GDS college enrolmments

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:IDK if people know this, but GDS limits the amount of colleges you're allowed to apply to at 12, and 5 of them have to be "safety/foundational" schools if you hit the max. This means that people really think about where they want to apply to and if they like the school! I don't know a single person at GDS that's upset with where they're going to college and I feel like that's all that really matters


-GDS senior

GDS’ college application cap is one of the reasons we turned it down, after my son was admitted (there were other reasons as well). It’s a stupid rule, and none of the administrators could offer a reasonable explanation. My son is a junior at Sidwell now, and he can’t even think of 2 safety schools he wants to attend/are good fits for what he’s looking for in a college. I’m baffled why anyone would need to apply to more than 2-3 safeties—they’re called safeties for a reason.

I wouldn't be on such a high horse if my son were a junior at Sidwell right now. That grade (class of '27) is known for rampant cheating and misbehavior. The Science department has been left traumatized. I'm sure the college outcomes at Sidwell will dip next year because of how many kids were sent to the Honor Committee or reported to the school for cheating on assessments.

There’s no high horse here. I don’t have a problem acknowledging the good and the bad at Sidwell. Rampant cheating in my son’s grade has definitely been an issue (and not just in the science department). Thankfully, my son doesn’t cheat and he’s never been called before the Honor Committee. That said, let’s return to the topic at hand: GDS’ 2026 college results generally, and the application cap specifically. The point I was trying to make is that I think GDS’ application cap (which includes a 5 safety school minimum) is doing a disservice to students. They should raise the cap to at least 15, and reduce the safety requirement to 2-3 schools.

The cap has changed over the years, but currently it's up to 7 non-safety schools ("Reach" and "Target") and 3 to 5 safeties ("Foundation"). I'd prefer the non-safety cap be 8 or 9, but not sure if more beyond that is truly helpful. We'll see.

But isn’t safety is differnt for everyone? If some student is super good, then Dartmouth or Michigan could be a safety?

Yup! I think it is to get the kids to think in terms of framing...cause there is no line

You are probably not very close to this process if you think that Dartmouth or Michigan are a safety for anyone. I think generally they are considered schools with a over 40% admit rate or at least 30%. It's not 1990

Safety schools are generally considered schools with an 80%+ chance of admission.

There are a small handful of students for whom Dartmouth would be a safety. These students can basically go wherever they want because they won some highly competitive national academic competition or something. I would bet that the USAMO gold medalists can go to whatever math proigrasm they want in the country.

I would say the only person who has Dartmouth as a reasonable safety is a recruiter athletes. Michigan as a safety would be very high stats + legacy. Both also by applying ED.

[Anonymous]

The problem with the cap is that you may want to visit a host of schools before applying in order to narrow down your 7 reaches. If there wasn't a cap, you could cast a wide net and wait to see where you got in. Presumably the number of acceptances (and visits) would be only be a few.

[Anonymous]

pretty sure these kids can afford to visit the colleges beforehand if they want

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IDK if people know this, but GDS limits the amount of colleges you're allowed to apply to at 12, and 5 of them have to be "safety/foundational" schools if you hit the max. This means that people really think about where they want to apply to and if they like the school! I don't know a single person at GDS that's upset with where they're going to college and I feel like that's all that really matters


-GDS senior

GDS’ college application cap is one of the reasons we turned it down, after my son was admitted (there were other reasons as well). It’s a stupid rule, and none of the administrators could offer a reasonable explanation. My son is a junior at Sidwell now, and he can’t even think of 2 safety schools he wants to attend/are good fits for what he’s looking for in a college. I’m baffled why anyone would need to apply to more than 2-3 safeties—they’re called safeties for a reason.

I wouldn't be on such a high horse if my son were a junior at Sidwell right now. That grade (class of '27) is known for rampant cheating and misbehavior. The Science department has been left traumatized. I'm sure the college outcomes at Sidwell will dip next year because of how many kids were sent to the Honor Committee or reported to the school for cheating on assessments.

