Big 3, Big 5??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big 3 has always been Sidwell, GDS and STA/NCS. If you’re not including STA/NCS as one school system then NCS falls off that list.

Always? This is laughable. GDS is not on the list.

GDS wasn't on the list for years because they had the nerve to admit Jews and African Americans.

I know—because a school that educated Thurgood Marshall’s children and RBG’s grandchildren is clearly second rate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big 3 has always been Sidwell, GDS and STA/NCS. If you’re not including STA/NCS as one school system then NCS falls off that list.

GDS was not even created as a school when the Big 3 schools began. It has always been STA, NCS, and Sidwell. Always. NCS/STA are NOT the same school. Different institutions, different boards, different finances, etc... Only 30 percent of families have kids in both schools.

As said GDS was not even in existence as a school when the Big 3 term began.

Huh???
What are you talking about? GDS was created in 1945. The "big 3" is a term created on DCUM. DCUM has not even been around for 30 years.

No but Big 3 school and top tier have been around for over a hundred years and the top tier has always been Sidwell and Cathedral schools. Ask anyone that grew up in this area. GDS came into the picture much later as did Potomac.

Yes, they have been around a long time, but they were never called big 3 or big anything. The big 3 term started on DCUM.

There’s literally a Wikipedia article about the term “big 3” and its use to describe HYP dating back 100+ years ago.

But we are not talking about HYP here

Some posters are claiming DCUM invented the term Big 3, so this PP is pointing out a usage far predating DCUM. We know we're not talking about HYP here.

[Anonymous]

And now they are just like the others, catering to the wealthy and maintaining the status quo they once purported to buck. Oh well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big 3 has always been Sidwell, GDS and STA/NCS. If you’re not including STA/NCS as one school system then NCS falls off that list.

GDS was not even created as a school when the Big 3 schools began. It has always been STA, NCS, and Sidwell. Always. NCS/STA are NOT the same school. Different institutions, different boards, different finances, etc... Only 30 percent of families have kids in both schools.

As said GDS was not even in existence as a school when the Big 3 term began.

Huh???
What are you talking about? GDS was created in 1945. The "big 3" is a term created on DCUM. DCUM has not even been around for 30 years.

No but Big 3 school and top tier have been around for over a hundred years and the top tier has always been Sidwell and Cathedral schools. Ask anyone that grew up in this area. GDS came into the picture much later as did Potomac.

Yes, they have been around a long time, but they were never called big 3 or big anything. The big 3 term started on DCUM.

There’s literally a Wikipedia article about the term “big 3” and its use to describe HYP dating back 100+ years ago.

But we are not talking about HYP here

Some posters are claiming DCUM invented the term Big 3, so this PP is pointing out a usage far predating DCUM. We know we're not talking about HYP here.

Seriously, are you really that obtuse? We are talking about big 3 in term of private schools in DC, which was created on DCUM. Not the general usage. No one outside of DCUM refers to these schools as big 3, big 5 or big anything.
My goodness!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big 3 has always been Sidwell, GDS and STA/NCS. If you’re not including STA/NCS as one school system then NCS falls off that list.

GDS was not even created as a school when the Big 3 schools began. It has always been STA, NCS, and Sidwell. Always. NCS/STA are NOT the same school. Different institutions, different boards, different finances, etc... Only 30 percent of families have kids in both schools.

As said GDS was not even in existence as a school when the Big 3 term began.

Huh???
What are you talking about? GDS was created in 1945. The "big 3" is a term created on DCUM. DCUM has not even been around for 30 years.

No but Big 3 school and top tier have been around for over a hundred years and the top tier has always been Sidwell and Cathedral schools. Ask anyone that grew up in this area. GDS came into the picture much later as did Potomac.

Yes, they have been around a long time, but they were never called big 3 or big anything. The big 3 term started on DCUM.

There’s literally a Wikipedia article about the term “big 3” and its use to describe HYP dating back 100+ years ago.

