Gilman

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Baltimore private schools redshirted many boys as long as 50 years ago. Over many decades I’ve heard zero reports of anyone being negatively impacted. Gilman boys have gone on to being surgeons, executives, judges, all several months older than… peers from other cities?

My DS went to a private school in Baltimore (not Gilman). He started in 6th grade whereas most students started in kindergarten. At least half of his class went to pre-first so they were a year to a year and a half older than he was. Teachers in middle school don't really consider this and were constantly disciplining the younger (appropriately aged) students. It impacted my son a lot. He was frequently told how immature his behavior was. It was normal 7th grade behavior but compared to his peers, he was in trouble a lot. So this practice does impact students.

I also tutor a student who is at another private school in Baltimore. He didn't go to pre-first while many classmates did. He is in remedial reading classes even though he tests on grade level for his grade. Everything is relative to who you are in class with. He feels stupid and inferior because of this.

And then there is the sports aspect of it. Thankfully my son didn't play school sports so it wasn't something he had to deal with but some of his friends did.

Your experience seems to legitimize the concern of Gilman admissions. There is no harm in repeating a grade when switching schools. If I were Op, I would consider it. If I were an applicant, I would not fight admissions recommendations. Perhaps they’ve had experience with this

The reality is you’re not going to change a 50+ year-old tradition, so if you choose this route, I would make sure to follow the advice of those familiar with it

[Anonymous]

Calvert and McDonogh are also aggressive re pre first. IME McDonogh’s is FAR better (yes I had 2 boys, each went through a pre first). At Gilman all the boys are thrown in this massive room - with 2-3 teachers - it becomes very zoo-like. And yes, the rabbit, if they still have one, is cute, but the atmosphere is anything but conducive to learning. It’s as though they’ve decided boys are t able to learn yet so they’ll keep them penned up for a year. By contrast, McDonogh has 2 small (~10 kids) classes, each with 2 teachers and the kids have good mix of structured and unstructured time, and they learned and matured a good deal. Personally I would never send a boy to gilman’s pre-first unless it’s changed substantially in past 10 years. Some boys and parents loved it, however.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calvert and McDonogh are also aggressive re pre first. IME McDonogh’s is FAR better (yes I had 2 boys, each went through a pre first). At Gilman all the boys are thrown in this massive room - with 2-3 teachers - it becomes very zoo-like. And yes, the rabbit, if they still have one, is cute, but the atmosphere is anything but conducive to learning. It’s as though they’ve decided boys are t able to learn yet so they’ll keep them penned up for a year. By contrast, McDonogh has 2 small (~10 kids) classes, each with 2 teachers and the kids have good mix of structured and unstructured time, and they learned and matured a good deal. Personally I would never send a boy to gilman’s pre-first unless it’s changed substantially in past 10 years. Some boys and parents loved it, however.

Wow, this was not our experience at all. Not only was Snickers the rabbit a great pal (she is now honorably retired, and a private citizen) but the year itself was wonderful, a little gentler and slower than first grade, but with plenty to learn and do, and certainly not zoo-like. We have zero regrets. That year to mature made such a difference. And the kids who went to PF together seem to have a special bond.

[Anonymous]

Are the chances for admission to Gilman higher if coming from a "feeder" school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are the chances for admission to Gilman higher if coming from a "feeder" school?

Personally, I think that cause and effect are backwards on this one. Yes, a lot of Gilman boys come from the feeder schools, but that’s because that’s where their parents sent them and those schools attract the same parents who are attracted to Gilman. Our son was accepted from a preschool that is definitely not a feeder. In fact, I don’t think they had ever received a recommendation form from a private school before!

I think that Gilman admissions is fairly straightforward, although I’m sure they toss in major points for legacy. Outside of legacy or development, I believe it is all down to the testing/visit. One of the things I liked about it is that unlike some of the other schools (ahem Friends) I didn’t feel like they were interrogating me about my parental educational philosophy, etc. They spent all their time getting to know my son.

The AD frankly told me that they select for kids with a learning style that will succeed at Gilman. It is not the place for every kid. If your son isn’t admitted, it doesn’t mean that he isn’t bright and capable, just that his particular style doesn’t seem like a good fit. And I think they’re very good at identifying that. What they do is narrow, but they do it very well. If it’s a fit, there’s no better school. If it’s not a fit, it would not be a good experience.

[Anonymous]

The Gilman admissions team is good. In entry years, there is enough space for the right applicants. These are applications who are academically and behaviorally capable who can juggle an intense workload with extracurriculars. If your child is this, your child will very likely be admitted.

