Excuse my ignorance but what is URM? |
Funny. I went to Trinity and almost transferred to Andover. Wish I had as I absolutely hated Trinity. Glad you liked Andover, I think I would have loved it. |
UnderRepresented Minority |
So, of course, these schools are bastions not just of privilege, but CRAZY privilege. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the combined net worth of some of the families who send their kids to these schools contributes a not-insignificant amount to the US GDP. There are plenty of legacy kids, too. I was one (i do come from a privileged background, but not astronomically so), and they have been getting so, so much better about diversity. But no, that doesn’t necessarily disadvantage kids from normal, upper-middle class backgrounds anymore than it would at any other school. Sometimes these things get overblown by the press and angry parents. The truth is it’s simply more difficult and more competitive period. NYC privates unquestionably provide spectacular educations for some of the brightest students in the states (if not the world), and universities know that. If you’re kid does exceptionally well there (as they would have to anywhere else), and they aim for a handful of great schools rather than focus on only one, they’re far more likely than nearly any other school district in the country to gain acceptance. It may not be the exact school they want, but it will be a top-rate education. Bear in mind that there’s no such thing as a golden ticket, though. A classmate of mine who was the son of a senator and legacy was waitlisted at the college he wanted to go to. |
Yeah, I’m with you. Both excellent schools, but Andover was paradise for me. Still miss those days. Hope Trinity paid dividends though! |
Apologies for grammatical errors… typed on phone |
Lycee Francais on 75th for French Avenues on 25th for Spanish and Mandarin |
I have found selecting a school is such a personal decision. You may be at a "top ranked" reputable school and your child may or may not thrive. When we went through the admission process, we looked at 10-15 schools, studied their teaching philosophies, spoke with parents and asked what kind of kid would thrive there and we narrowed the list down from there (BTW - advisors indicate that you should apply to 8-10 schools as the process is very competitive). Generally what you will find is that in the elementary grades, all the schools are relatively similar - lots of play, exploration and less "academic" than NYC public schools in the same grade. The difference start appearing in middle school and extends into HS. You will find a lot of wealth in all these schools however some schools tend to ask parents to tone it down (e.g. Trinity, Fieldston, St. Ann's) to encourage a more inclusive atmosphere (e.g. don't talk how you took your private jet to St. Barth).
Here is what my take-aways were (more geared toward MS, HS characteristics): - Trinity (co-ed), Horace Mann (co-ed - Hill School campus), Brearley (girls), Collegiate (boys): Super facilities, great teachers, great college placement (particularly for legacy and 'building naming" donors, networked peers, 3-5 hrs of homework per day in HS (referred to the pressure cooker schools). Kids are super focused on placement and are hard working. - Spence (girls), Chapin (girls), Riverdale (co-ed - Hill School campus): More balanced but traditional education. Hard working kids, place well in colleges (lots of wealth and not shy to show it - legacy, building naming donations etc.). Academics one notch below pressure-cooker schools in terms of homework but does not compromise in terms of rigor. - Dalton (co-ed), Fieldston (co-ed Hill School campus), St. Ann's: Very prestigious -progressive education focus. Amazing facilities (Fieldston), amazing teachers and top tier Ivy placement. Student led education so kids can go deep in certain areas that interest them, focus on equality, inclusiveness, diversity. Tends to shy away from intense homework but starts ramping up in HS for college placement. School choices in NYC are quite amazing. In addition to the above schools there are several that offer a great education, are well regarded and offer very strong college placement: Nightingale Bamford (girls), Sacred Heart (girls), Grace Church, Friends, Hackley, Poly Prep, St. Bernards (boys), Lycee, Regis (boys, only high school), Columbia Grammer, Berkeley Caroll, Dwight, Trevor... |