Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This looks like a very specific DC Urban Moms / NYC private-school parent prestige ranking, not a ranking of current academic quality or where families are applying today.

A few things jump out immediately:

1. Trevor at #35 is wildly out of sync with current reality

That’s the biggest thing.

Whether someone loves Trevor or not, putting it:

* below Dwight
* below Calhoun
* below Lycée
* below UNIS
* below Xavier
* below Fordham Prep
* below Notre Dame

would surprise most people involved in Manhattan admissions today.

This feels like a ranking frozen around the early 2000s, when Trevor had a much weaker reputation.

2. Nightingale is too low

Nightingale at #14 is hard to justify.

Most current observers would place Nightingale closer to:

* Dalton
* Spence
* Chapin
* Sacred Heart

than to schools ranked 15–25.

3. Sacred Heart is too low

Same issue.

Many NYC families would rank Sacred Heart above:

* Marymount
* Grace Church
* Packer
* Poly
* Avenues

without much hesitation.

4. Avenues is probably too low

Avenues is polarizing, but #19 feels low.

Many current families would place it somewhere in the 10–15 range.

5. Grace Church is probably too low

Grace at #16 feels low given current demand and outcomes.

6. The top is mostly old-school prestige

The placement of:

* Trinity
* Collegiate
* Dalton
* Spence
* Brearley
* Horace Mann
* Chapin

is very much a traditional prestige ranking.

You can argue over the exact order, but that’s clearly the logic.

What the ranking is really measuring

If I had to guess, this ranking is measuring:

“If you gathered wealthy NYC private-school alumni aged 50–75 and asked them to rank schools by prestige.”

For that purpose, it actually makes sense.

That’s why:

* Trevor is #35.
* Grace is #16.
* Avenues is #19.
* Nightingale is #14.
* Sacred Heart is #13.

Those schools have improved dramatically relative to where they sat in the old hierarchy.

My biggest disagreement

If we’re talking 2025–2026 perception among active Manhattan parents, I’d probably move:

Up

* Nightingale
* Sacred Heart
* Grace Church
* Avenues
* Trevor

Down

* Loyola (slightly)
* Xavier
* Notre Dame
* Dwight
* UNIS

The Trevor placement is the one that makes me think the list is mostly historical prestige. I could see reasonable people putting Trevor at #10, #15, even #20. But #35 says more about where Trevor was a generation ago than where it is today.

So my overall take is:

As a historical-prestige ranking: 8/10.
As a current-market Manhattan parent ranking: maybe 5/10.

The further down the list you go, the more it seems to undervalue schools whose reputations have risen in the last 10–20 years.

Lots of really great points - thanks. I agree with the vast majority of it.

You wasted your breath on Trevor. I think someone noted that this was largely a joke. Unfortunately there is a person (or people) who are obsessive in their hatred of Trevor, so I think this was kind of a joke in response to that. I am assuming it was not done by them as the rest of it is generally pretty good. So don't base your judgement of the overall list on that specific ranking. Trevor probably belongs around 20. I think your claims of 10 or 15 are pretty aggressive but 20 is about right and still a lot better than where it was jokingly put.

I also think Avenues is pretty accurate and would not change it, or definitely not as much as you are suggesting. If anything, I might have moved it down slightly, though not more than a spot or two.

Anonymous wrote:This looks like a very specific DC Urban Moms / NYC private-school parent prestige ranking, not a ranking of current academic quality or where families are applying today.

A few things jump out immediately:

1. Trevor at #35 is wildly out of sync with current reality

That’s the biggest thing.

Whether someone loves Trevor or not, putting it:

* below Dwight
* below Calhoun
* below Lycée
* below UNIS
* below Xavier
* below Fordham Prep
* below Notre Dame

would surprise most people involved in Manhattan admissions today.

This feels like a ranking frozen around the early 2000s, when Trevor had a much weaker reputation.

2. Nightingale is too low

Nightingale at #14 is hard to justify.

Most current observers would place Nightingale closer to:

* Dalton
* Spence
* Chapin
* Sacred Heart

than to schools ranked 15–25.

