Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 15:23     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:Recently went through the middle school application process and several kids gained acceptance to Horace Mann but were not accepted at Riverdale or Chapin. I think those are safely all top tier, just depends on the culture you are after….


HM is famously easy to get into for middle because they let in like 50 kids then, versus maybe 20 at Riverdale and 10 at Chapin. At other entry points they’re more similar.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 14:47     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
How does nicher arrive at their rankings? Avenues I know solicits parents to post review in an attempt to bolster their rating and it does work. I believe they are 11 or something lie that.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 14:42     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:New to this scene. I know Niche has its own opaque criteria for ranking but why are Riverdale and Chapin super high on their list (2 and 3 for K-12) but debatably (and consistently) second tier with folks here? Confused about those 2 in particular.


Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think all of the below are top tier, these aren’t ordered.

Trinity
Horace Mann
Collegiate
Brearley
Dalton
Chapin
Riverdale
Spence
Regis



Any others belong in top tier? Which would get that tenth spot?


I thought there was a debate about Riverdale and Chapin being 2nd tier?





Recently went through the middle school application process and several kids gained acceptance to Horace Mann but were not accepted at Riverdale or Chapin. I think those are safely all top tier, just depends on the culture you are after….
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 14:40     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
When have Riverdale or Chapin been second tier? Never heard those mentioned as anything other than top tier.

Second tier schools I always hear mentioned are NBS, Sacred Heart and Fieldston.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 14:32     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
New to this scene. I know Niche has its own opaque criteria for ranking but why are Riverdale and Chapin super high on their list (2 and 3 for K-12) but debatably (and consistently) second tier with folks here? Confused about those 2 in particular.


Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think all of the below are top tier, these aren’t ordered.

Trinity
Horace Mann
Collegiate
Brearley
Dalton
Chapin
Riverdale
Spence
Regis



Any others belong in top tier? Which would get that tenth spot?


I thought there was a debate about Riverdale and Chapin being 2nd tier?
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 14:10     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Chapin at least has fantastic college placement definitely as good as Spence not as elite as Brearley.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 14:09     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
I’d keep Chapin and Riverdale as top tier certainly very difficult to gain admittance.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 13:54     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:I think all of the below are top tier, these aren’t ordered.

Trinity
Horace Mann
Collegiate
Brearley
Dalton
Chapin
Riverdale
Spence
Regis



Any others belong in top tier? Which would get that tenth spot?


I thought there was a debate about Riverdale and Chapin being 2nd tier?
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 13:43     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
St Anns possible number 10 but that place for sure is an acquired taste.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 13:34     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Which of the following top tier accept kids at middle school?
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 13:18     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:I think all of the below are top tier, these aren’t ordered.

Trinity
Horace Mann
Collegiate
Brearley
Dalton
Chapin
Riverdale
Spence
Regis



Any others belong in top tier? Which would get that tenth spot?


There are 7 TT:

Trinity
Horace Mann
Dalton
Collegiate
Brearley
Chapin
Spence
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 13:03     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
I think all of the below are top tier, these aren’t ordered.

Trinity
Horace Mann
Collegiate
Brearley
Dalton
Chapin
Riverdale
Spence
Regis



Any others belong in top tier? Which would get that tenth spot?
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 12:51     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Regis
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 12:50     Subject: Re:Best private schools in NYC?
There is a meme on probability of lightning strike, shark bite…. Makes the odds for getting into a TT look pretty good. Way more likely to happen than shark bite

Link to meme: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HV9veKrRg
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2026 10:33     Subject: Best private schools in NYC?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My daughter got into one of the top 3 schools at middle school and they only accepted about 4-8 kids at the 6th grade entry point. Spoke to all the parents and not one set was connected. I think that is much more of a myth than you’d think!

Interested to know which are top 3 schools in your opinion ?


Top three schools in my opinion are:
Horace Mann
Trinity
Brearley



I’d go Brearley, Collegiate, Trinity. But HM is right there obviously.