If you had to choose

[Anonymous]

We hit the trifecta! And now we're frozen. If you had to choose, for a very self-assured but not athletic rising 6th-grade boy, would you pick Sidwell, GDS, or Maret?

I recognize how incredibly fortunate we are to have to make this decision. DS doesn't have strong feelings -- he's not very interested in academics (although his grades are fine) -- and literally says "Your money, you choose." We'd like him to be surrounded by kids who are more academically inclined. Would that be GDS? That was our impression but it's so hard to know for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We hit the trifecta! And now we're frozen. If you had to choose, for a very self-assured but not athletic rising 6th-grade boy, would you pick Sidwell, GDS, or Maret?

I recognize how incredibly fortunate we are to have to make this decision. DS doesn't have strong feelings -- he's not very interested in academics (although his grades are fine) -- and literally says "Your money, you choose." We'd like him to be surrounded by kids who are more academically inclined. Would that be GDS? That was our impression but it's so hard to know for sure.

GDS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We hit the trifecta! And now we're frozen. If you had to choose, for a very self-assured but not athletic rising 6th-grade boy, would you pick Sidwell, GDS, or Maret?

I recognize how incredibly fortunate we are to have to make this decision. DS doesn't have strong feelings -- he's not very interested in academics (although his grades are fine) -- and literally says "Your money, you choose." We'd like him to be surrounded by kids who are more academically inclined. Would that be GDS? That was our impression but it's so hard to know for sure.

Sidwell

[Anonymous]

Sidwell. No question. GDS is a mess

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We hit the trifecta! And now we're frozen. If you had to choose, for a very self-assured but not athletic rising 6th-grade boy, would you pick Sidwell, GDS, or Maret?

I recognize how incredibly fortunate we are to have to make this decision. DS doesn't have strong feelings -- he's not very interested in academics (although his grades are fine) -- and literally says "Your money, you choose." We'd like him to be surrounded by kids who are more academically inclined. Would that be GDS? That was our impression but it's so hard to know for sure.

How does a kid who doesn't care about academics and whose grades are just "fine" get into these three schools? Did you pay someone to let him in? Surely, then you have had lots of time to think about this.

[Anonymous]

GDS. The new facilities are wonderful. The faculty are awesome and they really have a special way of creating this vibe among the kids that is inspiring.

[Anonymous]

GDS. I think he'll find academically inclined kids at all those schools, but my son has struggled in schools other than GDS to find peers because he is not at all sporty, and many boys base their social life around sports. GDS has been good for him because the boys have a wider range of interests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell. No question. GDS is a mess

+ 1 switching out of GDS after three years of building disappointment

[Anonymous]

We love GDS. In our experience, it’s very organized and the teachers are so wonderful, warm, respected by the kids, and really in touch with who each kid is. It gets so much hate on these boards, but we think it’s great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We love GDS. In our experience, it’s very organized and the teachers are so wonderful, warm, respected by the kids, and really in touch with who each kid is. It gets so much hate on these boards, but we think it’s great.

What grade did you start at that it was very organized?

[Anonymous]

How did a kid who doesn’t care, isn’t athletic or academic get admitted to all these schools? OP, are you literally made of money?

He sounds like a match for Maret.

[Anonymous]

My child chose Sidwell among those three and was happy there. They didn't have a top choice and it seemed they didn't have a strong opinion in the end, but they never regretted their choice and said looking back they were glad they didn't end up at GDS or Maret (but I couldn't ever figure out the reasons why). We let them decide and didn't let them off the hook by trying to sway them in any way. We felt they would be served by any of the three and wanted them to own the decision.

[Anonymous]

If my 5th grader was such a smart mouth to "literally" say "your money, your choice" I'd smack him. And to call these schools the "trifecta" is so pompous. OP, you suck and your kid sounds like a tool.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell for sure. Great campus and community.

[Anonymous]

GDS. We plan to apply next year. Love the new facilities. My friend’s son is in the US and thriving (he’s smart, thoughtful, well-rounded). School seems to embrace diversity, plus RBG sent her daughter there! (Love RBG.)