Indulge my fantasy - top private vs. Walls

[Anonymous]

No parent with a kid at Walls (I am one) is arguing that Walls provides a better education than a top private. We’re just saying that many of the smartest kids there do just as well in terms of life outcomes, and many prefer the cohort and culture there, so might as well save the money. That’s it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No parent with a kid at Walls (I am one) is arguing that Walls provides a better education than a top private. We’re just saying that many of the smartest kids there do just as well in terms of life outcomes, and many prefer the cohort and culture there, so might as well save the money. That’s it.

Thank you, very clear and I agree.

Public schools like Walls and private schools like Sidwell also leave kids with very different value systems (as is evident in this thread.) Some people prefer the values of private, other prefer the values of a top public. So that is weighed against wanting your kid to have a "better education" during high school.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:This thread is getting ridiculous. Who cares if people know Sidwell or not.

What matters is the quality of the school and hands down Sidwell offers a much better education overall in every department. Yes you have to pay for it. If I had the money, it’s a no brainer to send the kid to Sidwell over Walls. If money was not a factor, 99% would send their kid there.

End of story.

Signed public school parent

Except facts don't bear out your claim. Kids do turn down Sidwell, or choose not to apply there even if they are applying to other schools.

I'm not sure you can even argue that the educational quality is "hands down" better than Walls. Sidwell does have some academic weaknesses.

But even assuming the academics are better, some things about Sidwell are pretty awful. Like do you really want to go to school with the Sidwell poster here, who is so obsessed with money and name-recognition and jockeying for status?

If you haven't, at a minimum, been to both schools and know students well at both schools, then don't make presumptions.

I’m the PP. Of course kids turn down any private school but it is a very small number at Sidwell. The reality is that many kids who don’t apply to Sidwell but Walls is due to cost or that they likely won’t get in. Lots of top kids leave DCPS after middle school to go to privates. Ask any ward 3 parent with a high performer.

Sorry but you are so in total denial if you think the education at Sidwell is not better than Walls. The top kids come out so much better prepared for college. Any Walks parent on here who are taking this stance are just trying to justify their choices.

I'm one of those Ward 3 parents of a high performer. I have first-hand experience with what we're talking about.

Sidwell's excessive workload and unhappy kids are not part of my--or my child's--definition of good education.

The denial is not realizing that even affluent people don't all think in lockstep.

No one said all kids go private but you know very well that many top performers are going private if they get in and not going the DCPS route. Now of course if they don’t get in which some won’t, then that is another story.

The highest concentration of smart kids is always in the high performing publics and everyone knows that. many many families in Scarsdale and Palo Alto who could easily afford private and stick with public. And the MCPS magnets and TJ beat the pants off any private. This is because, and I know it is hard to swallow, truly smart and accomplished people often choose to make lives in fields other than hedge funds and investment banking so they cannot afford private.

Why are you even talking about the schools above? We are talking Walls here not the better schools above. It’s a totally different calculation

The only thing Walls has going for it is that there is a better cohort of kids than your IB. That is it. Nothing else to commend the school about.

On what do you base your assessment?

Based on families whose kids go to Walls. If there is anything else great about the school, please chime in.

Okay, so no first-and experience in your family.

Quite a few positives have been mentioned above in this thread and in the thread of the same name on private school forum. So maybe read before asserting guesses.

NP. Besides Walls’ motivated, capable, and fairly well-behaved student body, I must have missed all of the other great things about the school. Can you please list the top 5 things Walls offers?

Read the thread.

Well I read the thread and no one has said anything positive that was great about the school except the cohort and a biology teacher who is good.

So……all the walls parents on here what exactly is great about the school.

What’s great about Sidwell? -Besides political leader’s children attendance. Anyone can go to Sidwell with money -not anyone can go to Walls.

Both schools have pros and cons, this thread is so silly and I love to read it.

Sidwell isn’t perfect, but it’s a great school. If I told you just 5 things (there are many more) that are great about Sidwell, you’ll say I’m bragging. So I won’t because I’m considerate and I don’t want to make you even more envious.

