Sidwell Report Cards Just Came Out…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is Sidwell more, less, same difficulty as boarding schools like Andover, etc?

Only people who have experienced both can answer that question.

I can only offer my experience as a Sidwell parent. The US is an academically tough place. I’m sure there are students who exist that would say Sidwell is an “easy” school. I have never met or heard of these students. However, some individual classes are easy.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell like many schools has an easier track and a harder track. Some kids will find even the easier track hard and most on harder track will not get near to a 4.0. Your college counselor discusses this on report for college. A Sidwell grad will do well at any college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone happen to know (for real) the GPA cutoff for Top Quarter of the rising senior class?

I heard it was 3.75ish.

What about the top 10%?

Around 3.9

So, that’s about 12 to 13 students out of ~125. That’s pretty tough.

And then there are the kids who get a little lower than that but who have taken the advanced math track. Many have lower GPAs largely due to Math III and Math IV first semester grades, with no bump at Sidwell for the advanced track (only available in math and science). So you can be in the top 10% for GPA, but if you aren't in the higher track classes you may not really be reflected/recommended as top 10% in the school's recommendations as the need to account for the higher track grades. This year only 8 seniors completed Math IV and they all did very well in college admissions even with come lower math grades over the years. They make up a number of the high ranked college spots. Three of the eight are going to Harvard. I wish the school were a bit more transparent on this so kids really had a better idea where they are comparatively, not to encourage competition among them but because we keep being told colleges compare you to other kids at your school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell like many schools has an easier track and a harder track. Some kids will find even the easier track hard and most on harder track will not get near to a 4.0. Your college counselor discusses this on report for college. A Sidwell grad will do well at any college.

The students who find the easier track hard will do well at MIT?

No, they will do well at Kenyon and that’s ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone happen to know (for real) the GPA cutoff for Top Quarter of the rising senior class?

I heard it was 3.75ish.

What about the top 10%?

Around 3.9

So, that’s about 12 to 13 students out of ~125. That’s pretty tough.

And then there are the kids who get a little lower than that but who have taken the advanced math track. Many have lower GPAs largely due to Math III and Math IV first semester grades, with no bump at Sidwell for the advanced track (only available in math and science). So you can be in the top 10% for GPA, but if you aren't in the higher track classes you may not really be reflected/recommended as top 10% in the school's recommendations as the need to account for the higher track grades. This year only 8 seniors completed Math IV and they all did very well in college admissions even with come lower math grades over the years. They make up a number of the high ranked college spots. Three of the eight are going to Harvard. I wish the school were a bit more transparent on this so kids really had a better idea where they are comparatively, not to encourage competition among them but because we keep being told colleges compare you to other kids at your school.

You seem to know everything about all the students grades, so their must be some transparency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone happen to know (for real) the GPA cutoff for Top Quarter of the rising senior class?

I heard it was 3.75ish.

What about the top 10%?

Around 3.9

So, that’s about 12 to 13 students out of ~125. That’s pretty tough.

And then there are the kids who get a little lower than that but who have taken the advanced math track. Many have lower GPAs largely due to Math III and Math IV first semester grades, with no bump at Sidwell for the advanced track (only available in math and science). So you can be in the top 10% for GPA, but if you aren't in the higher track classes you may not really be reflected/recommended as top 10% in the school's recommendations as the need to account for the higher track grades. This year only 8 seniors completed Math IV and they all did very well in college admissions even with come lower math grades over the years. They make up a number of the high ranked college spots. Three of the eight are going to Harvard. I wish the school were a bit more transparent on this so kids really had a better idea where they are comparatively, not to encourage competition among them but because we keep being told colleges compare you to other kids at your school.

Correction: There are 3 advanced tracks at Sidwell: math, science, and language. For example, the highest track Spanish students take Spanish Seminar their senior year (after completing Spanish 6 their junior year).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone happen to know (for real) the GPA cutoff for Top Quarter of the rising senior class?

I heard it was 3.75ish.

What about the top 10%?

Around 3.9

So, that’s about 12 to 13 students out of ~125. That’s pretty tough.

And then there are the kids who get a little lower than that but who have taken the advanced math track. Many have lower GPAs largely due to Math III and Math IV first semester grades, with no bump at Sidwell for the advanced track (only available in math and science). So you can be in the top 10% for GPA, but if you aren't in the higher track classes you may not really be reflected/recommended as top 10% in the school's recommendations as the need to account for the higher track grades. This year only 8 seniors completed Math IV and they all did very well in college admissions even with come lower math grades over the years. They make up a number of the high ranked college spots. Three of the eight are going to Harvard. I wish the school were a bit more transparent on this so kids really had a better idea where they are comparatively, not to encourage competition among them but because we keep being told colleges compare you to other kids at your school.

