Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 22:19     Subject: Re:Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:Thoughts on PS6 vs. Allen Stevenson?


PS6. At least if you go to PS6 no one will rightfully assume you couldn’t get into Buckley St B St D and a bunch of other schools. Take the tuition and invest it in a custodial at that point.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 22:15     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
How detailed is the feedback usually? We are at a public pre-k so we don’t get feedback but one school did kindly offer quite detailed comments when we asked. So I’m curious how much detail PSDs usually go into and how accurate they usually are, especially since we are considering private preschool for our younger child
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 21:20     Subject: Re:Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a sense of how much it means to still be in the running at a TT for K at this point. My DD is still in the running at one of our top two schools. Apparently she had a really good visit. Our PSD seems pretty optimistic (though reminding us that nothing is certain before 2/5). I’m so nervous that we will drop off their list and it was be too late to pivot. We are a financial aid family


I should add that the TT is not Trinity — I know not to count on them in that scenario.


When did this change? Trinity used to be firm in their verbal offers (with a first choice letter) in the weeks leading to decisions. Dalton was infamous for flip-flopping (people would refer to it as "being Babby-ied"). We even asked our PSD about the gossip and she confirmed the rumors.


Know this happened to 1 family i know last year and another one the year prior. But - it’s very possible the PSD or families misread the feedback. Maybe they got the “we like him” or “good play date” - not explicitly “we want him”
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 20:52     Subject: Re:Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a sense of how much it means to still be in the running at a TT for K at this point. My DD is still in the running at one of our top two schools. Apparently she had a really good visit. Our PSD seems pretty optimistic (though reminding us that nothing is certain before 2/5). I’m so nervous that we will drop off their list and it was be too late to pivot. We are a financial aid family


I should add that the TT is not Trinity — I know not to count on them in that scenario.


When did this change? Trinity used to be firm in their verbal offers (with a first choice letter) in the weeks leading to decisions. Dalton was infamous for flip-flopping (people would refer to it as "being Babby-ied"). We even asked our PSD about the gossip and she confirmed the rumors.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 19:49     Subject: Re:Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a sense of how much it means to still be in the running at a TT for K at this point. My DD is still in the running at one of our top two schools. Apparently she had a really good visit. Our PSD seems pretty optimistic (though reminding us that nothing is certain before 2/5). I’m so nervous that we will drop off their list and it was be too late to pivot. We are a financial aid family


I should add that the TT is not Trinity — I know not to count on them in that scenario.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 17:29     Subject: Re:Best private schools in NYC?
Anyone have a sense of how much it means to still be in the running at a TT for K at this point. My DD is still in the running at one of our top two schools. Apparently she had a really good visit. Our PSD seems pretty optimistic (though reminding us that nothing is certain before 2/5). I’m so nervous that we will drop off their list and it was be too late to pivot. We are a financial aid family
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 14:30     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
How firm/strong is the feedback you have gotten? We were basically told "your child is in if you tell us you will come" from one of the two schools in question. If you're hearing something like that, I think you are likely set (the school will keep its word). If your feedback is more generalized, along the lines of "we like your kid", I would be wary, especially at Trinity. I have heard more than a few people say that they received good feedback from Trinity, but did not ultimately get in.


Wow? Trinity and Dalton can tell an applicant that “your child is in if you tell us you will come”?

That’s so against ISAAGNY rules and so frowned upon. I had no idea!

I know Brearley used to do this, but they are not a part of ISAAGNY and didn’t have to abide by the rules. Now Brearley has changed their head of admissions and head of school and are no longer doing that and are taking a more holistic approach to admissions aka not letting anyone know they are “in” until Feb. 5th.

Curious what other ISAAGNY schools are going against the rules.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 14:10     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:Substack article -

Child went to Spence. Was “bullied” but not details are provided on what or how, except for mention of a daily teacher led game where she was picked last for months. Spence investigated - came up with action plans, resilience classes (?), play dates with offenders… but didn’t take full responsibility for helping prevent problem.

They moved to Hamptons public school where they’re happy. Claims that the public’s have better curriculum, more arts, teachers are happier because they can be more creative. Even though ratios are higher they can divide attention equally

Admissions process is ridiculous bargaining. Private school will not make child more sociable, richer, connected, or academic. They will have anxiety or social inadequacies. A Brearley grad wanted to put her daughter in same school and therapist laughed because she was helping her deal with brearly trauma. Private school crisis counsel friend told her to keep her daughter in downtown, low stress school instead of Spence and she wished she had. She never toured a public school and had little faith in them. She was wrong


My parents were in the same boat in the 80s and we ended up moving from Manhattan to the same Hamptons town and I attended the same public school for a couple of years.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 11:26     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Substack article -

Child went to Spence. Was “bullied” but not details are provided on what or how, except for mention of a daily teacher led game where she was picked last for months. Spence investigated - came up with action plans, resilience classes (?), play dates with offenders… but didn’t take full responsibility for helping prevent problem.

They moved to Hamptons public school where they’re happy. Claims that the public’s have better curriculum, more arts, teachers are happier because they can be more creative. Even though ratios are higher they can divide attention equally

Admissions process is ridiculous bargaining. Private school will not make child more sociable, richer, connected, or academic. They will have anxiety or social inadequacies. A Brearley grad wanted to put her daughter in same school and therapist laughed because she was helping her deal with brearly trauma. Private school crisis counsel friend told her to keep her daughter in downtown, low stress school instead of Spence and she wished she had. She never toured a public school and had little faith in them. She was wrong
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 10:54     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:Has anyone read Michael Wolff’s wife’s Substack articles about her daughter being bullied at Spence?


I signed-up for her substack to read but it's behind a paywall. Could you share the highlights?
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 10:29     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Has anyone read Michael Wolff’s wife’s Substack articles about her daughter being bullied at Spence?
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 09:17     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Interesting take on the lack of popularity for the hill schools at the K level.


I’ve heard Fieldston’s Manhattan lower school branch is actually doing pretty well, though I don’t know how many of those kids go elsewhere for middle.


Actually, Hill Schools are quite popular. They have all the space that Manhattan schools don’t have. It is also easier to get to Hills Schools from UWS than UWS to UES.


I am not the poster you are responding to, but while the hill schools are popular, many families self select out of applying to them for K due to location (us included, and we live on the UWS). I think it is accurate to say that this leads to slightly less demand as compared to Trinity or Dalton or Brearley for lower school.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 23:38     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Interesting take on the lack of popularity for the hill schools at the K level.


I’ve heard Fieldston’s Manhattan lower school branch is actually doing pretty well, though I don’t know how many of those kids go elsewhere for middle.


Actually, Hill Schools are quite popular. They have all the space that Manhattan schools don’t have. It is also easier to get to Hills Schools from UWS than UWS to UES.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 21:55     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Interesting take on the lack of popularity for the hill schools at the K level.


I’ve heard Fieldston’s Manhattan lower school branch is actually doing pretty well, though I don’t know how many of those kids go elsewhere for middle.


Ethical Culture has always been pretty popular with UWS families. My friends with DCs who went there sent them on to Fieldston for middle and high school, with the exception of one who moved to Scarsdale and sent her DD to public school.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 21:27     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:Interesting take on the lack of popularity for the hill schools at the K level.


I’ve heard Fieldston’s Manhattan lower school branch is actually doing pretty well, though I don’t know how many of those kids go elsewhere for middle.