2018 High School Reviews

Baruch College Campus High School

Location Manhattan, district 2

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW

The teachers are dedicated and strong teachers.  The curriculum is also strong.
 History and Literature are particularly strong.  Math is excellent for my child who never liked math previously but now does.  Science teachers in the first two years have been kind and nice people, but are teaching from little to no personal experience with the material and from a lesson plan developed by someone else.  Science is the only subject that has been disappointing.   The school just added a 4th year of Spanish, the only language offered.  There are College Now courses offered at Baruch college, which is steps away from the HS.  Visual Art is the only arts offering, and it is done very well.  The teachers have drawn out my musically inclined daughter to discover visual art.  She is not talented in drawing, but that is accepted and she has learned a lot.

The school is small, which can be nice except class size is not small with 29-30 students per class.  Classes travel together to most subjects, with some switching up for math and language at different levels, but students are not in class with each member of their grade or with students in other grades.  So the number of students each child has meaningful contact with is very limited.  This is a problem socially.  Another problem socially for my native English speaking daughter is that many students in her grade are native Mandarin speakers and hardly mix with other students socially.  That would not be such a problem except for the small size of the school overall and the limited opportunities for finding friends.  My daughter and I agree the school is not a good place for kids who need a strong sense of community with peers.  When I approached the administration about possibilities for exposing 9th graders to their entire grade for social reasons, the administration seemed curious about the idea but did not implement any meaningful change.  They did have advisories meet together once for that purpose, which is a good step, but the administration seems to have other issues more pressing on their minds.  By the middle of 10th grade, my daughter has some good friendships going on, but she is still most connected to friends from middle school and summer camp.

There are good clubs and activities for my daughter who is interested in social justice.  The history curriculum and teachers are strongly interested and involved in social justice and there is a UNICEF club that meets after school every week and opportunities to teach elementary kids in Harlem every year.  My daughter does other volunteer work outside of school that we found for her through other sources.  She takes photography classes at ICP, which was recommended by the art department at school.

The school relies on parent donations of money and supplies and time for key components of school life.  This is true of all public schools, but this school is small and so each family matters more.  There are sometimes threats of cutting key services if more donations are received.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Visit the schools and read everything you can about them.  Trust your gut and your child's feelings about the schools.


*****

The Beacon School

Location Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW

My son, a sophmore really enjoys Beacon. He works very hard, sometimes spending all night on homework or a full day on the weekend. I'm not crazy about that but he doesn't seem to mind. The teachers vary, as they do at all schools, but most are very good and treat students fairly. He is active in the afterschool band program and has learned a great deal about music and what it takes to have a successful band. His band has had several shows outside of school. Because my son is (knock wood) pretty  low key we haven't had a lot of contact with the school, so I can't speak to that. His assignments run the gamut from engaging and thought provoking to needlessly long and routine, depending on the teacher.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Speak to a variety of folks about their experience with the amount of homework and if their child was over or underwhelmed by the academics.
*****

Brooklyn Latin

Brooklyn, NY

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW

Skill of teachers -- excellent
Facility and programs -- very good/excellent
How the school dealt with difficult situations -- excellent
Feedback you received about your child's progress -- excellent


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Location

*****

BHSEC Manhattan

Location Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year

TIME TO REVIEW


My son is in his first year at BHSEC and I have been incredibly impressed by the school. The academics are fantastic - challenging, engaging, sophisticated. The teachers come off as incredibly well-educated, passionate about their subject matter, and very, very happy to be teaching at BHSEC. My son loves the class discussions and often talks enthusiastically about the ideas his is discussing in physics, math, history etc. He is a serious student and works hard, but I have not seen the grade deflation that we were warned about. When I contacted the school to find out how my son was doing socially (he's reserved and take a while to make friends), his advisor reached out to his teachers and the next day sent a short paragraph from each of them about what they had observed -- which I found pretty amazing. In PT conferences teachers obviously know the kids really well. My son is also participating in sports teams and jazz band, both of which he enjoys. Overall, my son seems very happy at the school so far & I personally am thrilled as I tend to be pretty critical when it comes to education.



Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Too soon to advise!
*****

Bard Early High School Queens

Location Queens

Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year

TIME TO REVIEW


The principal is excellent. She has leads a great team of teachers and staff.  My son is getting a great education and feels included. We could not be happier.


Did your child use the school's college office?

My son is in ninth grade and the guidance counselor is already working on SAT accommodations.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Meet the principal and be sure their philosophy matches yours.

*****

Bard BHSEC

Location Queens

Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year

TIME TO REVIEW

Overall this is a fabulous school for hard working and self motivated students.  While it's very challenging academically, I do not get the sense that students are overly competitive.  My experience is that my daughter's friend are all helpful and supportive.  No one is trying to outsmart each other.
For the most part, her teachers have been extremely helpful and supportive, offering office hours for kids who need it.  Students need to take the initiative to seek help as they need it.
The commute from Bococa is fantastic, wish it were a bit shorter, but it's a straight shot and an easy walk.
The 9AM start is great, so even though you plan an hour for the travel, you dont get up at the crack of dawn.
There are a number of clubs, and some sports options - the clubs are after school which is great, but the sports meet in the mornings, 5 days a week, which is challenging. 
One piece of advice - if your child is going there, please help them be mentally prepared for hard work and lower grades - most kids who come here are used to getting all A's and now they may struggle to get a B in the first year - which is a good grade but not what they are used to.  I wish my child knew that going in (so now I'm telling others).


Did your child use the school's college office? 
So far we haven't not used the college office, but the school is a regents program in 9th and 10th grade and a college program in 11th and 12th grade - so the college office is considered "college transfer," since all graduating seniors get their high school and associates degree.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
You need to consider the right school for your child, a "good" school is only as good as its fit.

