killer commute to excellent school v. easy commute to very good school

[Anonymous]

thoughts? we have a choice between an excellent school far away from home and work (both in the city proper) and a very good school in the neighborhood. the former would be a car trip and would generate all sorts of parking at work issues for both dh and I (currently on public transport). the latter would be a walking and/or bus commute. dd is an only and going into K. we'd also be rushsing up to the excellent school after work to make it in time to pick up when aftercare closes, given our work obligations (we both have desk jobs).

tia.

[Anonymous]

no way would i sign up for a killer commute. the name alone says it all.

[Anonymous]

I'd stick close to home.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for close to home.

[Anonymous]

Your whole life will revolve around the school to some extent, esp as DC gets older. Playdates, pizza with other families, events at school in the evening. Go for the "neighborhood" very good school and enjoy your quality of life.

[Anonymous]

Commute is a HUGE issue for us and we only live 10 minutes from school. I'd stick with the close-by option UNLESS you can put together a carpool.

[Anonymous]

If you are commuting away from your job and he would be in school long hours at the nearby school that would really make me choose the best school. In fact I would give him the best education possible and make my job work around it.

[Anonymous]

I would only sign up for a killer commute school if you had already explored the options closer by, and there was some reason that it was a very bad choice for your child. Not just "not wonderful" but that your child was miserable or doing very poorly there.

A school close to home means friends and neighbors who can pick up your child after school for playdates (and you can reciprocate on days you have that time free). It might mean less time in aftercare or at a sitters, depending on how yo uhave things arranged.

[Anonymous]

Easy commute---HANDS DOWN! The excellent school-you'll think---oh it won't be so bad...but it does get bad.

We moved when my firstborn was in the middle of his 1st year of preschool---move was only 2-3 miles away but i now had to drive over a major bridge to get there. Plus- my nanny that doesn't drive- couldn't pick him up.
I ended up keeping him there and we are into his third and final year and I am so thrilled that come june....all camps and school will be only 2 blocks away!!!!

It will become a major PIA rushign to get him to school on-time--pick up, etc. You will grow to loath that commute.

My 2nd born is going to the school based on locality. It happens to be good school too---and as much as i LOVE firstborn's preschool and teachers (very, very much)...I just can't do that hassle anymore.

If the schools were excellent and poor...then of course I'd say suck up the commute---but a 'very good' school will give him/everything they need...and who knows it may turn out better than the one you think is 'excellent'.

[Anonymous]

OP....I had a similar choice last year for my DD, now in K. We really loved a school that made no sense commute-wise, and had a very nice option literally four blocks away.

We chose the closer school and I give thanks to whatever god is up there every day. It had made everything easier...playdates, the MILLIONS of school activities, quick pick-ups b/c she is sick, picking up friends, not to mention having friends in the hood, easier mornings (the whole drop-off takes less than 7 minutes, door to door).

Go closer.

[Anonymous]

Echo PPs. Closer is better. Besides, even the "excellent" school may have issues that you cannot anticipate. In the early years, school is as much about socialization as academic prep, and your daughter will be much more comfortable going to a school in her own neighborhood than one that is far away.

[Anonymous]

I chose the first school based on location. It promised to be excellent, but ended up being only good to fair, an OOB DCPS school. The next choice I made on academic merit, an excellent charter. It has worked out because I set up a carpool, and although I hate my portion of the carpool day, love the fact my children are very happy and engaged. Just be sure the nearby school is indeed very good, and not something less. I was fooled.

[Anonymous]

Also it depends what you mean by "killer" commute. If it is just inconvenient, that is one thing... but areally awful commute will suck the life right out of you.

My order of priorities would be:

excellent school + easy commute
excellent school + moderate commute
very good school + easy commute
very good school + moderate commute
excellent school + bad commute
OK school + easy commute (if good neighborhood participation, many playdates, etc.)
very good school + bad commute
OK school + easy commute (if not a lot of neighborhood participation, not many playdates, etc.)
OK school + moderate commute
excellent school + killer commute (unless you can set up carpools)
OK school + bad commute
very good school + killer commute (unless you can set up carpools)
OK school + killer commute

[Anonymous]

think of all the excellent things you can do when you are not busy commuting and think of all the excellent extras your child will miss because you can't pull off the driving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I chose the first school based on location. It promised to be excellent, but ended up being only good to fair, an OOB DCPS school. The next choice I made on academic merit, an excellent charter. It has worked out because I set up a carpool, and although I hate my portion of the carpool day, love the fact my children are very happy and engaged. Just be sure the nearby school is indeed very good, and not something less. I was fooled.

op here. thanks everyone for the advice so far. this poster hit on my biggest fear. the far away excellent school is indeed a charter that everyone raves about. and the neighborhood school is DCPS, a school that many people try to get into but that has its share of both boosters and detractors.