Anonymous wrote:GDS is a hot mess right now. Whether hot or mess will predominate over the course of the next decade is an open question. I don't think the Administration is trying to decrease applications, but the next few years will involve extensive fundraising efforts which might reshape how admissions decisions are made and what type of families are courted.

+1
We were a solid, supportive GDS family for six years and couldn't take it anymore. Moved to a different private school two years ago and are so much happier-- ours adjusted quite well to more "traditional" approach. fyi, both diversity directors recently left in same year.

Anonymous wrote:I just got the GDS magazine. It lists 2015 matriculation including 4 to Harvard and a couple to Yale.

\

You didn't need the magazine for that info. There's DCUM poster who reminds everyone on half of the threads on this website.

I just got the GDS magazine. It lists 2015 matriculation including 4 to Harvard and a couple to Yale.

Anonymous wrote:I think how challenging GDS is is a function of personality as much as intellect in many cases. What's demanded of students is much less than what's available to students. There are both positives and negatives associated with this approach, but it's worth recognizing in the context of assessing fit.

That's probably the first explanation I've read thus far that makes sense and puts into perspective. Out WPPSI tester told us our DC would benefit from a more structured environment and that if we opted with GDS they recommend we have a meeting with the teachers at the beginning of the school year to let them know our DC responds better to being given directions than options. That DC scored high, but if left to their own devices to do whatever he wanted he might not choose the better option if he was enjoying doing something else at the moment.

I think how challenging GDS is is a function of personality as much as intellect in many cases. What's demanded of students is much less than what's available to students. There are both positives and negatives associated with this approach, but it's worth recognizing in the context of assessing fit.

Gds parent of 2 very different kids. The older one went from quiet and somewhat insecure at the middle school (which by the way was a teensy bit Lord of the Flies) to become a confident and expressive after 4 years of the high school. I credit GDS Upper school for the class-discussion model of learning.
The younger one is not challenged by the academics at the upper school (especially the science) but finds the discussion model and the emphasis on creativity daunting.
Both love the atmosphere of freedom and self-reliance at the upper school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There isn't really a way to know for sure that it's a troll. GDS administrators come pretty close to saying things like this. Take out "pre-eminent" and the exclamation points, and it could have come from the HoS's mouth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 Do "entitled" and "self-satisfied" fall within douchey? If not, I would add them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"GDS...is it as good as its reputation?"

It's even better. IMHO, GDS is the pre-eminent independent school in the nation's capital. When you mix a super-talented faculty with motivated, self-confident, gifted, intellectual kids ... magic happens. Creativity and achievement burst forth. And certainly, the GDS reputation doesn't hurt with Ivy and SLAC admissions offices!

Now I get what other posters mean by douchey.

Dude, it's a troll. You seem like you wish it was real, though.

Not at all. Just surprised by the fact that someone would waste time creating a fake post on this topic. Some people really need to get a life.

It's somewhat embarrassing to admit that I've been reading this sub-forum long enough to recognize the work of repeat offenders, but for at least two years someone has posted wacky, over-the-top assertions that GDS is a direct line to Harvard, etc. etc. People respond by lashing out at GDS as a school and as a community, which is pretty clearly the trolling poster's intent. It feels fun to self-righteously bash a clueless poster (done it myself) but people might as well know that this supposed "GDS booster" is a phony.

Right. Didn't the Head of School recently tell an admissions open house, with apparent smug satisfaction, that GDS students were so smart that a couple of grads actually pointed out to their college professors supposed flaws in the course syllabi?

This.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There isn't really a way to know for sure that it's a troll. GDS administrators come pretty close to saying things like this. Take out "pre-eminent" and the exclamation points, and it could have come from the HoS's mouth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 Do "entitled" and "self-satisfied" fall within douchey? If not, I would add them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"GDS...is it as good as its reputation?"

It's even better. IMHO, GDS is the pre-eminent independent school in the nation's capital. When you mix a super-talented faculty with motivated, self-confident, gifted, intellectual kids ... magic happens. Creativity and achievement burst forth. And certainly, the GDS reputation doesn't hurt with Ivy and SLAC admissions offices!

Now I get what other posters mean by douchey.

Dude, it's a troll. You seem like you wish it was real, though.

Not at all. Just surprised by the fact that someone would waste time creating a fake post on this topic. Some people really need to get a life.

It's somewhat embarrassing to admit that I've been reading this sub-forum long enough to recognize the work of repeat offenders, but for at least two years someone has posted wacky, over-the-top assertions that GDS is a direct line to Harvard, etc. etc. People respond by lashing out at GDS as a school and as a community, which is pretty clearly the trolling poster's intent. It feels fun to self-righteously bash a clueless poster (done it myself) but people might as well know that this supposed "GDS booster" is a phony.

Sure, it's anonymous forum. Feel free to assume the worst. But as a longtime observer, it smells like a troll to me (and as troll experts know, they smell musty/stinky, like old unwashed gym clothes).

I hope you never try to get creative with your writing ever again.

Oh gosh, thanks for the intervention! Henceforth I will try to keep my writing in the Lady Catherine de Bourgh vein that is your preference (sour, negative, plain).

Please, write with some flair---but let it be good.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There isn't really a way to know for sure that it's a troll. GDS administrators come pretty close to saying things like this. Take out "pre-eminent" and the exclamation points, and it could have come from the HoS's mouth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 Do "entitled" and "self-satisfied" fall within douchey? If not, I would add them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"GDS...is it as good as its reputation?"