But we are not talking about HYP here

Some posters are claiming DCUM invented the term Big 3, so this PP is pointing out a usage far predating DCUM. We know we're not talking about HYP here.

Seriously, are you really that obtuse? We are talking about big 3 in term of private schools in DC, which was created on DCUM. Not the general usage. No one outside of DCUM refers to these schools as big 3, big 5 or big anything.
My goodness!

Fair point! I was just saying why (in my opinion) the PP brought the HYP usage into it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big 3 has always been Sidwell, GDS and STA/NCS. If you’re not including STA/NCS as one school system then NCS falls off that list.

GDS was not even created as a school when the Big 3 schools began. It has always been STA, NCS, and Sidwell. Always. NCS/STA are NOT the same school. Different institutions, different boards, different finances, etc... Only 30 percent of families have kids in both schools.

As said GDS was not even in existence as a school when the Big 3 term began.

Huh???
What are you talking about? GDS was created in 1945. The "big 3" is a term created on DCUM. DCUM has not even been around for 30 years.

No but Big 3 school and top tier have been around for over a hundred years and the top tier has always been Sidwell and Cathedral schools. Ask anyone that grew up in this area. GDS came into the picture much later as did Potomac.

Yes, they have been around a long time, but they were never called big 3 or big anything. The big 3 term started on DCUM.

There’s literally a Wikipedia article about the term “big 3” and its use to describe HYP dating back 100+ years ago.

But we are not talking about HYP here

Some posters are claiming DCUM invented the term Big 3, so this PP is pointing out a usage far predating DCUM. We know we're not talking about HYP here.

Seriously, are you really that obtuse? We are talking about big 3 in term of private schools in DC, which was created on DCUM. Not the general usage. No one outside of DCUM refers to these schools as big 3, big 5 or big anything.
My goodness!

It never stops to amaze how many people readily pander to dcum, particularly on the website feedback forum. But this is definitely not a dcum invention! (Nothing really is except that one dumb name for a child.)

There’s an out of print book from the 1950s or about the 1950s but of the similar vintage. It’s already a thing in there. And no GDS isn’t in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big 3 has always been Sidwell, GDS and STA/NCS. If you’re not including STA/NCS as one school system then NCS falls off that list.

GDS was not even created as a school when the Big 3 schools began. It has always been STA, NCS, and Sidwell. Always. NCS/STA are NOT the same school. Different institutions, different boards, different finances, etc... Only 30 percent of families have kids in both schools.

As said GDS was not even in existence as a school when the Big 3 term began.

Huh???
What are you talking about? GDS was created in 1945. The "big 3" is a term created on DCUM. DCUM has not even been around for 30 years.

No but Big 3 school and top tier have been around for over a hundred years and the top tier has always been Sidwell and Cathedral schools. Ask anyone that grew up in this area. GDS came into the picture much later as did Potomac.

Yes, they have been around a long time, but they were never called big 3 or big anything. The big 3 term started on DCUM.

There’s literally a Wikipedia article about the term “big 3” and its use to describe HYP dating back 100+ years ago.

But we are not talking about HYP here

Some posters are claiming DCUM invented the term Big 3, so this PP is pointing out a usage far predating DCUM. We know we're not talking about HYP here.

Seriously, are you really that obtuse? We are talking about big 3 in term of private schools in DC, which was created on DCUM. Not the general usage. No one outside of DCUM refers to these schools as big 3, big 5 or big anything.
My goodness!

Fair point! I was just saying why (in my opinion) the PP brought the HYP usage into it.

It’s not a fair point. Repeating it ten times doesn’t make it true. The term was used colloquially for decades and yes from HYP. Did HYP get the moniker from any big 3 like the car manufacturers or even the wise men, who knows and who cares?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to elite NE prep school and was admitted attended H/Y/P/S. I heard of Sidwell and STA before college, but never knew about NCS or GDS until I met graduates from those schools in college (about the same # of GDS and STA/NCS combined). If we’re being honest, for people outside DMV, almost all these schools are the same in prestige. The exception is Sidwell because three presidents’ kids went there in modern history. (And yes, I have a DC who was admitted to Sidwell and these other schools and did not choose Sidwell.)

