Anonymous
02/12/2015 18:40
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
Anonymous wrote:Sidwell prides itself on being tough when it comes to grades. The new headmaster said exactly that when he was introducing himself to parents at the beginning of the year. He said said and this almost a direct quote "A C at Sidwell would be an A at most other schools."
That's the difference between Sidwell and a school like GDS. It's a tough for the entire class. GDS epitomizes the "everyone deserves a prize kind of school." Sidwell has no academic prizes. It's a tough, rigourous school and that has some positives but also some real negatives. Tom Farquar was forced out because he was trying to get teachers to lighten up a little. He was right.
I know, I know . . . way too many of the teachers and parents want to believe Sidwell is a mini-Harvard. This is laughable for many reasons, not the least of which is that Harvard is the epitome of grade inflation.
Anonymous
02/12/2015 15:45
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
Sidwell prides itself on being tough when it comes to grades. The new headmaster said exactly that when he was introducing himself to parents at the beginning of the year. He said said and this almost a direct quote "A C at Sidwell would be an A at most other schools."
That's the difference between Sidwell and a school like GDS. It's a tough for the entire class. GDS epitomizes the "everyone deserves a prize kind of school." Sidwell has no academic prizes. It's a tough, rigourous school and that has some positives but also some real negatives. Tom Farquar was forced out because he was trying to get teachers to lighten up a little. He was right.
That's the difference between Sidwell and a school like GDS. It's a tough for the entire class. GDS epitomizes the "everyone deserves a prize kind of school." Sidwell has no academic prizes. It's a tough, rigourous school and that has some positives but also some real negatives. Tom Farquar was forced out because he was trying to get teachers to lighten up a little. He was right.
Anonymous
02/12/2015 15:31
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Gds is rigorous if the kid wants it but let's lots of kids slide.
I disagree. GDS is an amazing school which consequently has the strongest of reputations among the most selective college admission offices.
The prior poster is accurate wrt GDS being as challenging as the kid makes it. There's an immense amount of difficult work to be done, depending on course selection and the kid's own motivation and standards. And A's and A+'s can be hard to come by, depending on the teacher. OTOH, A smart, strategic kid can blow a fair amount off and still end up at a good college. Which, actually, isn't that different from what I experienced at Harvard -- though my sense of how grad school admissions worked out for kids who graduated with B+ averages from Harvard is more anecdotal. I never saw a complete list of outcomes there, but I have seen a few such college matriculation lists for GDS.
This is exactly right. There is a group in every class that want to get A's (which requires a lot of work) and those are the kids who will embrace the pressure-cooker, take the most advanced classes and get into the top schools ED. It is not hard to get all B's at GDS and then ride the coat tails of those super achievers into a good college/university. It is also hard to get C's and D's at GDS. They don't allow the kids to fail (after the 9th grade) and give multiple opportunities for kids to make up work and retake tests so they can bring their grades up into the B range. Seems like a strategy that is working really well for the school as their college placements are excellent.
+1. GDS seems to have hit the sweet spot for being both academically rigorous and success oriented. This results in the students being positive and quite self-confident about their abilities and aspirations, as they move on to excellent colleges.
Self confident or a bit full of themselves? I've seen this transition with a student at GDS and always wondered if it was the school or normal pre-adolescent posturing.
Anonymous
02/12/2015 15:26
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Gds is rigorous if the kid wants it but let's lots of kids slide.
I disagree. GDS is an amazing school which consequently has the strongest of reputations among the most selective college admission offices.
The prior poster is accurate wrt GDS being as challenging as the kid makes it. There's an immense amount of difficult work to be done, depending on course selection and the kid's own motivation and standards. And A's and A+'s can be hard to come by, depending on the teacher. OTOH, A smart, strategic kid can blow a fair amount off and still end up at a good college. Which, actually, isn't that different from what I experienced at Harvard -- though my sense of how grad school admissions worked out for kids who graduated with B+ averages from Harvard is more anecdotal. I never saw a complete list of outcomes there, but I have seen a few such college matriculation lists for GDS.
This is exactly right. There is a group in every class that want to get A's (which requires a lot of work) and those are the kids who will embrace the pressure-cooker, take the most advanced classes and get into the top schools ED. It is not hard to get all B's at GDS and then ride the coat tails of those super achievers into a good college/university. It is also hard to get C's and D's at GDS. They don't allow the kids to fail (after the 9th grade) and give multiple opportunities for kids to make up work and retake tests so they can bring their grades up into the B range. Seems like a strategy that is working really well for the school as their college placements are excellent.
+1. GDS seems to have hit the sweet spot for being both academically rigorous and success oriented. This results in the students being positive and quite self-confident about their abilities and aspirations, as they move on to excellent colleges.
Anonymous
02/12/2015 14:11
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
This is all getting sort of silly. They're all good schools; it's not a contest, so please quit competing.
