I just passed my DC driving test, and its all thanks to the wonderful instruction from this school!…read moreI would recommend them highly to anyone, especially folks like me who are learning as adults. Before my lessons with Mr. Ish, the only driving experience I had as a 36 year old was some parking lot practice, and a one hour lesson with a different school (which I didn't think was very helpful so I didn't continue). I took 5 lessons of 2 hours each (10 hours total) with him and found him to be an incredibly patient and supportive instructor. I had a lot of anxiety going into the whole process, and his calm presence always put me at ease and made me more confident. When I would make a mistake like making too wide of a turn into a streeet, he would point it out but also ask me why I did it that way. It felt like he really wanted to get to the root of the issue to help fix it. In the case of turning too wide, we realized that I was misjudging the distance of my car from the parked cars on the street. This thoughtful approach really helped diagnose and correct issues as they came up and it was so satisfying to visibly see myself improve. His approach to teaching parallel parking was super clear, and I was able to confidently parallel park during the test, and have now also done it in relatively tight spots on DC streets! He also recommended doing a last lesson right before the test in the Deanwood neighborhood (where the DMV test takes place). This was great advice, and Mr. Teddy accommodated me for a pre-test lesson on short notice. I used the school's car for the test, which was helpful since I was familiar with it. The day of the test there was a really long wait at the DMV and Mr. Teddy waited with me patiently and was also really supportive. All the communication and reminders from the school about lesson times, locations were timely and clear, Mr. Ish was always on time for picking me up, and it was just a seamless experience end to end.

Excellent driving instructors. Took my roads test and passed the first time!…read more Seriously, Mr. Ish and Mr. Teddy are very patient and definitely want you to pass. I had wanted to book extra hours behind the wheel before I scheduled my roads test, but Mr. Ish really pushed me to take it sooner because he felt I was ready. Very glad he did.

These people are not straightforward. They tell you a lower and finally meet you and say something…read moreelse... then they act like it's their right. Just go somewhere else if I were you.

Friendly warm people. Got in, got out in no time. I recently…read moresent my younger brother since he passed his leaners test a couple days ago. I went to sign him up for class and saw the same instructor who taught me and Mr. S remembered me! The price did go up a bit from when I attended, but they gave a family discount which was awesome! They mentioned a waiting period when my brother registered, due to some law (idk), but my brother has to wait 9 months anyway so didn't affect him much. Either way, their service and attention to us was great and I hope my brother has a good experience like I did! P.S Metro station is just a ten minute walk (my brother has to take it). P.S.S Mall is close by to grab food during breaks (like I used to all the time)

Gilbert, Just so you know, I passed the driving test. You are an excellent instructor- Thank you…read moreagain!

Gilbert and his team are absolutely fantastic, I would give them 100 stars if I could! Having only…read morelived in big cities I never needed to drive but knew I needed to upon moving to DC. As a 33 year old Mom of 2 I was terrified and very nervous about being on the road. Gilbert instantly put me at ease and I passed my test 1st try yesterday after 3 weeks of lessons. Gilbert is incredibly patient, calm and excellent at teaching and giving you the necessary tools and tips to gain confidence and become a safe driver. He pushed me to challenge myself but at a pace I was comfortable with. Even better, unlike a lot of other DC schools GMEL will pick you up from your house/preferred location and return you at the end! Thank you Gilbert and team.

I had both Mr Bryant and William, they were both hilarious and amazing teachers. Ms Amber was…read moregenuinely caring and assisted me in getting earlier drive times. These people teach with creativity and passion.

Very disappointed I paid for my daughter driving school in advance. The school of instructions went…read moregreat only downfall is the behind the wheel instructor don't stick to their schedule. They send out emails if the times to meet. First time I went out to meet the instructor he didn't show up. Call the instructor back he claim he sent the wrong time. We was sitting out at the driving school for an hour for nothing ruin my whole Saturday. Second encounter had another encounter my daughter was schedule another appointment the instructor change her time at the last min. the day of the appt. I'm not happy!!!!

I've had great experiences with Ethio Star. The scheduling process is super easy and convenient, I…read morewas able to schedule my lessons all at once which allowed me to plan better. The owner is very responsive and the instructors really know what they're doing. Boris was the best instructor I had. He was friendly and nice and noticed what areas I needed improvement in and we practiced more on those than the others. They know the road test route well and make sure you practice along the route. I'm sure the other instructors are good too but do yourself a favor and practice with Boris. His patience is great and he knows how to put things in terms you'd understand- he made a reference to shrek and I knew what he meant.

