what is the biggest diffenerence between sidwell and gds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it seems to me that gds and sidwell are kind of similar in quality of education. what is the biggest difference between the two schools? For parents to chose sidewell, not gds, what is the main reason for you to choose sidwell?

Sidwell is Quaker. This is a cultural difference that is worth noting. We love the Quaker education there.

How does that play out in day-to-day experience of students? And is there any worship or chapel?

The Quaker influence at Sidwell is pretty minimal. By US, most kids are completely tuned out in MFW -- or playing asshole bingo. And as for simplicity, well . . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it seems to me that gds and sidwell are kind of similar in quality of education. what is the biggest difference between the two schools? For parents to chose sidewell, not gds, what is the main reason for you to choose sidwell?

Sidwell is Quaker. This is a cultural difference that is worth noting. We love the Quaker education there.

How does that play out in day-to-day experience of students? And is there any worship or chapel?

The Quaker influence at Sidwell is pretty minimal. By US, most kids are completely tuned out in MFW -- or playing asshole bingo. And as for simplicity, well . . . .

What is MFW???

Just because it's liberal, doesn't mean Quakerism isn't a religion. Are the kids being exposed to it or not? I wouldn't necessarily object, but would like to know. We did an open house last year at Sidwell, and I don't recall hearing anything about being Quaker other than trying to get consensus on some decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it seems to me that gds and sidwell are kind of similar in quality of education. what is the biggest difference between the two schools? For parents to chose sidewell, not gds, what is the main reason for you to choose sidwell?

Sidwell is Quaker. This is a cultural difference that is worth noting. We love the Quaker education there.

How does that play out in day-to-day experience of students? And is there any worship or chapel?

The Quaker influence at Sidwell is pretty minimal. By US, most kids are completely tuned out in MFW -- or playing asshole bingo. And as for simplicity, well . . . .

What is MFW???

Just because it's liberal, doesn't mean Quakerism isn't a religion. Are the kids being exposed to it or not? I wouldn't necessarily object, but would like to know. We did an open house last year at Sidwell, and I don't recall hearing anything about being Quaker other than trying to get consensus on some decisions.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes, they are. I would say more than "exposed" to it. Quakerism is what the school is and I don't believe for a minute that you came away from an open house without grasping that.

[Anonymous]

MFW is someone's attempt at Meeting for Worship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MFW is someone's attempt at Meeting for Worship.

MFW is meeting for worship and an abbreviation that's commonly used in Quaker circles. It is the Quaker religious service, though it is an unprogrammed service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it seems to me that gds and sidwell are kind of similar in quality of education. what is the biggest difference between the two schools? For parents to chose sidewell, not gds, what is the main reason for you to choose sidwell?

Sidwell is Quaker. This is a cultural difference that is worth noting. We love the Quaker education there.

How does that play out in day-to-day experience of students? And is there any worship or chapel?

The Quaker influence at Sidwell is pretty minimal. By US, most kids are completely tuned out in MFW -- or playing asshole bingo. And as for simplicity, well . . . .

What's asshole bingo? That makes me sad.

[Anonymous]

Both schools are very comparable. Sidwell has good lunches. GDS doesn't even have a cafeteria, but more of their graduates get to eat lunch in Harvard dining halls.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell campus is lovely for middle and upper school. Also, great cafeteria is a plus. I would pick Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

GDS families are unassuming and Sidwell families are boastful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GDS families are unassuming and Sidwell families are boastful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both schools are very comparable. Sidwell has good lunches. GDS doesn't even have a cafeteria, but more of their graduates get to eat lunch in Harvard dining halls.

What about UVA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it seems to me that gds and sidwell are kind of similar in quality of education. what is the biggest difference between the two schools? For parents to chose sidewell, not gds, what is the main reason for you to choose sidwell?

OP, we are conservative Christians with kids at Sidwell. There is no way my kids would ever go to GDS. Sidwell is more liberal than I would like on certain issues, but overall, I think it's more accepting of all points of view. My kids - so far - have never felt judged or shamed for their Christianity, which they are open about as opportunities present themselves.

And then there is that issue of kids -- all kids, young and older -- calling teachers by their first names at GDS, which I absolutely hate.

Cool story bro.

GDS parent here. Calling teachers by their first name is key to us. My kids do not call me by my last name, is that a sign of disrespect? Obviously, not at all. Calling teachers by their first name promotes IMO a much nurturing environment.

[Anonymous]

Then you will HATE GDS. Of the best schools in DC- most prestigious, most rigorous- GDS is the most progressive. The earlier point about it meaning that there are fewer viewpoints there is accurate. It is full of smart, hard-working progressives.

If you are worried about what college your kid will get into- go to Sidwell. GDS kids will get into the exact same schools. But their parents won’t have been hand wringing about it for years.

Sidwell is a kickass school and liberal but more traditional. GDS is open campus - this no kids with SS details- and warm and iconoclastic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gds is super liberal and talked about different family structure every year since pre-K. Is Sidwell similar or less liberal?

Not sure I understand your question or accept your premise(s). Are you asking about same-sex families? If so, then yes. My kid has been at Sidwell for several years, and the topic of same-sex families and gets raised often in books or assemblies or other discussions. But at least as far as I've noticed, it's raised in just a passing way - for example one of the characters will have two moms.

I don't recall an assembly or intentional discussion in the younger grades that is focused on explicitly forcing children to acknowledge that same-sex relations are just as valid as others (and quite frankly, I think that would be a pretty awkward and ineffective teaching approach). Is that the comparison point you're trying to drive ... whether there are elementary school assemblies designed to preach a particular viewpoint on same-sex relationships?

I'm not sure I follow whee you're going, so forgive me if I've missed your point.

Also, as an IMHO aside, if you think young children growing up in this area need education about the validity and normalcy of same-sex relationships, then I think you're maybe missing what's going on around us. My kids and their friend seem to accept same-sex relations with a shrug and a "whatever," as just another crayon in the box. I think our generation as parents imbues them with a lot more context and significance (both positive and negative) than our kids do.

Thanks for the information. I don't think young children growing up in this area need education about the validity and normalcy of same-sex relationships. so I think maybe sidwell's approach is pretty good, just mention it. For GDS, there used to be a transgender student who went to Harvard and GDS made him a big star by inviting him to talk to current students. I think that is not appropriate as little children might think transgender is a good way to become a star. I am not against transgender and can accept it, but I don't think the approach GDS took is good for little kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are a conservative, religious, traditional (two parent household, father, mother) GDS family and many families at the school, though not necessarily political conservatives like us, are often religious and/or traditional in structure. In fact I find that the same-sex couples maintain what you would call a fairly traditional family structure as well, often with religious traditions practiced at home. GDS is a very welcoming school to everyone, an excellent attribute and life example for its students, in my opinion.

I observe that some degree of trolling takes place on these threads during the applications season to paint the school as an environment in which social issues and political correctness dominate the discourse 24/7, when the truth is that GDS is first and foremost an excellent school with students who excel in math, humanities, science, arts, languages, social sciences, athletics, and a number of outside endeavors.

Bingo.


You are all being trolled. Just like the Sidwell acceptance thread.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell is a Big Three. GDS isn't.