Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find this infuriating. People are adults. Why not just e-mail all results. This is so dishonest and disrespectful. The haves and have nots. Really makes me wonder about the school.

I don't understand the hysteria. Everyone is notified via snail mail. Those that are accepted receive an email with a contract. End of story. This is how it worked last year as well and I don't remember any fuss then.

I think that the furor is over the misinformed and wrong receptionist in the admissions office who incorrectly told understandably anxious parents that no emails were sent out.

Is this really such a big deal? Sorry I can't understand. Last year we didn't receive our e-mail until later that day. People were posting in DC Urban Mom. I thought we were not admitted. I never thought of calling the school the same day the admissions decisions were out (talking about planning...) When your server has to manage sending out so many e-mails some might get earlier to their addressees than others.
And please, do not crucify the receptionist. She might have committed a mistake, not a crime.

And regarding the anxiety. Some of the calls to the school were made around 10-11am.... IMO is somewhat worrisome that some people get such level of anxiety over a school admission -and do not have the patience to wait until the next day (or the end of the day at least) to learn about if their DC have been admitted or not.

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of a DC who I presume was not admitted I don't have any issues with them only emailing students who where admitted. The process is what it is. However, the way they handled the calls the my received was less than professional
and calls into question how they regularly handle business. GDS is far from new to the admissions game and they have to know the anxiety surrounding acceptance day. For no one to have informed the receptionist what her/his response should be to callers is mind boggling. The receptionist should have not even been responsible for handling those calls. Isn't that what the admissions office is for

Unfortunately, this leads me to believe their actions where intentional or completely reckless which is just as bad.
The good part for me -- this confusion has made it really easy to have no bad feelings about not being offered a spot. I feel good to know I may have avoided a lot of chaos .

This, 100 times over.

The receptionist should never respond to any question having to do with admissions. At all, period. I hope that person is called out for this.

Anonymous wrote:People. Here's the deal, imho:

GDS emails its accepts 1st , then has current parents call and try to get a sense if they are accepting.

THe WL letters are snail mail to allow time for Admissions to start offering from their WL only AFTER their calling parents give them some intell

The only kind of school that needs to play games like this is one with a poorer yield than it can afford

Yes, it should give everyone pause. for what 40K a year

Wow interesting way to increase yield.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GDs is truly a wonderful place that encourages students to be life long learners. It is not chaotic. I can see how emailing acceptances can feel unkind. I hope they reconsider and go to a portal system.

Maret e-mailed WL notices today. (Unfortunately, I know that first hand.) Thus I assume they also e-mailed yeses. Maret managed to do this in a fair, professional and timely manner.

I would be careful about putting too much stock in what anonymous posters write on here. I know several people who posted totally made up stuff about acceptances, etc on this site today just to mess with stressed out type-A parents. There are a few vocal people who bash GDS all the time. It is not a stretch that someone just made the phone calls up

As a parent of a DC who I presume was not admitted I don't have any issues with them only emailing students who where admitted. The process is what it is. However, the way they handled the calls the my received was less than professional
and calls into question how they regularly handle business. GDS is far from new to the admissions game and they have to know the anxiety surrounding acceptance day. For no one to have informed the receptionist what her/his response should be to callers is mind boggling. The receptionist should have not even been responsible for handling those calls. Isn't that what the admissions office is for

Unfortunately, this leads me to believe their actions where intentional or completely reckless which is just as bad.
The good part for me -- this confusion has made it really easy to have no bad feelings about not being offered a spot. I feel good to know I may have avoided a lot of chaos .

Anonymous wrote:GDs is truly a wonderful place that encourages students to be life long learners. It is not chaotic. I can see how emailing acceptances can feel unkind. I hope they reconsider and go to a portal system.

Maret e-mailed WL notices today. (Unfortunately, I know that first hand.) Thus I assume they also e-mailed yeses. Maret managed to do this in a fair, professional and timely manner.

Anonymous wrote:GDs is truly a wonderful place that encourages students to be life long learners. It is not chaotic. I can see how emailing acceptances can feel unkind. I hope they reconsider and go to a portal system.

Very gracious response.

GDs is truly a wonderful place that encourages students to be life long learners. It is not chaotic. I can see how emailing acceptances can feel unkind. I hope they reconsider and go to a portal system.

DC wasn't accepted and while it was DC's first choice, if a parent comment was that chaos rules the day there, probably glad not to have to deal with that. Chaos in sending college recs or correcting records of mistakes happen etc. etc. would be very hard to deal with.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I swear this is not sour grapes because GDS was not our first choice and we did get into our first choice. We didn't get an email so I assume we did not get in. However, given how ridiculous their notification process has been if the school is run in the same fashion I am glad we don't have to waste time pondering if we should accept a spot. All of the back and forth they created over whether they sent emails or not is completely ridiculous and was totally not necessary.

+1 they either want you to think it is an "exclusive club" or they are needlessly sadistic. Just send everyone an email...or nobody an email. Its offensive either way.

+1. It feels sloppy and unconsidered (and we are happy having gotten into first and second choice).

??? I truly cannot see your point? Why so much anger? Why is it offensive? Some people who are wait-listed have received the e-mail. Why do you feel that way? So much negativity and bad-thinking. I am sorry you feel that way.

I don't feel my post was negative. I am not angry, nor do I feel my post was angry. This is a very sensitive topic, and emotions run high. I think it was unconsidered and insensitive to email to acceptances only. My child as accepted, btw.

I think it is a process at any school. And of course we all understand that. There just seems to be more chaos around this and that's frustrating.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I swear this is not sour grapes because GDS was not our first choice and we did get into our first choice. We didn't get an email so I assume we did not get in. However, given how ridiculous their notification process has been if the school is run in the same fashion I am glad we don't have to waste time pondering if we should accept a spot. All of the back and forth they created over whether they sent emails or not is completely ridiculous and was totally not necessary.

+1 they either want you to think it is an "exclusive club" or they are needlessly sadistic. Just send everyone an email...or nobody an email. Its offensive either way.

+1. It feels sloppy and unconsidered (and we are happy having gotten into first and second choice).

??? I truly cannot see your point? Why so much anger? Why is it offensive? Some people who are wait-listed have received the e-mail. Why do you feel that way? So much negativity and bad-thinking. I am sorry you feel that way.

The no e-mail response maybe was just an innocent mistake of someone who is not necessarily involved in the admissions process. Moreover, maybe the person who says she/he was told that families were going to be informed only by snail mail misunderstood the receptionist/or whomever she/he spoke with. The process, and the way the decision was going to be communicated to accepted families has been very clear for anyone involved in welcoming the accepted families. I am sorry for those that feel frustrated or disappointed with the process. GDS is a great school and an amazing community, and is very thoughtful about welcoming new members -or prospective members, specially given that maybe some of the kids/families that have not been accepted this year might be accepted in the future.

People. Here's the deal, imho:

GDS emails its accepts 1st , then has current parents call and try to get a sense if they are accepting.

THe WL letters are snail mail to allow time for Admissions to start offering from their WL only AFTER their calling parents give them some intell

The only kind of school that needs to play games like this is one with a poorer yield than it can afford

Yes, it should give everyone pause. for what 40K a year

Anonymous wrote:As current parent, I can say that GDS is all about barely controlled chaos. So I can't say I am very surprised over the confusion. Hang in there, things will sort themselves out.

something worth thinking long and hard about.....