There’s no high horse here. I don’t have a problem acknowledging the good and the bad at Sidwell. Rampant cheating in my son’s grade has definitely been an issue (and not just in the science department). Thankfully, my son doesn’t cheat and he’s never been called before the Honor Committee. That said, let’s return to the topic at hand: GDS’ 2026 college results generally, and the application cap specifically. The point I was trying to make is that I think GDS’ application cap (which includes a 5 safety school minimum) is doing a disservice to students. They should raise the cap to at least 15, and reduce the safety requirement to 2-3 schools.

The cap has changed over the years, but currently it's up to 7 non-safety schools ("Reach" and "Target") and 3 to 5 safeties ("Foundation"). I'd prefer the non-safety cap be 8 or 9, but not sure if more beyond that is truly helpful. We'll see.

But isn’t safety is differnt for everyone? If some student is super good, then Dartmouth or Michigan could be a safety?

Yup! I think it is to get the kids to think in terms of framing...cause there is no line

You are probably not very close to this process if you think that Dartmouth or Michigan are a safety for anyone. I think generally they are considered schools with a over 40% admit rate or at least 30%. It's not 1990

Safety schools are generally considered schools with an 80%+ chance of admission.

There are a small handful of students for whom Dartmouth would be a safety. These students can basically go wherever they want because they won some highly competitive national academic competition or something. I would bet that the USAMO gold medalists can go to whatever math proigrasm they want in the country.

I would say the only person who has Dartmouth as a reasonable safety is a recruiter athletes. Michigan as a safety would be very high stats + legacy. Both also by applying ED.

No legacy at Michigan anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IDK if people know this, but GDS limits the amount of colleges you're allowed to apply to at 12, and 5 of them have to be "safety/foundational" schools if you hit the max. This means that people really think about where they want to apply to and if they like the school! I don't know a single person at GDS that's upset with where they're going to college and I feel like that's all that really matters


-GDS senior

GDS’ college application cap is one of the reasons we turned it down, after my son was admitted (there were other reasons as well). It’s a stupid rule, and none of the administrators could offer a reasonable explanation. My son is a junior at Sidwell now, and he can’t even think of 2 safety schools he wants to attend/are good fits for what he’s looking for in a college. I’m baffled why anyone would need to apply to more than 2-3 safeties—they’re called safeties for a reason.

I wouldn't be on such a high horse if my son were a junior at Sidwell right now. That grade (class of '27) is known for rampant cheating and misbehavior. The Science department has been left traumatized. I'm sure the college outcomes at Sidwell will dip next year because of how many kids were sent to the Honor Committee or reported to the school for cheating on assessments.

There’s no high horse here. I don’t have a problem acknowledging the good and the bad at Sidwell. Rampant cheating in my son’s grade has definitely been an issue (and not just in the science department). Thankfully, my son doesn’t cheat and he’s never been called before the Honor Committee. That said, let’s return to the topic at hand: GDS’ 2026 college results generally, and the application cap specifically. The point I was trying to make is that I think GDS’ application cap (which includes a 5 safety school minimum) is doing a disservice to students. They should raise the cap to at least 15, and reduce the safety requirement to 2-3 schools.

The cap has changed over the years, but currently it's up to 7 non-safety schools ("Reach" and "Target") and 3 to 5 safeties ("Foundation"). I'd prefer the non-safety cap be 8 or 9, but not sure if more beyond that is truly helpful. We'll see.

But isn’t safety is differnt for everyone? If some student is super good, then Dartmouth or Michigan could be a safety?

Yup! I think it is to get the kids to think in terms of framing...cause there is no line

You are probably not very close to this process if you think that Dartmouth or Michigan are a safety for anyone. I think generally they are considered schools with a over 40% admit rate or at least 30%. It's not 1990

Safety schools are generally considered schools with an 80%+ chance of admission.

There are a small handful of students for whom Dartmouth would be a safety. These students can basically go wherever they want because they won some highly competitive national academic competition or something. I would bet that the USAMO gold medalists can go to whatever math proigrasm they want in the country.

