OP - I'm sure you have, but if in case you haven't, double check the commute during times you will be making it, now and when it is full day. (I think with Google Maps you can do that virtually.) We're choosing among the Big 3 for MS, and commute is a huge issue. Current parents at schools have said commute is something they better appreciate with the child at the school. It's potentially 9 or 13 years of it for you.

I know people like to choose a k-12 school so they don't have to go through the high school admission process. We went to a k-8 and the experience of applying to high school is invaluable. Learning how to articulate your interests and passions, your ECs, why these are important to you, test taking, writing essays, these are all really good things to go through. The college application will of course be a bigger deal, but a mini truncated version is still very helpful.

I would say pick the one that meets your needs now or for the next several years. The last thing you should worry about is the high school application process. In my view, it is a plus, not a negative.

Pp: Not a lot of handholding after 3rd grade or so.

Norwood is counter traffic, GDS is not, for OP. Traffic wise Norwood may be better. I heard not great things about GDS lower school, but from 3-4th grade up is very competitive and academically very strong. GDS better for competitive aggressive high achiever type generally speaking ( it a lot of handholding after early ears). Norwood more nurturing throughout years. I would consider these points, too. I hear you, OP, it is so difficult to make this choice when they are only 5 years old....

Anonymous wrote:We love Norwood, but dread having to do the whole school application thing again for high school.
So that's a factor.

If it makes you feel any better, we wavered between K-8 and K-12 when choosing between schools for our two DS because the 9th grade application process worried us, but now we are vey happy we made that we chose K-8. Our two each went on to schools that fit them perfectly, but the schools are different from each other as well as different from what we would have chosen for them based on what we knew about them as 5-year-olds (one is in a Big 3 and one is in a school that isn't talked about much here). One is now getting ready for the college process and says he's so much less stressed than his friends because he's already been through something similar (taking the SSAT, picking reach and safety schools, learning that liking a school on paper doesn't mean you'll like it in person, etc...). I think they gained quite a bit from the experience.

Are you chill or snobby?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where do you live? These two schools will require very different commutes.

OP here: Chevy Chase. We have done both commutes and it's about the same.

I am surprised that the commutes, including commuting to wherever you're going after drop off are equal. We also live in Chevy Chase (DC) and didn't consider Norwood because it's so far, especially coming back into the city.

We are very happy at gds, although we didn't start there, so don't have experience with K.

Norwood. Everything is better across the board.

We love Norwood, but dread having to do the whole school application thing again for high school.
So that's a factor.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where do you live? These two schools will require very different commutes.

OP here: Chevy Chase. We have done both commutes and it's about the same.

That really surprises me, whether it's CC MD or CC DC. Would have thought the GDS would be much closer (distance or driving time) with the MS/LS moving to Tenleytown.

Anonymous wrote:Where do you live? These two schools will require very different commutes.

OP here: Chevy Chase. We have done both commutes and it's about the same.

We have kids of friends and relatives at Norwood. It seems to strike a really nice balance between academics and other areas for development/growth in children. The downside, it would appear, is that at least one parent has commented that it is not as academically rigorous as some alternatives if that is a priority, but that was in reference to grades 3-5.

The campus, undoubtedly, is beautiful. I (who went to MCPS public) sigh every time I drive by it.

Where do you live? These two schools will require very different commutes.

We love Norwood. I think their early childhood program is amazing. It may be really difficult to get into GDS later on....it’s a really competitive school to get into at every grade. So I would go with what you care about more at this point. I can see that it really depends on your choice. Great two options. Congrats!!

We can't decide between Norwood or GDS for our daughter for K.
We live between the two so distance isn't helpful in decision-making.
The K-8 vs. K-12 isn't a big deciding factor as we see positives and negatives for both.

I prefer Norwood. My husband prefers GDS.

Any insights welcome!