We toured several schools in NYC and are leaning toward a Hill School - Horace Mann, Fieldston or Riverdale. We have an active kid and the facilities seem amazing. Any thoughts between the three?

Anonymous wrote:What is EC?

I think EC is extracurricular. yeah, tier 1 students can afford obscene packaging in college admission. Those families would never consider going to a school like Avenues.

What is EC?

We have a transfer last year from a tier one so got a peek at that school. The kid has insane EC going on (not even a successful professional can accomplish that kind of EC), but we suspect it's all supported by family wealth and connection for the purpose of college admission. Sadly, failing the tier one academically so transfer to our tier x. The point is we nobodies can't even imagine the power and wealth those families in tier 1 schools possess before this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Want to add on Avenues. They have mostly wealthy class family and some upper middle class. So the atmosphere at Avenues is definitely so much less privileged as compared to tier 1 schools. Kids are down to earth and friendly to each other. Makes it easy to make friends.

Not to be disagreeable, but the kids my siblings and I went to school with (Spence, Dalton, and Trinity) were wonderful - even the mind-bogglingly wealthy ones. Also, nearly half the students have some form of aid. Everything I’ve heard about Avenues kinda makes it feel like a ponzi scheme or some kind of scam. But I have no affiliation with it except for a friend whose kid went for a year before withdrawing and transferring elsewhere.

I am a supporter of Avenues as I have kids there as well as a child at a top tier school, kids are wonderful at both schools!

Anonymous wrote:Want to add on Avenues. They have mostly wealthy class family and some upper middle class. So the atmosphere at Avenues is definitely so much less privileged as compared to tier 1 schools. Kids are down to earth and friendly to each other. Makes it easy to make friends.

I have kids at both and I actually find that tier one schools have much more socioeconomic diversity than Avenues as they work with organizations such as Prep for Prep.

I will say because Avenues offers immersion you’ll meet plenty of LatinX families if that is important to you. However, they are all extremely well off for the most part.

Anonymous wrote:Want to add on Avenues. They have mostly wealthy class family and some upper middle class. So the atmosphere at Avenues is definitely so much less privileged as compared to tier 1 schools. Kids are down to earth and friendly to each other. Makes it easy to make friends.

Not to be disagreeable, but the kids my siblings and I went to school with (Spence, Dalton, and Trinity) were wonderful - even the mind-bogglingly wealthy ones. Also, nearly half the students have some form of aid. Everything I’ve heard about Avenues kinda makes it feel like a ponzi scheme or some kind of scam. But I have no affiliation with it except for a friend whose kid went for a year before withdrawing and transferring elsewhere.

Want to add on Avenues. They have mostly wealthy class family and some upper middle class. So the atmosphere at Avenues is definitely so much less privileged as compared to tier 1 schools. Kids are down to earth and friendly to each other. Makes it easy to make friends.

Avenues is a great back up option definitely better than Dwight and Columbia Grammar! Since their admissions isn’t competitive their students aren’t always the most academic so the learning environment isn’t as inspiring as some of the other top tier schools. They could afford to put a bit more pressure on their students.

There is also a lot of student and teacher turnover unfortunately.

In case you didn't get in Trinity, Dalton, or HM; Avenues is a good option. Not a first tier in terms of college results, but offers many rigorous courses. At the same time not a pressure cooker like trinity.

Brearley, Spence,
Riverdale and Chapin are equivalent.

Thanks for the post - great insights!

Brearley, Spence, Riverdale, Chapin

Brearley, then Riverdale, Spence and Chapin seem to be about the same.

Anonymous wrote:Which school is considered more academic, Riverdale or one of the top 3 girls schools?

Probably Brearley.