Beacon High School

Location 522 W 44th Street, New York City

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW

Beacon has a lot of things going for it, including some very good teachers, challenging and relevant classes, and a diverse and talented student body.  But the sheer volume of difficult work, especially in history and English, is not reasonable. In order to excel and stay on top of assignments, a student needs to be highly conscientious AND motivated AND excel at time management. Not all teenagers have all these skills, and the result for the many who don't is anxiety, frustration, and stress. Reading assignments in history and some English classes include original sources and work by sophisticated historians/authors, which is commendable in theory, but the reality is that teenagers in 2018 are struggling with reading 15 different articles/essays in language that is difficult for them to decipher, never mind consolidate into a paper, and also do everything else that is due.  One of my child's history teachers often had a homework assignment plus studying for a test or quiz (which he gave daily) plus a long-term project all going at the same time.  The same history teacher gave all-or-nothing quizzes:  if you didn't get 100, you got a zero.  This is unreasonable and does not encourage anyone to learn or study or memorize since one error can make all the time invested seem like a waste.
The school was somewhat responsive to my concerns about my child's difficulty with the workload, but there was a limit to what it could do.  She left in 11th grade to avoid what she knew would be an increasingly untenable situation for her.

Did your child use the school's college office?

The college office seems to be on top of things, but my daughter left at the very beginning of the process so I don't have enough information.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Do NOT recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Visit the schools, do your research, know your kid, and don't get caught up in the idea that there are only 5 or so good schools out there.  There are lots more.

*****

Beacon High School

Location Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW

There are some excellent and inspiring teachers at Beacon. My daughter has gotten an excellent education in the humanities -- English and history and the arts. One of her teachers (who has since left) changed her life as a sophomore in his English class. The music department is excellent with so many opportunities for students interested in playing instruments, music production and performing in one of the Beacon bands. My daughter noted that some of the colleges we visited didn't have facilities for music production that were as good as Beacon's. I hear that studio art is also excellent. The humanities and arts departments are wonderful!

Math and science is a bit more spotty. It would have been great for my daughter to have had an inspiring teacher in math and science, as she doesn't gravitate towards these subjects. She did have a great bio teacher and a good math teacher one year, but many of them are weaker than the humanities teachers.

Beacon has taught my daughter how to think, write papers and present them. This is excellent preparation for college work. However, because Beacon is a project-based school, the students aren't tested as much (which is not a bad thing), and some kids have a harder time performing at a very high level on the SAT or ACT. This is not what education should be about, however, this could make it harder to get into very competitive colleges. They also do not have any AP courses in the humanities, a real disadvantage for a student who is not so interested in math and science.

The communication from the school is pretty good. We receive formal feedback twice a year when we meet with the advisor. I like my daughter's advisor, but it may be too late to change course once these meetings happen. Beacon does not have parent-teacher meetings, but when I have reached out to teachers by email, they generally respond.

The workload can be intense. There is a lot of homework, sometimes 4-5 hours a night. Sometimes students have papers due for different classes on the same day, like college. This can be overwhelming for disorganized students and my daughter, while organized, has sometimes been overwhelmed. It is a lot of work.

The social scene is very intense and focused on parties.  Many of the students go to parties on the weekends and I'm sure there is drinking and pot. This seems to be part of the  culture. The parties take place all over the city, as Beacon draws from all 5 boroughs. This is a big change from middle school. I do feel that high school kids do not need to emulate college students this early. My senior student tells me she is tired of the "scene."

In sum, though, my daughter has received a very good education at Beacon. I am not sure where else I would have sent her. No school is perfect.

Did your child use the school's college office?
The college office is well-run and organized, especially given how many seniors they help. They organize many informative sessions at Beacon and there is a ton of information they provide online and through email. Our counselor (they divvy up the senior class into 3 sections so each counselor has a manageable number of students) was pretty fast in her responses to my questions, although most recently it took her @ 2 weeks to get back to me at a crucial time in hearing from colleges about acceptances, wait lists, and so on. I was disappointed and shocked. There is one meeting with the counselor senior year and it was helpful, but I feel that the parents must be organized and drive the process. We will see what our results are very soon. That will be the final word on the Beacon College Office.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Do your research. Think about your child's strengths and weaknesses and whether the school will be a good fit for them. Just because everybody's kid wants to go to "X" school doesn't make it the right choice/fit for your child.

****

Beacon School

Location Hells Kitchen

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
no


Please write a review of your experience

My son is a senior at Beacon and has had a very positive experience. He has been appropriately challenged and the level of homework has been a lot, but not so much that he didn't have time for varsity and club soccer as well as time to lounge around in general. My son is a strong student  but is not a perfectionist so perhaps that's why he wasn't overwhelmed by the workload.

I think the curriculum has been strong in all areas, Math, Science, arts, English, History and Global studies. The teachers overall have been humane and inspired. Everytime I attend an event there, I'm awed by the the sophistication of the curriculum, the facilities, and the general atmosphere of the school.

The extracurriculars have also been excellent and my son enjoyed four years of soccer. However, the soccer program is best for the stronger players; there are more players than spots on the top roster so in some cases it might not be ideal. Beacon sports does seem to prioritize the better athletes, which worked for my son but perhaps not for everyone.

In four years, the only difficult situation that came up in the fall of senior year was a temporary course shortage, but it was worked out to our satisfaction.

I was satisfied with the accessibility of teachers if I needed (I rarely did), but perhaps if someone was having problems in school, it could be a different outcomes.

Overall, my son has been extremely happy with and proud of his HS experience. He will go to a rigorous college being well-prepared by Beacon.


Did your child use the school's college office?
The College Office was good and my son was accepted to his first choice college. Although we did a lot of the research ourselves, they helped us put together a list and were appropriately encouraging. They were speedy in getting transcripts, recs to colleges and responded to time-sensitive emails.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Make sure you are looking at the fit of YOUR child with the school. My younger son is not at all artsy, did not want to commute, and did not want to go to the same school that his brother did. So even though I loved the school, we didn't even put it on my younger one's list. Every child is different and you want to try for schools where they will be happy and succeed. I've seen 6 kids have to leave their challenging schools (Stuy, B Tech, Beacon) because they didn't manage it emotionally so look for the fit between the child and the school. It's better to do well in a less pressured school if they survive intact and are successful. Listen carefully to your student.

