Best private schools in NYC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even with all the legacy and sibling preference, their enrollment rate is still that low? I remember being surprised by the 2023-2024 Trinity numbers—something like 90 admitted, but only 69 enrolled? 9th grade only.

Yes, I think 9th grade they have to accept a lot more to hit their target class size. But K has always been something like 69 acceptances for 65 slots

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can’t believe that even Trinity openly states that they give out 65% (on avg over last five years) to legacy/siblings—not meaning to single them out as I’m sure other TTs are no different. That means roughly 4% acceptance for unhooked families. So discouraging.

I’m not sure if anyone has the actual numbers on legacy preference, but the rumors - I repeat, rumors - are that each TT city school has low single-digit acceptance rates for unaffiliated applicants.

Listen, I know living in NYC, we grow so familiar with this stuff that we (or at least I) take it for granted, but let’s just take a minute and just ponder that sheer degree of absurdity.

They aren't really rumors - they're easy to validate. If you know any parents at existing schools, just ask roughly what % seem to be sibling + legacy in their child's class. Guesstimates largely line up with what Trinity reports -- probably 40-60% range depending on class. Single sex schools may be on the lower side. NYT, other journalism sources have also reported similar ranges in the past (yes - I know yields + admit numbers may have changed post covid)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can’t believe that even Trinity openly states that they give out 65% (on avg over last five years) to legacy/siblings—not meaning to single them out as I’m sure other TTs are no different. That means roughly 4% acceptance for unhooked families. So discouraging.

I’m not sure if anyone has the actual numbers on legacy preference, but the rumors - I repeat, rumors - are that each TT city school has low single-digit acceptance rates for unaffiliated applicants.

Listen, I know living in NYC, we grow so familiar with this stuff that we (or at least I) take it for granted, but let’s just take a minute and just ponder that sheer degree of absurdity.

They aren't really rumors - they're easy to validate. If you know any parents at existing schools, just ask roughly what % seem to be sibling + legacy in their child's class. Guesstimates largely line up with what Trinity reports -- probably 40-60% range depending on class. Single sex schools may be on the lower side. NYT, other journalism sources have also reported similar ranges in the past (yes - I know yields + admit numbers may have changed post covid)

What about the others?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can’t believe that even Trinity openly states that they give out 65% (on avg over last five years) to legacy/siblings—not meaning to single them out as I’m sure other TTs are no different. That means roughly 4% acceptance for unhooked families. So discouraging.

I’m not sure if anyone has the actual numbers on legacy preference, but the rumors - I repeat, rumors - are that each TT city school has low single-digit acceptance rates for unaffiliated applicants.

Listen, I know living in NYC, we grow so familiar with this stuff that we (or at least I) take it for granted, but let’s just take a minute and just ponder that sheer degree of absurdity.

They aren't really rumors - they're easy to validate. If you know any parents at existing schools, just ask roughly what % seem to be sibling + legacy in their child's class. Guesstimates largely line up with what Trinity reports -- probably 40-60% range depending on class. Single sex schools may be on the lower side. NYT, other journalism sources have also reported similar ranges in the past (yes - I know yields + admit numbers may have changed post covid)

What about the others?

You can just estimate. On average people have 2 kids, so 50% of applicants are younger siblings. If it's single sex school, then multiply by half again to get to 25%. Then add 5-10% for legacies. Sound about right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can’t believe that even Trinity openly states that they give out 65% (on avg over last five years) to legacy/siblings—not meaning to single them out as I’m sure other TTs are no different. That means roughly 4% acceptance for unhooked families. So discouraging.

I’m not sure if anyone has the actual numbers on legacy preference, but the rumors - I repeat, rumors - are that each TT city school has low single-digit acceptance rates for unaffiliated applicants.

Listen, I know living in NYC, we grow so familiar with this stuff that we (or at least I) take it for granted, but let’s just take a minute and just ponder that sheer degree of absurdity.

They aren't really rumors - they're easy to validate. If you know any parents at existing schools, just ask roughly what % seem to be sibling + legacy in their child's class. Guesstimates largely line up with what Trinity reports -- probably 40-60% range depending on class. Single sex schools may be on the lower side. NYT, other journalism sources have also reported similar ranges in the past (yes - I know yields + admit numbers may have changed post covid)

What about the others?