3. Sacred Heart is too low

Same issue.

Many NYC families would rank Sacred Heart above:

* Marymount
* Grace Church
* Packer
* Poly
* Avenues

without much hesitation.

4. Avenues is probably too low

Avenues is polarizing, but #19 feels low.

Many current families would place it somewhere in the 10–15 range.

5. Grace Church is probably too low

Grace at #16 feels low given current demand and outcomes.

6. The top is mostly old-school prestige

The placement of:

* Trinity
* Collegiate
* Dalton
* Spence
* Brearley
* Horace Mann
* Chapin

is very much a traditional prestige ranking.

You can argue over the exact order, but that’s clearly the logic.

What the ranking is really measuring

If I had to guess, this ranking is measuring:

“If you gathered wealthy NYC private-school alumni aged 50–75 and asked them to rank schools by prestige.”

For that purpose, it actually makes sense.

That’s why:

* Trevor is #35.
* Grace is #16.
* Avenues is #19.
* Nightingale is #14.
* Sacred Heart is #13.

Those schools have improved dramatically relative to where they sat in the old hierarchy.

My biggest disagreement

If we’re talking 2025–2026 perception among active Manhattan parents, I’d probably move:

Up

* Nightingale
* Sacred Heart
* Grace Church
* Avenues
* Trevor

Down

* Loyola (slightly)
* Xavier
* Notre Dame
* Dwight
* UNIS

The Trevor placement is the one that makes me think the list is mostly historical prestige. I could see reasonable people putting Trevor at #10, #15, even #20. But #35 says more about where Trevor was a generation ago than where it is today.

So my overall take is:

As a historical-prestige ranking: 8/10.
As a current-market Manhattan parent ranking: maybe 5/10.

The further down the list you go, the more it seems to undervalue schools whose reputations have risen in the last 10–20 years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This looks like a very specific DC Urban Moms / NYC private-school parent prestige ranking, not a ranking of current academic quality or where families are applying today.

A few things jump out immediately:

1. Trevor at #35 is wildly out of sync with current reality

That’s the biggest thing.

Whether someone loves Trevor or not, putting it:

* below Dwight
* below Calhoun
* below Lycée
* below UNIS
* below Xavier
* below Fordham Prep
* below Notre Dame

would surprise most people involved in Manhattan admissions today.

This feels like a ranking frozen around the early 2000s, when Trevor had a much weaker reputation.

2. Nightingale is too low

Nightingale at #14 is hard to justify.

Most current observers would place Nightingale closer to:

* Dalton
* Spence
* Chapin
* Sacred Heart

than to schools ranked 15–25.

3. Sacred Heart is too low

Same issue.

Many NYC families would rank Sacred Heart above:

* Marymount
* Grace Church
* Packer
* Poly
* Avenues

without much hesitation.

4. Avenues is probably too low

Avenues is polarizing, but #19 feels low.

Many current families would place it somewhere in the 10–15 range.

5. Grace Church is probably too low

Grace at #16 feels low given current demand and outcomes.

6. The top is mostly old-school prestige

The placement of:

* Trinity
* Collegiate
* Dalton
* Spence
* Brearley
* Horace Mann
* Chapin

is very much a traditional prestige ranking.

You can argue over the exact order, but that’s clearly the logic.

What the ranking is really measuring

If I had to guess, this ranking is measuring:

“If you gathered wealthy NYC private-school alumni aged 50–75 and asked them to rank schools by prestige.”

For that purpose, it actually makes sense.

That’s why:

* Trevor is #35.
* Grace is #16.
* Avenues is #19.
* Nightingale is #14.
* Sacred Heart is #13.

Those schools have improved dramatically relative to where they sat in the old hierarchy.

My biggest disagreement

If we’re talking 2025–2026 perception among active Manhattan parents, I’d probably move:

Up

* Nightingale
* Sacred Heart
* Grace Church
* Avenues
* Trevor

Down

* Loyola (slightly)
* Xavier
* Notre Dame
* Dwight
* UNIS

The Trevor placement is the one that makes me think the list is mostly historical prestige. I could see reasonable people putting Trevor at #10, #15, even #20. But #35 says more about where Trevor was a generation ago than where it is today.