I would say the only person who has Dartmouth as a reasonable safety is a recruiter athletes. Michigan as a safety would be very high stats + legacy. Both also by applying ED.

No legacy at Michigan anymore.

I do see lots of kids from GDS choose much lesser-known universities than kids from Sidwell, besides not having enough top 20.

[Anonymous]

To GDS credit, part of this policy is to further an environment that minimizes competition encourages each kid to chart his or her own path....of all the impressive schools in the area they seem to strike the balance of rigor and intellectual curiosity while minimizing the competitive grind...

[Anonymous]

dominates. If your kid doesn’t get it to Sidwell and yourwant a guarantee of the top 20, which in this day/ job placement success - you’re better off going to public. GDS? Maret? Wonder why any would call them a top 3. It’s just a matter of convenience for that makes them hard harder to get into. If you consider their leadership and turnover and turmoil each year compared to what you hear about Sidwell (nothing!!!!!) that would rank them even lower. And now they’re college results over the past few years? Not very good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:dominates. If your kid doesn’t get it to Sidwell and yourwant a guarantee of the top 20, which in this day/ job placement success - you’re better off going to public. GDS? Maret? Wonder why any would call them a top 3. It’s just a matter of convenience for that makes them hard harder to get into. If you consider their leadership and turnover and turmoil each year compared to what you hear about Sidwell (nothing!!!!!) that would rank them even lower. And now they’re college results over the past few years? Not very good.

Are you a child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:dominates. If your kid doesn’t get it to Sidwell and yourwant a guarantee of the top 20, which in this day/ job placement success - you’re better off going to public. GDS? Maret? Wonder why any would call them a top 3. It’s just a matter of convenience for that makes them hard harder to get into. If you consider their leadership and turnover and turmoil each year compared to what you hear about Sidwell (nothing!!!!!) that would rank them even lower. And now they’re college results over the past few years? Not very good.

On the other hand, Sidwell is dull.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]dominates. If your kid doesn’t get it to Sidwell and yourwant a guarantee of the top 20, which in this day/ job placement success - you’re better off going to public. GDS? Maret? Wonder why any would call them a top 3. It’s just a matter of convenience for that makes them hard harder to get into. If you consider their leadership and turnover and turmoil each year compared to what you hear about Sidwell (nothing!!!!!) that would rank them even lower. And now they’re college results over the past few years? Not very good.
[/quote]

Are you a child?[/quote]

I went to Harvard and every time I open the alumni notes I am reminded that top 20 schools do not translate to job placement/success

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:dominates. If your kid doesn’t get it to Sidwell and yourwant a guarantee of the top 20, which in this day/ job placement success - you’re better off going to public. GDS? Maret? Wonder why any would call them a top 3. It’s just a matter of convenience for that makes them hard harder to get into. If you consider their leadership and turnover and turmoil each year compared to what you hear about Sidwell (nothing!!!!!) that would rank them even lower. And now they’re college results over the past few years? Not very good.

On the other hand, Sidwell is dull.

Clearly you don’t have a kid there. It is a vibrant, diverse, and kind community that likes to avoid turmoil.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]dominates. If your kid doesn’t get it to Sidwell and yourwant a guarantee of the top 20, which in this day/ job placement success - you’re better off going to public. GDS? Maret? Wonder why any would call them a top 3. It’s just a matter of convenience for that makes them hard harder to get into. If you consider their leadership and turnover and turmoil each year compared to what you hear about Sidwell (nothing!!!!!) that would rank them even lower. And now they’re college results over the past few years? Not very good.
[/quote]

Are you a child?[/quote]

I went to Harvard and every time I open the alumni notes I am reminded that top 20 schools do not translate to job placement/success[/quote]

So in your mom's basement... got it...

