What is the most elite NYC preschool?

[Anonymous]

Oh and last point, there are fewer spots in 4s, so getting into a feeder isn't a sure thing. But contracts at your current preschool will be due with a deposit before you know if you got into a feeder for 4s. Just something to think about. You'd have to tell them you need more time with the contract, which would alert them that you're applying out. If you don't get into 4s and have to stay at the current school it could feel... not great. And you have to apply to k from that school.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Can anyone provide insight on pre-school exmissions for City and Country, Dwight, and IPS? I know the locations are all different and I assume they would place differently as well given their educational style differences. How do they rank and how did former families find the schools for their children?

I think most families stay at City and Country and Dwight for kindergarten— ongoing schools like this aren’t known as being particularly helpful in finding you a spot in another school if you could stay in their school. If you want to apply more broadly for kindergarten I’d go to a standalone preschool like IPS.

Thank you for that info. How does one go about the application process for kindergarten if you wanted to apply out to the Hill Schools + Trinity + Dalton? How well regarded are City and Country, Dwight, and IPS?

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You'd have to tell City and Country and Dwight in the early fall that you are applying out for kindergarten and ask them to fill out your ISAAGNY paperwork. You will likely not get feedback about how the process is going from the schools you're applying to, nor will C&C or Dwight schools really advocate for you at the schools you're applying to. They are expecting you to stay at their school long term and have incentive (read: tuition) to keep you. You're basically telling them they're not good enough or not fulfilling your child/family's needs. The schools you listed are some of the hardest to gain entry to (HM, Trinity, Dalton and Riverdale all likely have 5-10% acceptance rates), so if that is your entire kindergarten list, you must consider the odds of entrance and weigh that against sullying your relationship with C&C/Dwight if you don't get in and must go to kindergarten at one of those schools. It is a gamble I wouldn't have the stomach for and I would choose IPS and apply to kindergarten from there-- a school where your director will give you feedback about the kindergarten process *and* advocate for your placement in kindergarten because there is no option to stay at IPS. All that said, applying to those 5 schools and those 5 schools only for kindergarten is kind of crazy unless you have a solid backup plan for kindergarten. A school like Trinity will have about 20 spots and 600+ applications. The numbers are bad at every school you listed.

How well regarded are C&C and Dwight? Depends on what you're looking for in a school. But they are wildly different in terms of pedagogy, community, and academics compared to the other schools on your list. I cannot image a family who would be happy at C&C also being happy at Horace Mann. It is apples to oranges.

Thank you for the transparent feedback. Can you speak more about C&C exmissions? Why do you think a C&C kid would not be happy at HM? We have been told C&C places quite well and is well regarded amongst some of the best preschools and k-8. When we toured a few months back it did seem pretty "hippy dippy" which is not a tangible metric. Any insight would be appreciated!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone provide insight on pre-school exmissions for City and Country, Dwight, and IPS? I know the locations are all different and I assume they would place differently as well given their educational style differences. How do they rank and how did former families find the schools for their children?

I think most families stay at City and Country and Dwight for kindergarten— ongoing schools like this aren’t known as being particularly helpful in finding you a spot in another school if you could stay in their school. If you want to apply more broadly for kindergarten I’d go to a standalone preschool like IPS.

Thank you for that info. How does one go about the application process for kindergarten if you wanted to apply out to the Hill Schools + Trinity + Dalton? How well regarded are City and Country, Dwight, and IPS?

]

You'd have to tell City and Country and Dwight in the early fall that you are applying out for kindergarten and ask them to fill out your ISAAGNY paperwork. You will likely not get feedback about how the process is going from the schools you're applying to, nor will C&C or Dwight schools really advocate for you at the schools you're applying to. They are expecting you to stay at their school long term and have incentive (read: tuition) to keep you. You're basically telling them they're not good enough or not fulfilling your child/family's needs. The schools you listed are some of the hardest to gain entry to (HM, Trinity, Dalton and Riverdale all likely have 5-10% acceptance rates), so if that is your entire kindergarten list, you must consider the odds of entrance and weigh that against sullying your relationship with C&C/Dwight if you don't get in and must go to kindergarten at one of those schools. It is a gamble I wouldn't have the stomach for and I would choose IPS and apply to kindergarten from there-- a school where your director will give you feedback about the kindergarten process *and* advocate for your placement in kindergarten because there is no option to stay at IPS. All that said, applying to those 5 schools and those 5 schools only for kindergarten is kind of crazy unless you have a solid backup plan for kindergarten. A school like Trinity will have about 20 spots and 600+ applications. The numbers are bad at every school you listed.

