What I mean is, you're missing the point of what a school like Harvard is supposed to do: provide an exceptional academic experience.

Does it do that? I don't think so. Still lecture halls and adjuncts, correct?

Let me sum up the private school world, in brief:

There are people who want very very badly to be special. To this end, they will buy the things they are told will make them special: be that clothing, cars, or education brand names for their kids. I have a friend whose five year old was shut out one year in NYC? She moved to another country where the elite schools are easier to get into.

I think this was kind of sad.

Most private schools subsisted for decades (centuries) on diet of a very insular, homogenized class of students whose families came from the right banks and law firms and chambers of government. As American wealth expanded more people wanted seats at the same table. That stodgey fairly sheltered environment began to be seen as something to be envied, coveted. A way in. A seat at the table. A commodity beyond tuition fees. A future.

A lifestyle.

Now such things still exist for those of you who think you need it. I'm not denying that good schools provide excellent educations. They do. But education's not that hard, and if all you're worried about is the merit and prestige of getting your kid into Harvard... You're missing what was supposed to be the point of going to a school like Harvard.

I wasn't using Dalton as an example because I love Dalton. Of course, being insecure DMV parents you all immediately check Dalton's admit lists and then start making excuses why GDS can't match them.

Stay gold.

Anonymous wrote:PP Here. I am not entitled to anything. I simply don't think 3 Harvard admits out of 140 kids means the whole class is doing stellar. There are plenty of disappointments. And sorry, but for GDS, this result is not really that different than most other years.

It's so interesting to be in this position as a parent bc there are so many GDS haters on DCUM, and I usually feel the need to try to be positive, but this boosterism is weird to me. GDS is an elite private. It's not uncommon to have 20% of the class go to top 25 schools. So all I am saying is the jury is still out.

People pay so their kids have access to the best education money can buy. 80% not getting into the top 25 schools doesn’t sound all that different than top public schools. That’s surprising.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm writing this for all of us who don't have children at GDS because we didn't want to have children at GDS. Whose children didn't apply to Harvard because, honestly, we've known more than a few Harvard people and they're all kind of a drag.

I was a new mom in New York City just in time for urbanbaby.com, and if you don't know what that is, well. You're poorer for your ignorance. I read about stroller wars, and preschool applications, and Gifted and Talented testing, debates about the merits 29 over 312, testing into Hunter, whether Nest or Anderson was better--and if TAG was acceptable at all--but never in all of my days there did I see parents that were so status obsessed (even at Dalton) that they stalked their kids' classmates Instagrams and then ran to post here and discuss breathlessly, endlessly, without saying anything, if Larlo and Larlx only got in because of hooks, or athletics, or if their "crop" was better than last year's crop... I mean what the ever-living hell? These are children. They are not harvested, or plucked. And at the end of the day it's fairly gauche.

Of course what else could we expect from the DMV.

Hate to burst your high and mighty anti-DMV bubble, but your precious Dalton does this too. In fact the vast majority of schools celebrate their seniors accomplishments on Instagram. You just haven’t kept up with the times. Here is Dalton’s from 2023: https://www.instagram.com/daltonseniors23?igshid=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA==

Damn, the Dalton acceptances put GDS and all of the DMV privates to shame

yes. because for the millionth time: acceptances at private schools have a TREMENDOUS amount to do with legacy and who the kids' parents are (VIPs, etc).
Yes, the kids who get the spots are strong students. But what puts them over the finish line to an Ivy (in many cases--not all but I can confidently say most) is their family of origin.
This is the case at GDS, Sidwell, STA, etc. and to even a greater extent at Dalton and other top schools in NYC.

exactly. One of those dalton kids - dad runs the investment bank w the highest per partner compensation in the world. And the dad has given 10s of millions to the Top 3 Ivy the kid will go to where the dad is on the board of trustees. So yeah...lot more of that in NYC than DC where DC VIP is a law firm partner who was a former Assistant Secretary or Dep Sec at an agency. entirely different.

Anonymous wrote:I believe she’s referring to the fact that 2024 is posting so breathlessly and weirdly. Out of all the schools, GDS does seem to need quite a bit of validation.

