Parent Culture at Sidwell vs. GDS (Upper School)

[Anonymous]

We are looking at these two schools, and are wondering about the parent culture at the upper school level.

We hear that GDS is more warm and welcoming and that Sidwell tends to have more cutthroat, competitive parents. If it is true of Sidwell, it's disappointing. In most ways, Sidwell's culture speaks to us a bit more than GDS. We like the spiritual dimension and the Quaker idea of "that of God in everyone."

I know the standard advice is to go talk to real people, but unfortunately the people the admissions office connects you to tend to be the school boosters. Rarely do admissions staff connect prospective parents to people who have more nuanced or ambivalent feelings.

In search of more honest opinions, it would be awesome to hear from current parents on how they feel about the parent cultures at the GDS and Sidwell upper schools. I'd really like to hear from two-income working parents who are not uber wealthy.

We're coming from a school that has a warm and supportive culture for both kids and parents. Would love to find a similar environment for upper school.

[Anonymous]

You are wrong --they are nice parents at both schools... However, don't expect every parent to be a friend

[Anonymous]

High school is about your child. Parents are pleasant to one another at school events, but I have not found high school to be a big social scene for parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:High school is about your child. Parents are pleasant to one another at school events, but I have not found high school to be a big social scene for parents.

This is exactly what I was coming on to say. As a new to 9th parent at one of these schools, I was happy to meet the parents of my DC's friends and found them to be friendly and kind to my DC. A few years on, we say hello to each other at school events and coordinate things like trips, sleepovers, parties. Beyond that, I don't really interact with them. They're kind of like work colleagues.

[Anonymous]

When you say “we hear” are you hearing from actual parents who you should know and be able to form an opinion? Or is this just rumor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:High school is about your child. Parents are pleasant to one another at school events, but I have not found high school to be a big social scene for parents.

Exactly this.

[Anonymous]

"High school is about your child. Parents are pleasant to one another at school events, but I have not found high school to be a big social scene for parents."

+100


When you get accepted at both schools your child will be able to revisit the schools to determine which is best for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When you get accepted at both schools your child will be able to revisit the schools to determine which is best for them.

Highly doubt that this is actually possible. Sounds like OP is coming from another private, in which case they'd likely be declaring a first choice before decisions are made so that their current school's outplacement team can lobby hard for that choice accordingly, essentially conceding admission to the second choice. My sense is that the ability to choose between Sidwell and GDS after having been admitted to both is a near-mythical situation that very few applicants likely enjoy in any given year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you get accepted at both schools your child will be able to revisit the schools to determine which is best for them.

Highly doubt that this is actually possible. Sounds like OP is coming from another private, in which case they'd likely be declaring a first choice before decisions are made so that their current school's outplacement team can lobby hard for that choice accordingly, essentially conceding admission to the second choice. My sense is that the ability to choose between Sidwell and GDS after having been admitted to both is a near-mythical situation that very few applicants likely enjoy in any given year.

It does happen and probably more than a mythical few. My DD is a new 9th grader at GDS. She didn't apply to Sidwell but ended up choosing between GDS and NCS; the others she got into weren't a factor. A number of her new classmates were choosing between GDS and Sidwell. Some of the kids at the welcome events at both GDS and NCS that we met chose Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Parents at both schools are nice and there are plenty who have kids at both schools, but at the high school level, the parent relationships are very different than younger elementary.

[Anonymous]

How many students do you think are actually admitted to more than one of Sidwell/GDS/NCS/STA in any given year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many students do you think are actually admitted to more than one of Sidwell/GDS/NCS/STA in any given year?

How many even apply to more than one of them? They are so different.

[Anonymous]

We have found Sidwell to be very warm and welcoming.

[Anonymous]

The primary parent relationships are with the school and teachers, not the other parents. It's high school, so as far as our kids are concerned, the less we show up and interact with their friends' parents the better. Other than the parents we knew already, we made no effort to know other parents besides DC's BFF. I know a fair number of parents from work and it is a little weird when you have a professional relationship with the parents and the kids don't like each other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many students do you think are actually admitted to more than one of Sidwell/GDS/NCS/STA in any given year?

How many even apply to more than one of them? They are so different.

Lots - they are more similar than they are different.