Don't understand the crazy about sidwell friend

[Anonymous]

Y'all are letting your American class shine through.

I would assume OP is from another country and not remark on his/her grammar. What does it do for anyone other than (perhaps) make you feel superior?

I was also at the Sidwell OH. There were many, many parents from "other" countries. Including myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If have a hard time taking OP seriously. "Impressed of"? That's mighty poor grammar for someone who wants to send their kid to an elite private.

It's a highly competitive process, and parental education makes a difference.

Is that "I" instead of "If" in your comment? Hope your kids do not make such errors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If have a hard time taking OP seriously. "Impressed of"? That's mighty poor grammar for someone who wants to send their kid to an elite private.

It's a highly competitive process, and parental education makes a difference.

But if they're full pay parents who did t go to college, that helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If have a hard time taking OP seriously. "Impressed of"? That's mighty poor grammar for someone who wants to send their kid to an elite private.

It's a highly competitive process, and parental education makes a difference.

But if they're full pay parents who did t go to college, that helps.

X2, they get to claim social diversity AND the parents' paycheck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It got popular when Chelsea went there, and then when the Obama girls went there. This city is full of a$$ kissers, and people wanted to be there just to be able to say they send their kids to school with the president's kids.

The city is full of:

1. Highly educated parents who want the best education money can buy
2. Families with progressive attitudes
3. Families not interested in an overly religious educational experience
4. Students / parents not interested in single sex education
5. Families living in areas with lower quality public options
6. Upper middle class AA families who don't care for the limited diversity offered in their publics school (e.g. Whitman is 4% AA)
7. Students who thrive in a more intimate setting than larger schools provide
8. Parents desirous of a school that seeks to develop the whole child

I am not saying that social climbers are absent from the community. Nor am I saying that Sidwell is unique in being able to offer these attributes. But, reducing the many and varied reasons to a stupid axiom speaks only to your ignorance.

The Sidwell (or "Friends" as it used to be called) families of old see a major difference. Trust me.

And, the Sidwell Friends of old was segregated. What is your point? The world has changed and so should institutions.

The point is that the parents used to be interested and cultured. Now they're social climbers. One of the K dads a year ago was 80 years old! Come on.

I don't get it. You think a dad is a social climber because he is in his 80s? The 80-year olds I know seem much more chill and comfortable in their own skin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Should be 30 years ago. Sidwell wasn't all that back then. It was a good school as was GDS, but nothing special.

I graduated in the mid-80s, and it was decidedly differrent. I knew plenty of kids at Sidwell who ended up there because they weren't succeeding in local public schools. It wasn't for high flyers back in the day.

- Old NoVa native

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It got popular when Chelsea went there, and then when the Obama girls went there. This city is full of a$$ kissers, and people wanted to be there just to be able to say they send their kids to school with the president's kids.

The city is full of:

1. Highly educated parents who want the best education money can buy
2. Families with progressive attitudes
3. Families not interested in an overly religious educational experience
4. Students / parents not interested in single sex education
5. Families living in areas with lower quality public options
6. Upper middle class AA families who don't care for the limited diversity offered in their publics school (e.g. Whitman is 4% AA)
7. Students who thrive in a more intimate setting than larger schools provide
8. Parents desirous of a school that seeks to develop the whole child

I am not saying that social climbers are absent from the community. Nor am I saying that Sidwell is unique in being able to offer these attributes. But, reducing the many and varied reasons to a stupid axiom speaks only to your ignorance.

The Sidwell (or "Friends" as it used to be called) families of old see a major difference. Trust me.

And, the Sidwell Friends of old was segregated. What is your point? The world has changed and so should institutions.

The point is that the parents used to be interested and cultured. Now they're social climbers. One of the K dads a year ago was 80 years old! Come on.

A statement completely lacking in perspective and humility. Sorry that the crunchy do-gooders are now outnumbered by members of the commercial class. The fact is that the DC metro area is a much different place demographically than it was in years "of old".

Your fellow parents, ladies and gentlemen!
- Sidwell grad who'd never consider sending my kids there

Get off your high horse and take off your sepia toned glasses. Your Sidwell was tattered, less diverse, poorly endowed and more self righteous. I know of a few schools in Philadelphia that still meet this description...and they are all on the verge of extinction.

Further, it is the height of arrogance to suggest that people who work in commercial enterprises are somehow less good or less worthy.

Which schools in Philadelphia, if you don't mind me asking?

[Anonymous]

Please note that facilities have NOTHING to do with quality of education.

As a European who went to what was then the highest ranked private high school in France, an urban school with no greenery and many prefabricated buildings, I am disappointed that so many people are so invested in finding the right campus "look" for their children's schools. Is sporting equipment more important than teacher quality? Those who make that mistake either don't care what their dollars buy as long as there's an impossibly green lawn in front of it, or care only to buy connections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It got popular when Chelsea went there, and then when the Obama girls went there. This city is full of a$$ kissers, and people wanted to be there just to be able to say they send their kids to school with the president's kids.

The city is full of:

1. Highly educated parents who want the best education money can buy
2. Families with progressive attitudes
3. Families not interested in an overly religious educational experience
4. Students / parents not interested in single sex education
5. Families living in areas with lower quality public options
6. Upper middle class AA families who don't care for the limited diversity offered in their publics school (e.g. Whitman is 4% AA)
7. Students who thrive in a more intimate setting than larger schools provide
8. Parents desirous of a school that seeks to develop the whole child

I am not saying that social climbers are absent from the community. Nor am I saying that Sidwell is unique in being able to offer these attributes. But, reducing the many and varied reasons to a stupid axiom speaks only to your ignorance.

The Sidwell (or "Friends" as it used to be called) families of old see a major difference. Trust me.

And, the Sidwell Friends of old was segregated. What is your point? The world has changed and so should institutions.

The point is that the parents used to be interested and cultured. Now they're social climbers. One of the K dads a year ago was 80 years old! Come on.

I don't get it. You think a dad is a social climber because he is in his 80s? The 80-year olds I know seem much more chill and comfortable in their own skin.

[Anonymous]

Thi means only an obvious social climber would marry an 80 years old man and have a young child with him.

[Anonymous]

I have seen quite some number of such women in top 10 schools. 20%? But many are down-to-earth and have been married for many years with their husbands.

However, watch out - those who post and participate actively in the hours between 9 am to 11 am, and 1 pm to 3 pm, have a much higher probability to be among the social climbers.

[Anonymous]

To the OP I have a friend who didn't apply to Sidwell because she wasn't that impressed with the tour. They went to another highly rated private instead and now are trying to get into Sidwell for MS. Did they get a better education at the other school. I don't think so. Dare I say I don't think ANY private lower school is worth it. I can only say that with hindsight as my kids are now in MS. We see the kids coming from publics who got a great education and didn't have to pay the lower school tuition. They say LS is to secure a spot in US..if you can make the transition in MS.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell Middle School is beautiful --easily the nicest MS building in the DMV (but the teaching is better than the building)

[Anonymous]

OP here. No, I'm not from this country. I doubt those who tease my grammar can write a word in my language, given the same year of exposure to that language as I was in English. Thanks for all the other posts that are trying to be helpful. We will tour MS and US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell Middle School is beautiful --easily the nicest MS building in the DMV (but the teaching is better than the building)

Thank you, we will tour MS.