with 13:12. We are particulary excited with the fact that WIS joined the Confucious Classroom Network -- I think the ability to add Chinese as a third language is a tremendous opportunity. Also, there is nothing to prevent a child from attending WIS in the early years for the linguisitics and switiching in 6th/98th if they feel that math and science is lacking.

anyone who has done this - moved to GDS/Sidwell/Etc from WIS in 6th or 9th? If so, why?

[Anonymous]

In my limited observations, several families apply to both WIS and GDS because of their emphasis on diversity, because they are not religiously affiliated schools, and because they are both close geographically (Sidwell's LS being in Bethesda). They are both fine schools, no doubt, but we ultimately chose GDS over WIS because we thought that in the long run, GDS might prove a better fit for our child and our family.

The Primary Years IB curriculum at WIS is very impressive, but the general sense is that the GDS upper school is stronger. Also, the attrition rate at WIS is significantly higher than at GDS, not due to the school itself, but because WIS is going to attract a lot of families that relocate. We were personally impressed by the very low student attrition rate at GDS because it suggested both very happy families and a school that works to keep its students. Finally, although students leave WIS with stronger foreign language skills, GDS offered excellent foreign language opportunities for a non-immersion school.

I don't think that you can go wrong in either case. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my limited observations, several families apply to both WIS and GDS because of their emphasis on diversity, because they are not religiously affiliated schools, and because they are both close geographically (Sidwell's LS being in Bethesda). They are both fine schools, no doubt, but we ultimately chose GDS over WIS because we thought that in the long run, GDS might prove a better fit for our child and our family.

The Primary Years IB curriculum at WIS is very impressive, but the general sense is that the GDS upper school is stronger. Also, the attrition rate at WIS is significantly higher than at GDS, not due to the school itself, but because WIS is going to attract a lot of families that relocate. We were personally impressed by the very low student attrition rate at GDS because it suggested both very happy families and a school that works to keep its students. Finally, although students leave WIS with stronger foreign language skills, GDS offered excellent foreign language opportunities for a non-immersion school.

I don't think that you can go wrong in either case. Good luck!

We made the opposite decision, but I agree with much of what this poster says except for the high attrition at WIS. Our child has been there for several years now and I have been surprised by the low attrition given the population.

Our child was accepted to GDS and WIS and we chose WIS because we thought it was a better fit for our child and because we wanted true immersion and the probability of real fluency/bi-literacy. We also thought that it might be a better fit for our family. The families at both schools seem a little posh compared to what we're used to, but we had a feeling that WIS might suit us as parents better, though that was far from the most important factor. I agree that either is a very safe bet for a great education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my limited observations, several families apply to both WIS and GDS because of their emphasis on diversity, because they are not religiously affiliated schools, and because they are both close geographically (Sidwell's LS being in Bethesda). They are both fine schools, no doubt, but we ultimately chose GDS over WIS because we thought that in the long run, GDS might prove a better fit for our child and our family.

The Primary Years IB curriculum at WIS is very impressive, but the general sense is that the GDS upper school is stronger. Also, the attrition rate at WIS is significantly higher than at GDS, not due to the school itself, but because WIS is going to attract a lot of families that relocate. We were personally impressed by the very low student attrition rate at GDS because it suggested both very happy families and a school that works to keep its students. Finally, although students leave WIS with stronger foreign language skills, GDS offered excellent foreign language opportunities for a non-immersion school.

I don't think that you can go wrong in either case. Good luck!

We made the opposite decision, but I agree with much of what this poster says except for the high attrition at WIS. Our child has been there for several years now and I have been surprised by the low attrition given the population.

Our child was accepted to GDS and WIS and we chose WIS because we thought it was a better fit for our child and because we wanted true immersion and the probability of real fluency/bi-literacy. We also thought that it might be a better fit for our family. The families at both schools seem a little posh compared to what we're used to, but we had a feeling that WIS might suit us as parents better, though that was far from the most important factor. I agree that either is a very safe bet for a great education.

When I asked the AD at WIS how many of the PK children stayed on until graduation, she responded that it was about 50%. At GDS, the response to the same question was 98%.