Sidwell vs GDS -- specific examples of what differentiates the two

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the whole GDS overhyped claim is ridiculous - but you should also recognize that the majority of Ivy admissions at any of the DMV private schools are hooked in some way. A few others squeeze in.

+1.

Ivy/T20 admission says a lot more about how hooked the family is than about which upper school they attended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell has a well deserved reputation. GDS is overhyped and not deserving of this ridiculous “big 3” label, probably not even “big 5”. It’s a good school but it’s not worthy of all the hype.

UMM GDS had 6 kids into Harvard last year and 4 into Princeton and it went on from there. They wiped the floor with Sidwell in terms of acceptances. They had the strongest showing of any school in the DMV. So maybe get current with your thinking. You can dislike GDS for whatever reason (so don't apply!) but it's the hardest school to get into right now.

The end all and be all of high school is not the US News ranking of the matriculation list.

If a school routinely places 100% of their class into well known, top tier colleges and universities, if any given year 0 go to Harvard, 1 goes to Harvard, or 6 go to Harvard it’s really not that relevant.

Part of the problem with the mentality these days is everything MUST be a stepping stone to something better, it can’t be a destination before the next destination.

There are a lot of schools in the DC area that have a long track record of delivering excellent educations and launching kids into life after high school in a variety of top colleges/universities. GDS is among them, but this constant urge to build a hierarchy is pretty silly and runs completely counter to producing well-educated, well-adjusted, well-rounded adults. The same goes for college, despite the hype, a Harvard grad isnt intrinsically stronger than a Swarthmore grad, than a Columbia Grad, UofChicago, Davidson, etc - it’s the individual student that makes or breaks the success of that student, not the school. If you go to a top high school in the area or a top college, you get to the baseline necessary - the rest is up to you.

I say this as a kid who went to a top HS and college and who’s parents did too. It creates such an entitled mindset that you think all you have to do is go to these schools and your ticket is punched. It takes a lot of hardwork too and I wish I had gotten higher GPAs in school and applied myself more.

Do your kids a favor and stop emphasizing the ranking of the school and send them to the schools they will do the best at and focus on them making the most of where they go.

[Anonymous]

Great post, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Similarities:
-Neither school offers AP classes

Differences:
-GDS: The AP exam is NOT proctored on campus (you will have to find a testing center on your own).
-Sidwell: The AP exam is administered on campus.

-GDS: There is no US cafeteria.
-Sidwell: There is an US cafeteria, and it gets pretty good reviews.

-GDS: Students are limited to applying to 10 colleges.
-Sidwell: There is no limit placed on the number of college applications.

GDS is now limited to 12 colleges. GDS had incredible college admissions results last year but we'll see what happens this year.

Last year’s GDS class was an amazing bunch. And all but one of those kids who got into HYP were legacy or double legacy or hooked

This describes the Sidwell graduating class of my DC as well but extends beyond HYP to Top10 and if you add two more unhooked kids it extends to T20 too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Similarities:
-Neither school offers AP classes

Differences:
-GDS: The AP exam is NOT proctored on campus (you will have to find a testing center on your own).
-Sidwell: The AP exam is administered on campus.

-GDS: There is no US cafeteria.
-Sidwell: There is an US cafeteria, and it gets pretty good reviews.

-GDS: Students are limited to applying to 10 colleges.
-Sidwell: There is no limit placed on the number of college applications.

GDS is now limited to 12 colleges. GDS had incredible college admissions results last year but we'll see what happens this year.

Last year’s GDS class was an amazing bunch. And all but one of those kids who got into HYP were legacy or double legacy or hooked

This describes the Sidwell graduating class of my DC as well but extends beyond HYP to Top10 and if you add two more unhooked kids it extends to T20 too.

This wasn’t Sidwell’s c/o 2024. I can think of at least 4 students who went to Ivies who weren’t hooked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Similarities:
-Neither school offers AP classes

Differences:
-GDS: The AP exam is NOT proctored on campus (you will have to find a testing center on your own).
-Sidwell: The AP exam is administered on campus.

-GDS: There is no US cafeteria.
-Sidwell: There is an US cafeteria, and it gets pretty good reviews.

-GDS: Students are limited to applying to 10 colleges.
-Sidwell: There is no limit placed on the number of college applications.

GDS is now limited to 12 colleges. GDS had incredible college admissions results last year but we'll see what happens this year.