9/15/2021 I am always saddened to speak ill against any…read morebusiness; especially when it is one that is of my own ethnicity. On September 7, 2021 I took my road test, with Ethio Star Driving School(Ethio Star) conducting it. Ethio Star has mastered the art of robbery without a gun. I advise you-all not to take your road test with them. They are failing people intentionally just to make more money off of you. I parked a few inches away from what would be the curb, and was told that it wasn't good enough. Mr. Eyob would eventually tell me that the road test was over because my parking didn't meet his standards. I was puzzled because to my knowledge the only deduction that'll end the test is failing to stop at a Stop sign or bumping one of the cones while attempting to park. I would learn later that they aren't in compliance with the DMV score deduction. Ethio Star deducts 80% of your score for failing to park . Furthermore, he would tell me that I can take the test again for $120. Well, I took the test again yesterday, but with CAS Driving school and passed. They were cordial. I recommend that anyone seeking to take a road test please contact CAS driving School LLC 202-636-1049 or contact@casdriving.com. The DMV need to sever their ties with Ethio Star immediately. If you don't attend their school, they will fail you

They phoned it in. Just sat in the car and vegetated while we drove. Did not do any real…read moreinstruction in the car and certainly did not prepare at all for the Montgomery County driving exam. One example - teaching about stop signs and stopping behind the white line. If you see bad habits during the driving instruction that will fail the driving test call them out! Disappointing.

I had this loco for all three BTW classes and it was nice. The instructor was professional and…read moretaught me a few things. I'd recommend this place

I had an amazing experience with Officer Lyle, the online teachers, and everyone in the office!…read moreThey were very receptive and easily accessible if you needed anything for whatever reason. Officer Lyle was beyond patient, helpful, and friendly, and he took his time to answer any questions that I had. Thank you, iDriveSmart and Officer Lyle!!

Online classes: admittedly these are very, very long and kind of boring. They are what they are…read more In-car lessons: these went well. Always started on time and finished on time. The quality of instructors has a quality mix to it, but most were very good. Also, if you like an instructor, you can try to schedule more lessons with that specific instructor, which was helpful. It can be difficult to find lessons when and where you want, but if you book far enough ahead of time, you can generally find several reasonable options. General communications: Every time we called the company for help, they were very responsive and always friendly. Overall, I would say our experience was very positive, and I would use them again if I need to and would recommend them.

If I could give this place 0 stars, I would. These people are terrible, and I honestly don't know…read morehow they're still in business. If you end up enrolling in this school and later want to withdraw, don't even bother; they don't like giving you your own money back. Instead, they'll make the very simple process harder and more complicated than it needs to be. They try to scare you by saying they'll "report you to the MVA" and claim you won't be able to enroll in another school. I signed up in September 2025 and lasted only about an hour on the first day before leaving. The "class" was just orientation, with the instructor making rude comments, scaring people about cameras, and even yelling at students for briefly turning cameras off. When I decided to withdraw (which their policy says should mean a full refund if it's the first day), the nightmare really started. The owners and their family were beyond unprofessional, and don't get me started on the instructor (Mr. Ben). Every time I called or went to the office, they verbally harassed me, told me I was "costing them money," They kept dragging things out, making me come back and forth, and flat-out told me, "MVA won't help you" and "Not even your bank will give your money back." It took MVA and my bank getting involved for me to finally get my refund almost a month later. I've since heard from other students that the behind-the-wheel lessons are just as bad, with instructors running errands, blasting music, and yelling at students instead of actually teaching. These people are beyond shameful and disrespectful. They act like they're the only driving school in Maryland, but trust me, they are not. Save yourself the headache and choose another school that actually treats students with respect.

Charles, Gary, Farukuddin were my three driving instructors. I had enrolled in their 10 hour…read moredriving course. They are great, knowledgeable, patient, and fun instructors. Their teachings helped me pass the mva behind-the-wheel test on my first try with only 10 hours of driving practice. The entire process was quite smooth. I highly recommend learning driving from this driving school.

My neice trains and competes with this organization. The coaches are top notched and prepare these…read moregirls to the highest level with the highest standards.

From the owner: "Attention all aspiring cheerleaders! Ready to take your skills to new heights? Look no further…read morethan Cold Wave Athletics Recreational Competitive Cheerleading Team! But that's not all – get ready to hit the road with us! As members of Cold Wave Athletics, you'll have the thrilling opportunity to compete in exciting traveling competitions across the country. And as a special bonus, we're offering FREE tumbling classes! Don't let this golden opportunity escape you – be a part of the Cold Wave Athletics Recreational Competitive Cheerleading Team and witness your dreams become a reality! Join us today and let's make cheerleading history together!