Anonymous
Post 01/29/2026 21:11     Subject: Favorite 2nd Tier Privates in NYC/BK?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We've looked at a lot of these schools during the admissions process and there are pros/cons to each. I liked Grace a lot but not sure about the social dynamics. Got a little bit of a cold vibe from Friends but know people that love it. I think the academics are quite good. I liked UNIS and it's much cheaper than the other schools. Cons are location and it's bigger than other schools. Student body is more transient and you have to want IB. Packer is beautiful and has a strong curriculum and a lot of unique programs which make it more similar to some of the TTs. Not sure about the social aspect and it's in Brooklyn. Liked LREI a lot more than I thought I would. It seems like the nicest community and maybe the most welcoming students. I think the academics are fine but maybe not the most rigorous. We went to a curriculum night and it seemed that 9th grade math would be mainly a repeat of what my kid is doing in 8th but the humanities classes seemed good. Liked Browning if you have a boy but it is a little small. Hear mixed things about bullying but everyone we've met there seems warm. Did not get great vibes from Dwight Englewood but the campus is great if you want a campus school. Out tour guide was from the UWS and she said it was a breeze to get to school. DE was one of the few schools we saw where it seemed that kids could keep their phones. We saw a lot of kids glued to phones or other devices.


Can you describe what you observed about social dynamics @Grace?


Different poster but we were really impressed with the vibe at Grace. It had all types. Bros, artsy types, nerds, princesses, non-binary, and mostly just "normal" kids. There is more of a cohort of kids of downtown artsy types than at a lot of other schools (and by artsy I mean a mix of true artists and celebs). There definitely were cliques but I think all of the kids seemed to interact respectfully. It is a more relaxed vibe than most other schools, but it fits all types - if your kid is gunning for Ivies they will find their people and the school will help them to do this, but if that isn't their thing, it isn't a pressure cooker like many other schools and the school will help them to pursue their passion.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2026 21:07     Subject: Favorite 2nd Tier Privates in NYC/BK?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is there any sign of Friends toning down the progressive rhetoric? Also a lifelong Democrat, so no issue with the content but does seem a little over the top for a K-12 environment. I had heard rumblings that the former head of school was trying to make Friends more of a player as compared to the uptown schools, and would think calming down the rhetoric would be an easy place to start. I know nobody knows how the new head of school will be yet, though...


We went on a tour last year and I'd say the rhetoric was more do-goodery than 'woke' - they were very proud of their homeless shelter, e.g. I actually found the place kind of Ned Flanders-y in general and we did not end up there, but I do think a lot of the progressiveness comes out of that more genuine place rather than being merely performative - Quakers gonna Quaker.


We actively pursued Friends until we didn't. The "Center for Peace, Equity and Justice" is over the top yet they don't shut up about it. Half the info session in the uncomfortable seats in the meeting house was about DEI and parading their high priced DEI employees - a bunch of us walked out shaking our heads. And we asked our very nice, normal tour guide about all of this and they said it is quite over the top, but most of the students just roll their eyes at it. I don't think most of the families are into this but they tolerate it because the school does have quite a bit to offer. So it's not like super progressive central in terms of the families. The new head of school will hopefully read the room and tone it down. And for context, I am a lifelong moderate Democrat.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2026 16:21     Subject: Favorite 2nd Tier Privates in NYC/BK?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Columbia Grammar has some very smart kids but also a lot of showy, nouveau riche types who are insufferable
agreed. some of the moms are great, but they tend to be working moms. the other moms... are just UGH