Most of the Sidwell students going to Ivies this year graduated with Calculus 1 (including those who intend to major in STEM fields).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teaching your kids that a 3.92 at an incredibly hard school is a disappointment is setting them up for a lifetime of never feeling good enough or that anything is enough. And good luck during college app time.

Read with more attention to detail. I never said I was disappointed. I said I understood my child’s disappointment.

My child will do just fine during college applications, thank you. Move along.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone happen to know (for real) the GPA cutoff for Top Quarter of the rising senior class?

I heard it was 3.75ish.

What about the top 10%?

Around 3.9

So, that’s about 12 to 13 students out of ~125. That’s pretty tough.

And then there are the kids who get a little lower than that but who have taken the advanced math track. Many have lower GPAs largely due to Math III and Math IV first semester grades, with no bump at Sidwell for the advanced track (only available in math and science). So you can be in the top 10% for GPA, but if you aren't in the higher track classes you may not really be reflected/recommended as top 10% in the school's recommendations as the need to account for the higher track grades. This year only 8 seniors completed Math IV and they all did very well in college admissions even with come lower math grades over the years. They make up a number of the high ranked college spots. Three of the eight are going to Harvard. I wish the school were a bit more transparent on this so kids really had a better idea where they are comparatively, not to encourage competition among them but because we keep being told colleges compare you to other kids at your school.

You seem to know everything about all the students grades, so their must be some transparency.

DP. No, the kids know who completed which courses. They also share where they got admitted and accepted. None of this is info coming from the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teaching your kids that a 3.92 at an incredibly hard school is a disappointment is setting them up for a lifetime of never feeling good enough or that anything is enough. And good luck during college app time.

Read with more attention to detail. I never said I was disappointed. I said I understood my child’s disappointment.

My child will do just fine during college applications, thank you. Move along.

Really? If my child made a 3.92 at Sidwell (and I have/ had kids there), I would NOT understand their disappointment in this. In fact, I would be worried if that was their emotion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teaching your kids that a 3.92 at an incredibly hard school is a disappointment is setting them up for a lifetime of never feeling good enough or that anything is enough. And good luck during college app time.

Read with more attention to detail. I never said I was disappointed. I said I understood my child’s disappointment.

My child will do just fine during college applications, thank you. Move along.

Really? If my child made a 3.92 at Sidwell (and I have/ had kids there), I would NOT understand their disappointment in this. In fact, I would be worried if that was their emotion.

I would recognize and affirm their disappointment, I would be able to see how that emotion shows a distorted perspective and be concerned by that.

[Anonymous]

Exactly. The fact that the OP can’t see that is concerning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. The fact that the OP can’t see that is concerning.

People who have children with lower
(< 3.70) Sidwell GPAs (or other private schools) keep commenting on this particular point. Please just say you don’t know what it’s like to have a child who earned a 4.0 in middle school, and expected the same, or very close to it, in high school after putting in exponentially more work. If those children feel disappointed, their feelings are valid. No one has said their child was depressed or suicidal.

These children are entitled to feel however they want to feel. Worry about your own children and let others live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. The fact that the OP can’t see that is concerning.

People who have children with lower
(< 3.70) Sidwell GPAs (or other private schools) keep commenting on this particular point. Please just say you don’t know what it’s like to have a child who earned a 4.0 in middle school, and expected the same, or very close to it, in high school after putting in exponentially more work. If those children feel disappointed, their feelings are valid. No one has said their child was depressed or suicidal.

These children are entitled to feel however they want to feel. Worry about your own children and let others live.

You assume PPs (1) do not have children in this position and (2) don’t think the children’s feelings are valid (and did anyone mention suicide before you did?).

At least you didn’t accuse PPs of being public school parents which is apparently the ultimate insult as well as the the standard diversionary tactic on this forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. The fact that the OP can’t see that is concerning.

People who have children with lower
(< 3.70) Sidwell GPAs (or other private schools) keep commenting on this particular point. Please just say you don’t know what it’s like to have a child who earned a 4.0 in middle school, and expected the same, or very close to it, in high school after putting in exponentially more work. If those children feel disappointed, their feelings are valid. No one has said their child was depressed or suicidal.

These children are entitled to feel however they want to feel. Worry about your own children and let others live.

You assume PPs (1) do not have children in this position and (2) don’t think the children’s feelings are valid (and did anyone mention suicide before you did?).

At least you didn’t accuse PPs of being public school parents which is apparently the ultimate insult as well as the the standard diversionary tactic on this forum.

If the PPs I’m referring to (1) had children in this position; then (2) they wouldn’t keep posting statements that clearly show they don’t think the children’s feelings are valid.

If this doesn’t apply to you, then keep scrolling. Otherwise, a hit dog will holler.