Anonymous
02/12/2015 14:00
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
NCS and Holton are the most rigorous. Boys would never do that much work. They realize they are going to rule anyway so why bother? It still sucks being a girl.
Anonymous
02/12/2015 13:36
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
It is exceedingly difficult to get As at Sidwell even with lots of studying. When colleges and universities admissions look at applications, they apply some sort of formula that takes this into consideration. But it is difficult for the students not to get discouraged, and to take time away from studies to do fun things. Sidwell is not for students who need to get straight As in order to feel good about themselves.
Anonymous
02/12/2015 11:33
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Gds is rigorous if the kid wants it but let's lots of kids slide.
I disagree. GDS is an amazing school which consequently has the strongest of reputations among the most selective college admission offices.
The prior poster is accurate wrt GDS being as challenging as the kid makes it. There's an immense amount of difficult work to be done, depending on course selection and the kid's own motivation and standards. And A's and A+'s can be hard to come by, depending on the teacher. OTOH, A smart, strategic kid can blow a fair amount off and still end up at a good college. Which, actually, isn't that different from what I experienced at Harvard -- though my sense of how grad school admissions worked out for kids who graduated with B+ averages from Harvard is more anecdotal. I never saw a complete list of outcomes there, but I have seen a few such college matriculation lists for GDS.
This is exactly right. There is a group in every class that want to get A's (which requires a lot of work) and those are the kids who will embrace the pressure-cooker, take the most advanced classes and get into the top schools ED. It is not hard to get all B's at GDS and then ride the coat tails of those super achievers into a good college/university. It is also hard to get C's and D's at GDS. They don't allow the kids to fail (after the 9th grade) and give multiple opportunities for kids to make up work and retake tests so they can bring their grades up into the B range. Seems like a strategy that is working really well for the school as their college placements are excellent.
There are a lot of juniors and seniors at Sidwell who get some C's. Does that mean that the school is harder, or that Sidwell is not as savvy as GDS?
Anonymous
02/12/2015 10:31
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Gds is rigorous if the kid wants it but let's lots of kids slide.
I disagree. GDS is an amazing school which consequently has the strongest of reputations among the most selective college admission offices.
The prior poster is accurate wrt GDS being as challenging as the kid makes it. There's an immense amount of difficult work to be done, depending on course selection and the kid's own motivation and standards. And A's and A+'s can be hard to come by, depending on the teacher. OTOH, A smart, strategic kid can blow a fair amount off and still end up at a good college. Which, actually, isn't that different from what I experienced at Harvard -- though my sense of how grad school admissions worked out for kids who graduated with B+ averages from Harvard is more anecdotal. I never saw a complete list of outcomes there, but I have seen a few such college matriculation lists for GDS.
This is exactly right. There is a group in every class that want to get A's (which requires a lot of work) and those are the kids who will embrace the pressure-cooker, take the most advanced classes and get into the top schools ED. It is not hard to get all B's at GDS and then ride the coat tails of those super achievers into a good college/university. It is also hard to get C's and D's at GDS. They don't allow the kids to fail (after the 9th grade) and give multiple opportunities for kids to make up work and retake tests so they can bring their grades up into the B range. Seems like a strategy that is working really well for the school as their college placements are excellent.
Anonymous
02/12/2015 10:05
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Gds is rigorous if the kid wants it but let's lots of kids slide.
I disagree. GDS is an amazing school which consequently has the strongest of reputations among the most selective college admission offices.
The prior poster is accurate wrt GDS being as challenging as the kid makes it. There's an immense amount of difficult work to be done, depending on course selection and the kid's own motivation and standards. And A's and A+'s can be hard to come by, depending on the teacher. OTOH, A smart, strategic kid can blow a fair amount off and still end up at a good college. Which, actually, isn't that different from what I experienced at Harvard -- though my sense of how grad school admissions worked out for kids who graduated with B+ averages from Harvard is more anecdotal. I never saw a complete list of outcomes there, but I have seen a few such college matriculation lists for GDS.
Anonymous
02/12/2015 09:30
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
Anonymous wrote:You're kidding - right? there are 4 million threads on this very subject so I assume you're just baiting to start yet another anonymous online battle. Good luck.
+1
Anonymous
02/08/2015 17:56
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
exeter
Anonymous
02/08/2015 17:40
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
It's sad that this guy keeps trying falsely to paint GDS as this amazing standout, which is wrong, because it obscures that GDS is a very good school in the area, frankly not number 1 in rigor or placement but absolutely solid.
Anonymous
02/08/2015 16:58
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
It's gotten so I cannot differentiate the real GDS booster posts from the fake ones that are meant to be over-the-top ridiculous.
Anonymous
02/08/2015 12:00
Subject: Which DC private is the most academically rigorous?
Anonymous wrote:Gds is rigorous if the kid wants it but let's lots of kids slide.
I disagree. GDS is an amazing school which consequently has the strongest of reputations among the most selective college admission offices.