Wow, you are insane. I should have said ‘DP.’ But my goodness you have something very far up your bum. My oldest went to Sidwell, and I have one at Walls now.

Others anecdotal evidence is just as good as yours. The truth is Sidwell kids do not outperform kids at walls. And you can also be an average student and go to Sidwell -as long as you have money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good grief. Sidwell should be a great school for the astronomically sum they're charging most of their families. The recent Sidwell grads we know here in Ward 6 haven't gone on to highly competitive colleges. Meanwhile, we know a whole bunch of BASIS, Latin and Walls grads who have. These public-school grads are going to Ivies, MIT, Little Ivies, top public universities (e.g. UC Berkeley, 3% out of state admitted), mostly on substantial fi aid. It's not clear to me what the Sidwell middle-class parents of kids who wind up at pricey 2nd and 3rd tier colleges are paying for. Why do they bother with Sidwell?

Why do they bother? One reason is Sidwell’s lifelong alumni/social network (fostered by the school). IYKYK.

There are very few Sidwell students who live in Ward 6 (basis of knowledge: my children are lifers and I have access to the school directory). So, thanks for telling us about the 1 or 2 Sidwell students you know [shrug].

Btw, the bottom 10% of Sidwell’s class has to go somewhere. A second tier college seems reasonable. Especially when many of those students end up graduating in the top 10-20% from college due to their superior academic preparation in high school. If they graduated from Walls, as the bottom 10%, they most likely would attend UDC or a similar school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good grief. Sidwell should be a great school for the astronomically sum they're charging most of their families. The recent Sidwell grads we know here in Ward 6 haven't gone on to highly competitive colleges. Meanwhile, we know a whole bunch of BASIS, Latin and Walls grads who have. These public-school grads are going to Ivies, MIT, Little Ivies, top public universities (e.g. UC Berkeley, 3% out of state admitted), mostly on substantial fi aid. It's not clear to me what the Sidwell middle-class parents of kids who wind up at pricey 2nd and 3rd tier colleges are paying for. Why do they bother with Sidwell?

Why do they bother? One reason is Sidwell’s lifelong alumni/social network (fostered by the school). IYKYK.

There are very few Sidwell students who live in Ward 6 (basis of knowledge: my children are lifers and I have access to the school directory). So, thanks for telling us about the 1 or 2 Sidwell students you know [shrug].

Btw, the bottom 10% of Sidwell’s class has to go somewhere. A second tier college seems reasonable. Especially when many of those students end up graduating in the top 10-20% from college due to their superior academic preparation in high school. If they graduated from Walls, as the bottom 10%, they most likely would attend UDC or a similar school.

The bottom 10% at Sidwell is dumber than the bottom 10% at Walls. This is because every single Walls student comes in as a Straight A student who was one of the top students at their middle school. Simply not true for Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:This thread is getting ridiculous. Who cares if people know Sidwell or not.

What matters is the quality of the school and hands down Sidwell offers a much better education overall in every department. Yes you have to pay for it. If I had the money, it’s a no brainer to send the kid to Sidwell over Walls. If money was not a factor, 99% would send their kid there.

End of story.

Signed public school parent

Except facts don't bear out your claim. Kids do turn down Sidwell, or choose not to apply there even if they are applying to other schools.

I'm not sure you can even argue that the educational quality is "hands down" better than Walls. Sidwell does have some academic weaknesses.

But even assuming the academics are better, some things about Sidwell are pretty awful. Like do you really want to go to school with the Sidwell poster here, who is so obsessed with money and name-recognition and jockeying for status?

If you haven't, at a minimum, been to both schools and know students well at both schools, then don't make presumptions.

I’m the PP. Of course kids turn down any private school but it is a very small number at Sidwell. The reality is that many kids who don’t apply to Sidwell but Walls is due to cost or that they likely won’t get in. Lots of top kids leave DCPS after middle school to go to privates. Ask any ward 3 parent with a high performer.

