Why are MCHS graduations held in DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree it is very weird for Montgomery County Maryland graduations to be held in downtown DC. I always assumed it was a space/size issue but reading that some high schools have switched to UMD makes me wonder why all don’t! Even National Harbor seems to make more sense.

What makes sense about National Harbor?

I assumed it has a venue large enough since wasn’t it built to host conferences? But my point of Natl Harbor vs DAR is that it is in MD - revenue from the event stays in MD. These are MD schools graduating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree it is very weird for Montgomery County Maryland graduations to be held in downtown DC. I always assumed it was a space/size issue but reading that some high schools have switched to UMD makes me wonder why all don’t! Even National Harbor seems to make more sense.

What makes sense about National Harbor?

NOTHING makes sense about National Harbor. For graduations or anything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated 20 years ago from MCPS and it was at DAR then too. Clearly it's been working or the easiest option.

DAR. When I graduated 35 yeas ago.

Ok, so it's a tradition? Good to know

+1 and yes it's a tradition, but many high schools have grown in population since we all graduated in the last generation.

Some NOVA schools use Constitution Hall too. But many use George Mason's arena. Here is the Fairfax County schedule - https://www.fcps.edu/graduation - I think it's interesting because FCPS is very similar to MCPS in terms of size and distance from DC. More of them are opting for the larger venue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid's at Blair and I'm kind of sad it's too big a class to do DAR, which would feel special. Instead it's UMD for us.

I'll take UMD over DAR anytime.
So much easier and less stressful

Really? Driving to College Park is a nuisance. I'd rather take Metro to DAR.

How is driving to college park a nuisance?

Well, there's the distance, the traffic, the parking...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree it is very weird for Montgomery County Maryland graduations to be held in downtown DC. I always assumed it was a space/size issue but reading that some high schools have switched to UMD makes me wonder why all don’t! Even National Harbor seems to make more sense.

What makes sense about National Harbor?

I assumed it has a venue large enough since wasn’t it built to host conferences? But my point of Natl Harbor vs DAR is that it is in MD - revenue from the event stays in MD. These are MD schools graduating.

At what cost? DAR mostly has evening events so daytime events are going to cost less there. At National Harbor MCPS would be competing with companies and organizations that hold conferences there during the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid's at Blair and I'm kind of sad it's too big a class to do DAR, which would feel special. Instead it's UMD for us.

I'll take UMD over DAR anytime.
So much easier and less stressful

Really? Driving to College Park is a nuisance. I'd rather take Metro to DAR.

How is driving to college park a nuisance?

Well, there's the distance, the traffic, the parking...

Are you kidding??
Have you actually been to a graduation at the Xfinity Center?

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say NO, you have not... because if you'd had you'd realize that you're going against traffic at that time of day, the distance is almost the same time as if you'd drive to DAR since you have all of the DC lights & it's a straight shot to UMD.

Oh, wait one more thing... did you say parking??
Parking was FREE & unlimited... not a problem whatsoever, plenty of spaces and we zipped in and zipped out; their staff runs that place like a well oiled machine.

Maybe, I dont know, possibly try something new?
Expand your horizons, keep an open mind for before you trash something that you've never even been to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid's at Blair and I'm kind of sad it's too big a class to do DAR, which would feel special. Instead it's UMD for us.

I'll take UMD over DAR anytime.
So much easier and less stressful

Really? Driving to College Park is a nuisance. I'd rather take Metro to DAR.

How is driving to college park a nuisance?

Well, there's the distance, the traffic, the parking...

Are you kidding??
Have you actually been to a graduation at the Xfinity Center?

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say NO, you have not... because if you'd had you'd realize that you're going against traffic at that time of day, the distance is almost the same time as if you'd drive to DAR since you have all of the DC lights & it's a straight shot to UMD.

Oh, wait one more thing... did you say parking??
Parking was FREE & unlimited... not a problem whatsoever, plenty of spaces and we zipped in and zipped out; their staff runs that place like a well oiled machine.