GDS isn’t posting. It’s a student account.

Anonymous wrote:There is no dmv private that is elite Sideell comes the closest.

gDS lol 😂

Andover
Exeter Academy
Choate
These are elite

For college admissions public in the dmv heads and tails better than local privates. Keep wasting you money I will watch my millions keep growing.

“For college admissions public in the dmv heads and tails better than local privates.”
The lies people tell themselves to make themselves feel better.

This article disagrees with you:
https://moco360.media/2023/09/13/where-montgomery-county-high-school-graduates-are-going-to-college/

There is no dmv private that is elite Sideell comes the closest.

gDS lol 😂

Andover
Exeter Academy
Choate
These are elite

For college admissions public in the dmv heads and tails better than local privates. Keep wasting you money I will watch my millions keep growing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm writing this for all of us who don't have children at GDS because we didn't want to have children at GDS. Whose children didn't apply to Harvard because, honestly, we've known more than a few Harvard people and they're all kind of a drag.

I was a new mom in New York City just in time for urbanbaby.com, and if you don't know what that is, well. You're poorer for your ignorance. I read about stroller wars, and preschool applications, and Gifted and Talented testing, debates about the merits 29 over 312, testing into Hunter, whether Nest or Anderson was better--and if TAG was acceptable at all--but never in all of my days there did I see parents that were so status obsessed (even at Dalton) that they stalked their kids' classmates Instagrams and then ran to post here and discuss breathlessly, endlessly, without saying anything, if Larlo and Larlx only got in because of hooks, or athletics, or if their "crop" was better than last year's crop... I mean what the ever-living hell? These are children. They are not harvested, or plucked. And at the end of the day it's fairly gauche.

Of course what else could we expect from the DMV.

Hate to burst your high and mighty anti-DMV bubble, but your precious Dalton does this too. In fact the vast majority of schools celebrate their seniors accomplishments on Instagram. You just haven’t kept up with the times. Here is Dalton’s from 2023: https://www.instagram.com/daltonseniors23?igshid=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA==

Damn, the Dalton acceptances put GDS and all of the DMV privates to shame

yes. because for the millionth time: acceptances at private schools have a TREMENDOUS amount to do with legacy and who the kids' parents are (VIPs, etc).
Yes, the kids who get the spots are strong students. But what puts them over the finish line to an Ivy (in many cases--not all but I can confidently say most) is their family of origin.
This is the case at GDS, Sidwell, STA, etc. and to even a greater extent at Dalton and other top schools in NYC.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm writing this for all of us who don't have children at GDS because we didn't want to have children at GDS. Whose children didn't apply to Harvard because, honestly, we've known more than a few Harvard people and they're all kind of a drag.

I was a new mom in New York City just in time for urbanbaby.com, and if you don't know what that is, well. You're poorer for your ignorance. I read about stroller wars, and preschool applications, and Gifted and Talented testing, debates about the merits 29 over 312, testing into Hunter, whether Nest or Anderson was better--and if TAG was acceptable at all--but never in all of my days there did I see parents that were so status obsessed (even at Dalton) that they stalked their kids' classmates Instagrams and then ran to post here and discuss breathlessly, endlessly, without saying anything, if Larlo and Larlx only got in because of hooks, or athletics, or if their "crop" was better than last year's crop... I mean what the ever-living hell? These are children. They are not harvested, or plucked. And at the end of the day it's fairly gauche.

Of course what else could we expect from the DMV.

Hate to burst your high and mighty anti-DMV bubble, but your precious Dalton does this too. In fact the vast majority of schools celebrate their seniors accomplishments on Instagram. You just haven’t kept up with the times. Here is Dalton’s from 2023: https://www.instagram.com/daltonseniors23?igshid=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA==

Damn, the Dalton acceptances put GDS and all of the DMV privates to shame

I believe she’s referring to the fact that 2024 is posting so breathlessly and weirdly. Out of all the schools, GDS does seem to need quite a bit of validation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm writing this for all of us who don't have children at GDS because we didn't want to have children at GDS. Whose children didn't apply to Harvard because, honestly, we've known more than a few Harvard people and they're all kind of a drag.