Last year’s GDS class was an amazing bunch. And all but one of those kids who got into HYP were legacy or double legacy or hooked

This describes the Sidwell graduating class of my DC as well but extends beyond HYP to Top10 and if you add two more unhooked kids it extends to T20 too.

This wasn’t Sidwell’s c/o 2024. I can think of at least 4 students who went to Ivies who weren’t hooked.

No, you cannot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Similarities:
-Neither school offers AP classes

Differences:
-GDS: The AP exam is NOT proctored on campus (you will have to find a testing center on your own).
-Sidwell: The AP exam is administered on campus.

-GDS: There is no US cafeteria.
-Sidwell: There is an US cafeteria, and it gets pretty good reviews.

-GDS: Students are limited to applying to 10 colleges.
-Sidwell: There is no limit placed on the number of college applications.

GDS is now limited to 12 colleges. GDS had incredible college admissions results last year but we'll see what happens this year.

Last year’s GDS class was an amazing bunch. And all but one of those kids who got into HYP were legacy or double legacy or hooked

This describes the Sidwell graduating class of my DC as well but extends beyond HYP to Top10 and if you add two more unhooked kids it extends to T20 too.

This wasn’t Sidwell’s c/o 2024. I can think of at least 4 students who went to Ivies who weren’t hooked.

No, you cannot.

Yes, I can: 2 of the Penn students, 1 of the Harvard students, and 1 student at either Brown, Columbia, Cornell, or Dartmouth (if I specify the school its too easy to identify the student).

Now what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell has a well deserved reputation. GDS is overhyped and not deserving of this ridiculous “big 3” label, probably not even “big 5”. It’s a good school but it’s not worthy of all the hype.

UMM GDS had 6 kids into Harvard last year and 4 into Princeton and it went on from there. They wiped the floor with Sidwell in terms of acceptances. They had the strongest showing of any school in the DMV. So maybe get current with your thinking. You can dislike GDS for whatever reason (so don't apply!) but it's the hardest school to get into right now.

The end all and be all of high school is not the US News ranking of the matriculation list.

If a school routinely places 100% of their class into well known, top tier colleges and universities, if any given year 0 go to Harvard, 1 goes to Harvard, or 6 go to Harvard it’s really not that relevant.

Part of the problem with the mentality these days is everything MUST be a stepping stone to something better, it can’t be a destination before the next destination.

There are a lot of schools in the DC area that have a long track record of delivering excellent educations and launching kids into life after high school in a variety of top colleges/universities. GDS is among them, but this constant urge to build a hierarchy is pretty silly and runs completely counter to producing well-educated, well-adjusted, well-rounded adults. The same goes for college, despite the hype, a Harvard grad isnt intrinsically stronger than a Swarthmore grad, than a Columbia Grad, UofChicago, Davidson, etc - it’s the individual student that makes or breaks the success of that student, not the school. If you go to a top high school in the area or a top college, you get to the baseline necessary - the rest is up to you.

I say this as a kid who went to a top HS and college and who’s parents did too. It creates such an entitled mindset that you think all you have to do is go to these schools and your ticket is punched. It takes a lot of hardwork too and I wish I had gotten higher GPAs in school and applied myself more.

Do your kids a favor and stop emphasizing the ranking of the school and send them to the schools they will do the best at and focus on them making the most of where they go.

Nicely said

[Anonymous]

When the admit rate is 4% or lower, anyone being admitted, whether coming from public or private, has some kind of hook that distinguished them from the other thousands of qualified applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When the admit rate is 4% or lower, anyone being admitted, whether coming from public or private, has some kind of hook that distinguished them from the other thousands of qualified applicants.

Please say this louder for the people in the cheap seats. Public school students can be just as hooked as private school students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Similarities:
-Neither school offers AP classes

Differences:
-GDS: The AP exam is NOT proctored on campus (you will have to find a testing center on your own).
-Sidwell: The AP exam is administered on campus.

-GDS: There is no US cafeteria.
-Sidwell: There is an US cafeteria, and it gets pretty good reviews.

-GDS: Students are limited to applying to 10 colleges.
-Sidwell: There is no limit placed on the number of college applications.

GDS is now limited to 12 colleges. GDS had incredible college admissions results last year but we'll see what happens this year.

