Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 09:57     Subject: Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
Anonymous wrote:We’re feeling really sad. Our DC was only accepted to one school that was the last on our list.


I'm so sorry. If it's any consolation, we were in the same position a couple years ago-- applied to 3 schools, only got in (not WL) at one. To be fair, we didn't have issues with the school itself, only the commute. We loved the "admitted families" session, though, where the admissions team also cornered us to tell us several specific things they loved about our child's application. We left fully sold. The commute *has* been a little annoying, but it's been a good experience; we don't regret going. Even better, we've since heard things about our previous top choice that make us glad we got in where we did. It will work out!
Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 09:40     Subject: Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
We’re feeling really sad. Our DC was only accepted to one school that was the last on our list.
Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 09:33     Subject: Re:Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How come Bullis is never mentioned here??? Did everyone get in??? Just not enough traffic to merit mentions here??? ONE GC, very few SAES, not one mention of bullis, very few Landon. Why is that? All the same sh*t with you people


I don’t think anyone is biting their nails about Bullis admission. It is a 4th tier school, bordering on 5th tier. The tiers:

1st Tier:
Sidwell & GDS

2nd Tier:

Visi, Stoneridge, NCS, Prep, Gonzaga

3rd Tier:

St. John’s, St. Anselms Abbey, Madeira

4th Tier:

Bullis and the rest



This list is ridiculous.

I personally think HC provides the best education. Sure, it’s a heavy load of work, but college AND law school were a breeze compared to high school at HC. Interestingly, my sisters and friends loved their time there but also still report having the occasional nightmare. But that comes with the territory when you receive a top notch catholic education.

As someone who grew up here and has intimate knowledge about all the schools—both past and present—I can report that Sidwell and Gonzaga always had the highest number of kids doing heavy drugs on the regular. Maret has always catered to kids from families without a certain pedigree (as well as kids who weren’t traditionally the full package), and Madeira was for girls with issues. Oakcrest and Heights were for kids with crazy conservative parents. Prep remains equal parts country club generational wealth and strivers. And SJC and GC both went downhill when they were forced to go co-Ed.

Anyway, tiers and rankings are dumb. And largely meaningless. Your tiers are no better than my musings above…although mine are grounded in decades of experience with friends and family going back to the 1970s. I can see how kids fared and what kind of adults they became. I know where recent grads land. It’s a mixed bag.
Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 09:33     Subject: Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:6th grade. In at Field. WL at Maret.

Anyone know if Maret is a real waitlist or if they don’t decline anyone?


You got into the rising star of the two. That said if you’re not sure of that, you should go to the admitted student events at both. I think I heard the WL moved at Maret last year, and not at Field, which could reflect some bigger issue that the wider applicant pool is noticing about Maret and a confidence in Field.


Pretty sure WL is not invited to admitted student events anywhere. Maybe I misunderstood what you're trying to advise.


I apologize- I misspoke. Yes, your child would go to Field’s event, and hopefully they fall in love with the school. Even if they don't, you probably want to accept the spot, pay the deposit, and if the Maret WL moves, you’d consider forfeiting your deposit at Field. But from the facilities, to the curriculum, to the philosophy, to the college outcomes/low pressure reputation, I hope you and your child can get excited about Field. Best of luck!
Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 09:24     Subject: Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
Indeed. The parent obviously has one of their kids at one of the Catholic schools that no one really would rank where they are ranked in that list.

Amusing that this self-proclaimed ranker has neglected Holton, Maret and others that most would tier higher than their “2nd tier” Catholic schools.

Also looking forward to the “humble” St. Anselm’s parents talking about their “intellectually curious and kind boys” that go to a school that is so rigorous, most couldn’t hack it and most (including college admissions officers) simply don’t understand.
Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 09:22     Subject: Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
In gprep, WL Sidwell
Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 09:17     Subject: Re:Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How come Bullis is never mentioned here??? Did everyone get in??? Just not enough traffic to merit mentions here??? ONE GC, very few SAES, not one mention of bullis, very few Landon. Why is that? All the same sh*t with you people


I don’t think anyone is biting their nails about Bullis admission. It is a 4th tier school, bordering on 5th tier. The tiers:

1st Tier:
Sidwell & GDS

2nd Tier:

Visi, Stoneridge, NCS, Prep, Gonzaga

3rd Tier:

St. John’s, St. Anselms Abbey, Madeira

4th Tier:

Bullis and the rest



Really bizarre for some parents to try to put down schools on here. Deranged behavior.