You can just estimate. On average people have 2 kids, so 50% of applicants are younger siblings. If it's single sex school, then multiply by half again to get to 25%. Then add 5-10% for legacies. Sound about right?

Nah, I don’t think estimation’ll provide an adequate or accurate answer, just add to the rumor mill, but i see what you’re saying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Nah, I don’t think estimation’ll provide an adequate or accurate answer, just add to the rumor mill, but i see what you’re saying.

Parents League of New York offers free virtual fairs, you can ask all the schools if you like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can’t believe that even Trinity openly states that they give out 65% (on avg over last five years) to legacy/siblings—not meaning to single them out as I’m sure other TTs are no different. That means roughly 4% acceptance for unhooked families. So discouraging.

I’m not sure if anyone has the actual numbers on legacy preference, but the rumors - I repeat, rumors - are that each TT city school has low single-digit acceptance rates for unaffiliated applicants.

Listen, I know living in NYC, we grow so familiar with this stuff that we (or at least I) take it for granted, but let’s just take a minute and just ponder that sheer degree of absurdity.

They aren't really rumors - they're easy to validate. If you know any parents at existing schools, just ask roughly what % seem to be sibling + legacy in their child's class. Guesstimates largely line up with what Trinity reports -- probably 40-60% range depending on class. Single sex schools may be on the lower side. NYT, other journalism sources have also reported similar ranges in the past (yes - I know yields + admit numbers may have changed post covid)

What about the others?

You can just estimate. On average people have 2 kids, so 50% of applicants are younger siblings. If it's single sex school, then multiply by half again to get to 25%. Then add 5-10% for legacies. Sound about right?

Nah, I don’t think estimation’ll provide an adequate or accurate answer, just add to the rumor mill, but i see what you’re saying.

See here from their website: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sa-assets-production/file_resources/cc1148df-15e5-11e8-a53e-bc764e10a9f7/b597d53f-104c-11ee-bd92-02d365c396a3.pdf?1723571886

[Anonymous]

I think it’s really crazy how there is such a narrow focus on a small group of “TT” schools. There are so many great schools in NYC - look at how many high quality boy schools exist that just get passed over as not “TT.” There is a narrow entry for non-legacy/sibling Trinity - 20 spots - why not broaden your horizon?

What you should want for your 5 year old is the “best match.” I just think if you are judging college matriculation as number one factor, you are missing the big picture.

The score card at the end of HS isn’t just the college that your child is attending, it’s also their happiness and well being. These are formidable years that are delicate and precious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s really crazy how there is such a narrow focus on a small group of “TT” schools. There are so many great schools in NYC - look at how many high quality boy schools exist that just get passed over as not “TT.” There is a narrow entry for non-legacy/sibling Trinity - 20 spots - why not broaden your horizon?

What you should want for your 5 year old is the “best match.” I just think if you are judging college matriculation as number one factor, you are missing the big picture.

The score card at the end of HS isn’t just the college that your child is attending, it’s also their happiness and well being. These are formidable years that are delicate and precious.

It is the culture of the city. TT public schools are not very different. It is difficult to make it in the city without having a competitive nature.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have opinions on Allen-Stevenson vs. Browning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s really crazy how there is such a narrow focus on a small group of “TT” schools. There are so many great schools in NYC - look at how many high quality boy schools exist that just get passed over as not “TT.” There is a narrow entry for non-legacy/sibling Trinity - 20 spots - why not broaden your horizon?

What you should want for your 5 year old is the “best match.” I just think if you are judging college matriculation as number one factor, you are missing the big picture.

The score card at the end of HS isn’t just the college that your child is attending, it’s also their happiness and well being. These are formidable years that are delicate and precious.

TBF, the thread is called “Best private schools in NYC”, which by no means belittles schools without the same reputations.

And of course, every parent wants to find the best match for their child’s educational needs, their mental health, and long term happiness regardless of matriculation stats. But a lot of parents in NYC have incredibly high levels of stress regarding their children’s futures, and having conversations about it can assuage some of those concerns. Not the petty arguments about the year-in/year-out rankings and which TT sent the most kids to harvard that year - not sure how many people truly care about that, it’s all just gossip. But if i were going through the application process again and had no experience with it, a resource like this with people in a similar situation who are able to offer advice would be quite useful.

