GDS college enrolmments

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Too many kids are cheating and cutting corners for advantages. Plus, all the time between classes during the day? Meh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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.

PP who mentioned the WIS/UChicago thing just wanted to say that I didn't mean to offend anyone, you all are doing great, I was just responding to someone pointing out that there is clearly a private school recruitment thing happening. It wasn't my intention to bring down GDS or any other school's matriculation. Just that it stood out as an odd data point.

I did not comment this "discussion worthy" breakdown of the IB score which isn't even accurate with how it breaks things down. There is clearly someone going across threads throwing out accusations to try and get us to fight. That information is not at all valuable to this discussion.

GDS is an incredibly school and the students are going on to so great things at great schools. Don't get caught up in the opinion of a few internet weirdos who want to pretend the quality of the school is going down based on which schools have been chosen and shared on instagram from the currently graduating class. The reality is sharing where you are going on instagram is just one expression kids are excited for the school they are headed to next. Being excited for your next chapter and being happy with the schools you got into is the only success metric that truly matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

PP who mentioned the WIS/UChicago thing just wanted to say that I didn't mean to offend anyone, you all are doing great, I was just responding to someone pointing out that there is clearly a private school recruitment thing happening. It wasn't my intention to bring down GDS or any other school's matriculation. Just that it stood out as an odd data point.

I did not comment this "discussion worthy" breakdown of the IB score which isn't even accurate with how it breaks things down. There is clearly someone going across threads throwing out accusations to try and get us to fight. That information is not at all valuable to this discussion.

GDS is an incredibly school and the students are going on to so great things at great schools. Don't get caught up in the opinion of a few internet weirdos who want to pretend the quality of the school is going down based on which schools have been chosen and shared on instagram from the currently graduating class. The reality is sharing where you are going on instagram is just one expression kids are excited for the school they are headed to next. Being excited for your next chapter and being happy with the schools you got into is the only success metric that truly matters.

I am the weirdo you referred to. It is just a fact. By now, 92 students out of 130 shared on IG where they go to College. The results are just as impressive as Sidwell's by a lot. No judgments. It doesn't make GDS a lesser school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

PP who mentioned the WIS/UChicago thing just wanted to say that I didn't mean to offend anyone, you all are doing great, I was just responding to someone pointing out that there is clearly a private school recruitment thing happening. It wasn't my intention to bring down GDS or any other school's matriculation. Just that it stood out as an odd data point.

I did not comment this "discussion worthy" breakdown of the IB score which isn't even accurate with how it breaks things down. There is clearly someone going across threads throwing out accusations to try and get us to fight. That information is not at all valuable to this discussion.

GDS is an incredibly school and the students are going on to so great things at great schools. Don't get caught up in the opinion of a few internet weirdos who want to pretend the quality of the school is going down based on which schools have been chosen and shared on instagram from the currently graduating class. The reality is sharing where you are going on instagram is just one expression kids are excited for the school they are headed to next. Being excited for your next chapter and being happy with the schools you got into is the only success metric that truly matters.

I am the weirdo you referred to. It is just a fact. By now, 92 students out of 130 shared on IG where they go to College. The results are just as impressive as Sidwell's by a lot. No judgments. It doesn't make GDS a lesser school.

*Not as impressive as Sidwell by a lot. Hope next year they will do better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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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.

You must be joking, UM instate is total legacy

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Being a legacy at an Ivy League school is NOT a real hook. I went to 3 different Ivy League schools and my kids will not have a leg up. You have to give at significant levels and be an alum for it to matter. I would say at least 500k to get a second glance on your app. Probably at least a million. [/quote]

Bullshit. Just, bullshit. Esp Princeton[/quote]

+1. Heavy on Princeton (and Yale)! If you’re a Sidwell student, admission based on academic achievement seems to take a backseat to athletic recruits and legacies. [/quote]

Yep. Practically 100% of Princeton and Yale admits from Sidwell are legacy. Don’t let the IG page fool you. P+Y are wasted applications if you are not a “best student I’ve ever had” or type of applicant.[/quote]

But in DMV, everyone else is an Ivy Leaguer. So many parents in these schools are legacy. Why only Sidwell achieves such good outcome with Ivies? [/quote]

Add Dartmouth to the Legacy & Connections for Sidwell...Also, looks like Sidwell's new-ish college counseling office is on her for PR

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Being a legacy at an Ivy League school is NOT a real hook. I went to 3 different Ivy League schools and my kids will not have a leg up. You have to give at significant levels and be an alum for it to matter. I would say at least 500k to get a second glance on your app. Probably at least a million. [/quote]

Bullshit. Just, bullshit. Esp Princeton[/quote]

+1. Heavy on Princeton (and Yale)! If you’re a Sidwell student, admission based on academic achievement seems to take a backseat to athletic recruits and legacies. [/quote]

Yep. Practically 100% of Princeton and Yale admits from Sidwell are legacy. Don’t let the IG page fool you. P+Y are wasted applications if you are not a “best student I’ve ever had” or type of applicant.[/quote]

But in DMV, everyone else is an Ivy Leaguer. So many parents in these schools are legacy. Why only Sidwell achieves such good outcome with Ivies? [/quote]

Add Dartmouth to the Legacy & Connections for Sidwell...Also, looks like Sidwell's new-ish college counseling office is on her for PR

[/quote]

Define new. Everyone in Sidwell’s CCO, except for one person, has been there for at least 5 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's pretty bad and far behind Sidwell in the top 20, and Ivy admits, at least until now. Hope a few Ivy admits will post on IG.

GDS is definitely lagging behind Sidwell when it comes to top colleges this year (and last year too). However, GDS’ results aren’t terrible, they’re just middling compared to what most of us expect from a school like GDS. I think the problem is GDS’ 12 college application cap, and the high number of required safeties. If GDS drops that restriction, I think they’ll see an improvement in college outcomes.

[Anonymous]

Here’s a better question- How many students reapply and do college transfer applications each fall at SFs or GDS or the cathedral schools?

It’s a dirty little big secret.

[Anonymous]

Time to hit the portal!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a better question- How many students reapply and do college transfer applications each fall at SFs or GDS or the cathedral schools?

It’s a dirty little big secret.

I believe you are confusing the typical GDS alumni with Caroline Calloway...

[Anonymous]

If you want to get a flavor of what the Sidwell atmosphere around college admissions is, read this article. Current Sidwell parents have told me that it hasn't changed that much since 2019.

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2019/06/sidwell-friends-college-admissions-varsity-blues/591124/