GDS v. Sidwell

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To me the issue is, outside of the DMV no one has ever heard of GDS. For better or worse, Sidwell has the notoriety that comes from having Clinton and Obama kids there. You can go anywhere in the country and talk about Sidwell and people know the school. That is simply not true of GDS

If I’m going to pay $45000 a year for a school, I prefer to purchase a brand name that means something

Eh, depends on which college you went to. If you went to Harvard/Yale/Princeton or Amherst/Swarthmore/Williams, you knew about Georgetown Day. Coming from CA, I went to one of the competitive SLACs and definitely knew of the DC prep school scene and all the schools that inhabited it. See the thread on Pomona in the College forum--if you haven't heard of Pomona, that says more about you than about the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ten years ago, more families given the choice between Sidwell and GDS would choose Sidwell. Today, that has reversed. GDS is the more sought-after school.

Other than your opinion, do you have any evidence to back up that statement?

Of course not, because there is none. I don't know anyone who would pick GDS over Sidwell.

GDS is, and has always been, the wannabe Sidwell. This is gotten even more pronounced over the years from when I was there in the late 90s. This does not speak to the educational experience your child might have. It would be fine either way. As long as you don’t mind elitism.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:if you can't get in one of these - which are the 2nd rate schools in the area?

False premise.

[Anonymous]

they are both great schools. my sense is that the real difference is more about fit/feel/vibe. be sure to take tours of both. your child's sense of which appeals more will lead you to the best fit. i know many on these forums find any discussion of sports laughable with respect to these schools, but i would definitely say that Sidwell has the stronger sports program overall as compared to GDS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:they are both great schools. my sense is that the real difference is more about fit/feel/vibe. be sure to take tours of both. your child's sense of which appeals more will lead you to the best fit. i know many on these forums find any discussion of sports laughable with respect to these schools, but i would definitely say that Sidwell has the stronger sports program overall as compared to GDS.

Well said and accurate (GDS parent of two)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: i would definitely say that Sidwell has the stronger sports program overall as compared to GDS.

This is true, but your kid is also more likely to play at GDS. In certain sports like basketball, it's pretty competitive at SFS given that they recruit from AAU programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ten years ago, more families given the choice between Sidwell and GDS would choose Sidwell. Today, that has reversed. GDS is the more sought-after school.

Other than your opinion, do you have any evidence to back up that statement?

Of course not, because there is none. I don't know anyone who would pick GDS over Sidwell.

GDS is, and has always been, the wannabe Sidwell. This is gotten even more pronounced over the years from when I was there in the late 90s. This does not speak to the educational experience your child might have. It would be fine either way. As long as you don’t mind elitism.

NP- We have kids at both schools and GDS seems comfortable in its own skin. I’ve never gotten the sense it’s trying to be Sidwell or anything other than the great school it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: i would definitely say that Sidwell has the stronger sports program overall as compared to GDS.

This is true, but your kid is also more likely to play at GDS. In certain sports like basketball, it's pretty competitive at SFS given that they recruit from AAU programs.

They must of just started recruiting from AAU programs because their basketball program is no powerhouse nor is it that much better than GDS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: i would definitely say that Sidwell has the stronger sports program overall as compared to GDS.

This is true, but your kid is also more likely to play at GDS. In certain sports like basketball, it's pretty competitive at SFS given that they recruit from AAU programs.

They must of just started recruiting from AAU programs because their basketball program is no powerhouse nor is it that much better than GDS

,","

I don't understand the statement above. "Their basketball program is no powerhouse," yet they won DC state championship last year against Wilson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: i would definitely say that Sidwell has the stronger sports program overall as compared to GDS.

This is true, but your kid is also more likely to play at GDS. In certain sports like basketball, it's pretty competitive at SFS given that they recruit from AAU programs.

They must of just started recruiting from AAU programs because their basketball program is no powerhouse nor is it that much better than GDS

,","

I don't understand the statement above. "Their basketball program is no powerhouse," yet they won DC state championship last year against Wilson.

With one kid who is playing college basketball this year and almost the entire team "home grown."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ten years ago, more families given the choice between Sidwell and GDS would choose Sidwell. Today, that has reversed. GDS is the more sought-after school.

Other than your opinion, do you have any evidence to back up that statement?

Of course not, because there is none. I don't know anyone who would pick GDS over Sidwell.

I know families with GDS/Sidwell acceptances where
- the child chose GDS over Sidwell and the parents would have preferred Sidwell
- the child chose Sidwell over GDS and the parents would have preferred GDS

It’s just a matter of fit and preference . Both are good schools. They do have different personalities but kids can get great education at both.

[Anonymous]

Upper schools similar but sfs has more structure, gds will let you tread water if your want.

Sfs lower school more academic, gds getting there slowly. that or they’ll keep backending the academics for after third grade.

[Anonymous]

There’s really no comparison but the GDS folks like to pretend there is.

[Anonymous]

I have been to many a game at Sidwell vs GDS and have always left feeling that both parents and teammates were rude and obnoxious

[Anonymous]

Get over yourself. Neither is good enough to be an impressive credential so it doesn’t really matter. They both get the job done and that’s it.