Brooklyn Prospect Charter School

Location Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn NY

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
no
TIME TO REVIEW

Please write a review of your experience

My son is a senior at Brooklyn Prospect Charter School and has been in the school since 7th grade. For us, it has been a very positive experience. It is a small school, where everyone knows each other. The teachers have been phenomenal, are very attentive and I like that not only is the student body diverse, but so is the faculty with also a good ratio of male to female teachers.


My son has thrived there and is in the full IB diploma program, not all kids do this. The school is challenging academically for all.  My son is more suited to a smaller school setting and that is something to consider if your child is more sporty and wants the big high school experience. We liked the middle school so much, we didn't even visit or consider moving to another high school as it was the right fit for us.


RIght now the senior kids are going through the college acceptance stage and the kids have been accepted into some great universities. There is a lot of support from the school and the college advisors as we go through this stage.


Did your child use the school's college office?
Yes,  the support of the school for the students and parents is excellent at all times.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
It is really knowing your child and what you think will work for them and where they will be happy if your child thrives in a large school and is organized in that kind of setting, you have more choice when selecting high schools. The number one school in New York is not always the right fit for everyone.

Brooklyn Tech


Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year

Have you already reviewed this school?
yes

TIME TO REVIEW

My son is a freshman at Brooklyn Tech, and he's having a great experience. I was worried about sending him there, especially since he's coming from a small private middle school, but we've both been very happy. Things didn't look so great right at the beginning -- when he got to school on the first day, he hadn't gotten the music class he requested, and he had to spend HOURS waiting in the cafeteria after school to put in a request for a schedule change. It also seemed like he was having to talk to teachers every few days at first because they had entered the wrong grades into PupilPath, the app they use to keep track of grades. But things smoothed out pretty quickly. I emailed teachers a couple of times at the beginning of the year for one reason or another, and heard back from them very quickly. At parent/teacher conferences, I was glad to see that all his teachers really seemed to know him; he wasn't just an anonymous cog in a gigantic machine. 

For freshmen, the kids are grouped together for several classes, so they'll see the same students in English, DDP (the required freshman design class) and science, which makes it much easier to make friends. Within a few days, my son had text chains with kids in all his classes, in case they had any questions about assignments, etc. He also joined the track team, and made more friends there. 

He likes every single teacher he has, which never happened in middle school. I know he must be extremely lucky, and I have seen complaints about some teachers on BT parents chat groups, but so far so good. His math teacher is excellent, he just finished reading The Odyssey in English and said they had good class discussions, etc. etc. My son is interested in math and engineering classes, which is the main reason he wanted to go to Tech, but he also loves English and social studies, and was really excited by things he learned in those subjects in middle school. I was worried that Tech wouldn't be strong in those areas, but he's really enjoying his classes -- and he's finally learning grammar, which is making me happy. I think they could be doing more writing, but that's not a huge complaint. 

There's a decent amount of homework, but not overwhelming. 

As far as I can tell, the school doesn't have much of the typical high school social drama -- in such a big school, who can tell who's cool and who's not? I appreciate that.


Did your child use the school's college office?

We're not up to the college office yet, but the PA has tons of informational sessions about college that have already been helpful.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Even though I know lots of kids with long commutes who are very happy, we've found it really helpful that my son goes to school close to home.

*****

Brooklyn Technical High School

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Biological Sciences
Location Fort Greene

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW
.
My son loves it and I've been very happy with it. Yes, it's a ridiculously large school, but if your child is ok with that, and especially is proactive about seeking out help from teachers when necessary, then it totally works. My son has had mostly good to very good teachers, and has been able to develop real ongoing relationships with them, as well as with the very friendly administrative staff and counselors. because of its size, Tech has a better than average variety of classes, and some amazing resources, including amazing labs and a model courtroom. And there are many, many opportunities beyond classes: clubs, events, internships, etc. The school is also really good about keeping parents informed. They also have great parent workshops multiple times a year, when they bring in experts from many different fields to teach parents about helping their kids with organization skills, everything to do with college from the initial search to financing, teen psychology, etc. Despite its size, the faculty and staff really care and it really does feel like a community.

Did your child use the school's college office? 
We're just starting to go through the process now, since he's a junior. The school is huge, but the college office seems really on top of everything, keeping both students and parents well-informed about the process, deadlines, opportunities, etc. And the college office seems to make itself very available to both students and parents for workshops and general questions.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Go on the tours (and pay attention to deadlines because they fill up). It's important for the student to get a feel for the schools.

*****

Brooklyn Tech

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Architecture major
Location Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more


TIME TO REVIEW

My son (junior) has had a great experience at Tech. He appreciates the large size - it provides tons of opportunities, and lots of people. He likes to be a small fish in a big pond and find his own way. He has found a great friend group through extracurriculars (track). The other kids are focused, smart, and helpful to each other. I have not seen any destructive competitive behaviors; most competition seems to be self imposed. 

Majority of teachers have been great - knowledgable, enthusiastic, and appreciative of the generally high level of student work and participation. He's in the Architecture major, which he likes a lot, but has added a LOT of extra work to his homework load. Freshman and sophomore years the HW wasn't light, but it was reasonable. 

There is a lot of contact from the school in general, but not so much from individual teachers. However, my son has not yet had any particular academic or behavior problems which would necessitate this. PT conferences are productive, and I make my son go with us!


Did your child use the school's college office? 

College office at Tech is highly active. They are a small staff serving a large population and they do a wonderful job. They push a lot of information out to kids and parents. There is not a lot of individual attention, but you can get it if you ask. We are at the beginning of the college search but so far they have been great and very responsive.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Think about what is best for YOUR child as a student, an athlete, a person. Have an open mind.

