Best private schools in NYC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fieldston doesn’t require the ISEE so it’s much easier to get into than Horace Mann or Riverdale! The ISEE is a notoriously difficult test that requires months of preparation. Fieldston is still a wonderful school!

What about Columbia Grammar?
Fieldston is very difficult to get in as far as I know. In case we don't get in, what other reasonably good options?

[Anonymous]

I’ve known families that are happy at Columbia Grammar. I would choose Avenues over Columbia! Avenues academics are more rigorous and the parent community at Avenues is lovely.

[Anonymous]

Columbia also has a great reputation for working very well for those kids that have learning issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve known families that are happy at Columbia Grammar. I would choose Avenues over Columbia! Avenues academics are more rigorous and the parent community at Avenues is lovely.

Best friend’s family had two kids in avenues (anecdotal, sorry). They loathed it. Pulled their kids after their two favorite teachers left, who mentioned the education seemed to be profit first, experience second. One starts at st. B’’s next year, the other is going to lycee francais. I talked to her last week, and she said how thankful they are to manage to find spots elsewhere.

So take that for what it’s worth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
*one last ps: my parents saved the acceptance letters my brother and sister got from dalton because of how beautiful and personal they were. My point is going to Dalton or Trinity or Horace Mann or Spence/brearley, whatever - it’s not solely about getting into a good college. It’s about getting the best possible education with the most opportunities in the most supportive environment. It’s borderline insulting to say things like, ‘Oh look! Some URMs got into ivies, too.’ What are you even talking about?

The people who spend a lot of time agonizing over a ranking of most prestigious schools are strivers with ulterior motives. Many of them with dreams of networking with families of higher socioeconomic status. The school experience can be like an onion with many layers to it.

It been widely documented how upper-middle class families are at a disadvantage when it comes to admission and receiving financial aid, therefore, it is a more calculative decision.

What do these words mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve known families that are happy at Columbia Grammar. I would choose Avenues over Columbia! Avenues academics are more rigorous and the parent community at Avenues is lovely.

Best friend’s family had two kids in avenues (anecdotal, sorry). They loathed it. Pulled their kids after their two favorite teachers left, who mentioned the education seemed to be profit first, experience second. One starts at st. B’’s next year, the other is going to lycee francais. I talked to her last week, and she said how thankful they are to manage to find spots elsewhere.

So take that for what it’s worth.

It completely depends on the individual class experience and the child. Some Avenues families that have switched to schools that are not top tier found the academics to be lacking at some schools that are considered 2nd tier like Fieldston, St. Luke’s, Poly Prep, Nightingale, VCS. I think Avenues is solidly a very good 2nd tier school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It completely depends on the individual class experience and the child. Some Avenues families that have switched to schools that are not top tier found the academics to be lacking at some schools that are considered 2nd tier like Fieldston, St. Luke’s, Poly Prep, Nightingale, VCS. I think Avenues is solidly a very good 2nd tier school.

From what I have heard, 2nd tier can have more generous merit aid compared to tier 1 schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve known families that are happy at Columbia Grammar. I would choose Avenues over Columbia! Avenues academics are more rigorous and the parent community at Avenues is lovely.

Best friend’s family had two kids in avenues (anecdotal, sorry). They loathed it. Pulled their kids after their two favorite teachers left, who mentioned the education seemed to be profit first, experience second. One starts at st. B’’s next year, the other is going to lycee francais. I talked to her last week, and she said how thankful they are to manage to find spots elsewhere.

So take that for what it’s worth.

Our experience at Avenues has been good in terms of academics. Our experience is limited to the upper division though. Not sure about the lower division.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fieldston doesn’t require the ISEE so it’s much easier to get into than Horace Mann or Riverdale! The ISEE is a notoriously difficult test that requires months of preparation. Fieldston is still a wonderful school!

What about Columbia Grammar?
Fieldston is very difficult to get in as far as I know. In case we don't get in, what other reasonably good options?

Criteria for HM and Riverdale is clearer - Fieldston apparently looks for other evidence of leadership, speaking up etc. I hear there are over 400 applicants to each of these schools for 30-40 spots. Columbia Grammar, Poly are good schools - easier to get into than Hill schools; Avenues is a for-profit school and you clearly see the difference in how it’s run (it just got acquired by another school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve known families that are happy at Columbia Grammar. I would choose Avenues over Columbia! Avenues academics are more rigorous and the parent community at Avenues is lovely.

Best friend’s family had two kids in avenues (anecdotal, sorry). They loathed it. Pulled their kids after their two favorite teachers left, who mentioned the education seemed to be profit first, experience second. One starts at st. B’’s next year, the other is going to lycee francais. I talked to her last week, and she said how thankful they are to manage to find spots elsewhere.

So take that for what it’s worth.

It completely depends on the individual class experience and the child. Some Avenues families that have switched to schools that are not top tier found the academics to be lacking at some schools that are considered 2nd tier like Fieldston, St. Luke’s, Poly Prep, Nightingale, VCS. I think Avenues is solidly a very good 2nd tier school.

Would choose Avenues over Fieldston if you can't get in any TT schools and looking for more rigor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve known families that are happy at Columbia Grammar. I would choose Avenues over Columbia! Avenues academics are more rigorous and the parent community at Avenues is lovely.

Best friend’s family had two kids in avenues (anecdotal, sorry). They loathed it. Pulled their kids after their two favorite teachers left, who mentioned the education seemed to be profit first, experience second. One starts at st. B’’s next year, the other is going to lycee francais. I talked to her last week, and she said how thankful they are to manage to find spots elsewhere.