Find the best fit for your kid. Obviously lots of top kids don't want to attend Sidwell or GDS. The choices of other people shouldn't bother you.
Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 09:16     Subject: Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
Correct. Just about everything in that referenced post was incorrect.
Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 09:13     Subject: Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:6th grade. In at Field. WL at Maret.

Anyone know if Maret is a real waitlist or if they don’t decline anyone?


You got into the rising star of the two. That said if you’re not sure of that, you should go to the admitted student events at both. I think I heard the WL moved at Maret last year, and not at Field, which could reflect some bigger issue that the wider applicant pool is noticing about Maret and a confidence in Field.


Pretty sure WL is not invited to admitted student events anywhere. Maybe I misunderstood what you're trying to advise.
Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 09:10     Subject: Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
Anonymous wrote:“Fell through” for PreK. Waitlisted everywhere we applied. 2Qs:
1. Do people reach out to their admissions contacts for feedback? Our preschool tells us DD is doing great and “on track”. Wondering if it’s worth asking admissions if there were red flags or concerns.
2. Any recommendations for schools that might have openings in PreK? We’re in Bethesda, but open to casting a wide net. Still figuring out who DD is of course, but would ultimately love to see her at a school like SR, SF, NCS, or Holton.

I would look at the early childhood focused schools- Primary Day, Concord Hill

Thank you!
Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 09:05     Subject: Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
Anonymous wrote:6th grade. In at Field. WL at Maret.

Anyone know if Maret is a real waitlist or if they don’t decline anyone?


You got into the rising star of the two. That said if you’re not sure of that, you should go to the admitted student events at both. I think I heard the WL moved at Maret last year, and not at Field, which could reflect some bigger issue that the wider applicant pool is noticing about Maret and a confidence in Field.
Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 09:02     Subject: Re:Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
Anonymous wrote:How come Bullis is never mentioned here??? Did everyone get in??? Just not enough traffic to merit mentions here??? ONE GC, very few SAES, not one mention of bullis, very few Landon. Why is that? All the same sh*t with you people


I don’t think anyone is biting their nails about Bullis admission. It is a 4th tier school, bordering on 5th tier. The tiers:

1st Tier:
Sidwell & GDS

2nd Tier:

Visi, Stoneridge, NCS, Prep, Gonzaga

3rd Tier:

St. John’s, St. Anselms Abbey, Madeira

4th Tier:

Bullis and the rest

Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 08:51     Subject: Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:“Fell through” for PreK. Waitlisted everywhere we applied. 2Qs:
1. Do people reach out to their admissions contacts for feedback? Our preschool tells us DD is doing great and “on track”. Wondering if it’s worth asking admissions if there were red flags or concerns.
2. Any recommendations for schools that might have openings in PreK? We’re in Bethesda, but open to casting a wide net. Still figuring out who DD is of course, but would ultimately love to see her at a school like SR, SF, NCS, or Holton.

Thank you!


Why can't you just try the local and presumably excellent public school you're zoned for in Bethesda?


Maybe because MCPS doesn’t offer PreK?
Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 08:34     Subject: Re:Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
Anonymous wrote:Waitlisted at all - GDS, SFS, Beauvoir, Maret for K. Feeling pretty discouraged.


If you are set on private for K, it's not too late even if WLs don't move for you. Wait a few weeks until after schools return from spring break and then call or email other schools you didn't apply to. Some will have late spots.

I feel you on the discouragement. Try not to take it personally. That's a competitive list, and K admissions can be a crapshoot. It doesn't diminish you or your child.
Anonymous
Post 02/28/2026 08:28     Subject: Official Admissions Decisions Thread 2026
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:6th grade. In at Field. WL at Maret.

Anyone know if Maret is a real waitlist or if they don’t decline anyone?


It might be real wait list if you are first in the list.


But that’s not how it works. It’s a pool of students, not a ranked list. In the case of Maret, Potomac, GDS and perhaps many others, it’s nearly all of the non-admitted students. In the very unlikely event that all of the admitted students do not yield enough enrolled students, they will seek a student with underrepresented attributes from the pool. It might be a gender or race, it might be excellence in a specific position for a specific sport, it might be someone who is a nerdy STEM rockstar or a perfect soprano.

As so many others have pointed out and is detailed is so many other threads, schools have been doing this for a very long time. They know that for every 50 9th graders that they admit, 20 will enroll (just an example - not actual projected yield guesstimates). So, if they have 20 spots, they’ll admit 20. If they get between 18-24 enrollees, great. If they get 15, they might go to the waiting pool for a few spots. For the most competitive schools, this is infrequent and rare but does happen.

If you “give up your spot,” you’re not opening a wait pool spot. You are one of the 30 in the aforementioned example that they expected not to enroll.