*****

Brooklyn Technical High School

Location Ft. Greene, Brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
yes

TIME TO REVIEW

My son is his senior year of BTHS. The school is extremely well organized and was pretty helpful with the college process considering the size of the school. Nonetheless, a lot of leg work (no matter which high school your child attends) will be conducted by the family when selecting and applying to college.


Did your child use the school's college office?

They were available to help with the college search, but we did that on our own. They are very well organized when it comes to getting all of the materials to the colleges. They hold several workshops on the college process and are available every step of the way with questions and assistance.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
This is the type of school that is best for a child that is self-motivated.

*****

Brooklyn Technical High School

Location Ft. Greene, Brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
yes
TIME TO REVIEW

My son is his senior year of BTHS. The school is extremely well organized and was pretty helpful with the college process considering the size of the school. Nonetheless, a lot of leg work (no matter which high school your child attends) will be conducted by the family when selecting and applying to college.


Did your child use the school's college office? I

They were available to help with the college search, but we did that on our own. They are very well organized when it comes to getting all of the materials to the colleges. They hold several workshops on the college process and are available every step of the way with questions and assistance.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend
Q9What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
This is the type of school that is best for a child that is self-motivated.

*****

Eleanor Roosevelt High School

Location Manhattan UES

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW

My son has had some very good teachers at Eleanor Roosevelt (ElRo). The English teachers have been excellent and he loved his Global AP teacher, who also leads Model UN. I would say that we are pleased with the quality of most of the teachers, I can't remember any who were not good. The school seems very balanced -- strong in math and science, but also English and history. There are also economics courses (AP and non) in senior year. ElRo grads will have had 4 years of science and math, as well as English and 3 years of history and a foreign language. Finally, ElRo does have good art teachers, and there is a film course that my son enjoyed. So the arts are fairly strong there for an academic HS.

The school is a small, cozy, clean Upper East side school. The vibe is more UES than Brooklyn, so as a Brooklyn parent, I didn't feel I had as much in common with the population. It seems to draw mainly from the East side of Manhattan. The PTA sometimes holds meetings and events during the day, which are impossible for working parents to attend. The first college meeting was at 7 AM (!!), which made it seem as though only parents in the immediate neighborhood were considered. Still, my son is happy there,  he has friends and I feel that he is getting an excellent education.

The principal is very active, tweets, and emails the week's calendar every Sunday night. He has been good dealing with difficult situations and I feel that he is calm and fair. 

The teachers have been responsive to emails for the most part and when my son wasn't doing as well as we thought he should, we did go into meet with his teachers. I feel like they know my son. There are 2 parent-teacher conferences where parents have to sign up for 3 minutes with each teacher. It's a little crazy, but you can always email teachers.

Finally, there is a lot of homework at ElRo and a lot of tests. A lot. This hasn't been too much of a problem for my son, and frankly, the tests have helped prepare him for the ACT/SAT. There are also a lot of opportunities to take AP courses in all areas.

Did your child use the school's college office?
There is one college counselor for 125 seniors. She is very organized and she requests that the kids get their applications done 2 weeks before the due dates to ensure that all of the materials will arrive on time. As far as I know the materials did arrive on time. She sends out a lot of information and remminders by email and she is very prompt in answering questions. She is a good resource, but she has a lot of students to advise.  So far our experience has been good.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Make sure that you honestly evaluate your child and choose a school that is the right fit. If he or she isn't a good test taker and can't handle a heavy load of HW and tests, ElRo may not be the right fit.

*****

essex street academy

Specific Program or major (if applicable) general
Location lower east side

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
no
TIME TO REVIEW

Please write a review of your experience 

This school works pretty well for my child.  He has an iep an some organizational challenges and the teachers have been really great with offering lots of time to get one on one help.  The teachers are very knowledgeable, responsive and genuinely care.  It is a consortium schools so they don't take the regents.  Instead they have project, presentations, and papers.  You can see all the up to date info on their JumpRope online site, and the teachers are quick to return emails.]   

The school is part of a larger campus, Seward Park, and they offer many sport activities including, swimming, volleyball, basketball, baseball and more.  The roof top was redone so there is basketball, soccer and a great area to relax. Schools share using the area via a schedule.

Essex also has a variety of clubs including one started by students and a professional from an ad agency.  They formed a group called League of Inspiration that acts like a mini agency and explores activities outside of the school that are inspiring and have also built their own student kiosk. They could use a few more STEM activities.


Did your child use the school's college office? 

The college advisor Meghan is really great and sends out info monthly on so many programs throughout the city.  She is very knowledgeable in trying to find a fit for students.  The school is part of college bound which students take in 11th grade.  They also do college trips for juniors and have recently added trips for freshmen and sophomores .  She did a morning meeting for all grades to pick her brain on a slew of college related topics.
     They are constantly improving upon the school and have partnered with the parents association in getting more communications out and parents to participate.
   They could improve on having more demos from projects for parents to see.  Overall the school is a good fit for students who like a progressive style with structure, later school start time, and also outside lunch.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Sometimes small is good.

****

Frank McCourt High School

Location Upper West Side, 84th btw Columbis and Amsterdam

Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year
TIME TO REVIEW

Teachers love to recommend Frank McCourt High School. It has a challenging, ambitious and interdisciplinary curriculum. Everything ties together. Math and science are taught together, looking at natural selection in butterflies using correlations   There is a humanities class that combines literature and social studies, for example looking at Greek history and archetypes through Homer's Odyssey. Like many ambitious schools, they cover a lot of topics I remember learning in college, but they do it in ways that are accessible to high schoolers. For example, students use story webs to lay out the elements of a narrative until they are able to go straight to essay writing. Most teachers are young and energetic, but I do wish there were more gray hair about the place. Teachers don't teach to the test. Instead they focus on developing new, interactive lessons. There is lots of group work and plenty of room for individual research, with an afterschool club dedicated to scientific research projects. 