People who try to distinguish between Big 3 or Big 5 by date of founding are just reaching. Episcopal High school was founded in 1839. Nobody pretends that Episcopal is clearly better than STA.

Can’t we all just agree that Sidwell, cathedral schools, GDS and Potomac (and others) provide an excellent education, have similar matriculations, and have far more qualified applicants than spots?

Before Sidwell, STA and NCS were the schools of choice for presidential/vice presidential kids. To my marginally-inside understanding (read: this could be completely incorrect but was the word in these circles at the time), Chelsea Clinton couldn't go to NCS because the Gores were already there and that would have created security issues, so they chose Sidwell instead. Then the Obamas also chose Sidwell. It's not a huge sample size. The children of the Gores, Quayles, Bush I, and more were at NCS and STA before similarly situated kids went to Sidwell.

True. George Bush was on governing board at NCS.

Also Al Gore attended STA as well as a Bush son. Gore daughters attended NCS and as said Bush on board at NCS and involved in Cathedral schools. It was actually always the Cathedral schools for the children of high level office holders until Clintons sent to Sidwell. Prior to 90's for almost a 100 years it was the Cathedral schools.

Lies.

Presidents and VPs (parents and grandparents) of Sidwell Friends students include:

1. Theodore Roosevelt, 29th President of the United States
2. Richard Nixon, 37th President of the United States
3. Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States
4. Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States
5. Al Gore, 45th Vice President of the United States (his grandchild currently attends Sidwell)
6. Joe Biden, 46th and current President of the United States AND 47th Vice President of the United States

Omission of Nixons daughters was already corrected. Relax. Seriously you are too invested in this.

BTW President Franklin Roosevelt's eldest son attended St. Albans and Al Gore and several Bush family members and the Marriotts and so many more....Gore daughters attended NCS.

just to mention a few...
1. Theodore Roosevelt, 29th President of the United States - daughter attended NCS
2. FDR Franklin Delano Roosevelt President of the United States - eldest son attended STA
3. Al Gore - VP of US - attended STA
4. Gore daughters - daughters of VP of US attended NCS
5. Al Gore, 45th Vice President of the United States (son attended STA until he got into trouble and left for Sidwell)
6. George Bush - President of the US - son Neil attended STA

Robert F Kennedy Jr too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to elite NE prep school and was admitted attended H/Y/P/S. I heard of Sidwell and STA before college, but never knew about NCS or GDS until I met graduates from those schools in college (about the same # of GDS and STA/NCS combined). If we’re being honest, for people outside DMV, almost all these schools are the same in prestige. The exception is Sidwell because three presidents’ kids went there in modern history. (And yes, I have a DC who was admitted to Sidwell and these other schools and did not choose Sidwell.)

People who try to distinguish between Big 3 or Big 5 by date of founding are just reaching. Episcopal High school was founded in 1839. Nobody pretends that Episcopal is clearly better than STA.

Can’t we all just agree that Sidwell, cathedral schools, GDS and Potomac (and others) provide an excellent education, have similar matriculations, and have far more qualified applicants than spots?

Before Sidwell, STA and NCS were the schools of choice for presidential/vice presidential kids. To my marginally-inside understanding (read: this could be completely incorrect but was the word in these circles at the time), Chelsea Clinton couldn't go to NCS because the Gores were already there and that would have created security issues, so they chose Sidwell instead. Then the Obamas also chose Sidwell. It's not a huge sample size. The children of the Gores, Quayles, Bush I, and more were at NCS and STA before similarly situated kids went to Sidwell.

True. George Bush was on governing board at NCS.

Also Al Gore attended STA as well as a Bush son. Gore daughters attended NCS and as said Bush on board at NCS and involved in Cathedral schools. It was actually always the Cathedral schools for the children of high level office holders until Clintons sent to Sidwell. Prior to 90's for almost a 100 years it was the Cathedral schools.