Last year’s GDS class was an amazing bunch. And all but one of those kids who got into HYP were legacy or double legacy or hooked

This describes the Sidwell graduating class of my DC as well but extends beyond HYP to Top10 and if you add two more unhooked kids it extends to T20 too.

This wasn’t Sidwell’s c/o 2024. I can think of at least 4 students who went to Ivies who weren’t hooked.

No, you cannot.

Yes, I can: 2 of the Penn students, 1 of the Harvard students, and 1 student at either Brown, Columbia, Cornell, or Dartmouth (if I specify the school its too easy to identify the student).

Now what?

They were hooked

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Similarities:
-Neither school offers AP classes

Differences:
-GDS: The AP exam is NOT proctored on campus (you will have to find a testing center on your own).
-Sidwell: The AP exam is administered on campus.

-GDS: There is no US cafeteria.
-Sidwell: There is an US cafeteria, and it gets pretty good reviews.

-GDS: Students are limited to applying to 10 colleges.
-Sidwell: There is no limit placed on the number of college applications.

GDS is now limited to 12 colleges. GDS had incredible college admissions results last year but we'll see what happens this year.

Last year’s GDS class was an amazing bunch. And all but one of those kids who got into HYP were legacy or double legacy or hooked

This describes the Sidwell graduating class of my DC as well but extends beyond HYP to Top10 and if you add two more unhooked kids it extends to T20 too.

This wasn’t Sidwell’s c/o 2024. I can think of at least 4 students who went to Ivies who weren’t hooked.

No, you cannot.

Yes, I can: 2 of the Penn students, 1 of the Harvard students, and 1 student at either Brown, Columbia, Cornell, or Dartmouth (if I specify the school its too easy to identify the student).

Now what?

They were hooked

I know them personally, and they were not hooked. However, I’m curious to hear why you (incorrectly) think so. Why do you think each of these 4 students were hooked?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Similarities:
-Neither school offers AP classes

Differences:
-GDS: The AP exam is NOT proctored on campus (you will have to find a testing center on your own).
-Sidwell: The AP exam is administered on campus.

-GDS: There is no US cafeteria.
-Sidwell: There is an US cafeteria, and it gets pretty good reviews.

-GDS: Students are limited to applying to 10 colleges.
-Sidwell: There is no limit placed on the number of college applications.

GDS is now limited to 12 colleges. GDS had incredible college admissions results last year but we'll see what happens this year.

Last year’s GDS class was an amazing bunch. And all but one of those kids who got into HYP were legacy or double legacy or hooked

This describes the Sidwell graduating class of my DC as well but extends beyond HYP to Top10 and if you add two more unhooked kids it extends to T20 too.

This wasn’t Sidwell’s c/o 2024. I can think of at least 4 students who went to Ivies who weren’t hooked.

No, you cannot.

Yes, I can: 2 of the Penn students, 1 of the Harvard students, and 1 student at either Brown, Columbia, Cornell, or Dartmouth (if I specify the school its too easy to identify the student).

Now what?

Actually 3 Penn, 2 Harvard unhooked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Similarities:
-Neither school offers AP classes

Differences:
-GDS: The AP exam is NOT proctored on campus (you will have to find a testing center on your own).
-Sidwell: The AP exam is administered on campus.

-GDS: There is no US cafeteria.
-Sidwell: There is an US cafeteria, and it gets pretty good reviews.

-GDS: Students are limited to applying to 10 colleges.
-Sidwell: There is no limit placed on the number of college applications.

GDS is now limited to 12 colleges. GDS had incredible college admissions results last year but we'll see what happens this year.

Last year’s GDS class was an amazing bunch. And all but one of those kids who got into HYP were legacy or double legacy or hooked

This describes the Sidwell graduating class of my DC as well but extends beyond HYP to Top10 and if you add two more unhooked kids it extends to T20 too.

This wasn’t Sidwell’s c/o 2024. I can think of at least 4 students who went to Ivies who weren’t hooked.

No, you cannot.

Yes, I can: 2 of the Penn students, 1 of the Harvard students, and 1 student at either Brown, Columbia, Cornell, or Dartmouth (if I specify the school its too easy to identify the student).

Now what?

Actually 3 Penn, 2 Harvard unhooked.

Ok, that doesn’t contradict what I said earlier. I only know for a fact about those four particular students.

[Anonymous]

True.

+ 2 at Columbia unhooked