Frank McCourt is a small school -- 403 kids -- and they put a lot of effort in ensuring that every kid knows each other, at least in passing. The principal takes care of most of the administration herself, which leaves more resources for teaching, but has its downsides. It shares the former Louis Brandeis building on the Upper West Side with three other schools, which means they also share sports teams and some other after-school clubs. But the school, which requires an essay and an interview to screen applicants, is getting increasingly competitive as word spreads.  

What I like most about Frank McCourt is that it feels like a high school, in an era when many could better  be described as college prep. There is homework every night, but a lot is medium-term, which leaves time for kids to organize themselves to hang out after school in Central Park, or chat by phone at night, and develop socially. My daughter is flourishing there in ways I couldn't have imagined, making a broad range of friends, learning to respect difference in a profound way, exploring new interests, and becoming ever more confident about who she is.  She left her very good, private middle school, aware that she was better in history and English, and steering away from math and science-based schools. Now at Frank McCourt, she has developed a keen interest in medicine and feels it's within her grasp, especially after going to meet researchers with her classmates at a major NY medical school. 

The school is committed to taking a range of students and my daughter in the beginning was frustrated that some kids seemed too cool for school. But I hear less and less about those kids and more about the variety of bright sparks at the school. The school sends several kids to Ivies and other good schools each year, but I can't speak to the college process as my daughter's in 9th grade



Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
I'd say it's that you can't micromanage the HS admissions process and not to waste your top choices on schools that draw mostly from feeder schools outside your district. All of the High Schools I saw were good, but not all were right for my daughter.

*****

Frank Sinatra School of the Arts

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Film & Media
Location Astoria, Queens

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
no
TIME TO REVIEW

Please write a review of your experience

FSSA is a small school and that has positive and negative aspects. Positive because, as a small school, even the Principal knows my son, and there is a family atmosphere. Teachers know the students, no one falls through the cracks there. They use PupilPath (a web application) so parents can see grades and assignments as they happen. Parent Teacher Conferences are a breeze because there is time to see all the teachers, even if it's just for a few minutes. That was impossible at LaGuardia, a much larger school that my daughter attended, the lines were long and the place was chaos during conferences. Sometimes I had to go to both conference days so I could see most of the teachers.

The negative side of being a small school is felt in the lack of options in terms of languages and AP classes. They offer only Spanish, and only for 3 years. A far cry from what they offered at LaG. The flexibility and wide options are just not available at smaller schools. There are 9 AP classes available at FSSA, but there are restrictions as to which year students can take the classes. AP Literature and Composition, for example, can only be taken by Seniors. And AP Art History is only available to Art students. You can only take AP classes if you have an 85 or above on the subject the previous year (as in most schools). They do have College Now classes available in Junior and Senior year, but as my son is currently a Sophomore, I don't have experience with the process.

FSSA requires each student to do 60 hours of community service in order to graduate.

Students are not allowed to go out to lunch, they eat in the cafeteria. The student body is very diverse.

The FSSA building is gorgeous and the facilities are A+.

The day starts at 7:50, which is 10 minutes earlier than most schools. I find it kind of cruel, but my son has adjusted well. He has no problems getting to school on time. In his first year he even got to school early so he could hang out with friends. The commute is 1 hour door to door. We live in Park Slope and he takes the G to the M and gets out on Steinway street. 

I think it's very important for a student to really love their talent because they will be studying it intensely for the four years of High School. There are a lot of after school rehearsals/filming that are part of the curriculum. Finding that you are not really interested in the studio you're in could be a major burden. 

Frank Sinatra has one of the only Film & Media talent majors in the city, and most likely the best. Kids learn all aspects of the Film industry and have about 8 classes per week on the subject.

Not counting the talent/studio classes, the curriculum is standard and the workload is light. My son went to Mark Twain for middle school and he says that FSSA is an easier school. He likes that because he hates homework, but I worry he is not being challenged enough. Most teachers my son has had at FSSA are good, whereas at LaG my daughter has some really problematic teachers. But that may be luck of the draw. His English teacher this year is particularly inspiring. 

In general I'm very happy with the school. I absolutely recommend it if it's the right fit for your child.



Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
If the school has events, like a musical, dance or theater performance, try to go and speak to the kids in attendance.

****

High School of American Studies

Location Bronx

Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year

TIME TO REVIEW

My daughter generally likes the school. She has had trouble adjusting to the work load. The social atmosphere is very good. My biggest disappointment has been that there seems to be a greater proportion of “bad” teachers than in any other public school my children have attended. I expected it to be the opposite at a school with such a great reputation. 

Both of my kids went to PS 87 and Computer School. My son went to ISchool and then boarding school after 9th grade. In all of those years, there were less than a handful of “not great” teachers, and none were really awful. 

My daughter has 2 teachers who she and her classmates describe as not teaching the material - she needed a tutor and says that is true for many of her friends. 

She has a third teacher who is outright mean. I had thought the stories my daughter relayed about horrific things done to other students had to be exaggerated. Surely no teacher would outright make fun of a student in class - or rush them in the middle of taking a test. Then I met this woman at the conferences. She made me cry.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend


What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Go with your gut about the feel in the halls.

*****

Institute for Collaborative Education


Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW

Caring teachers who are available for the kids and parents.  They use Jupiter Grades to let parents know what is going on weekly, although there are sometimes issues with work being handed in and teachers not entering it, but no doubt that is part of the humanness!   Inquiry based, Grade 6 through 12 school, so while it is where my  two children have attended high school, it built upon their middle school experience.
They have an award winning Jazz band.  Debate program is very competitive and the Science program is very good, with teams chosen every year to go to NYCSEF and there are always at least one team who reaches finals.  (competing against schools with classes of several hundred students such as Bronx Science and Brooklyn Tech and Stuyvesant, each graduating class at ICE is between 60-70 students).
Down side is the range of courses to choose from, not a huge choice of electives. My child who is not "Arty" doesn't like not being able to choose outside of music or Art. No AP classes, but graduation requirements are Project Based Panels where students have to present in front of teachers, students, professionals and parents with knowledge in the subject. 
Small size means the staff knows everyone.  The principal, Pete,  is very involved and students have an adviser and stay with their advisory class during the year. Advisories change each year.  Staff informs parents of issues and there is a Family feel to the school.  Teachers respond to emails and work with families when there are issues.  Lots of room for Parent Involvement as well.


