Best private schools in NYC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There used to be a board called UrbanBaby where there was a pretty well-known ranking based on scores, college exmissions, reputation, etc. There were "top-tier" schools (TT), 2T, 3T, etc. The pretty much agreed upon ranking (in order) is:

All Girls:
TT = Brearley, Spence, Chapin
2T = Convent of the Sacred Heart, Nightingale-Bamford, Marymount
3T = Hewitt

All Boys:
They don't have the same "TT" ranking because most boys schools are K-8/9. The only TT boys school is Collegiate. Browning is the only other K-12 boys school and it's probably 2T or 3T depending on who you ask.
But the rest are ranked as follows: St. Bernard's, St. David's, Buckley, Allen-Stevenson.

Co-Ed:
TT = Horace Mann, Trinity, Dalton

2T = Riverdale, ECFC
3T = Columbia Grammar Prep (sometimes considered 2T),
4T = Dwight

The Brooklyn schools were not usually included in the rankings but they are: Saint Ann's (probably would fit in the TT category), Packer Collegiate, Poly Prep, Berkeley Carroll, Brooklyn Friends.

There are a ton of other great schools in NYC but this is a very traditional ranking system that focuses on the uptown/"hill" schools.

So true.

-Trinity alum, uncle of incoming Dalton kindergartner, son of a Spence grad

That is quite a pedigree 😉

[Anonymous]

As a parent of Collegiate and Spence DC, I think Spence has an excellent MS program where they have incorporated CS very well. Spence's HS offerings are comparable to Collegiate's. There are a lot of stereotypes related to these schools but the schools are changing both demographically and content wise. The new HOS at Spence is steering the school in the right direction and Collegiate is slower to change (my son reminds me that his school has been around for 400 years so they generally get things right!).

[Anonymous]

Spence is definitely a top-rate school. Not sure why the general consensus is that brearley is better. in terms of outcomes, all the tt schools only differ marginally, and most of that’s superficial. they’re all intense academically, awful at sports, have great ecs, and provide absurd opportunities for kids. only basic educational philosophies, size of school, location, and facilities separate them. if your kid gets into one, they’ll be getting among the best educations in the world, and they’ll have as good a chance as any to go to a top college - though this should probably be a secondary consideration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spence is definitely a top-rate school. Not sure why the general consensus is that brearley is better. in terms of outcomes, all the tt schools only differ marginally, and most of that’s superficial. they’re all intense academically, awful at sports, have great ecs, and provide absurd opportunities for kids. only basic educational philosophies, size of school, location, and facilities separate them. if your kid gets into one, they’ll be getting among the best educations in the world, and they’ll have as good a chance as any to go to a top college - though this should probably be a secondary consideration.

It's because of the schools' historic reputations. Back when WASP-dom mattered, Chapin was the school of choice for the old money crowd and Spence attracted the society crowd, while Brearley just cared that its students could do the work.

[Anonymous]

I am one of the NBS/Trinity people from above. Granted this was 30 years ago, but the girls in my class at Trinity who came from Spence - and there were about 5 of them, were super smart and total grinds. From what I remember, they ended up at Harvard, Princeton and Stanford. It’s always been a snakepit of girls but you gotta be impressed by the teaching.

[Anonymous]

recently riverdale has overtaken all but trinity.

[Anonymous]

I'm just wondering..why are they so expensive? What do they offer that other schools don't? Any bilingual schools around? English-Spanish? English-French?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am one of the NBS/Trinity people from above. Granted this was 30 years ago, but the girls in my class at Trinity who came from Spence - and there were about 5 of them, were super smart and total grinds. From what I remember, they ended up at Harvard, Princeton and Stanford. It’s always been a snakepit of girls but you gotta be impressed by the teaching.

Mom and 2 cousins went to Spence. Obviously anecdotal, but my mom went to h, one cousin went Yale, and the second is a junior at Columbia. They’re all simply phenomenal schools. If you do well there, you’re going to get into a good school.

Btw, my mom hated school, got kicked out of a boarding school abroad and wound up at Spence. She absolutely loved it there. Two of her best friends are classmates.

[Anonymous]

Echoing St. Bernard's being a top K-8 pick for boys. As an Old Boy (what they call alumni), I'd rate it the top pick in the category, and the finest school I attended by a long shot. That's coming from someone who went on to Trinity and Harvard.

Buckley also had a reputation as a TT all-boys K-8, but I am less familiar with its program today. Collegiate was TT both K-8 and K-12 (Buckley and St. Bernard's don't continue past 9th grade, with 9th generally reserved for the few students who are going to boarding school but aren't yet mature enough).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Echoing St. Bernard's being a top K-8 pick for boys. As an Old Boy (what they call alumni), I'd rate it the top pick in the category, and the finest school I attended by a long shot. That's coming from someone who went on to Trinity and Harvard.

Buckley also had a reputation as a TT all-boys K-8, but I am less familiar with its program today. Collegiate was TT both K-8 and K-12 (Buckley and St. Bernard's don't continue past 9th grade, with 9th generally reserved for the few students who are going to boarding school but aren't yet mature enough).

Thanks for your feedback on St. Bernard's! looking into it for my son to apply this fall.
I know there was some recent brouhaha over the headmaster (only from what I read in the NYT a few years ago) but the current head seems awesome.

[Anonymous]

For co-ed Riverdale is now at the top then Trinity. Dalton is in free-fall. google it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For co-ed Riverdale is now at the top then Trinity. Dalton is in free-fall. google it.

have you seen dalton matriculation? if that’s free-fall, i’m jumping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For co-ed Riverdale is now at the top then Trinity. Dalton is in free-fall. google it.

have you seen dalton matriculation? if that’s free-fall, i’m jumping.

can you share link to their college exmissions this year?

[Anonymous]

Mom to a Chapin middle schooler who got in after attending Avenues since nursery school. She received a fabulous education and is now completely fluent in Spanish as well. Her best friend who also attended Avenues since nursery is attending Horace Mann. It’s just a newer school so does not have the clout of the others.
I would not say Riverdale has surpassed Horace Mann. That is just false.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mom to a Chapin middle schooler who got in after attending Avenues since nursery school. She received a fabulous education and is now completely fluent in Spanish as well. Her best friend who also attended Avenues since nursery is attending Horace Mann. It’s just a newer school so does not have the clout of the others.
I would not say Riverdale has surpassed Horace Mann. That is just false.

Thank you for sharing. Do you know if the Avenues kids who take Mandarin also come out as fluent as the Spanish kids?