Sorry but you are so in total denial if you think the education at Sidwell is not better than Walls. The top kids come out so much better prepared for college. Any Walks parent on here who are taking this stance are just trying to justify their choices.

I'm one of those Ward 3 parents of a high performer. I have first-hand experience with what we're talking about.

Sidwell's excessive workload and unhappy kids are not part of my--or my child's--definition of good education.

The denial is not realizing that even affluent people don't all think in lockstep.

No one said all kids go private but you know very well that many top performers are going private if they get in and not going the DCPS route. Now of course if they don’t get in which some won’t, then that is another story.

The highest concentration of smart kids is always in the high performing publics and everyone knows that. many many families in Scarsdale and Palo Alto who could easily afford private and stick with public. And the MCPS magnets and TJ beat the pants off any private. This is because, and I know it is hard to swallow, truly smart and accomplished people often choose to make lives in fields other than hedge funds and investment banking so they cannot afford private.

Why are you even talking about the schools above? We are talking Walls here not the better schools above. It’s a totally different calculation

The only thing Walls has going for it is that there is a better cohort of kids than your IB. That is it. Nothing else to commend the school about.

On what do you base your assessment?

Based on families whose kids go to Walls. If there is anything else great about the school, please chime in.

Okay, so no first-and experience in your family.

Quite a few positives have been mentioned above in this thread and in the thread of the same name on private school forum. So maybe read before asserting guesses.

NP. Besides Walls’ motivated, capable, and fairly well-behaved student body, I must have missed all of the other great things about the school. Can you please list the top 5 things Walls offers?

Read the thread.

Well I read the thread and no one has said anything positive that was great about the school except the cohort and a biology teacher who is good.

So……all the walls parents on here what exactly is great about the school.

What’s great about Sidwell? -Besides political leader’s children attendance. Anyone can go to Sidwell with money -not anyone can go to Walls.

Both schools have pros and cons, this thread is so silly and I love to read it.

Sidwell isn’t perfect, but it’s a great school. If I told you just 5 things (there are many more) that are great about Sidwell, you’ll say I’m bragging. So I won’t because I’m considerate and I don’t want to make you even more envious.

Wow, you are insane. I should have said ‘DP.’ But my goodness you have something very far up your bum. My oldest went to Sidwell, and I have one at Walls now.

Others anecdotal evidence is just as good as yours. The truth is Sidwell kids do not outperform kids at walls. And you can also be an average student and go to Sidwell -as long as you have money.

It’s very clear none of your children attended Sidwell. Your lies are so desperate and transparent.

Btw, I know at least a dozen children, with 4.0 GPAs (or very close to it), who were not admitted to Sidwell’s US. Most of them would have been full pay. Contrary to the lie you tell yourself, money and top grades will not get you automatically admitted to Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

I think this Sidwell-is-the-bestest-ever person is a teen troll. Clearly more invested in a playground argument than a productive discussion about schools.

[Anonymous]

So 2025: Stupid arguments about BASIS

So 2026: Stupid arguments about Sidwell

[Anonymous]

Almost two-thirds of Harvard students went to public high schools. No one needs to go to Sidwell (or Walls, for that matter) to get into a prestigious university. Kids from crappy high schools get into the Ivy League too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good grief. Sidwell should be a great school for the astronomically sum they're charging most of their families. The recent Sidwell grads we know here in Ward 6 haven't gone on to highly competitive colleges. Meanwhile, we know a whole bunch of BASIS, Latin and Walls grads who have. These public-school grads are going to Ivies, MIT, Little Ivies, top public universities (e.g. UC Berkeley, 3% out of state admitted), mostly on substantial fi aid. It's not clear to me what the Sidwell middle-class parents of kids who wind up at pricey 2nd and 3rd tier colleges are paying for. Why do they bother with Sidwell?

Why do they bother? One reason is Sidwell’s lifelong alumni/social network (fostered by the school). IYKYK.

There are very few Sidwell students who live in Ward 6 (basis of knowledge: my children are lifers and I have access to the school directory). So, thanks for telling us about the 1 or 2 Sidwell students you know [shrug].