Maybe, I dont know, possibly try something new?
Expand your horizons, keep an open mind for before you trash something that you've never even been to?

I've been to the Xfinity Center. In fact, I've driven to the Xfinity Center - against traffic - and parked, too.

And I wouldn't drive to DAR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid's at Blair and I'm kind of sad it's too big a class to do DAR, which would feel special. Instead it's UMD for us.

I'll take UMD over DAR anytime.
So much easier and less stressful

Really? Driving to College Park is a nuisance. I'd rather take Metro to DAR.

How is driving to college park a nuisance?

Well, there's the distance, the traffic, the parking...

Are you kidding??
Have you actually been to a graduation at the Xfinity Center?

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say NO, you have not... because if you'd had you'd realize that you're going against traffic at that time of day, the distance is almost the same time as if you'd drive to DAR since you have all of the DC lights & it's a straight shot to UMD.

Oh, wait one more thing... did you say parking??
Parking was FREE & unlimited... not a problem whatsoever, plenty of spaces and we zipped in and zipped out; their staff runs that place like a well oiled machine.

Maybe, I dont know, possibly try something new?
Expand your horizons, keep an open mind for before you trash something that you've never even been to?

MAYBE distance or traffic is an issue (a big accident or something, usually it's not an issue) but parking at UMD is no problem at all, there's so much of it and it's so we'll run.

[Anonymous]

People wonder "why DAR" but no one actually complains about it. Plus, after graduation, you have a plethora of restaurants to choose from for a celebratory lunch or dinner. For many MoCo families that don't come into the city much, it's a really special opportunity that is very memorable for them.

If you object so much, then start talking to the school administrators, PTA, and student leaders when your kid is a freshman, but don't be surprised if there aren't very many people excited about your proposition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

MAYBE distance or traffic is an issue (a big accident or something, usually it's not an issue) but parking at UMD is no problem at all, there's so much of it and it's so we'll run.

Different people have different preferences. You'd rather drive to College Park then go to DAR, because [your reasons]; I'd rather take the Metro to DAR than drive to College Park (or to DAR), because [my reasons].

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People wonder "why DAR" but no one actually complains about it. Plus, after graduation, you have a plethora of restaurants to choose from for a celebratory lunch or dinner. For many MoCo families that don't come into the city much, it's a really special opportunity that is very memorable for them.

If you object so much, then start talking to the school administrators, PTA, and student leaders when your kid is a freshman, but don't be surprised if there aren't very many people excited about your proposition.

Okay, I'm a MoCo upcounty resident and have no issue with DAR except driving there during graduation does suck. We had a our graduation there when i was graduating HS. Now my kids will have it at Mt. St. Mary's. I do find it funny though that one would think having it at DAR would be much more special (than other places) because we country bumpkins don't come to the city that much. Lots of us folks from MoCo have been going to DC since we were little kids! We're not coming from New Hampshire!

[Anonymous]

Everyone I know that went to DAR and then got to switch to College Park has been happier...aside from not being able to have relatives watch on line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People wonder "why DAR" but no one actually complains about it. Plus, after graduation, you have a plethora of restaurants to choose from for a celebratory lunch or dinner. For many MoCo families that don't come into the city much, it's a really special opportunity that is very memorable for them.

If you object so much, then start talking to the school administrators, PTA, and student leaders when your kid is a freshman, but don't be surprised if there aren't very many people excited about your proposition.

Okay, I'm a MoCo upcounty resident and have no issue with DAR except driving there during graduation does suck. We had a our graduation there when i was graduating HS. Now my kids will have it at Mt. St. Mary's. I do find it funny though that one would think having it at DAR would be much more special (than other places) because we country bumpkins don't come to the city that much. Lots of us folks from MoCo have been going to DC since we were little kids! We're not coming from New Hampshire!

Sorry - I must have misinterpreted all the people over the years that my kids have graduated who have said, "this is really nice. We hardly ever come into DC anymore..."

[Anonymous]

Because it is classy.

[Anonymous]

And we loved it. Worth it.