So my overall take is:

As a historical-prestige ranking: 8/10.
As a current-market Manhattan parent ranking: maybe 5/10.

The further down the list you go, the more it seems to undervalue schools whose reputations have risen in the last 10–20 years.

I think Dwight’s reputation has improved since I was younger. Not sure what you have against UNIS or Xavier. I know smart kids at both schools. Loyola shouldn’t be that much higher than the other Catholics. Seems like many of their kids are going to Fordham, Fairfield, BC and Villanova.

Anonymous wrote:This looks like a very specific DC Urban Moms / NYC private-school parent prestige ranking, not a ranking of current academic quality or where families are applying today.

A few things jump out immediately:

1. Trevor at #35 is wildly out of sync with current reality

That’s the biggest thing.

Whether someone loves Trevor or not, putting it:

* below Dwight
* below Calhoun
* below Lycée
* below UNIS
* below Xavier
* below Fordham Prep
* below Notre Dame

would surprise most people involved in Manhattan admissions today.

This feels like a ranking frozen around the early 2000s, when Trevor had a much weaker reputation.

2. Nightingale is too low

Nightingale at #14 is hard to justify.

Most current observers would place Nightingale closer to:

* Dalton
* Spence
* Chapin
* Sacred Heart

than to schools ranked 15–25.

3. Sacred Heart is too low

Same issue.

Many NYC families would rank Sacred Heart above:

* Marymount
* Grace Church
* Packer
* Poly
* Avenues

without much hesitation.

4. Avenues is probably too low

Avenues is polarizing, but #19 feels low.

Many current families would place it somewhere in the 10–15 range.

5. Grace Church is probably too low

Grace at #16 feels low given current demand and outcomes.

6. The top is mostly old-school prestige

The placement of:

* Trinity
* Collegiate
* Dalton
* Spence
* Brearley
* Horace Mann
* Chapin

is very much a traditional prestige ranking.

You can argue over the exact order, but that’s clearly the logic.

What the ranking is really measuring

If I had to guess, this ranking is measuring:

“If you gathered wealthy NYC private-school alumni aged 50–75 and asked them to rank schools by prestige.”

For that purpose, it actually makes sense.

That’s why:

* Trevor is #35.
* Grace is #16.
* Avenues is #19.
* Nightingale is #14.
* Sacred Heart is #13.

Those schools have improved dramatically relative to where they sat in the old hierarchy.

My biggest disagreement

If we’re talking 2025–2026 perception among active Manhattan parents, I’d probably move:

Up

* Nightingale
* Sacred Heart
* Grace Church
* Avenues
* Trevor

Down

* Loyola (slightly)
* Xavier
* Notre Dame
* Dwight
* UNIS

The Trevor placement is the one that makes me think the list is mostly historical prestige. I could see reasonable people putting Trevor at #10, #15, even #20. But #35 says more about where Trevor was a generation ago than where it is today.

So my overall take is:

As a historical-prestige ranking: 8/10.
As a current-market Manhattan parent ranking: maybe 5/10.

The further down the list you go, the more it seems to undervalue schools whose reputations have risen in the last 10–20 years.

Anonymous wrote:This looks like a very specific DC Urban Moms / NYC private-school parent prestige ranking, not a ranking of current academic quality or where families are applying today.

A few things jump out immediately:

1. Trevor at #35 is wildly out of sync with current reality

That’s the biggest thing.

Whether someone loves Trevor or not, putting it:

* below Dwight
* below Calhoun
* below Lycée
* below UNIS
* below Xavier
* below Fordham Prep
* below Notre Dame

would surprise most people involved in Manhattan admissions today.

This feels like a ranking frozen around the early 2000s, when Trevor had a much weaker reputation.

2. Nightingale is too low

Nightingale at #14 is hard to justify.

Most current observers would place Nightingale closer to:

* Dalton
* Spence
* Chapin
* Sacred Heart

than to schools ranked 15–25.

3. Sacred Heart is too low

Same issue.

