Private HS admissions - sophomore DC (moving)

[Anonymous]

We might be moving to New York due to an amazing job opportunity for DH. Our DC is a freshman at a private HS in a large city. Is there even a point to apply to some of the private K-12s or high schools in Manhattan? Any advice on where to look -public, charter, catholic- for her? Thank you!

[Anonymous]

I think privates will selectively accept sophomores so I wouldn't totally shut out that option. They lose kids for the exact same reason you are coming, plus for various other reasons. So you could be the best thing that ever happened to them in terms of filling a spot. It is just very late in the cycle so you have to hustle.

Assuming you are starting this process from scratch, which is not fun - there is a lot to digest. Does anyone at your current school know anyone in NYC? Are you happy where you are and looking for something similar?

[Anonymous]

The private school admissions cycle is pretty much over for next school year, but if you're looking at 10th you might be ok as they don't usually know which students are leaving until Jan or Feb. Catholic schools will often accept transfers. For a girl look at Notre Dame, Dominican or Marymount.

[Anonymous]

I would send e-mails asap to every school you have heard of that you might consider. Probably should have done it a week ago as they are now gone for two weeks, but nothing you can do about that. See if they will even have a conversation. Do a ton of research on what you are looking for. I guarantee there are openings at decent schools.

[Anonymous]

I actually made a spreadsheet for this a few years ago and the only schools I wrote down with January deadlines were BASIS, Rudolph Steiner, and Birch Wathen Lenox, all of which are... kind of iffy for various reasons, so yes, I would look at schools that are past their deadlines because they might still randomly take your application in case a spot opens up in 10th (which they may not know for certain until May, since people often drop out even after paying their deposits).

I'd suggest casting a very wide net since this is going to be kind of random - you could basically work your way down the Niche rankings (not all that accurate, but probably not off for any given school by more than 10 spots or so) and contact any school that looks decent to ask if they'd accept a late application for 10th grade. Do try even the very highly rated ones because you never know who'll have space.

I'd also recommend you start prepping for and schedule admissions testing (ISEE) right away, because at whatever point they're ready to move on your file they're going to need test scores before they proceed.

If your daughter is very bright, there are a small number of openings in the specialized (testing magnet) public high schools for 10th graders (though the bar is higher than for 9th), and they hold a summer SHSAT for students who arrive in NYC after the fall deadline. It's a long shot for even a smart kid but not impossible.

Also, there are a bunch of good public school districts in towns in Westchester/Fairfield County where it's feasible to rent a house/apartment, so that's another option you could consider.

[Anonymous]

I think there is a decent chance that Marymount and Hewitt would have spots in 10th grade.

[Anonymous]

Check Nightingale too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually made a spreadsheet for this a few years ago and the only schools I wrote down with January deadlines were BASIS, Rudolph Steiner, and Birch Wathen Lenox, all of which are... kind of iffy for various reasons, so yes, I would look at schools that are past their deadlines because they might still randomly take your application in case a spot opens up in 10th (which they may not know for certain until May, since people often drop out even after paying their deposits).

I'd suggest casting a very wide net since this is going to be kind of random - you could basically work your way down the Niche rankings (not all that accurate, but probably not off for any given school by more than 10 spots or so) and contact any school that looks decent to ask if they'd accept a late application for 10th grade. Do try even the very highly rated ones because you never know who'll have space.

I'd also recommend you start prepping for and schedule admissions testing (ISEE) right away, because at whatever point they're ready to move on your file they're going to need test scores before they proceed.

If your daughter is very bright, there are a small number of openings in the specialized (testing magnet) public high schools for 10th graders (though the bar is higher than for 9th), and they hold a summer SHSAT for students who arrive in NYC after the fall deadline. It's a long shot for even a smart kid but not impossible.

Also, there are a bunch of good public school districts in towns in Westchester/Fairfield County where it's feasible to rent a house/apartment, so that's another option you could consider.

This is all great advice. A few minor edits:

I had never looked at Niche. It is pretty off. Not sure of a better suggestion but I wouldn't depend on it much.

You might want to enlist a professional advisor. I'm generally not a fan but they could be helpful in this situation as the learning curve is steep and you don't have much time. I'm blanking on the names - be careful who you choose. The good ones aren't cheap. The Parents League is helpful and very reasonably priced - that might actually be a great place to start. Again, some people there are better than others but we had some good experiences.

Also consider northern NJ if you are willing to go to the suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Check out Dwight

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Check out Dwight

I wouldn’t. Lots of behavior issues and kids with moderate special needs. If your kid needs a little extra attention it is great but it is not an academically rigorous place, which is what this parent seems to want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check out Dwight

I wouldn’t. Lots of behavior issues and kids with moderate special needs. If your kid needs a little extra attention it is great but it is not an academically rigorous place, which is what this parent seems to want.

What kind of special needs and behavior issues? We have a friend who went for lower school and their child and class is neurotypical. It has the IB diploma and also OP did not specify academically rigorous ie Horace Mann for which unfortunately those are less likely to have available spaces

[Anonymous]

NYer here. Call the parents league and ask for advice. They’re very plugged in with this sort of thing and much cheaper than a full service consultant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had never looked at Niche. It is pretty off. Not sure of a better suggestion but I wouldn't depend on it much.

That's fair, but if you're new to the NYC scene you can take the top 100 or whatever that match your basic parameters (like 'coed' or 'has a high school') and go through them systematically to get basic details (location, tuition, size, application deadline, What The People Writing One Star Reviews Are Mad About) and see which ones you want to contact and end up with a reasonably comprehensive list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NYer here. Call the parents league and ask for advice. They’re very plugged in with this sort of thing and much cheaper than a full service consultant.

I suggested this above. Completely agree. They are great. And reasonably priced. I found them to be remarkably responsive - I reached out and usually could have a call very quickly.

As with all things, the more you know going in, the more helpful they can be. Have some sense of what you are generally looking for. There are so many options here that "boil the ocean" will be overwhelming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check out Dwight

I wouldn’t. Lots of behavior issues and kids with moderate special needs. If your kid needs a little extra attention it is great but it is not an academically rigorous place, which is what this parent seems to want.

What kind of special needs and behavior issues? We have a friend who went for lower school and their child and class is neurotypical. It has the IB diploma and also OP did not specify academically rigorous ie Horace Mann for which unfortunately those are less likely to have available spaces

The kids we know who applied into Dwight for HS were average students and often needed more hand holding. And I know another kid who started there earlier who was the same. I agree that for some this is a great alternative to the pressure cookers, and it is smart of parents to know that not every kid is destined for Harvard. But they should be well aware of what the schools are.