Did your child use the school's college office?

College Adviser is very involved with all of the students in Junior and Senior year.  She meets with each family in March of Junior year and students attend a weekly class on preparing and applying for college.  They help with the search and applications.  With my older child, there was very little for us to do as parents.  Adviser also helps with the writing of essays and really gets to know each child well.  Because there are only 60 or so students, individualized attention is given to each person.  The adviser works nights and weekends attending to the needs of students when the crunch is on, and will go out of her way to call colleges on the behalf of students to get their needs met. My eldest was accepted in every college she applied to, just starting the process with my second child.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Go with your gut.

*****

Laguardia arts high school

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Drama
Location Upper west side/Lincoln Center

Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year

 TIME TO REVIEW

The teachers seem very skilled, my daughter is engaged and learning well. The school uses pupil path to communicate info about my child. It is manageable and informative. I am very aware of my child’s progress. So far facilities seem supported. As a specialized art school there are more resources focused at the school. 
One difficult situation happened early fall, the school handled it a bit awkwardly but mostly seemed to protect the students ta involved, tho it was not clear st the time if it wasn’t more concerned with protecting the school. Overall, it actually appeared to be taken care of well keeping all parties safe.



Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Trust your gut. If something doesn’t feel right, trust that.

*****


LaGuardia

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Art
Location Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
no
TIME TO REVIEW

Please write a review of your experience

We've been very excited to be part of the LaGuardia community.  We chose it over another strong arts program (at Murrow).  In part this was to get out of Brooklyn and engaged with a more city-wide and  a better known nationally institution.  We have been very happy with the art studio so far.  It is true that the art studio, although the biggest in the school, can feel a bit less central than some of the performing arts.  But I have never heard my son say that; I think it is more of a parent thing.  Academics are a disappointment.  Although the newish principal has promoted academics as being a natural partner in all arts and performance education, the classrooms are very test-focused.  In English I have been stunned by how few books they read, and how little they write.  (Confession - I went a private day school in Connecticut, so obviously my experience was very different from a huge urban public high school).  The materials covered in the regents world history are interesting, but the survey nature of the course means it is all very dizzying, and I wonder if it would not be better to focus on smaller subjects; this is a criticism of the curriculum, not the school.   My son has struggled academically, and it takes a very squeaky wheel to get attention. He ended up with an unhelpful counselor (the word is they focus more on the college process than on the day to day needs of kids), but in the end was able to identify a different math teacher to transfer into.  I guess that was an important learning experience for him.  That said, we have gotten letters (emails) alerting us to our son's problems from teachers, as well as communications noting successes.  Grade information is very available on pupil path.  Our son did not pursue a language after the first year (as an arts school Laguardia is exempt from the regents requirement).  He didn't mind (to my regret) and it freed him to take a great elective in human geography that has really engaged him.  The day is very long (@ 8 to 4) which leaves little time for extracurriculars.  All this sounds negative, which is not my son's perspective at all.  He loves the school, loves (most) of his teachers, volunteers, has made friends, and is glad to be in a place where art is valued.  Laguardia is the first high school (in NYC? in the US?) to have a Parents and Friends of Lesbian, Gays and Transgender students - as opposed to a student group.  Parents meet monthly to discuss the issues facing their children, and themselves as parents.  Laguardia created multi-stall all-gendered bathrooms.


Did your child use the school's college office? 
From year one there have been forums on the college process, and particularly on the different searches relevant to the disciplines at school.  Until last year there was a counselor dedicated to helping students get into art and design schools, and there continue to be workshops on readying students for that specialized application process.  I imagine there are similar programs for conservatories, etc.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Many schools with a specific focus may have traditional teaching to the test academics.  Are you willing to overlook that or compensate by providing additional tutoring or enrichment outside the classroom.

****

LaGuardia High School

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Visual Arts
Location Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?
no, he or she already graduated in June 2017

Have you already reviewed this school?
yes

TIME TO REVIEW

Please write a review of your experience 

My child graduated in June 2017 and she loved her time at LaGuardia, despite some frustrations. She always said, though, if a kid doesn't love their talent, they are going to be unhappy. It's a lot of time if you are not really into it. As a parent, I was always glad that LaG had a balance of art and academics and treated young people, for the most part, with respect.

I reviewed the school in 2016 and now we have some hindsight with the college process. A few things to note: 1) the art education is amazing and now that she is in college (a BA/BFA dual degree program) she can appreciate how well prepared she was in the arts. That said, a lot of popular art teachers left under Dr. Mars which not only hurt the program but made it more stressful to get college recommendations. 2) I do think my daughter was appropriately challenged academically but I think the reputation of LaG not being an academic school may have hurt her in college applications. (She had a 99% average BTW). My son who went to Brooklyn Tech had a much lower GPA and better acceptances, though of course there are many factors.


Did your child use the school's college office? 
My daughter connected with her guidance counselor regularly, and I let her drive the process. I had wished there was more support it creating the college art portfolio or even answering parent questions about it. I believe a PTA initiative was started this year to help support that more.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Although it's hard to decide, try to pick a place where your child will be happy and successful for the next 4 years. Trying to figure out how to position them for college is mostly a gamble. Listen to your child: If your child is invested in a place, they will be more motivated to do well there.

****

Fiorella LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Instrumental Music
Location Upper West Side, Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
no
TIME TO REVIEW

Please write a review of your experience 

LaGuardia is terrific where you would expect it to be: in the performing and fine arts and technical theater. As far as I have seen, the academic subjects are well-taught, as well. The student body is a fantastic group, and I have found the teachers to be involved and responsive. The homework is manageable if your child is organized, and there is tutoring by the teachers in school during lunch if your child has questions. My child his happy with his choice and I think that whatever else happens, he'll have had a unique and amazing high school experience.