Btw, the bottom 10% of Sidwell’s class has to go somewhere. A second tier college seems reasonable. Especially when many of those students end up graduating in the top 10-20% from college due to their superior academic preparation in high school. If they graduated from Walls, as the bottom 10%, they most likely would attend UDC or a similar school.

The bottom 10% at Sidwell is dumber than the bottom 10% at Walls. This is because every single Walls student comes in as a Straight A student who was one of the top students at their middle school. Simply not true for Sidwell.

Wrong. I personally know two recent Walls admittees who had at least one B+ on their report cards.

I find it hilarious that you’re trying to compare the intelligence of these two student bodies (so desperate). You have to have a certain level of intelligence to graduate from Sidwell, otherwise you will be counseled out.
I guarantee the bottom 10% at Sidwell is way richer than the bottom 10% at Walls. I’d much rather be rich and smart enough to graduate from Sidwell, than deal with whatever is going on at Walls.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:This thread is getting ridiculous. Who cares if people know Sidwell or not.

What matters is the quality of the school and hands down Sidwell offers a much better education overall in every department. Yes you have to pay for it. If I had the money, it’s a no brainer to send the kid to Sidwell over Walls. If money was not a factor, 99% would send their kid there.

End of story.

Signed public school parent

Except facts don't bear out your claim. Kids do turn down Sidwell, or choose not to apply there even if they are applying to other schools.

I'm not sure you can even argue that the educational quality is "hands down" better than Walls. Sidwell does have some academic weaknesses.

But even assuming the academics are better, some things about Sidwell are pretty awful. Like do you really want to go to school with the Sidwell poster here, who is so obsessed with money and name-recognition and jockeying for status?

If you haven't, at a minimum, been to both schools and know students well at both schools, then don't make presumptions.

I’m the PP. Of course kids turn down any private school but it is a very small number at Sidwell. The reality is that many kids who don’t apply to Sidwell but Walls is due to cost or that they likely won’t get in. Lots of top kids leave DCPS after middle school to go to privates. Ask any ward 3 parent with a high performer.

Sorry but you are so in total denial if you think the education at Sidwell is not better than Walls. The top kids come out so much better prepared for college. Any Walks parent on here who are taking this stance are just trying to justify their choices.

I'm one of those Ward 3 parents of a high performer. I have first-hand experience with what we're talking about.

Sidwell's excessive workload and unhappy kids are not part of my--or my child's--definition of good education.

The denial is not realizing that even affluent people don't all think in lockstep.

No one said all kids go private but you know very well that many top performers are going private if they get in and not going the DCPS route. Now of course if they don’t get in which some won’t, then that is another story.

The highest concentration of smart kids is always in the high performing publics and everyone knows that. many many families in Scarsdale and Palo Alto who could easily afford private and stick with public. And the MCPS magnets and TJ beat the pants off any private. This is because, and I know it is hard to swallow, truly smart and accomplished people often choose to make lives in fields other than hedge funds and investment banking so they cannot afford private.

Why are you even talking about the schools above? We are talking Walls here not the better schools above. It’s a totally different calculation

The only thing Walls has going for it is that there is a better cohort of kids than your IB. That is it. Nothing else to commend the school about.

On what do you base your assessment?

Based on families whose kids go to Walls. If there is anything else great about the school, please chime in.

Okay, so no first-and experience in your family.

Quite a few positives have been mentioned above in this thread and in the thread of the same name on private school forum. So maybe read before asserting guesses.

NP. Besides Walls’ motivated, capable, and fairly well-behaved student body, I must have missed all of the other great things about the school. Can you please list the top 5 things Walls offers?

Read the thread.

Well I read the thread and no one has said anything positive that was great about the school except the cohort and a biology teacher who is good.

So……all the walls parents on here what exactly is great about the school.

What’s great about Sidwell? -Besides political leader’s children attendance. Anyone can go to Sidwell with money -not anyone can go to Walls.

Both schools have pros and cons, this thread is so silly and I love to read it.