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]dominates. If your kid doesn’t get it to Sidwell and yourwant a guarantee of the top 20, which in this day/ job placement success - you’re better off going to public. GDS? Maret? Wonder why any would call them a top 3. It’s just a matter of convenience for that makes them hard harder to get into. If you consider their leadership and turnover and turmoil each year compared to what you hear about Sidwell (nothing!!!!!) that would rank them even lower. And now they’re college results over the past few years? Not very good.
[/quote]

Are you a child?[/quote]

I went to Harvard and every time I open the alumni notes I am reminded that top 20 schools do not translate to job placement/success[/quote]

So in your mom's basement... got it...[/quote]

Sidwell Kidos. Focus on school. Being n DCUM all the time pumping Sidwell won’t get you to that T-20 you are looking for. Just an advice from auntie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I am a GDS parent. We’re just getting underway re this. While I don’t love the cap, it has logic. Kids we know at other schools are applying to 18-22 colleges. That seems pretty nutty. I would be surprised if these kids can really execute successfully on that many school applications. Plus there are cases where top students run the table on all the top schools making it harder for everyone else. Sidwell does seem to have joined the private school-to-uchicago thing quite effectively as have some NY private schools. Beyond that, there are a lot of hooked kids in all these private schools for the Ivy League in particular. So I, at least, take the whole thing w a degree of humility. I certainly wouldn’t have picked another school for my kids based on this.

Oooh, is that why WIS sends so many to UChicago? That was one of the things that surprised me on their matriculation list. I expected more of an international spread (with, of course, the usual Ivies and top American schools), but UChicago showed up a lot. I had no idea it was "a thing".

WIS does not send that many kids to UChicago. Maybe 1 per year.

According to their school profile, they sent 15 in the past 3 years... I would say that is enough to surprise me

https://washingtonintl.static.amais.com/WIS_Profile_Fall25_update-2550.pdf?version=638935447193530000

WIS’ school profile covers 4 graduating classes, not 3. So, WIS sent an average of 3-4 students/year to UChicago. That’s not earth shattering, or even









IB Exam Score Meanings
Here is what each score equates to based on official IB Grade Descriptors:
• 7 — Excellent: Outstanding performance. The student shows a thorough, often insightful understanding of the subject, applies concepts accurately to new situations, and demonstrates high-level analytical and critical thinking.
• 6 — Very Good: Very strong performance. The student has a comprehensive command of the subject, displays thorough knowledge, and has consistent analytical abilities.
• 5 — Good: Solid performance. The student demonstrates a good understanding of key concepts and proficiency in applying skills, though minor gaps in knowledge or occasional mistakes may exist.
• 4 — Satisfactory: Acceptable performance. The student meets the minimum standards and understands basic concepts, but may show inconsistencies or lack depth in specific areas.
• 3 — Mediocre: Limited achievement. The student shows some understanding but has noticeable gaps in knowledge and struggles with certain aspects of the subject
Based on the distribution provided for the 65 students in the Class of 2025, here is the breakdown of how many students achieved each specific IB exam mark:
• Mark of 7: ~7 students out 65
• Mark of 6: ~18 students out of 65
• Mark of 5: ~25 students out of 65
• Mark of 4: ~12 students out of 65
• Mark of 3 or below: ~3 students out of 65
IB Exam Mark WIS % Estimated # of Students (out of 65)
7 11% 7
6 28% 18
5 38% 25
4 19% 12
3 and below 4% 3
Performance Breakdown
The strength of the WIS Class of 2025.
1. Top Tier (Marks 6-7): Roughly 25 students (39% of the class).
2. Mid Tier (Mark 5): This was the most common result for WIS.
3. Passing Range (Mark 4): Only 12 students landed in this range..
4. At Risk (Mark 3 & Below): 3 students (4%) scored in this range.
This tells you most likely how they are doing in college acceptance.











conversation worthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The current senior class has 137 kids in the grade and 73 have posted. Know a bunch of kids doing admitted students tours last weekend and this coming weekend who are still making up their minds. Some who are pending waitlists. And some who just aren’t the types to post.

yes but it didn't improve.