Anonymous
12/03/2025 21:54
Subject: GDS Grades
Anonymous wrote:I had always heard that Sidwell didn't inflate, but had not heard similarly about GDS. Sounds just a tough despite having a more laid-back reputation.
It is just as tough and fun too.
Anonymous
12/02/2025 20:55
Subject: GDS Grades
Anonymous wrote:I had always heard that Sidwell didn't inflate, but had not heard similarly about GDS. Sounds just a tough despite having a more laid-back reputation.
Sidwell excels in promoting the scholar-athlete ideal, but at GDS you have kids who "pointy," in college admissions parlance, and stand out for theater, arts, music, math, creative writing, or sometimes even sports (mostly cross-country and track and field, but also random sports like fencing and squash). So there is a "laid-back" reputation in the sense that the kids don't seem to be competing against each other as much, but rather pursuing their own goals, and GDS accommodates that to a great degree. The grading is tough, but not competitive.
Anonymous
12/02/2025 20:08
Subject: GDS Grades
Agree on the accurate information.
It is tough. But the school also emphasizes joy. And the kids are nice to each other and parents are as well. So perhaps an easier environment even if tough academically. The kids do quite well in college admissions so many colleges know how to adjust for the lower grades.
It is tough. But the school also emphasizes joy. And the kids are nice to each other and parents are as well. So perhaps an easier environment even if tough academically. The kids do quite well in college admissions so many colleges know how to adjust for the lower grades.
Anonymous
12/02/2025 14:36
Subject: GDS Grades
I had always heard that Sidwell didn't inflate, but had not heard similarly about GDS. Sounds just a tough despite having a more laid-back reputation.
Anonymous
12/02/2025 13:58
Subject: GDS Grades
A lot of accurate info here...are we sure we're still on DCUM? 
My son, who never got close to anything other than an A in middle school, had a number of Bs and B+ grades at his 9th grade midterms, and managed to get them all up to As, not because teachers intentionally graded low, but becasue he realized the workload was far different than he was used to, and he started utilizing all the resource availible to him to improve.
Our experience (he's a junior now), is that in most classes, high grades are really earned, and that even high achieving students rarely get straight As.
My son, who never got close to anything other than an A in middle school, had a number of Bs and B+ grades at his 9th grade midterms, and managed to get them all up to As, not because teachers intentionally graded low, but becasue he realized the workload was far different than he was used to, and he started utilizing all the resource availible to him to improve.
Our experience (he's a junior now), is that in most classes, high grades are really earned, and that even high achieving students rarely get straight As.
Anonymous
12/02/2025 13:26
Subject: GDS Grades
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Dusting this off, mid-term grades came this week and for many 9th graders it was the first time receiving letter grades. Am hearing lots of stories of Bs and Cs popping up in at least a class or two. This seems a stark contrast to the bevy of As that people report receiving in public school.
I know GDS doesn't track GPAs, but does anyone have a sense of what the median is? Also, is it sort of standard that the first mid-term grades are typically on the low side and that kids rebound?
In our GDS experience, the mid-term grades are always a nudge to my kid to try harder. In most cases, he's been able to raise his grade one step above the mid-term grade (so B+ to A-, etc.) with speaking more with the teacher about questions on quizzes prior to tests, hunkering down, and more focus. I don't think GDS teachers give artificially low mid-term grades that automatically go up at the semester--the kid has to put in the effort to raise the grade. The thing about GDS is that the teachers do not inflate grades (in fact some are notoriously tough graders), but they do have the scaffolding for students to do well in school--the most important being teachers are very available to talk through topics that may confuse students, review quizzes/tests, suggest study strategies, talk through essay thesis, etc. Successful GDS students speak with their teachers independently of class or during work time in class to clarify challenging topics.
Thank you for this thoughtful response. It was my sense as well that mid-terms are essentially a wake-up call, especially for Freshman.
Yes definitely an adjustment for freshmen to get Bs (and Cs in some cases)- those rising from GDS 8th aren't used to any grades; those coming from the K-8's are used to all A's; those coming from publics are also used to A's, but aren't generally used to the level of class participation expected. There is definitely still time to improve grades by the end of the semester. If your child wants to do this, meeting with the teacher sooner rather than later is key. Avoid asking, "how do I get an A?", but ask more about suggestions to improve test study habits, or writing, or ask about concepts that are specifically confusing. At the least tell your student this shows the teacher that at least they care about how they are doing. If they end the semester with a 89.5 maybe the teacher will throw them a bone to an A-.
Anonymous
12/01/2025 11:08
Subject: GDS Grades
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Dusting this off, mid-term grades came this week and for many 9th graders it was the first time receiving letter grades. Am hearing lots of stories of Bs and Cs popping up in at least a class or two. This seems a stark contrast to the bevy of As that people report receiving in public school.
I know GDS doesn't track GPAs, but does anyone have a sense of what the median is? Also, is it sort of standard that the first mid-term grades are typically on the low side and that kids rebound?
In our GDS experience, the mid-term grades are always a nudge to my kid to try harder. In most cases, he's been able to raise his grade one step above the mid-term grade (so B+ to A-, etc.) with speaking more with the teacher about questions on quizzes prior to tests, hunkering down, and more focus. I don't think GDS teachers give artificially low mid-term grades that automatically go up at the semester--the kid has to put in the effort to raise the grade. The thing about GDS is that the teachers do not inflate grades (in fact some are notoriously tough graders), but they do have the scaffolding for students to do well in school--the most important being teachers are very available to talk through topics that may confuse students, review quizzes/tests, suggest study strategies, talk through essay thesis, etc. Successful GDS students speak with their teachers independently of class or during work time in class to clarify challenging topics.
Thank you for this thoughtful response. It was my sense as well that mid-terms are essentially a wake-up call, especially for Freshman.
Anonymous
12/01/2025 08:53
Subject: GDS Grades
Anonymous wrote:Dusting this off, mid-term grades came this week and for many 9th graders it was the first time receiving letter grades. Am hearing lots of stories of Bs and Cs popping up in at least a class or two. This seems a stark contrast to the bevy of As that people report receiving in public school.
I know GDS doesn't track GPAs, but does anyone have a sense of what the median is? Also, is it sort of standard that the first mid-term grades are typically on the low side and that kids rebound?
In our GDS experience, the mid-term grades are always a nudge to my kid to try harder. In most cases, he's been able to raise his grade one step above the mid-term grade (so B+ to A-, etc.) with speaking more with the teacher about questions on quizzes prior to tests, hunkering down, and more focus. I don't think GDS teachers give artificially low mid-term grades that automatically go up at the semester--the kid has to put in the effort to raise the grade. The thing about GDS is that the teachers do not inflate grades (in fact some are notoriously tough graders), but they do have the scaffolding for students to do well in school--the most important being teachers are very available to talk through topics that may confuse students, review quizzes/tests, suggest study strategies, talk through essay thesis, etc. Successful GDS students speak with their teachers independently of class or during work time in class to clarify challenging topics.
Anonymous
11/29/2025 17:37
Subject: GDS Grades
Anonymous wrote:So is it better for a kid to get all As at public than 3.5 at GDS in terms of college prospects?
It depends. As with rigorous classes at public school yes - better off at the public.
The schools that know GDS and its lack fo grade inflation the best are new england SLACs -
Anonymous
11/28/2025 23:33
Subject: GDS Grades
So is it better for a kid to get all As at public than 3.5 at GDS in terms of college prospects?