Also, coveting and being fascinated by prestigious institutions isn’t solely an nyc phenomenon - it’s pretty universal. Even still, among the parents we know through our children’s’ schools and our own alma maters, the vast, vast majority aren’t obsessed with prestige or behind-the-curtain social climbing. We just want our kids to have the greatest access to educational resources and opportunities to learn in the safest, most comfortable environments.

That’s really it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s really crazy how there is such a narrow focus on a small group of “TT” schools. There are so many great schools in NYC - look at how many high quality boy schools exist that just get passed over as not “TT.” There is a narrow entry for non-legacy/sibling Trinity - 20 spots - why not broaden your horizon?

What you should want for your 5 year old is the “best match.” I just think if you are judging college matriculation as number one factor, you are missing the big picture.

The score card at the end of HS isn’t just the college that your child is attending, it’s also their happiness and well being. These are formidable years that are delicate and precious.

TBF, the thread is called “Best private schools in NYC”, which by no means belittles schools without the same reputations.

And of course, every parent wants to find the best match for their child’s educational needs, their mental health, and long term happiness regardless of matriculation stats. But a lot of parents in NYC have incredibly high levels of stress regarding their children’s futures, and having conversations about it can assuage some of those concerns. Not the petty arguments about the year-in/year-out rankings and which TT sent the most kids to harvard that year - not sure how many people truly care about that, it’s all just gossip. But if i were going through the application process again and had no experience with it, a resource like this with people in a similar situation who are able to offer advice would be quite useful.

Also, coveting and being fascinated by prestigious institutions isn’t solely an nyc phenomenon - it’s pretty universal. Even still, among the parents we know through our children’s’ schools and our own alma maters, the vast, vast majority aren’t obsessed with prestige or behind-the-curtain social climbing. We just want our kids to have the greatest access to educational resources and opportunities to learn in the safest, most comfortable environments.

That’s really it.

Well said. Also, to add people are not only obsessed with college matriculation. They may simply want what they believe is the best education for their kids.

[Anonymous]

"Best" schools are not necessarily equal to "elite" or "top tier" schools.

When I looked at K options 3 years ago, I asked 2 main questions: (1) which method do you use to teach reading and (2) how do you teach math. When I heard from a school that their answer to (1) was "balanced literacy" (a highly ineffective but popular progressive method), I immediately crossed it off my list. That took care of a few popular schools and made my decision easier.

At the end, I went for a less known school that prioritized hard core phonics for reading and Singapore math. Now my child is in the 2nd grade and she seems doing very well. So are most kids in her class.

I may review options once again when my daughter gets older but my experience so far has made me quite skeptical about reputation of some (not all) elite schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Best" schools are not necessarily equal to "elite" or "top tier" schools.

When I looked at K options 3 years ago, I asked 2 main questions: (1) which method do you use to teach reading and (2) how do you teach math. When I heard from a school that their answer to (1) was "balanced literacy" (a highly ineffective but popular progressive method), I immediately crossed it off my list. That took care of a few popular schools and made my decision easier.

At the end, I went for a less known school that prioritized hard core phonics for reading and Singapore math. Now my child is in the 2nd grade and she seems doing very well. So are most kids in her class.

I may review options once again when my daughter gets older but my experience so far has made me quite skeptical about reputation of some (not all) elite schools.

Skeptical of some elite schools’ reputations because they use a literacy method you find inferior?

It’s great that you found a suitable program for your child, but there are plenty of better ways to chip away the sheen of elitism than disagreeing with their curriculum choices. That’s like going to Michelin star restaurant and complaining they served you the prix fixe menu.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Best" schools are not necessarily equal to "elite" or "top tier" schools.

When I looked at K options 3 years ago, I asked 2 main questions: (1) which method do you use to teach reading and (2) how do you teach math. When I heard from a school that their answer to (1) was "balanced literacy" (a highly ineffective but popular progressive method), I immediately crossed it off my list. That took care of a few popular schools and made my decision easier.

At the end, I went for a less known school that prioritized hard core phonics for reading and Singapore math. Now my child is in the 2nd grade and she seems doing very well. So are most kids in her class.

I may review options once again when my daughter gets older but my experience so far has made me quite skeptical about reputation of some (not all) elite schools.

Which school?