That said, there are negatives. One is that LaGuardia, despite its claim to be a dual mission arts-academic school, because of budget, scheduling and a "it's not required in an arts school anyway" attitude, it does not guarantee more than one year of foreign language study to its students. That the school pushes AP classes for its A students but locks non-honors students out of a whole area of academic study is problematic to say the least. (The suggestions that students can learn a language on their own are not particularly helpful.)

Another negative  is that LaGuardia is a big school and so, unlike many smaller schools does not have advisory or much other support for the kids other than individual teacher efforts (the guidance counselors are good, but have a huge number of students each), so if you anticipate that your student may struggle academically or otherwise, keep that in mind. (They have added a partnership with a mental health organization, which sounds promising, but I don't think that solves more mundane, day-to-day problems.)

The administration can be inflexible and nonresponsive, although there are individual exceptions.

That said, if your child is passionate about or even really enjoys his avocation (music, fine arts, drama...), then I think it is hard to beat the LaGuardia experience.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend

****

Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Vocal Music
Location Upper West Side

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
yes
TIME TO REVIEW

Please write a review of your experience 

My daughter is in her senior year, and her time at this high school has been transformative. She has grown from a girl who liked to sing into a skilled and knowledgeable musician, and she's going on to study music in college (she auditioned and was accepted into more than one program). It's a big school, but the vibe is very accepting. Kids can (and do) wear anything without fear of judgment, and they are very supportive of one another's creative endeavors. The only fly in the ointment is the principal, who micromanages everything from admissions to spirit week, and who seems intent on sabotaging the arts focus by eroding the teachers' morale. She is roundly disliked by students, parents, and alumni, and seems intent on pushing academic standards ever higher and squeezing out the arts. So far the spirit and dual mission of the school endures, but keep a close eye on her and hope for better.


Did your child use the school's college office? 

The college office is a bit of a dead end, but the in-house visual and performing arts college fair was wonderful. The only thing I really ever heard from my daughter's guidance counselor was that she had too many students to work with anyone individually or with specifics. They do open up Naviance, and they did ask for a "brag sheet" from parents so that they knew what to write in the recommendation letter, but I would be really surprised if my daughter's guidance counselor (the 3rd in 4 years) could pick her out of a crowd. They certainly didn't sabotage our college application efforts, but I would say count on doing everything yourself.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
If your child is passionate about their art form and wants to be with likeminded peers and can manage a long school day in a giant school, this is the place.

****

Midwood High School

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Medical Sciences
Location Brooklyn, NY

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW

There is a wide variety of classes and afterschool activities. Students must be self-motivated to find this out since there are no homerooms. There is not one place or one teacher they rely on to help them navigate the school.

There are no lockers so everyone must carrying their belongs all day, from class to class. So not only backpacks and coats/scarves/snow boots but also sporting equipment. The halls are packed between classes as it is but add on that students are carrying football, baseball, lacross equipment, it gets hazardous.

Lunch can be scheduled at any time. Daughter has had lunch at first period and third. Midwood tells you that student are permitted to eat their lunch during any class, with teacher approval, but in reality no teachers give approval. In essence, this means many students get no lunch period.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend with reservations

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Trust your child to know what they will be comfortable with.

*****

Millenium Brooklyn High School

Location Park Slope, Brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW

My son transferred into MBHS from a non-public special ed school so our story is a little different than most. But he was ready for the move and MBHS supported him completely, even recommending he make the move mid-year. MBHS continues to support what has become a very successful high school experience. It's a small school with high academic standards, excellent teachers, wonderful guidance staff and advisory program, and a warm social scene with sporty kids and quirky kids happily coexisting. MBHS shares the building with other small schools without conflict. There are metal detectors left over from when the building was one large high school (apparently easier to install than remove in a DOE school) but the kids seem to take it in stride. Every time we're there (for parent/teacher conference, pre-college workshop, etc.) we leave saying out loud - we love this school!


Did your child use the school's college office? 

We're just starting the college process but so far it's very impressive. Our older child went to Tech where there were online resources but we were pretty much left to our own devices. MBHS is completely different - very hands on. We've attended parent workshops that have been substantive. Every child has a family meeting with the college advisor where they go over resources and begin to map out college choices, etc. The college advisors have also been available for other parent-requested meetings when we've had questions. All students work on their college essays at school in their advisory periods and can submit their essays to the college advisors for edits/comments. All in all, we're so happy to have this level of support from MBHS.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Forget about whatever school is the "in" school right now. Go to open houses and look at the work on the walls. Find the place that feels right to YOUR kid.

*****

Millennium Brooklyn High School

Location Brooklyn, NY

Is this the school your child attends now?
no, he or she already graduated in June 2017

TIME TO REVIEW

Excellent curriculum that improved all four years that my daughter attended. She was pushed academically and was able to take challenging courses. By the time she graduated, the AP offerings had grown significantly and there was a lot of competition to get in those classes. The extra-curricular offerings were diverse and she took full advantage of them all four years. 

We were impressed with the high caliber teachers and their devotion to the school. My other child attends a competitive private school and I would put the Millennium staff easily on par with the teachers we see there.

Love the advising program. My daughter is still in touch with her adviser, and they have both left the school! That's how much of an impact that program had. They really get to know the students and provide guidance and input. My daughter also got a lot out of being around the upper class students when she was just starting out, and she felt she was able to pay that back as she got older.