Lies.

Presidents and VPs (parents and grandparents) of Sidwell Friends students include:

1. Theodore Roosevelt, 29th President of the United States
2. Richard Nixon, 37th President of the United States
3. Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States
4. Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States
5. Al Gore, 45th Vice President of the United States (his grandchild currently attends Sidwell)
6. Joe Biden, 46th and current President of the United States AND 47th Vice President of the United States

Omission of Nixons daughters was already corrected. Relax. Seriously you are too invested in this.

BTW President Franklin Roosevelt's eldest son attended St. Albans and Al Gore and several Bush family members and the Marriotts and so many more....Gore daughters attended NCS.

just to mention a few...
1. Theodore Roosevelt, 29th President of the United States - daughter attended NCS
2. FDR Franklin Delano Roosevelt President of the United States - eldest son attended STA
3. Al Gore - VP of US - attended STA
4. Gore daughters - daughters of VP of US attended NCS
5. Al Gore, 45th Vice President of the United States (son attended STA until he got into trouble and left for Sidwell)
6. George Bush - President of the US - son Neil attended STA

Robert F Kennedy Jr too

I wouldn’t let people know about the last one, if I were you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big 3 has always been Sidwell, GDS and STA/NCS. If you’re not including STA/NCS as one school system then NCS falls off that list.

GDS was not even created as a school when the Big 3 schools began. It has always been STA, NCS, and Sidwell. Always. NCS/STA are NOT the same school. Different institutions, different boards, different finances, etc... Only 30 percent of families have kids in both schools.

As said GDS was not even in existence as a school when the Big 3 term began.

Huh???
What are you talking about? GDS was created in 1945. The "big 3" is a term created on DCUM. DCUM has not even been around for 30 years.

No but Big 3 school and top tier have been around for over a hundred years and the top tier has always been Sidwell and Cathedral schools. Ask anyone that grew up in this area. GDS came into the picture much later as did Potomac.

Yes, they have been around a long time, but they were never called big 3 or big anything. The big 3 term started on DCUM.

There’s literally a Wikipedia article about the term “big 3” and its use to describe HYP dating back 100+ years ago.

But we are not talking about HYP here

Some posters are claiming DCUM invented the term Big 3, so this PP is pointing out a usage far predating DCUM. We know we're not talking about HYP here.

In this bracket, if H (Harvard) is GDS, which Washington privates correspond to Y and P?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big 3 has always been Sidwell, GDS and STA/NCS. If you’re not including STA/NCS as one school system then NCS falls off that list.

Always? This is laughable. GDS is not on the list.

GDS was the Obamas' first choice school but the Secret Service vetoed the old lower & middle school site as being difficult to secure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big 3 has always been Sidwell, GDS and STA/NCS. If you’re not including STA/NCS as one school system then NCS falls off that list.

GDS was not even created as a school when the Big 3 schools began. It has always been STA, NCS, and Sidwell. Always. NCS/STA are NOT the same school. Different institutions, different boards, different finances, etc... Only 30 percent of families have kids in both schools.

As said GDS was not even in existence as a school when the Big 3 term began.

Huh???
What are you talking about? GDS was created in 1945. The "big 3" is a term created on DCUM. DCUM has not even been around for 30 years.

No but Big 3 school and top tier have been around for over a hundred years and the top tier has always been Sidwell and Cathedral schools. Ask anyone that grew up in this area. GDS came into the picture much later as did Potomac.

Yes, they have been around a long time, but they were never called big 3 or big anything. The big 3 term started on DCUM.

There’s literally a Wikipedia article about the term “big 3” and its use to describe HYP dating back 100+ years ago.

But we are not talking about HYP here

Some posters are claiming DCUM invented the term Big 3, so this PP is pointing out a usage far predating DCUM. We know we're not talking about HYP here.

Seriously, are you really that obtuse? We are talking about big 3 in term of private schools in DC, which was created on DCUM. Not the general usage. No one outside of DCUM refers to these schools as big 3, big 5 or big anything.
My goodness!

