Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 19:15     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:For Horace Mann, we did not submit any letter at all. DD was admitted about a week or so before the ISAAGNY schools notified. This was a few years ago though so not sure if they've changed on timing or letters.


Oh, and for Riverdale, we also did not submit a letter and DD was admitted, but it was the same day as the other schools. We appreciated that Horace Mann and Riverdale weren't playing the game like the other schools and just admitted the kids they wanted rather than trying to manage the yield. If I recall, they didn't really even provide feedback to the preschool. Not sure if that's still happening currently, though.


Were you at a connected preschool?


Not really. The preschool participated in the game, speaking to the schools, getting feedback, and working with us for the schools that wanted us to say whether we would accept before they made a decision, etc. But it wasn't a "feeder" preschool as typically thought of.


Thanks for sharing, did you send first choice letters to any other schools then?


We did. We sent a first choice letter to Brearley and softer letters (love you letters?) to Spence and Chapin, all at the direction of the preschool.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 16:51     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:For Horace Mann, we did not submit any letter at all. DD was admitted about a week or so before the ISAAGNY schools notified. This was a few years ago though so not sure if they've changed on timing or letters.


Oh, and for Riverdale, we also did not submit a letter and DD was admitted, but it was the same day as the other schools. We appreciated that Horace Mann and Riverdale weren't playing the game like the other schools and just admitted the kids they wanted rather than trying to manage the yield. If I recall, they didn't really even provide feedback to the preschool. Not sure if that's still happening currently, though.


Were you at a connected preschool?


Not really. The preschool participated in the game, speaking to the schools, getting feedback, and working with us for the schools that wanted us to say whether we would accept before they made a decision, etc. But it wasn't a "feeder" preschool as typically thought of.


Thanks for sharing, did you send first choice letters to any other schools then?
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 13:48     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
Do we hurt our chances by sending first choice/love letters?
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 13:31     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:For Horace Mann, we did not submit any letter at all. DD was admitted about a week or so before the ISAAGNY schools notified. This was a few years ago though so not sure if they've changed on timing or letters.


Oh, and for Riverdale, we also did not submit a letter and DD was admitted, but it was the same day as the other schools. We appreciated that Horace Mann and Riverdale weren't playing the game like the other schools and just admitted the kids they wanted rather than trying to manage the yield. If I recall, they didn't really even provide feedback to the preschool. Not sure if that's still happening currently, though.


Were you at a connected preschool?


Not really. The preschool participated in the game, speaking to the schools, getting feedback, and working with us for the schools that wanted us to say whether we would accept before they made a decision, etc. But it wasn't a "feeder" preschool as typically thought of.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 13:17     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:For Horace Mann, we did not submit any letter at all. DD was admitted about a week or so before the ISAAGNY schools notified. This was a few years ago though so not sure if they've changed on timing or letters.


Oh, and for Riverdale, we also did not submit a letter and DD was admitted, but it was the same day as the other schools. We appreciated that Horace Mann and Riverdale weren't playing the game like the other schools and just admitted the kids they wanted rather than trying to manage the yield. If I recall, they didn't really even provide feedback to the preschool. Not sure if that's still happening currently, though.


Were you at a connected preschool?
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 13:15     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
Anonymous wrote:For Horace Mann, we did not submit any letter at all. DD was admitted about a week or so before the ISAAGNY schools notified. This was a few years ago though so not sure if they've changed on timing or letters.


Oh, and for Riverdale, we also did not submit a letter and DD was admitted, but it was the same day as the other schools. We appreciated that Horace Mann and Riverdale weren't playing the game like the other schools and just admitted the kids they wanted rather than trying to manage the yield. If I recall, they didn't really even provide feedback to the preschool. Not sure if that's still happening currently, though.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 13:10     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
For Horace Mann, we did not submit any letter at all. DD was admitted about a week or so before the ISAAGNY schools notified. This was a few years ago though so not sure if they've changed on timing or letters.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 12:45     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
Riverdale is still ISAAGNY.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 12:19     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
OP have you heard back from HM or Riverdale? We are unconnected so wanted to know what’s going on especially since they are not ISAAGNY.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 14:09     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They are not looking for a perfect score. At least, I know HM does not. My kid did not get a perfect score but was in the high range. We got in K. I think how your child does playgroup weighs more than FLI. We also sent first choice letter to HM. This is years ago.


We submitted a first-choice letter, had a perfect FLI score, and did not get in. Since we applied during Covid, there was no playdate. We were not at a connected preschool, so never got any feedback.


Did you end up at another TT?
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 13:55     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
Anonymous wrote:They are not looking for a perfect score. At least, I know HM does not. My kid did not get a perfect score but was in the high range. We got in K. I think how your child does playgroup weighs more than FLI. We also sent first choice letter to HM. This is years ago.


We submitted a first-choice letter, had a perfect FLI score, and did not get in. Since we applied during Covid, there was no playdate. We were not at a connected preschool, so never got any feedback.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 21:46     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
They are not looking for a perfect score. At least, I know HM does not. My kid did not get a perfect score but was in the high range. We got in K. I think how your child does playgroup weighs more than FLI. We also sent first choice letter to HM. This is years ago.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 21:21     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:are there any other data points of people who were accepted at either Riverdale or HM and what their FLI score is? our kid got close to perfect score but not sure if that’s worth doing the first choice letter for if they want perfect


did you actually hear feedback though? I thought both of these schools don’t do it as a policy


No. we are applying from unconnected. Public school specifically which we are now hearing makes us “interesting” so fingers crossed
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 21:16     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
Anonymous wrote:are there any other data points of people who were accepted at either Riverdale or HM and what their FLI score is? our kid got close to perfect score but not sure if that’s worth doing the first choice letter for if they want perfect


did you actually hear feedback though? I thought both of these schools don’t do it as a policy
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 21:13     Subject: Horace Mann vs Riverdale?
are there any other data points of people who were accepted at either Riverdale or HM and what their FLI score is? our kid got close to perfect score but not sure if that’s worth doing the first choice letter for if they want perfect