GDS and Sidwell comparison?

[Anonymous]

If your making 1.8M or more you will feel comfortable at either school. Your race, family structure, religion, ethnicity does not come into play as much. Both of these schools are full of extravagant wealth.

[Anonymous]

Toured both schools a few years ago for 4th grade and saw what many friends had said: that GDS elementary school classrooms, to a one, were doing pretty much nothing. In each one--a transition, a special day, kids supposedly working in the hall but goofing off (I am in education and know the difference between productive and unmoored goofing.) I asked a former GDS HS teacher about my impression and they said it was accurate. I also gathered that in the HS, they pretty much start from scratch to get the kids into high-octane mode (which, from what I've seen, is impressive.) Sidwell seemed much more thoughtful all the way through. What a PP said about no phonics at GDS seems true, too, and if you're following education, you know that the whole language approach to reading leaves many kids behind. Strong parent education and work habits probably make for strong GDS grads, but I did not apply my child there because I didn't want to tear my hair out for 9 years watching them not make enough of their time. I'm sure someone will disagree vehemently, so have at it, but I do feel like I got some confirmation from that former GDS teacher.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the thoughtful responses. I do not at this moment have a favorite, but one thing that I liked about GDS is the small class size and teacher ratio. Doesn’t that mean more individual attention? Sidwell has up to 20 kids in a class in elementary with one teacher (this was said twice during admissions process). I don’t know how many kids are in the GDS classrooms, but the website says the teacher student ratio is 6:1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Toured both schools a few years ago for 4th grade and saw what many friends had said: that GDS elementary school classrooms, to a one, were doing pretty much nothing. In each one--a transition, a special day, kids supposedly working in the hall but goofing off (I am in education and know the difference between productive and unmoored goofing.) I asked a former GDS HS teacher about my impression and they said it was accurate. I also gathered that in the HS, they pretty much start from scratch to get the kids into high-octane mode (which, from what I've seen, is impressive.) Sidwell seemed much more thoughtful all the way through. What a PP said about no phonics at GDS seems true, too, and if you're following education, you know that the whole language approach to reading leaves many kids behind. Strong parent education and work habits probably make for strong GDS grads, but I did not apply my child there because I didn't want to tear my hair out for 9 years watching them not make enough of their time. I'm sure someone will disagree vehemently, so have at it, but I do feel like I got some confirmation from that former GDS teacher.

This would definitely be concerning, if true. Other’s impression or experience on elementary academics there?

[Anonymous]

Previous poster here, and yes DC was accepted to both for middle school. We found GDS and Sidwell to be more comparable in terms of academics for MS. Not sure if there is a big transition at GDS from lower school to middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When we toured both pre-covid, Sidwell seemed more competitive, in that there was a set goal that they expected each child to get to. GDS wanted to see growth from each child, but recognized that since each child started in a different place, they'd end in a different place too. We are very happy at GDS.

Your perceptions about Sidwell here are just off. Every kid is met where they are and achieve whatever goals they set for themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Twiddle dum and twiddle dee. Both good schools with great teachers but not necessarily geared for the STEM kid. Sidwell more mainstream in educational philosophy, more diverse students and better athletics while GDS is a little more innovative in terms of educational experience, more “woke”’ and more flexible curriculum than Sidwell. College admissions to the top schools is either legacy or $$$ or sports or some special hook. The regular smart but not super unique kid better set their sights on strong liberal arts colleges if they apply early decision. Both have super wealthy families and the middle class families in the donut hole feel squeezed with unabated tuition rises.

This might the most succinct and accurate post about these schools ever.

Agree with this as well.

Disagree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the thoughtful responses. I do not at this moment have a favorite, but one thing that I liked about GDS is the small class size and teacher ratio. Doesn’t that mean more individual attention? Sidwell has up to 20 kids in a class in elementary with one teacher (this was said twice during admissions process). I don’t know how many kids are in the GDS classrooms, but the website says the teacher student ratio is 6:1.

Nope, when there are 20 kids, there are always two experienced teachers in the classroom at Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Twiddle dum and twiddle dee. Both good schools with great teachers but not necessarily geared for the STEM kid. Sidwell more mainstream in educational philosophy, more diverse students and better athletics while GDS is a little more innovative in terms of educational experience, more “woke”’ and more flexible curriculum than Sidwell. College admissions to the top schools is either legacy or $$$ or sports or some special hook. The regular smart but not super unique kid better set their sights on strong liberal arts colleges if they apply early decision. Both have super wealthy families and the middle class families in the donut hole feel squeezed with unabated tuition rises.

This might the most succinct and accurate post about these schools ever.

Agree with this as well.

Disagree.

Because…..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the thoughtful responses. I do not at this moment have a favorite, but one thing that I liked about GDS is the small class size and teacher ratio. Doesn’t that mean more individual attention? Sidwell has up to 20 kids in a class in elementary with one teacher (this was said twice during admissions process). I don’t know how many kids are in the GDS classrooms, but the website says the teacher student ratio is 6:1.

Nope, when there are 20 kids, there are always two experienced teachers in the classroom at Sidwell.

This wasn’t said in admissions sessions, do you know this for a fact to be true? The website says student teacher ratio is 12:1, but I thought that included science, art, PE teachers as well.

[Anonymous]

Yes, fact. I think it’s 3rd grade that has 1 home room teacher with 14 kids, but otherwise 20 odd kids with 2 HR teachers.+ specials teachers for art, music, language etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, fact. I think it’s 3rd grade that has 1 home room class with 1 HR teacher and 14 kids, but otherwise 20 odd kids with 2 HR teachers.+ specials teachers for art, music, language etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell is more prestigious.

+1. For better or worse Sidwell is much better known outside of the DMV, thanks largely to the fact that presidents kids have attended

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell is more prestigious.

+1. For better or worse Sidwell is much better known outside of the DMV, thanks largely to the fact that presidents kids have attended

If prestige is what you are looking, go with St. Albans, NCS or Sidwell. Academically, St. Albans, NCS, Sidwell and GDS are all pretty similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the thoughtful responses. I do not at this moment have a favorite, but one thing that I liked about GDS is the small class size and teacher ratio. Doesn’t that mean more individual attention? Sidwell has up to 20 kids in a class in elementary with one teacher (this was said twice during admissions process). I don’t know how many kids are in the GDS classrooms, but the website says the teacher student ratio is 6:1.

Nope, when there are 20 kids, there are always two experienced teachers in the classroom at Sidwell.

Exactly. In lower school, the single rooms have 2 teachers, so it is really a 10-1 or 12-1 ratio. Add to it, there are times that half the room goes to art, language or science, so in that case, it is half that.