How well regarded are C&C and Dwight? Depends on what you're looking for in a school. But they are wildly different in terms of pedagogy, community, and academics compared to the other schools on your list. I cannot image a family who would be happy at C&C also being happy at Horace Mann. It is apples to oranges.

Thank you for the transparent feedback. Can you speak more about C&C exmissions? Why do you think a C&C kid would not be happy at HM? We have been told C&C places quite well and is well regarded amongst some of the best preschools and k-8. When we toured a few months back it did seem pretty "hippy dippy" which is not a tangible metric. Any insight would be appreciated!

I’ve been and been paying attention to NYC schools for a long time. I’ve never heard it compared to feeder preschools, likely because many who start there for preschool stay for k-8. And it never comes up as one of the heavy-hitting academic k-8 schools. I’m uptown, so part of it might be that. But I have many friends downtown— at Beginnings, Washington Market, Barrow St, First Pres and Chelsea Day— along with Grace, Friends, and Avenues.

Maybe it’s my circle, but my kids are at one of the TTs you mentioned applying to for kindergarten and there are no children that I’m aware of that came in for kindergarten from C&C (kids have come from IPS). From my understanding it is a school with a specific pedagogy that you really have to believe in. Our friend there talked about blocks for years in the early years of lower school. We just wanted a more traditional approach and I never really got it. That said her kid and family were happy and no school is one size fits all. I’d just never commit to a preschool at an ongoing school if I already knew I was going to apply out for kindergarten. If you love the model and envision staying through 8th, go for it. Just my two cents.

[Anonymous]

Are: HM, I mean a family looking at one of the most intense academic schools in the city for preschool or kindergarten also being happy at one the C&C that appears to have a 180 pedagogy. Come 8th grade could a C&C kid choose HM? Absolutely. I just can’t imagine a family looking at both schools and being equally happy in the early years— they’re too different.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My child didn't get in for twos so we are sending him to a twice a week parochial program and a twice a week program at Diller Quaile School of Music.

What are the chances of getting into a UES preschool for 3s? We are planning to apply to all the usual suspects, but it would be good to know if it's unlikely or if there is a legitimate chance at specific schools because they add a new class at 3s, etc.

The main entry point to Brick is 3s, and if you’re open to an afternoon spot your chances are pretty good.

Not sure where this is coming from; 92NY, Brick, Episcopal usually do not add for one year only unless connected.

Did you mean that preschools like 92NY, Brick, Episcopal typically do not add new students that will only be in their school for one year only, then graduate.

So the kid has to enter at threes program and do fours program as well. So minimum 2 years in their school before graduating?? And not just one year…

That is correct.

I know of at least two families who were accepted to and attended Brick only for the last year of preschool. Granted both had an older sibling at a TT co-ed, so I am sure that helped.

Brick tends to be more flexible than the other two I believe.

[Anonymous]

I don't mean this to be as harsh as it sounds, but C&C is pretty widely eye-rolled by everyone downtown except the community that attends (whereas if you're at a Barrow or First Pres or Soho Montessori or Washington Market, there's mutual respect). They have some of the best SEO in the game for getting on all these "lists" of best NYC schools etc, but it's a complete PR machine facade. Many parents of older kids have confided about their kids falling behind, especially come middle school where the uber-progressive philosophy does not carry you forward in terms of rigor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't mean this to be as harsh as it sounds, but C&C is pretty widely eye-rolled by everyone downtown except the community that attends (whereas if you're at a Barrow or First Pres or Soho Montessori or Washington Market, there's mutual respect). They have some of the best SEO in the game for getting on all these "lists" of best NYC schools etc, but it's a complete PR machine facade. Many parents of older kids have confided about their kids falling behind, especially come middle school where the uber-progressive philosophy does not carry you forward in terms of rigor.

100% this (former downtown parent)