If your child is not this, you do not want Gilman. Your child will be miserable. Others on this thread have written about kids being told they were below grade level when at other schools they would have been considered appropriately aged for a grade. There are others who have similarly suffered after having been asked to function beyond their capabilities. For these kids, being admitted can be a curse I would not wish on anyone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Gilman admissions team is good. In entry years, there is enough space for the right applicants. These are applications who are academically and behaviorally capable who can juggle an intense workload with extracurriculars. If your child is this, your child will very likely be admitted.

If your child is not this, you do not want Gilman. Your child will be miserable. Others on this thread have written about kids being told they were below grade level when at other schools they would have been considered appropriately aged for a grade. There are others who have similarly suffered after having been asked to function beyond their capabilities. For these kids, being admitted can be a curse I would not wish on anyone

Plenty of admitted kids decide to go elsewhere also. There are good alternatives in the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Gilman admissions team is good. In entry years, there is enough space for the right applicants. These are applications who are academically and behaviorally capable who can juggle an intense workload with extracurriculars. If your child is this, your child will very likely be admitted.

If your child is not this, you do not want Gilman. Your child will be miserable. Others on this thread have written about kids being told they were below grade level when at other schools they would have been considered appropriately aged for a grade. There are others who have similarly suffered after having been asked to function beyond their capabilities. For these kids, being admitted can be a curse I would not wish on anyone

Plenty of admitted kids decide to go elsewhere also. There are good alternatives in the area.

Rejected students too. Tom Rothman was either rejected from or somehow didn’t fit in at Gilman. He’s probably one of the most well-known Park School graduates and a credit to the institution

Gilman is just one path to success. It’s not the only road. But it can be a dangerous for the wrong child. Don’t try to force it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are the chances for admission to Gilman higher if coming from a "feeder" school?

If by feeder school you mean Calvert, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gilman, like all privates, accepts a largish number of students as transfers into 9th grade. These students complete 8th grade somewhere else, and start 9th grade the following fall at Gilman. They don’t repeat 8th grade when they enter Gilman. They’re not told to take a gap year.

My son went to a small catholic school and was the usual age for his grade, and then transferred into Gilman at 6th grade. That’s another expansion year, but smaller than 9th grade. Transfers into Gilman would be hard to do if everyone there was one year older than the transferring student.

Exactly this, 20 percent of the middle school class enters in sixth grade. Another twenty percent of the upper school class enters in ninth.

My child went through the lower school and there are definitely kids with spring and early summer birthdays who have not been redshirted. I’d agree it’s rare for a July or August birthday to not be redshirted at Gilman, but don’t believe an April birthday would be the youngest in the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the chances for admission to Gilman higher if coming from a "feeder" school?

If by feeder school you mean Calvert, yes.

Yes but this is also a chicken and an egg. Calvert is one of the oldest, most traditional schools in Baltimore. The students are academically sound, and they’ve all been through pre-first. The graduates have been good fits at Gilman for over a hundred years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the chances for admission to Gilman higher if coming from a "feeder" school?

If by feeder school you mean Calvert, yes.

Yes but this is also a chicken and an egg. Calvert is one of the oldest, most traditional schools in Baltimore. The students are academically sound, and they’ve all been through pre-first. The graduates have been good fits at Gilman for over a hundred years.

Isn’t that the definition of a feeder school? A century of sending most boys in the class to Gilman?

[Anonymous]

My DS is at another K-8 "feeder school" that routinely sends boys to Gilman every year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the chances for admission to Gilman higher if coming from a "feeder" school?

If by feeder school you mean Calvert, yes.

Yes but this is also a chicken and an egg. Calvert is one of the oldest, most traditional schools in Baltimore. The students are academically sound, and they’ve all been through pre-first. The graduates have been good fits at Gilman for over a hundred years.

Isn’t that the definition of a feeder school? A century of sending most boys in the class to Gilman?

Maybe? But it implies causality that isn’t there. Calvert and Gilman have similar admissions tests and standards, so boys who are admitted to Calvert are likely to later be admitted to Gilman. I don’t think there’s any particular advantage from having gone to Calvert. Correlation but not causation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the chances for admission to Gilman higher if coming from a "feeder" school?

If by feeder school you mean Calvert, yes.

Yes but this is also a chicken and an egg. Calvert is one of the oldest, most traditional schools in Baltimore. The students are academically sound, and they’ve all been through pre-first. The graduates have been good fits at Gilman for over a hundred years.

Isn’t that the definition of a feeder school? A century of sending most boys in the class to Gilman?

Maybe? But it implies causality that isn’t there. Calvert and Gilman have similar admissions tests and standards, so boys who are admitted to Calvert are likely to later be admitted to Gilman. I don’t think there’s any particular advantage from having gone to Calvert. Correlation but not causation.

You just don’t believe in the concept of feeder schools. One could claim correlation rather than causation with any feeder school. However, most in the Gilman administration would recognize the special relationship with Calvert, and the 90 percent plus acceptance rate from Calvert to Gilman is unmatched by any other school.