I was a new mom in New York City just in time for urbanbaby.com, and if you don't know what that is, well. You're poorer for your ignorance. I read about stroller wars, and preschool applications, and Gifted and Talented testing, debates about the merits 29 over 312, testing into Hunter, whether Nest or Anderson was better--and if TAG was acceptable at all--but never in all of my days there did I see parents that were so status obsessed (even at Dalton) that they stalked their kids' classmates Instagrams and then ran to post here and discuss breathlessly, endlessly, without saying anything, if Larlo and Larlx only got in because of hooks, or athletics, or if their "crop" was better than last year's crop... I mean what the ever-living hell? These are children. They are not harvested, or plucked. And at the end of the day it's fairly gauche.

Of course what else could we expect from the DMV.

Hate to burst your high and mighty anti-DMV bubble, but your precious Dalton does this too. In fact the vast majority of schools celebrate their seniors accomplishments on Instagram. You just haven’t kept up with the times. Here is Dalton’s from 2023: https://www.instagram.com/daltonseniors23?igshid=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA==

Uh oh, Karen. Er, Susan.

But I guess you can still say that you don't have children at GDS because you don't want to have children at GDS, and you don't have children at Harvard because Harvard students are a drag.

Anonymous wrote:I'm writing this for all of us who don't have children at GDS because we didn't want to have children at GDS. Whose children didn't apply to Harvard because, honestly, we've known more than a few Harvard people and they're all kind of a drag.

I was a new mom in New York City just in time for urbanbaby.com, and if you don't know what that is, well. You're poorer for your ignorance. I read about stroller wars, and preschool applications, and Gifted and Talented testing, debates about the merits 29 over 312, testing into Hunter, whether Nest or Anderson was better--and if TAG was acceptable at all--but never in all of my days there did I see parents that were so status obsessed (even at Dalton) that they stalked their kids' classmates Instagrams and then ran to post here and discuss breathlessly, endlessly, without saying anything, if Larlo and Larlx only got in because of hooks, or athletics, or if their "crop" was better than last year's crop... I mean what the ever-living hell? These are children. They are not harvested, or plucked. And at the end of the day it's fairly gauche.

Of course what else could we expect from the DMV.

Hate to burst your high and mighty anti-DMV bubble, but your precious Dalton does this too. In fact the vast majority of schools celebrate their seniors accomplishments on Instagram. You just haven’t kept up with the times. Here is Dalton’s from 2023: https://www.instagram.com/daltonseniors23?igshid=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA==

Anonymous wrote:To quote Kendrick Lamar: B@tch, be humble. Sit down. Be humble.

+100000000

The need for status on this forum (and the lengths they go to to justify it) is ridiculous.

Anonymous wrote:I'm writing this for all of us who don't have children at GDS because we didn't want to have children at GDS. Whose children didn't apply to Harvard because, honestly, we've known more than a few Harvard people and they're all kind of a drag.

I was a new mom in New York City just in time for urbanbaby.com, and if you don't know what that is, well. You're poorer for your ignorance. I read about stroller wars, and preschool applications, and Gifted and Talented testing, debates about the merits 29 over 312, testing into Hunter, whether Nest or Anderson was better--and if TAG was acceptable at all--but never in all of my days there did I see parents that were so status obsessed (even at Dalton) that they stalked their kids' classmates Instagrams and then ran to post here and discuss breathlessly, endlessly, without saying anything, if Larlo and Larlx only got in because of hooks, or athletics, or if their "crop" was better than last year's crop... I mean what the ever-living hell? These are children. They are not harvested, or plucked. And at the end of the day it's fairly gauche.

Of course what else could we expect from the DMV.

Thanks for your high horse. But kids didn’t post back then and if they did I am sure the dalton moms woulda been at it.

I happen to agree the whole thing is too much. I don’t know why this instagram thing has evolved but it’s pretty omnipresent - probably even at whatever holier than thou school your children attend.