So take that for what it’s worth.

It completely depends on the individual class experience and the child. Some Avenues families that have switched to schools that are not top tier found the academics to be lacking at some schools that are considered 2nd tier like Fieldston, St. Luke’s, Poly Prep, Nightingale, VCS. I think Avenues is solidly a very good 2nd tier school.

Would choose Avenues over Fieldston if you can't get in any TT schools and looking for more rigor.

After TT would look at
Sacred Heart if your child is female then
Avenues
Nightingale Bamford (again if female)
Packer
Poly Prep
Fieldston
Columbia Grammar


In that order…

[Anonymous]

What do people hear about Friends Seminary? Are they rigorous?

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions on Browning? It has been described to me as a "warm and welcoming school" that is not very academically rigorous (which the college emissions stats would seem to bear out).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions on Browning? It has been described to me as a "warm and welcoming school" that is not very academically rigorous (which the college emissions stats would seem to bear out).

Looking at the matriculation, yeah, it's not super impressive, but not horrible either. I saw 2 went on to MIT.

Connecticut College (4)

George Washington University (4)

University of St. Andrews (4)

American University (3)

Emory University (3)

Fordham University (3)

University of Hartford (3)

SUNY - Binghamton University (3)

University of Pennsylvania (3)

Syracuse University (3)

Trinity College (3)

Bard College (2)

Boston College (2)

Boston University (2)

Brown University (2)

Cornell University (2)

Elon University (2)

Fairfield University (2)

Lehigh University (2)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2)

CUNY - City College (2)

CUNY - Hunter College (2)

SUNY - University at Albany (2)

SUNY - University at Buffalo (2)

SUNY - Purchase (2)

Pennsylvania State University (2)

University of Richmond (2)

Southern Methodist University (2)

Union College (2)

Adelphi University

Arcadia University

Babson College

Bates College

Berklee College of Music

University of Bridgeport

Bryant University

Butler University

University of California - Santa Barbara

University of California - Santa Cruz

Carnegie Mellon University

Case Western Reserve University

College of Charleston

University of Chicago

Claremont McKenna College

Colby College

Colgate University

Dartmouth College

University of Delaware

Dickinson College

Duke University

Ecole Hoteliere Lausanne

Franklin & Marshall College

Georgetown University

Glion Institute of Higher Education

Hamilton College

Harvard University

Illinois State University

Istituto Europeo di Design

James Madison University

Kenyon College

Lafayette College

Lewis & Clark College

University of Miami

Middlebury College

New England Conservatory of Music

CUNY - Brooklyn College

CUNY - Hostos Community College

CUNY - John Jay College

SUNY - Geneseo

SUNY - Stony Brook University

New York University

Northeastern University

Oxford College

Peabody Institute

University of Pittsburgh

Pratt Institute of Technology

Quinnipiac University

Reed College

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Robert Morris University

Rochester Institute of Technology

University of Rochester

St. John's University

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions on Browning? It has been described to me as a "warm and welcoming school" that is not very academically rigorous (which the college emissions stats would seem to bear out).

Looking at the matriculation, yeah, it's not super impressive, but not horrible either. I saw 2 went on to MIT.

Connecticut College (4)

George Washington University (4)

University of St. Andrews (4)

American University (3)

Emory University (3)

Fordham University (3)

University of Hartford (3)

SUNY - Binghamton University (3)

University of Pennsylvania (3)

Syracuse University (3)

Trinity College (3)

Bard College (2)

Boston College (2)

Boston University (2)

Brown University (2)

Cornell University (2)

Elon University (2)

Fairfield University (2)

Lehigh University (2)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2)

CUNY - City College (2)

CUNY - Hunter College (2)

SUNY - University at Albany (2)

SUNY - University at Buffalo (2)

SUNY - Purchase (2)

Pennsylvania State University (2)

University of Richmond (2)

Southern Methodist University (2)

Union College (2)

Adelphi University

Arcadia University

Babson College

Bates College

Berklee College of Music

University of Bridgeport

Bryant University

Butler University

University of California - Santa Barbara

University of California - Santa Cruz

Carnegie Mellon University

Case Western Reserve University

College of Charleston

University of Chicago

Claremont McKenna College

Colby College

Colgate University

Dartmouth College

University of Delaware

Dickinson College

Duke University

Ecole Hoteliere Lausanne

Franklin & Marshall College

Georgetown University

Glion Institute of Higher Education

Hamilton College

Harvard University

Illinois State University

Istituto Europeo di Design

James Madison University

Kenyon College

Lafayette College

Lewis & Clark College

University of Miami

Middlebury College

New England Conservatory of Music

CUNY - Brooklyn College

CUNY - Hostos Community College

CUNY - John Jay College

SUNY - Geneseo

SUNY - Stony Brook University

New York University

Northeastern University

Oxford College

Peabody Institute

University of Pittsburgh

Pratt Institute of Technology

Quinnipiac University

Reed College

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Robert Morris University

Rochester Institute of Technology

University of Rochester

St. John's University

To be frank, if you look beyond the Top Tier schools (Horace Mann, Chapin, Riverdale, Collegiate, Dalton, Brearley, Trinity, Spence) the Second Tier schools like Browning and Friends are only one notch below those top schools and gaining admission is not that difficult as long as your child has a B average. I will say Friends will be more difficult than Browning.