It never stops to amaze how many people readily pander to dcum, particularly on the website feedback forum. But this is definitely not a dcum invention! (Nothing really is except that one dumb name for a child.)

There’s an out of print book from the 1950s or about the 1950s but of the similar vintage. It’s already a thing in there. And no GDS isn’t in it.

GDS was founded in 1945 as the first local school to be racially integrated. So, not shocking that it isn't on the list. We live in the now. I wouldn't choose (and didn't choose) any of these for myself in the 90s or my kids' today but if you don't think that GDS is among the top 3 to 5 schools in the area, you aren't paying attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big 3 has always been Sidwell, GDS and STA/NCS. If you’re not including STA/NCS as one school system then NCS falls off that list.

GDS was not even created as a school when the Big 3 schools began. It has always been STA, NCS, and Sidwell. Always. NCS/STA are NOT the same school. Different institutions, different boards, different finances, etc... Only 30 percent of families have kids in both schools.

As said GDS was not even in existence as a school when the Big 3 term began.

Huh???
What are you talking about? GDS was created in 1945. The "big 3" is a term created on DCUM. DCUM has not even been around for 30 years.

No but Big 3 school and top tier have been around for over a hundred years and the top tier has always been Sidwell and Cathedral schools. Ask anyone that grew up in this area. GDS came into the picture much later as did Potomac.

Yes, they have been around a long time, but they were never called big 3 or big anything. The big 3 term started on DCUM.

There’s literally a Wikipedia article about the term “big 3” and its use to describe HYP dating back 100+ years ago.

But we are not talking about HYP here

Some posters are claiming DCUM invented the term Big 3, so this PP is pointing out a usage far predating DCUM. We know we're not talking about HYP here.

Seriously, are you really that obtuse? We are talking about big 3 in term of private schools in DC, which was created on DCUM. Not the general usage. No one outside of DCUM refers to these schools as big 3, big 5 or big anything.
My goodness!

It never stops to amaze how many people readily pander to dcum, particularly on the website feedback forum. But this is definitely not a dcum invention! (Nothing really is except that one dumb name for a child.)

There’s an out of print book from the 1950s or about the 1950s but of the similar vintage. It’s already a thing in there. And no GDS isn’t in it.

GDS was founded in 1945 as the first local school to be racially integrated. So, not shocking that it isn't on the list. We live in the now. I wouldn't choose (and didn't choose) any of these for myself in the 90s or my kids' today but if you don't think that GDS is among the top 3 to 5 schools in the area, you aren't paying attention.

Also, GDS didn't have a high school until the 70s.

Yes, GDS is younger than the others. Yes, its image has changed over the last 25 years from alternative-grungy to, depending on who you ask, Sidwell-lite or liberal elite haven. But its academic rigor has never been questioned, and it's been popular with progressive intellectuals for many decades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big 3 has always been Sidwell, GDS and STA/NCS. If you’re not including STA/NCS as one school system then NCS falls off that list.

Always? This is laughable. GDS is not on the list.

GDS was the Obamas' first choice school but the Secret Service vetoed the old lower & middle school site as being difficult to secure.

Source: Dude, trust me. This has been circulating around DCUM for over a decade, but with no evidence other than other DCUM posts.

Also, their daughters had told them they wanted to go to Sidwell since Biden's granddaughters were already there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To answer OP’s question…I always thought it was Sidwell, GDS and STA/NCS(as one). No?

No it was Sidwell, STA and NCS.

People keep trying to add on: GDS, Potomac, Holton. The list keeps growing.

But the top 3 schools are Sidwell, STA and NCS

This is the correct answer. Sidwell/STA/NCS are the oldest, most established schools with the strongest reputations (currently and historically).

If you’re talking about the Big 5, then you would include GDS.

And here they are - the prestige whores that populate DCUM.

DP whore here. The other whore would be correct.

3 floors of prestige whores:
1. Sidwell
2. STA
3. NCS

Boys rank above girls, of course.