It's even better. IMHO, GDS is the pre-eminent independent school in the nation's capital. When you mix a super-talented faculty with motivated, self-confident, gifted, intellectual kids ... magic happens. Creativity and achievement burst forth. And certainly, the GDS reputation doesn't hurt with Ivy and SLAC admissions offices!

Now I get what other posters mean by douchey.

Dude, it's a troll. You seem like you wish it was real, though.

Not at all. Just surprised by the fact that someone would waste time creating a fake post on this topic. Some people really need to get a life.

It's somewhat embarrassing to admit that I've been reading this sub-forum long enough to recognize the work of repeat offenders, but for at least two years someone has posted wacky, over-the-top assertions that GDS is a direct line to Harvard, etc. etc. People respond by lashing out at GDS as a school and as a community, which is pretty clearly the trolling poster's intent. It feels fun to self-righteously bash a clueless poster (done it myself) but people might as well know that this supposed "GDS booster" is a phony.

Sure, it's anonymous forum. Feel free to assume the worst. But as a longtime observer, it smells like a troll to me (and as troll experts know, they smell musty/stinky, like old unwashed gym clothes).

I hope you never try to get creative with your writing ever again.

Oh gosh, thanks for the intervention! Henceforth I will try to keep my writing in the Lady Catherine de Bourgh vein that is your preference (sour, negative, plain).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There isn't really a way to know for sure that it's a troll. GDS administrators come pretty close to saying things like this. Take out "pre-eminent" and the exclamation points, and it could have come from the HoS's mouth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 Do "entitled" and "self-satisfied" fall within douchey? If not, I would add them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"GDS...is it as good as its reputation?"

It's even better. IMHO, GDS is the pre-eminent independent school in the nation's capital. When you mix a super-talented faculty with motivated, self-confident, gifted, intellectual kids ... magic happens. Creativity and achievement burst forth. And certainly, the GDS reputation doesn't hurt with Ivy and SLAC admissions offices!

Now I get what other posters mean by douchey.

Dude, it's a troll. You seem like you wish it was real, though.

Not at all. Just surprised by the fact that someone would waste time creating a fake post on this topic. Some people really need to get a life.

It's somewhat embarrassing to admit that I've been reading this sub-forum long enough to recognize the work of repeat offenders, but for at least two years someone has posted wacky, over-the-top assertions that GDS is a direct line to Harvard, etc. etc. People respond by lashing out at GDS as a school and as a community, which is pretty clearly the trolling poster's intent. It feels fun to self-righteously bash a clueless poster (done it myself) but people might as well know that this supposed "GDS booster" is a phony.

Sure, it's anonymous forum. Feel free to assume the worst. But as a longtime observer, it smells like a troll to me (and as troll experts know, they smell musty/stinky, like old unwashed gym clothes).

I hope you never try to get creative with your writing ever again.

Yes.

Anonymous wrote:There isn't really a way to know for sure that it's a troll. GDS administrators come pretty close to saying things like this. Take out "pre-eminent" and the exclamation points, and it could have come from the HoS's mouth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 Do "entitled" and "self-satisfied" fall within douchey? If not, I would add them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"GDS...is it as good as its reputation?"

It's even better. IMHO, GDS is the pre-eminent independent school in the nation's capital. When you mix a super-talented faculty with motivated, self-confident, gifted, intellectual kids ... magic happens. Creativity and achievement burst forth. And certainly, the GDS reputation doesn't hurt with Ivy and SLAC admissions offices!

Now I get what other posters mean by douchey.

Dude, it's a troll. You seem like you wish it was real, though.

Not at all. Just surprised by the fact that someone would waste time creating a fake post on this topic. Some people really need to get a life.

It's somewhat embarrassing to admit that I've been reading this sub-forum long enough to recognize the work of repeat offenders, but for at least two years someone has posted wacky, over-the-top assertions that GDS is a direct line to Harvard, etc. etc. People respond by lashing out at GDS as a school and as a community, which is pretty clearly the trolling poster's intent. It feels fun to self-righteously bash a clueless poster (done it myself) but people might as well know that this supposed "GDS booster" is a phony.

Right. Didn't the Head of School recently tell an admissions open house, with apparent smug satisfaction, that GDS students were so smart that a couple of grads actually pointed out to their college professors supposed flaws in the course syllabi?

Anonymous wrote:There isn't really a way to know for sure that it's a troll. GDS administrators come pretty close to saying things like this. Take out "pre-eminent" and the exclamation points, and it could have come from the HoS's mouth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 Do "entitled" and "self-satisfied" fall within douchey? If not, I would add them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"GDS...is it as good as its reputation?"

It's even better. IMHO, GDS is the pre-eminent independent school in the nation's capital. When you mix a super-talented faculty with motivated, self-confident, gifted, intellectual kids ... magic happens. Creativity and achievement burst forth. And certainly, the GDS reputation doesn't hurt with Ivy and SLAC admissions offices!

Now I get what other posters mean by douchey.

Dude, it's a troll. You seem like you wish it was real, though.

Not at all. Just surprised by the fact that someone would waste time creating a fake post on this topic. Some people really need to get a life.

It's somewhat embarrassing to admit that I've been reading this sub-forum long enough to recognize the work of repeat offenders, but for at least two years someone has posted wacky, over-the-top assertions that GDS is a direct line to Harvard, etc. etc. People respond by lashing out at GDS as a school and as a community, which is pretty clearly the trolling poster's intent. It feels fun to self-righteously bash a clueless poster (done it myself) but people might as well know that this supposed "GDS booster" is a phony.

Sure, it's anonymous forum. Feel free to assume the worst. But as a longtime observer, it smells like a troll to me (and as troll experts know, they smell musty/stinky, like old unwashed gym clothes).