Sidwell isn’t perfect, but it’s a great school. If I told you just 5 things (there are many more) that are great about Sidwell, you’ll say I’m bragging. So I won’t because I’m considerate and I don’t want to make you even more envious.

Wow, you are insane. I should have said ‘DP.’ But my goodness you have something very far up your bum. My oldest went to Sidwell, and I have one at Walls now.

Others anecdotal evidence is just as good as yours. The truth is Sidwell kids do not outperform kids at walls. And you can also be an average student and go to Sidwell -as long as you have money.

It’s very clear none of your children attended Sidwell. Your lies are so desperate and transparent.

Btw, I know at least a dozen children, with 4.0 GPAs (or very close to it), who were not admitted to Sidwell’s US. Most of them would have been full pay. Contrary to the lie you tell yourself, money and top grades will not get you automatically admitted to Sidwell.

Oh my gosh you know 12 children? Wow, the data you have pulled is astonishing! I am filled with so much envy I’m sitting here crying in pain!

If Sidwell’s really all that, why are you hustling it like some MLM mommy who peaked in high school?

I know it’s a shocker for boot lickers like you, Sidwell is great but not so great that I wouldn’t let my child choose Walls instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good grief. Sidwell should be a great school for the astronomically sum they're charging most of their families. The recent Sidwell grads we know here in Ward 6 haven't gone on to highly competitive colleges. Meanwhile, we know a whole bunch of BASIS, Latin and Walls grads who have. These public-school grads are going to Ivies, MIT, Little Ivies, top public universities (e.g. UC Berkeley, 3% out of state admitted), mostly on substantial fi aid. It's not clear to me what the Sidwell middle-class parents of kids who wind up at pricey 2nd and 3rd tier colleges are paying for. Why do they bother with Sidwell?

A different question. Is Sidwell worth it if the cost will be a real strain? Probably better to go for free to good G&T high school like Walls, Banneker, or TJ. Maybe that will give you academic prep for private college without having to sacrifice money. That would cover the one downside I felt as a public school kid that went to a fancy college--I was never taught to study or write long papers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Almost two-thirds of Harvard students went to public high schools. No one needs to go to Sidwell (or Walls, for that matter) to get into a prestigious university. Kids from crappy high schools get into the Ivy League too.

Common sense check: That’s because MOST Americans graduate from public schools. However, independent school students (14% of U.S. high school students) are overrepresented at elite colleges. Check Sidwell’s IG for quick reference.

“Private prep schools seem to be the key to success when it comes to getting into an elite college like Dartmouth. After all, 34% of Dartmouth’s Class of 2025 went to “Independent Schools” while only 14% of U.S. high schoolers attend such institutions.

https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2022/10/cradle-to-cap-and-gown-the-prep-school-to-ivy-pipeline#google_vignette

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is getting ridiculous. Who cares if people know Sidwell or not.

What matters is the quality of the school and hands down Sidwell offers a much better education overall in every department. Yes you have to pay for it. If I had the money, it’s a no brainer to send the kid to Sidwell over Walls. If money was not a factor, 99% would send their kid there.

End of story.

Signed public school parent

Except facts don't bear out your claim. Kids do turn down Sidwell, or choose not to apply there even if they are applying to other schools.

I'm not sure you can even argue that the educational quality is "hands down" better than Walls. Sidwell does have some academic weaknesses.

But even assuming the academics are better, some things about Sidwell are pretty awful. Like do you really want to go to school with the Sidwell poster here, who is so obsessed with money and name-recognition and jockeying for status?

If you haven't, at a minimum, been to both schools and know students well at both schools, then don't make presumptions.

I’m the PP. Of course kids turn down any private school but it is a very small number at Sidwell. The reality is that many kids who don’t apply to Sidwell but Walls is due to cost or that they likely won’t get in. Lots of top kids leave DCPS after middle school to go to privates. Ask any ward 3 parent with a high performer.

Sorry but you are so in total denial if you think the education at Sidwell is not better than Walls. The top kids come out so much better prepared for college. Any Walks parent on here who are taking this stance are just trying to justify their choices.

