what is the biggest diffenerence between sidwell and gds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell is a Big Three. GDS isn't.

They are both overrated

[Anonymous]

No comparison. We have friends all over the world. Everyone has heard of SFS, which has a Harvard-like reputation. No one — no exceptions — outside DC has ever heard of GDS

[Anonymous]

Sidwell is considered "The Harvard South of the Mason-Dixon Line"

this is widely accepted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell is considered "The Harvard South of the Mason-Dixon Line"

this is widely accepted.

By Sidwell only.

[Anonymous]

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

Welcome to DCUM and thanks for your first post.

(From your comment, it’s pretty obvious your new to this forum).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the main expansion years for both GDS and Sidwell? And when both schools finish their consolidated campuses, will that change? For example, will the number of middle school students at GDS go up, so that there won't be an expansion in 9th grade?

I have a third grader at a K-8, and just am trying to figure out whether expansion years change?

This is a great question. This could really have a big impact on a lot of people. Does anyone know the answer?

There will always be expansion in 9th grade.

Our DCs applied in non-expansion years to Sidwell and the Cathedral Schools and got in at both. Applying for a limited number of slots in a non-expansion year may seem like an odd choice, but can help because, despite more limited slots, the pool of applicants also is smaller. Our DCs also liked showing up in/around middle school because it allowed them to get to know classmates better than if they’d waited until 9th grade/US to apply.

We started thinking about applying ~2 years in advance and used that time to have our kids focus on some extracurriculars (sports, languages, arts/music — their choices not ours) they enjoyed and I think this helped differentiate them a bit. We did not do any test prep and in hindsight would recommend doing that, particularly if yours have had limited standardized test experience — or if they struggle with standardized tests.

Of course, with so many parents now fleeing public schools, not sure that will be an advantage this cycle or next. But good luck whenever you apply!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell is a Big Three. GDS isn't.

They are both overrated

Agreed. I wanted to be excited when applying but after the tours to both, we didn't even apply.

[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?

GDS is a truly progressive school; students can generally work to their limits, which for more advanced kids, is a great advantage. Sidwell is a more traditional school, but with progressive attitudes within the school. Both are fantastic schools, but the kids have to go to where they are admitted and if given a choice, where they feel more comfortable.

My dd is very creative, very advanced in reading, writing and math, might sidwell give her some boost academically? or gds is a better fit?

There is really no way for an outside person to be able to answer that. She has to walk the halls and pick up the vibe and see where she is comfortable.

I agree with this. My DC visited both, and knows friends who attend both, and loved one, but didn't even apply to the other.

[Anonymous]

GDS is considered a better alternative to JDS, so if you are Jewish, I think you'll feel more comfortable there than Sidwell. Half our friends chose JDS and half chose GDS. None even applied to Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No comparison. We have friends all over the world. Everyone has heard of SFS, which has a Harvard-like reputation. No one — no exceptions — outside DC has ever heard of GDS

Because reputation equals quality of education.

If reputation among random friends is what matters to you -- ie, bragging rights -- then definitely choose Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

GDS is way better than Sidwell because it is closer to an ideal school, a school that produces righteous people who are really communists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GDS is way better than Sidwell because it is closer to an ideal school, a school that produces righteous people who are really communists.

Awoman

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No comparison. We have friends all over the world. Everyone has heard of SFS, which has a Harvard-like reputation. No one — no exceptions — outside DC has ever heard of GDS

Because reputation equals quality of education.

If reputation among random friends is what matters to you -- ie, bragging rights -- then definitely choose Sidwell.

No horse in this race but PP is absolutely correct — Sidwell is the top school by quality and by reputation. We experienced the same comments, from
very well informed and connected people in the US and abroad. Harvard for example also has a great reputation and great quality. As a hypothetical, maybe Oberlin might have a higher quality class on offer in a particular subject, but given the choice, I’d go to Harvard any day unless there were a fit issue (child/school). That’s just how it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No comparison. We have friends all over the world. Everyone has heard of SFS, which has a Harvard-like reputation. No one — no exceptions — outside DC has ever heard of GDS

No one has heard of SFS outside of DC. Some people might have heard of them because of the Obama's kids and Clinton's.
SFS has no national academics reputation, not even in the DC area where the strongest ones academically, are the MoCo Magnets and TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell is considered "The Harvard South of the Mason-Dixon Line"

this is widely accepted.

By delusional Sidwell parents