Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 11:18     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Posts like this make me happy with our schools choice again and again. Even if it’s not Sidwell families, the idea that people are going through their instas like this is so totally wierd and stalkerish. If it’s Sidwell families, then that’s a whole other problem.
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 11:05     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Because it is the best high school in the area and the top colleges all know accepting kids from Sidwell is low risk

The same could be said about Burke, Bullis, or Field.


Stop trying to stir the pot. You know the same cannot be said about Burke, Bullis, or Field.
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 11:04     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Anonymous wrote:What are the “top 20” schools you are basing this off?

Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, Penn, Stanford, Duke, UChicago, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Cal Tech, Northwestern are pretty set in stone but the rest is highly dependent and could skew your findings



Northwestern?!
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 09:52     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Because it is the best high school in the area and the top colleges all know accepting kids from Sidwell is low risk

The same could be said about Burke, Bullis, or Field.


Bullis had solid results this year, much better than last. Comparing the other two to Sidwell? Come on.
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 09:47     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Anonymous wrote:Sidwell specifically recruits students who align with a top 20 college profile—they know what they’re doing and are incredibly strategic in how they build their classes. GDS, on the other hand, has shifted its recruitment strategy in recent years, and I think it’s for the better. They're intentionally accepting a wider range of students, which makes for a more well-rounded, less cutthroat class environment. The top 20-bound students are still there, but so are kids with more varied academic profiles—and that balance helps reduce overall stress for the class.

Schools like GDS, Maret, Field, and Burke now offer more of a level playing field. These schools aren’t necessarily household names outside the DC bubble.

fwiw Maret leans more toward the average side academically but, because of its smaller size, it’s often harder to get into than GDS. St. Albans, in contrast, is much more aligned with Sidwell when it comes to recruiting high-achieving students and results.


How did Maret get 7 kids into Northwestern this year? Do they have some connection?
Another Big3 I know has one admit and at least 10 other high achievers who tried---at least half ED and then the rest RD.
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 09:15     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Sidwell specifically recruits students who align with a top 20 college profile—they know what they’re doing and are incredibly strategic in how they build their classes. GDS, on the other hand, has shifted its recruitment strategy in recent years, and I think it’s for the better. They're intentionally accepting a wider range of students, which makes for a more well-rounded, less cutthroat class environment. The top 20-bound students are still there, but so are kids with more varied academic profiles—and that balance helps reduce overall stress for the class.

Schools like GDS, Maret, Field, and Burke now offer more of a level playing field. These schools aren’t necessarily household names outside the DC bubble.

fwiw Maret leans more toward the average side academically but, because of its smaller size, it’s often harder to get into than GDS. St. Albans, in contrast, is much more aligned with Sidwell when it comes to recruiting high-achieving students and results.
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 08:51     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Anonymous wrote:Kids at schools like Sidwell have $$. A school like Gettysburg knows a kid at the bottom of the Sidwell class would enroll and pay full freight rather than go to JMU. Most Americans would see that as a waste of money, but the wealthy would rather their kids go to third tier LACs than go to public colleges. This applies to schools like Tulane and BC as well.


Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 08:50     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:top20 schools

Which LACs (if any) "count" in your definition of the above and calculations?


The T20 SLACs, according to USN&WR.
T20 is T20.


T20 when they applied or T20 when they matriculate or T20 when they graduate college? It's a moving target and a silly game.
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 07:19     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Why are Sidwell parents so insecure that they spend so much time bragging on DCUM?
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 07:12     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Kids at schools like Sidwell have $$. A school like Gettysburg knows a kid at the bottom of the Sidwell class would enroll and pay full freight rather than go to JMU. Most Americans would see that as a waste of money, but the wealthy would rather their kids go to third tier LACs than go to public colleges. This applies to schools like Tulane and BC as well.
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 05:24     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Sidwell is sending 38/90 posted kids to top20 schools. 42%!
NCS is sending 17/81 girls from those posted and a few yet to post. 21%. It's not for lack of trying--my DC knows quite a number of girls who were shut out from Ivies and all top20s with 3.8-3.95 GPAs.

GDS is 23/110. Also 21%.

Why is Sidwell at literally twice the percentage? It doesn't seem to be athletes..
Is a 3.85 from Sidwell viewed as so much stronger than a 3.85 from NCS or GDS?
College counseling better?
What gives?
Just curious. My DC is on deck for next year.


60% ( or the vast majority) of Sidwell graduates are NOT going to a top 20.
You never hear about the 60% at GMU.


About 75-80% of Sidwell grads are going to T50 universities and T50 SLACs. That’s pretty impressive.

Btw, I don’t know what point you’re trying to make about GMU here, but I don’t think a single Sidwell student has attended that school in the past 5+ years.

And GMU is decent.
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 05:19     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Anonymous wrote:Because it is the best high school in the area and the top colleges all know accepting kids from Sidwell is low risk

The same could be said about Burke, Bullis, or Field.
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 00:26     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Sidwell is sending 38/90 posted kids to top20 schools. 42%!
NCS is sending 17/81 girls from those posted and a few yet to post. 21%. It's not for lack of trying--my DC knows quite a number of girls who were shut out from Ivies and all top20s with 3.8-3.95 GPAs.

GDS is 23/110. Also 21%.

Why is Sidwell at literally twice the percentage? It doesn't seem to be athletes..
Is a 3.85 from Sidwell viewed as so much stronger than a 3.85 from NCS or GDS?
College counseling better?
What gives?
Just curious. My DC is on deck for next year.


60% ( or the vast majority) of Sidwell graduates are NOT going to a top 20.
You never hear about the 60% at GMU.


About 75-80% of Sidwell grads are going to T50 universities and T50 SLACs. That’s pretty impressive.

Btw, I don’t know what point you’re trying to make about GMU here, but I don’t think a single Sidwell student has attended that school in the past 5+ years.
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2025 00:07     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
Anonymous wrote:Sidwell is sending 38/90 posted kids to top20 schools. 42%!
NCS is sending 17/81 girls from those posted and a few yet to post. 21%. It's not for lack of trying--my DC knows quite a number of girls who were shut out from Ivies and all top20s with 3.8-3.95 GPAs.

GDS is 23/110. Also 21%.

Why is Sidwell at literally twice the percentage? It doesn't seem to be athletes..
Is a 3.85 from Sidwell viewed as so much stronger than a 3.85 from NCS or GDS?
College counseling better?
What gives?
Just curious. My DC is on deck for next year.


60% ( or the vast majority) of Sidwell graduates are NOT going to a top 20.
You never hear about the 60% at GMU.
Anonymous
Post 05/02/2025 20:58     Subject: why are Sidwell results so much better than other DC privates this year?
I have been keeping an eye on local admissions and am blown away by Sidwell’s results this year. I know everyone on here says don't pick a school based on good college results but I have no shame admitting this is something I will factor in when picking a school for my kid. Sure it is based on a bunch of factors but that is definitely one of them.