I'm one of those Ward 3 parents of a high performer. I have first-hand experience with what we're talking about.

Sidwell's excessive workload and unhappy kids are not part of my--or my child's--definition of good education.

The denial is not realizing that even affluent people don't all think in lockstep.

No one said all kids go private but you know very well that many top performers are going private if they get in and not going the DCPS route. Now of course if they don’t get in which some won’t, then that is another story.

The highest concentration of smart kids is always in the high performing publics and everyone knows that. many many families in Scarsdale and Palo Alto who could easily afford private and stick with public. And the MCPS magnets and TJ beat the pants off any private. This is because, and I know it is hard to swallow, truly smart and accomplished people often choose to make lives in fields other than hedge funds and investment banking so they cannot afford private.

Why are you even talking about the schools above? We are talking Walls here not the better schools above. It’s a totally different calculation

The only thing Walls has going for it is that there is a better cohort of kids than your IB. That is it. Nothing else to commend the school about.

On what do you base your assessment?

Based on families whose kids go to Walls. If there is anything else great about the school, please chime in.

Okay, so no first-and experience in your family.

Quite a few positives have been mentioned above in this thread and in the thread of the same name on private school forum. So maybe read before asserting guesses.

NP. Besides Walls’ motivated, capable, and fairly well-behaved student body, I must have missed all of the other great things about the school. Can you please list the top 5 things Walls offers?

Read the thread.

Well I read the thread and no one has said anything positive that was great about the school except the cohort and a biology teacher who is good.

So……all the walls parents on here what exactly is great about the school.

What’s great about Sidwell? -Besides political leader’s children attendance. Anyone can go to Sidwell with money -not anyone can go to Walls.

Both schools have pros and cons, this thread is so silly and I love to read it.

Sidwell isn’t perfect, but it’s a great school. If I told you just 5 things (there are many more) that are great about Sidwell, you’ll say I’m bragging. So I won’t because I’m considerate and I don’t want to make you even more envious.

Wow, you are insane. I should have said ‘DP.’ But my goodness you have something very far up your bum. My oldest went to Sidwell, and I have one at Walls now.

Others anecdotal evidence is just as good as yours. The truth is Sidwell kids do not outperform kids at walls. And you can also be an average student and go to Sidwell -as long as you have money.

It’s very clear none of your children attended Sidwell. Your lies are so desperate and transparent.

Btw, I know at least a dozen children, with 4.0 GPAs (or very close to it), who were not admitted to Sidwell’s US. Most of them would have been full pay. Contrary to the lie you tell yourself, money and top grades will not get you automatically admitted to Sidwell.

Oh my gosh you know 12 children? Wow, the data you have pulled is astonishing! I am filled with so much envy I’m sitting here crying in pain!

If Sidwell’s really all that, why are you hustling it like some MLM mommy who peaked in high school?

I know it’s a shocker for boot lickers like you, Sidwell is great but not so great that I wouldn’t let my child choose Walls instead.

The cope is hilarious! That’s why I’m slumming it in the public school forum. 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost two-thirds of Harvard students went to public high schools. No one needs to go to Sidwell (or Walls, for that matter) to get into a prestigious university. Kids from crappy high schools get into the Ivy League too.

Common sense check: That’s because MOST Americans graduate from public schools. However, independent school students (14% of U.S. high school students) are overrepresented at elite colleges. Check Sidwell’s IG for quick reference.

“Private prep schools seem to be the key to success when it comes to getting into an elite college like Dartmouth. After all, 34% of Dartmouth’s Class of 2025 went to “Independent Schools” while only 14% of U.S. high schoolers attend such institutions.

https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2022/10/cradle-to-cap-and-gown-the-prep-school-to-ivy-pipeline#google_vignette

You're missing the point. It only matters so much where a kid goes to school. If you go to Sidwell and get average grades and average test scores, you're going to be less desirable to admissions officers than a kid with stellar numbers who went to his or her public high school in Iowa City.