Way too much sucking up going on during the parents meeting. The distance of the lower school from our house also weighed heavily.

We didn't apply for our oldest for Sidwell because we didn't think it would be the right fit for her. We loved Maret and applied both of our kids there. I'm one of those who walks around and tries t imagine my kid at that place, and if I can't or can imagine it will make my child unhappy, I don't apply. Perhaps I rely on gut too much, but there it is.

Applied to GDS and WIS, like 17:33, got into both, but chose GDS. Didn't apply to Sidwell because of location. Considered applying to Maret for K if DD didn't get into either GDS or WIS for PK.

The pedophile issue at Sidwell creeped us out and scared us off. The parent-teacher mating isn't nearly as serious, but it furthers the perception of lack of institutional control.

applied to Maret, looked at GDS. didn't consider Sidwell because of location for us.

Personally attended a Quaker school for 7 years. Would love DC to go to a Quaker school. But logistics for Bethesda are just out for us. Applied to GDS and others.

GDS and Maret, as well as a few other schools, were a better fit for us. Sidwell seemed like a cattle call and we never got a good sense of the place with our first child, so we didn't see the point of applying. After that we just didn't go back for my other kids.

Yes, we applied to GDS and WIS. Got in both, chose WIS (hard decision but definitely the right one for us). I'm sure Sidwell is a good school, but the Sidwell parents I've met have seemed extremely high maintenance, and I just couldn't picture dealing with them every day. I also didn't want to drive to Bethesda every day throughout primary school.

We applied to only Maret and GDS because they are closer to our home than Sidwell.

We were very turned off by the admissions experience with DC#1, so did not apply again for DC#2 at K. When it was time to move on from elementary, other options seemed like a better fit (including Maret).

we applied to GDS, but not Maret (no PK) and not Sidwell b/c of location. Bethesda isn't all that far, but it was enough out of our way to make life miserable for us.

It is not unusual for someone with children at a school (such as GDS or Maret) to apply only to that school for their other children.

My two are too young for applications yet, but we likely will apply to GDS and Maret, but not Sidwell. I am a GDS alum, my husband is a Maret alum, and we have no edge at Sidwell. We would almost certainly send the kids to one of our alma maters over Sidwell, so there really isn't any reason for us to apply there. Not set in stone, but that is our current thinking.

typo - why did you choose NOT to include Sidwell among your coed options?

If so - why did you choose to include Sidwell among your coed options?