Anonymous
03/20/2026 19:02
Subject: What is the most elite NYC preschool?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote: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
03/19/2026 18:15
Subject: What is the most elite NYC preschool?
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
03/19/2026 18:04
Subject: What is the most elite NYC preschool?
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
03/19/2026 15:36
Subject: What is the most elite NYC preschool?
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!
Anonymous
03/18/2026 19:51
Subject: What is the most elite NYC preschool?
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
03/18/2026 19:43
Subject: Re:What is the most elite NYC preschool?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Our child got accepted at a preschool with decent exmissions. It is NOT one of the feeder preschools that are usually mentioned in this forum. Child will start in that school in September in their 3's program.
Is it better if we do 3's and 4's program in that preschool? or is it better if we attend 3's program in this preschool, then try to apply and see if we can get in at a feeder preschool for 4's program? 4's program is child's last year of preschool. After 4's program, child will be in kindergarten. We are an unconnected family by the way. No legacy, no siblings in any of the NYC schools.
I'd stay at the non-feeder as long as they've placed kids in independent schools before and are familiar with the process.
Thanks for the response. Yes the non-feeder preschool have done exmissions to independent schools and they seem quite familiar with the process.
May I please know why would you choose / advise to stay in the non-feeder preschool instead of trying to move to a feeder preschool for 4's program?
Wouldn't going to a feeder preschool at 4's and doing exmissions from there, increase our chance to get accepted to a top-tier kindergarten program, versus exmissions from a non-feeder preschool? (as an unconnected family)
Would kindergarten programs value our child's application more if they see in the application that child is in a feeder preschool, versus if they see that child is in a non-feeder preschool?
Couple of reasons. First, moving a child the year you'd apply is a lot of change, not only for your child (who will then also be going on interviews, as well as having schools come observe them in their classroom), but you're an unknown entity at the new preschool-- you're going to have to play catch up. They fill out reports on your child to give to ongoing schools (and they are just meeting them, no teachers from 3s to talk to) and there is a section of the report about parent involvement in the school. It is just a lot to accomplish and juggle that fall-- transition your child to a new school environment, apply to a bunch of schools, volunteer at new preschool, interviews for you and your child, figure out who is around you at the new feeder preschool and figure out where all of those people's connections are...
And speaking of that, at a feeder preschool you are swimming amongst a pretty connected crowd (siblings, legacies, money, etc). Can that work for you? In the right scenario, yes. Feeder preschools have relationships and teachers who know how to write ISAAGNY reports. Can it also work against you? Also yes. If you think you really love X ongoing school and you show up at your new feeder preschool only to find out that there are 6 siblings or legacies of X school in your class, well, that is going to be a hard school for a new family to get a spot in.
So in this situation, I'd apply from the school with a more shallow pool of applicants and fewer transitions for my child and family. Instead I'd dig into this 3s preschool, volunteer your time, build community and relationships, and apply from there.
Anonymous
03/18/2026 19:11
Subject: Re:What is the most elite NYC preschool?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Our child got accepted at a preschool with decent exmissions. It is NOT one of the feeder preschools that are usually mentioned in this forum. Child will start in that school in September in their 3's program.
Is it better if we do 3's and 4's program in that preschool? or is it better if we attend 3's program in this preschool, then try to apply and see if we can get in at a feeder preschool for 4's program? 4's program is child's last year of preschool. After 4's program, child will be in kindergarten. We are an unconnected family by the way. No legacy, no siblings in any of the NYC schools.
I'd stay at the non-feeder as long as they've placed kids in independent schools before and are familiar with the process.
Thanks for the response. Yes the non-feeder preschool have done exmissions to independent schools and they seem quite familiar with the process.
May I please know why would you choose / advise to stay in the non-feeder preschool instead of trying to move to a feeder preschool for 4's program?
Wouldn't going to a feeder preschool at 4's and doing exmissions from there, increase our chance to get accepted to a top-tier kindergarten program, versus exmissions from a non-feeder preschool? (as an unconnected family)
Would kindergarten programs value our child's application more if they see in the application that child is in a feeder preschool, versus if they see that child is in a non-feeder preschool?
Anonymous
03/18/2026 15:29
Subject: Re:What is the most elite NYC preschool?
Anonymous wrote:Our child got accepted at a preschool with decent exmissions. It is NOT one of the feeder preschools that are usually mentioned in this forum. Child will start in that school in September in their 3's program.
Is it better if we do 3's and 4's program in that preschool? or is it better if we attend 3's program in this preschool, then try to apply and see if we can get in at a feeder preschool for 4's program? 4's program is child's last year of preschool. After 4's program, child will be in kindergarten. We are an unconnected family by the way. No legacy, no siblings in any of the NYC schools.
I'd stay at the non-feeder as long as they've placed kids in independent schools before and are familiar with the process.
Anonymous
03/18/2026 15:27
Subject: What is the most elite NYC preschool?
]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.
Anonymous
03/18/2026 15:13
Subject: Re:What is the most elite NYC preschool?
Our child got accepted at a preschool with decent exmissions. It is NOT one of the feeder preschools that are usually mentioned in this forum. Child will start in that school in September in their 3's program.
Is it better if we do 3's and 4's program in that preschool? or is it better if we attend 3's program in this preschool, then try to apply and see if we can get in at a feeder preschool for 4's program? 4's program is child's last year of preschool. After 4's program, child will be in kindergarten. We are an unconnected family by the way. No legacy, no siblings in any of the NYC schools.
Is it better if we do 3's and 4's program in that preschool? or is it better if we attend 3's program in this preschool, then try to apply and see if we can get in at a feeder preschool for 4's program? 4's program is child's last year of preschool. After 4's program, child will be in kindergarten. We are an unconnected family by the way. No legacy, no siblings in any of the NYC schools.
Anonymous
03/18/2026 15:06
Subject: What is the most elite NYC preschool?
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?
Anonymous
03/18/2026 12:42
Subject: What is the most elite NYC preschool?
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.
Anonymous
03/18/2026 12:16
Subject: What is the most elite NYC preschool?
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?
Anonymous
03/17/2026 21:42
Subject: What is the most elite NYC preschool?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote: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.
Anonymous
03/17/2026 21:02
Subject: What is the most elite NYC preschool?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote: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.