This is also true in the suburbs, FWIW (which I think have a fair amount of overlap with 3T schools parent-wise in general) - the double-income families are nice, the SAHM families are awful.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2026 16:19     Subject: Favorite 2nd Tier Privates in NYC/BK?
Anonymous wrote:Columbia Grammar has some very smart kids but also a lot of showy, nouveau riche types who are insufferable
agreed. some of the moms are great, but they tend to be working moms. the other moms... are just UGH
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2026 15:25     Subject: Favorite 2nd Tier Privates in NYC/BK?
I have the same question, but can also say that not all the schools are offering it to everyone. We were connected to a current family at a school we applied to. I had assumed it was done for everyone. But I recently had a very awkward encounter with a parent in my kids preschool when it became clear that they had not been connected to a current family. So maybe, like so much of this, potentially positive but not all that meaningful?
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2026 14:21     Subject: Favorite 2nd Tier Privates in NYC/BK?
They’re offering that opportunity to everyone.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2026 12:30     Subject: Favorite 2nd Tier Privates in NYC/BK?
Is schools offering to link you up with current parents a positive indicator that an offer is eminent? These are not TT schools, more like 2T schools
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 21:20     Subject: Favorite 2nd Tier Privates in NYC/BK?
Do we call these 2T because of college ex missions (IVYs and prestigious ) or because of the actual academic curriculum?
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 13:25     Subject: Favorite 2nd Tier Privates in NYC/BK?
Anonymous wrote:We've looked at a lot of these schools during the admissions process and there are pros/cons to each. I liked Grace a lot but not sure about the social dynamics. Got a little bit of a cold vibe from Friends but know people that love it. I think the academics are quite good. I liked UNIS and it's much cheaper than the other schools. Cons are location and it's bigger than other schools. Student body is more transient and you have to want IB. Packer is beautiful and has a strong curriculum and a lot of unique programs which make it more similar to some of the TTs. Not sure about the social aspect and it's in Brooklyn. Liked LREI a lot more than I thought I would. It seems like the nicest community and maybe the most welcoming students. I think the academics are fine but maybe not the most rigorous. We went to a curriculum night and it seemed that 9th grade math would be mainly a repeat of what my kid is doing in 8th but the humanities classes seemed good. Liked Browning if you have a boy but it is a little small. Hear mixed things about bullying but everyone we've met there seems warm. Did not get great vibes from Dwight Englewood but the campus is great if you want a campus school. Out tour guide was from the UWS and she said it was a breeze to get to school. DE was one of the few schools we saw where it seemed that kids could keep their phones. We saw a lot of kids glued to phones or other devices.


Can you describe what you observed about social dynamics @Grace?
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 12:45     Subject: Favorite 2nd Tier Privates in NYC/BK?
Know many happy families at Bank St and C&C
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 12:43     Subject: Favorite 2nd Tier Privates in NYC/BK?
What do people think of co-ed K-8s? Town, Bank Street, City & Country, Brooklyn Heights Montessori, St. Luke’s, etc. I know there was just a thread on VCS.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 11:57     Subject: Favorite 2nd Tier Privates in NYC/BK?
Anonymous wrote:Is there any sign of Friends toning down the progressive rhetoric? Also a lifelong Democrat, so no issue with the content but does seem a little over the top for a K-12 environment. I had heard rumblings that the former head of school was trying to make Friends more of a player as compared to the uptown schools, and would think calming down the rhetoric would be an easy place to start. I know nobody knows how the new head of school will be yet, though...


We went on a tour last year and I'd say the rhetoric was more do-goodery than 'woke' - they were very proud of their homeless shelter, e.g. I actually found the place kind of Ned Flanders-y in general and we did not end up there, but I do think a lot of the progressiveness comes out of that more genuine place rather than being merely performative - Quakers gonna Quaker.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 11:47     Subject: Favorite 2nd Tier Privates in NYC/BK?
Anonymous wrote:We liked Grace a lot. Head of school is excellent, chill vibe, as academically intense as you want it to be.

Friends was also good though a bit too political/progressive, even for a lifelong Democrat.

Trevor has become popular and has nice facilities. Didn't love the curriculum.

DE has a lot of pluses but socially tough to have lots of friends in NJ and get there for events.

Calhoun is kind of quirky but good kids.

Avenues has great resources but is kind of culty.

Global community of UNIS is nice and it is cheaper but you have to be bought into that.


Is there any sign of Friends toning down the progressive rhetoric? Also a lifelong Democrat, so no issue with the content but does seem a little over the top for a K-12 environment. I had heard rumblings that the former head of school was trying to make Friends more of a player as compared to the uptown schools, and would think calming down the rhetoric would be an easy place to start. I know nobody knows how the new head of school will be yet, though...