Many NYC families would rank Sacred Heart above:

* Marymount
* Grace Church
* Packer
* Poly
* Avenues

without much hesitation.

4. Avenues is probably too low

Avenues is polarizing, but #19 feels low.

Many current families would place it somewhere in the 10–15 range.

5. Grace Church is probably too low

Grace at #16 feels low given current demand and outcomes.

6. The top is mostly old-school prestige

The placement of:

* Trinity
* Collegiate
* Dalton
* Spence
* Brearley
* Horace Mann
* Chapin

is very much a traditional prestige ranking.

You can argue over the exact order, but that’s clearly the logic.

What the ranking is really measuring

If I had to guess, this ranking is measuring:

“If you gathered wealthy NYC private-school alumni aged 50–75 and asked them to rank schools by prestige.”

For that purpose, it actually makes sense.

That’s why:

* Trevor is #35.
* Grace is #16.
* Avenues is #19.
* Nightingale is #14.
* Sacred Heart is #13.

Those schools have improved dramatically relative to where they sat in the old hierarchy.

My biggest disagreement

If we’re talking 2025–2026 perception among active Manhattan parents, I’d probably move:

Up

* Nightingale
* Sacred Heart
* Grace Church
* Avenues
* Trevor

Down

* Loyola (slightly)
* Xavier
* Notre Dame
* Dwight
* UNIS

The Trevor placement is the one that makes me think the list is mostly historical prestige. I could see reasonable people putting Trevor at #10, #15, even #20. But #35 says more about where Trevor was a generation ago than where it is today.

So my overall take is:

As a historical-prestige ranking: 8/10.
As a current-market Manhattan parent ranking: maybe 5/10.

The further down the list you go, the more it seems to undervalue schools whose reputations have risen in the last 10–20 years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think this is a fair ranking. Feel free to correct it

1 Trinity
2 Collegiate
3 Dalton
4 Spence
5 Brearley
6 HM
7 Chapin
8 St Ann's
9 Regis
10 Riverdale
11 Fieldstone
12 Marymount
13 Sacred Heart
14 Nightingale
15 Loyola
16 GCS
17 Packer
18 Poly
19 Avenues
20 Friends Seminary
21 BFS
22 BC
23 Basis
24 Hewitt
25Dwight
26 Calhoun
27 Hackley
28 Lycée
29 UNIS
30 Xavier
31 Fordham Prep
32 Notre Dame
33 DA
34 SVF
35 Trevor

I feel like there are clusters. 1-7. 8-10. Fieldston is kind of all over the place but I guess it is fine.

12-15 are for a unique crowd. As a Jew with boys I don't know about 12-15 though I am guessing at least 1-2 of those should be lower - in the next tier (to be discussed in a moment).

16-20 go together with CGPS and Trevor in that bucket (sorry to the Trevor hater). Trevor is probably the bottom of the bucket. And I would probably move Friends above Avenues and Poly. Friends/Packer/GCS are interchangeable - I think I like it how it is but no strong argument on it.

If Hackley is in then Dwight-Englewood also should be and would be just below Trevor - more Manhattan kids at DE than Hackley.

Forgot Leman which is 30ish?

Going back to the original tiers as well as here, if we are including all of the Catholic schools then what about Heschel and Ramaz? A year or two ago Ramaz had ridiculously good exmissions.

Largely agree. Trevor is 20s and DE is in the same range. Loyola should be lower, as should Marymount and Sacred Heart - funny that the poster over-rates these yet likely under-rates some of the other Catholics that were dumped at the bottom. UNIS should be a little better. Collegiate is not 2 - slightly lower.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think this is a fair ranking. Feel free to correct it

1 Trinity
2 Collegiate
3 Dalton
4 Spence
5 Brearley
6 HM
7 Chapin
8 St Ann's
9 Regis
10 Riverdale
11 Fieldstone
12 Marymount
13 Sacred Heart
14 Nightingale
15 Loyola
16 GCS
17 Packer
18 Poly
19 Avenues
20 Friends Seminary
21 BFS
22 BC
23 Basis
24 Hewitt
25Dwight
26 Calhoun
27 Hackley
28 Lycée
29 UNIS
30 Xavier
31 Fordham Prep
32 Notre Dame
33 DA
34 SVF
35 Trevor

I feel like there are clusters. 1-7. 8-10. Fieldston is kind of all over the place but I guess it is fine.

