Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been on DCUM too long, but the original “Big 3” was Sidwell, NCS and STA. Back when my oldest was applying to high schools, about 8-9 years ago, Maret was sometimes included in the Big 3 when the Cathedral schools were lumped together. But GDS was an also-ran.

The Obamas also toured Maret, FWIW. There were some comments at the time that the school looked too much like a southern plantation, although DCUM had a (rather crazed) Maret booster who kept insisting that the Obamas had definitely chosen Maret, and this led to a pretty funny thread around the same time as the “what were you doing when your kid got into private school” thread. Ah, the golden years on DCUM. But I don’t pretend to know what Michelle actually thought about Maret.

IMO, GDS rose in perception when a lot of Obama appointees, encouraged by Holder, sent their kids there. The prominent-parent connection may possibly also explain recent Ivy results, but I don’t pretend to know that, either.

Anyway, watch for it all to change in another 10 years when a new President sends her kids to maybe St. Anselms or Stone Ridge (think Jackie O). Pretty sure the only constant will be that the Cathedral Schools remain near the top, because they’ve educated the so-called elite longer than anyone else, including Sidwell.

We moved into DC a few years ago, and no one recommended us looking into GDS. It was Sidwell, Cathedral schools, Maret, WIS if we wanted bilingual.

Perhaps GDS cornered the second-level Dem staffer market for a while -- except, why don't they just go a public?

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been on DCUM too long, but the original “Big 3” was Sidwell, NCS and STA. Back when my oldest was applying to high schools, about 8-9 years ago, Maret was sometimes included in the Big 3 when the Cathedral schools were lumped together. But GDS was an also-ran.

The Obamas also toured Maret, FWIW. There were some comments at the time that the school looked too much like a southern plantation, although DCUM had a (rather crazed) Maret booster who kept insisting that the Obamas had definitely chosen Maret, and this led to a pretty funny thread around the same time as the “what were you doing when your kid got into private school” thread. Ah, the golden years on DCUM. But I don’t pretend to know what Michelle actually thought about Maret.

IMO, GDS rose in perception when a lot of Obama appointees, encouraged by Holder, sent their kids there. The prominent-parent connection may possibly also explain recent Ivy results, but I don’t pretend to know that, either.

Anyway, watch for it all to change in another 10 years when a new President sends her kids to maybe St. Anselms or Stone Ridge (think Jackie O). Pretty sure the only constant will be that the Cathedral Schools remain near the top, because they’ve educated the so-called elite longer than anyone else, including Sidwell.

Anonymous wrote:I hope none of you harpies actually went to GDS because I don’t know how you could come out of there arguing about something so stupid.

I love GDS, the education it provides, and its community idiosyncrasies. But obviously in terms of education broadly, college admissions, and social/economic advantage, there’s no meaningful difference between GDS and other top local private schools. Your kids are fine! Which private school they go to won’t matter that much. OMFG.

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Bull, the Christmas Assembly exists because it’s fun and gives the warm fuzzies. They did, however, teach us the Bible in English because they knew so many of us were raised Heathen and would otherwise miss important allusions.

Anonymous wrote:Too easy to get in, especially lower years.

Bull, the Christmas Assembly exists because it’s fun and gives the warm fuzzies. They did, however, teach us the Bible in English because they knew so many of us were raised Heathen and would otherwise miss important allusions.

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Anonymous wrote:In the 80s and early 90s GDS was the school where liberal, Jewish intellectuals sent their kids. WASPY types never considered it because of that. Slowly I think folks started to realize that the kids were getting a great education there and what had been a mostly Jewish school (albeit very reform/progressive) started to change demographically. Also GDS had a reputation for being integrated early on and DC was a VERY segregated city so that probably held its reputation down in certain circles

Totally agree with this. All of the Jewish lawyers I know sent their kids there back then. Then, once it became known that kids got into Ivies...the more WASPY types thought it was ok.

I agree too. I also recall from colleagues in the early 90s that the perception was that GDS was starting to get non-hooked kids into Ivies and SLACs. I may be wrong because I didn't have kids then. I do have a 9th grader who just started in GDS upper school and I don't think this perception continues now.

Well, there is the moderately-sized asterisk that families who 1. seek to avoid any Christian theology-based school, no matter how "lite" and 2. want an excellent education will put GDS at the top of the list. That's still very much the case, based on my anecdata of atheist and observant Jewish good friends with kids at GDS. For some of these friends, even mandatory Quaker meeting for worship or non-denominational & Christian chapel requirements were too much. i.e., NCS, Sidwell, St. Andrews.

For this crew, the pool consists of GDS, Sheridan, Lowell, Burke, and a couple of other schools.

I agree with these thoughts except that for some reason, many people I know seem to exclude Sidwell from category 1. It’s almost as if the “cache” of the school causes them to justify why the Quaker aspects of Sidwell are not religious in nature. I hear many people do this with Norwood, too, which to my understanding still has a weekly chapel requirement.

The funny thing is that GDS is more clearly religious (Jewish) than some of those other (culturally Christian) schools.

Are you confused? GDS is a secular school. The students are a mixture of Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist, agnostic, etc. There is no religious service of any kind at the school. The students do, however, learn about and participate in various religious celebrations with the intent of creating religiously literature citizens who are able to appreciate different religious traditions.

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Anonymous wrote:When the Obamas visited it.

But then the USSS persuaded them on Sidwell because it was easier for the agents.

God, this is so pathetic.

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Anonymous wrote:When the Obamas visited it.

But then the USSS persuaded them on Sidwell because it was easier for the agents.

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Anonymous wrote:Number of times GDS-Harvard claim is made seriously >>>>>>>>>>> Number of times GDS-Harvard claim is made tongue in cheek

No chance that this is true. Many folks, including myself, have already copped to making the joke often on DCUM.

+1

Let's test this theory:

GDS has no greater ability to get kids in Harvard than other schools in this area.

Thoughts?

Agree across Big 3. GDS parent.

Ah -but that begs the question - what is the big 3 and does it include GDS? See how this works?

That should be clear by now. GDS achieved Big Three ranking over 20 years ago. Enough already!

You guys are too easy. You really need to stop reacting to every little thing.

The question was asked and answered. At the risk of appearing to brag a little, GDS today isn’t just in the Big 3. GDS may actually set the pace for the Big 3, because it has always embraced change while SFS and STA seem steeped in tradition.

And thereby proving the theory that most GDS parents are complete tools. Didn’t even take a page. Well done!!

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Anonymous wrote:Number of times GDS-Harvard claim is made seriously >>>>>>>>>>> Number of times GDS-Harvard claim is made tongue in cheek

No chance that this is true. Many folks, including myself, have already copped to making the joke often on DCUM.

+1

Let's test this theory:

GDS has no greater ability to get kids in Harvard than other schools in this area.

Thoughts?

Agree across Big 3. GDS parent.

Ah -but that begs the question - what is the big 3 and does it include GDS? See how this works?

That should be clear by now. GDS achieved Big Three ranking over 20 years ago. Enough already!

You guys are too easy. You really need to stop reacting to every little thing.

The question was asked and answered. At the risk of appearing to brag a little, GDS today isn’t just in the Big 3. GDS may actually set the pace for the Big 3, because it has always embraced change while SFS and STA seem steeped in tradition.