12-15 are for a unique crowd. As a Jew with boys I don't know about 12-15 though I am guessing at least 1-2 of those should be lower - in the next tier (to be discussed in a moment).

16-20 go together with CGPS and Trevor in that bucket (sorry to the Trevor hater). Trevor is probably the bottom of the bucket. And I would probably move Friends above Avenues and Poly. Friends/Packer/GCS are interchangeable - I think I like it how it is but no strong argument on it.

If Hackley is in then Dwight-Englewood also should be and would be just below Trevor - more Manhattan kids at DE than Hackley.

Forgot Leman which is 30ish?

Going back to the original tiers as well as here, if we are including all of the Catholic schools then what about Heschel and Ramaz? A year or two ago Ramaz had ridiculously good exmissions.

Largely agree. Trevor is 20s and DE is in the same range. Loyola should be lower, as should Marymount and Sacred Heart - funny that the poster over-rates these yet likely under-rates some of the other Catholics that were dumped at the bottom. UNIS should be a little better. Collegiate is not 2 - slightly lower.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think this is a fair ranking. Feel free to correct it

1 Trinity
2 Collegiate
3 Dalton
4 Spence
5 Brearley
6 HM
7 Chapin
8 St Ann's
9 Regis
10 Riverdale
11 Fieldstone
12 Marymount
13 Sacred Heart
14 Nightingale
15 Loyola
16 GCS
17 Packer
18 Poly
19 Avenues
20 Friends Seminary
21 BFS
22 BC
23 Basis
24 Hewitt
25Dwight
26 Calhoun
27 Hackley
28 Lycée
29 UNIS
30 Xavier
31 Fordham Prep
32 Notre Dame
33 DA
34 SVF
35 Trevor

I feel like there are clusters. 1-7. 8-10. Fieldston is kind of all over the place but I guess it is fine.

12-15 are for a unique crowd. As a Jew with boys I don't know about 12-15 though I am guessing at least 1-2 of those should be lower - in the next tier (to be discussed in a moment).

16-20 go together with CGPS and Trevor in that bucket (sorry to the Trevor hater). Trevor is probably the bottom of the bucket. And I would probably move Friends above Avenues and Poly. Friends/Packer/GCS are interchangeable - I think I like it how it is but no strong argument on it.

If Hackley is in then Dwight-Englewood also should be and would be just below Trevor - more Manhattan kids at DE than Hackley.

Forgot Leman which is 30ish?

Going back to the original tiers as well as here, if we are including all of the Catholic schools then what about Heschel and Ramaz? A year or two ago Ramaz had ridiculously good exmissions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
1 Trinity
2 Collegiate
3 Dalton
4 Spence
5 Brearley
6 HM
7 Chapin
8 St Ann's
9 Regis
10 Riverdale
11 Fieldstone
12 Marymount
13 Sacred Heart
14 Nightingale
15 Loyola
16 GCS
17 Packer
18 Poly
19 Avenues
20 Friends Seminary
21 BFS
22 BC
23 Basis
24 Hewitt
25Dwight
26 Calhoun
27 Hackley
28 Lycée
29 UNIS
30 Xavier
31 Fordham Prep
32 Notre Dame
33 DA
34 SVF
35 Trevor

DC chose HM over Trinity. Oh, the horror!!!

This is getting silly.

These schools are more rankable than the colleges and universities USNews covers, with a wider range of culture and pedagogy

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think this is a fair ranking. Feel free to correct it

1 Trinity
2 Collegiate
3 Dalton
4 Spence
5 Brearley
6 HM
7 Chapin
8 St Ann's
9 Regis
10 Riverdale
11 Fieldstone
12 Marymount
13 Sacred Heart
14 Nightingale
15 Loyola
16 GCS
17 Packer
18 Poly
19 Avenues
20 Friends Seminary
21 BFS
22 BC
23 Basis
24 Hewitt
25Dwight
26 Calhoun
27 Hackley
28 Lycée
29 UNIS
30 Xavier
31 Fordham Prep
32 Notre Dame
33 DA
34 SVF
35 Trevor

There’s some serious bias against the catholic schools. I don’t know about SVF but Xavier, Fordham Prep and DA are all very good and a fraction of the cost. They also have honors programs and merit aid. Good options for those that don’t want to spend 70k a year on high school. Would probably pick DA over CSH and Marymount and certainly know people who have.

Anonymous wrote:I actually think this is a fair ranking. Feel free to correct it

1 Trinity
2 Collegiate
3 Dalton
4 Spence
5 Brearley
6 HM
7 Chapin
8 St Ann's
9 Regis
10 Riverdale
11 Fieldstone
12 Marymount
13 Sacred Heart
14 Nightingale
15 Loyola
16 GCS
17 Packer
18 Poly
19 Avenues
20 Friends Seminary
21 BFS
22 BC
23 Basis
24 Hewitt
25Dwight
26 Calhoun
27 Hackley
28 Lycée
29 UNIS
30 Xavier
31 Fordham Prep
32 Notre Dame
33 DA
34 SVF
35 Trevor

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
1 Trinity
2 Collegiate
3 Dalton
4 Spence
5 Brearley
6 HM
7 Chapin
8 St Ann's
9 Regis
10 Riverdale
11 Fieldstone
12 Marymount
13 Sacred Heart
14 Nightingale
15 Loyola
16 GCS
17 Packer
18 Poly
19 Avenues
20 Friends Seminary
21 BFS
22 BC
23 Basis
24 Hewitt
25Dwight
26 Calhoun
27 Hackley
28 Lycée
29 UNIS
30 Xavier
31 Fordham Prep
32 Notre Dame
33 DA
34 SVF
35 Trevor

DC chose HM over Trinity. Oh, the horror!!!

This is getting silly.

Anonymous wrote:
1 Trinity
2 Collegiate
3 Dalton
4 Spence
5 Brearley
6 HM
7 Chapin
8 St Ann's
9 Regis
10 Riverdale
11 Fieldstone
12 Marymount
13 Sacred Heart
14 Nightingale
15 Loyola
16 GCS
17 Packer
18 Poly
19 Avenues
20 Friends Seminary
21 BFS
22 BC
23 Basis
24 Hewitt
25Dwight
26 Calhoun
27 Hackley
28 Lycée
29 UNIS
30 Xavier
31 Fordham Prep
32 Notre Dame
33 DA
34 SVF
35 Trevor

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think this is a fair ranking. Feel free to correct it

1 Trinity
2 Collegiate
3 Dalton
4 Spence
5 Brearley
6 HM
7 Chapin
8 St Ann's
9 Regis
10 Riverdale
11 Fieldstone
12 Marymount
13 Sacred Heart
14 Nightingale
15 Loyola
16 GCS
17 Packer
18 Poly
19 Avenues
20 Friends Seminary
21 BFS
22 BC
23 Basis
24 Hewitt
25Dwight
26 Calhoun
27 Hackley
28 Lycée
29 UNIS
30 Xavier
31 Fordham Prep
32 Notre Dame
33 DA
34 SVF
35 Trevor

I feel like there are clusters. 1-7. 8-10. Fieldston is kind of all over the place but I guess it is fine.

12-15 are for a unique crowd. As a Jew with boys I don't know about 12-15 though I am guessing at least 1-2 of those should be lower - in the next tier (to be discussed in a moment).

16-20 go together with CGPS and Trevor in that bucket (sorry to the Trevor hater). Trevor is probably the bottom of the bucket. And I would probably move Friends above Avenues and Poly. Friends/Packer/GCS are interchangeable - I think I like it how it is but no strong argument on it.

If Hackley is in then Dwight-Englewood also should be and would be just below Trevor - more Manhattan kids at DE than Hackley.

Forgot Leman which is 30ish?

Going back to the original tiers as well as here, if we are including all of the Catholic schools then what about Heschel and Ramaz? A year or two ago Ramaz had ridiculously good exmissions.