Did your child use the school's college office? 
I was impressed with the college office. They gave my daughter great advice on some schools she hadn't considered and how best to approach the standardized tests. I really appreciated that they were encouraging and positive about her reach schools but also gave her some good target schools to think about. She ended up very happy with the results.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

*****

Millennium Brooklyn High School

Location Brooklyn, Park Slope

Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year

TIME TO REVIEW
We are two-thirds of the way through our first year at MBHS, and both of my boys (twins) have settled in well. We love the diversity of the school, the high standards of learning, the convenience (



Freshman year the class travels together in the same classes. I don't know if this will continue, but it means there are fewer opportunities to get to know kids outside of your class (there are 6 classes per grade). They do mingle in advisory, a group that will stay together with their advisor for all four years.



This is a small school, but even so there are many options for sports and after school clubs.





Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend



What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Don't be swayed by popularity, and look at each school for the specific features that are important to you and your child.



*****

Millennium Brooklyn High School

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Humanities
Location 237 7th Avenue - Brooklyn, NY

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW

The Millennium Brooklyn High School was created based on the model of sister school Millennium Manhattan. We love the class sizes, inclusiveness, dedication of the teachers, administrators and PTA. After hours subject matter assistance is available with teachers on a daily basis (unbelievable teacher/ administrator support). Excellent AP choices and college readiness. We also love the small group advisories that begin during freshmen year and continue through senior year with the same 12-15 students and Advisor.  Freshman attend an annual (September) overnight trip to Frost Valley, as a bonding, get to know one another experience. There are myriad distinctive extra-curricular activities and clubs, such as (Music, swim, social justice, GSA, running, Chess, robotics, math, art, writing, photography, drama... to name a few) All PSAL sports such as Cross country, track & field, basketball, fencing, etc. are conducted with sister school Millennium Manhattan.

Millennium Brooklyn has an extremely diverse student body where friendships are easily made. Whether your child is introverted or extroverted, has siblings or is an only child, there is always a feeling of community. Additionally, there is a strong focus on community service / volunteer hours which is easy to make apart of your child’s activities. 

Our daughter loves this school. She’s been in music club, plays piano and guitar, is on the cross country and track teams, and mentors. Additionally, we couldn’t be happier with her academic performance, the teachers are definitely qualified and amazing educators. The principal is qualified, supportive, engaging, and stays in constant communication with parents and students. School staff  knows every student by name. We love the test prep, college readiness and teacher availability, among many other positives.

I was a bit concerned about the metal detector. However, its not a problem, students don’t complain and it’s much less intrusive and quicker than an airport screening/scan (walk through). It also adds a sense of safety that I didn’t realize we would come to appreciate in our country’s current climate.


Did your child use the school's college office? 
College advisement begins in freshman year. My child is currently a Sophmore so all advisement is conducted through her Advisor. During Freshman and Sophmore years, college visits, discussions, and thinking about career interests begin. During Junior year, she will have actual college guidance meetings to begin college processes.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Allow your child to decide the best fit for themselves and make sure they are able to communicate why to you. Does your child thrive in a class of 35 students or much less? A large school of 3000 or a small school under 700? Enjoy teacher accessibility or prefers to move under the radar? Also, make certain he/she meets the schools minimum requirements (85 average,  3’s and 4’s on state tests, attendance).

*****

Millennium Brooklyn High School

Location Park Slope Brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year

TIME TO REVIEW

The school is really awesome.   The teachers are generally excellent and really engage with the students.    The advisory program is excellent for the kids also socially and to provide a network of support for four years for the kids.     The options for the classes are great and offer a great range of challenging AP classes and general classes.     The communication with parents is also great and the school is really on top of talking to parents about key issues.  

The school is small enough that the teachers and administration get to know the students.   The student body is a great mix of diverse and engaged students.   

The school also does a great job of incorporating inclusion and supporting kids with IEPs.   The school also offers enough challenging/AP/classes to offer variety for kids who want to take more advanced classes. 

The school seems to co-exist with the other schools in the building without issues. 

Also, the school has a lot of sports teams and great extracurricular clubs and activities.


Did your child use the school's college office? 
We haven't used the college office yet since my son is in 9th grade.   We have heard that the college counselors are great.   Also, the advisory program stays with the same kids and advisor for all 4 years and they do work on the college application process together which is great for support.     Also, the school seems to have a great track record of placing kids in great schools.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Go to the open house and talk to current students and families who have kids at the school.

*****

Millennium Brooklyn HS

Location Park Slope Brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
yes
TIME TO REVIEW

My son is now a junior at MBHS, and he has had 3 great years. I cannot say enough good things about this school. The teachers are engaging, challenging, accessible. The culture is friendly and nurturing. My son has an IEP and he has flourished here. The school is small so the number of electives offered are somewhat limited -- but still interesting. Lots of clubs with good levels of participation. Travel club members go on a trip abroad each Spring Break. Lastly - the principal is a strong educational leader - teachers like and respect him as do the students. He's also a really good guy - welcomes input - and very accessible.


Did your child use the school's college office? 

We've just started the college process and so far the college counselors have been great. I've been told by parents of seniors that they got a ton of support. Office seems to be very well organized. Kids have advisory 3xs a week and after winter break - college counselors begin pushing into advisory once a week. They work with kids on their college essay with goal of having a good draft complete by June.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

*****


Millenium Brooklyn High School

Location Park Slope

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
no
TIME TO REVIEW

Please write a review of your experience 
We have been very happy with MBHS for the past 1.5 years. Our son receives a lot of individual attention and has excellent teachers. Many classrooms have two teachers. There is a nice variety of classes, after school activities and sports.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Pick the right school for your child, not the "in" school.


****
edward r murrow

Specific Program or major (if applicable) music institute; mstar

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more
TIME TO REVIEW

Some great teachers, a few meh and one poor. Big school--scheduling is a nightmare.  

Always met with the teachers at every parent teacher conference--they always new my kid well.  My son was in the honors program, so a school within a school, as is the Music Institute. 

Personally, I would skip the MStar if I had to do again. Better to do honors science and then either intro engineering or computers, but those are new. Mstar takes up a lot of time and doesn't amount to that much. 

Very warm and supportive teachers and staff.  Liked our guidance counselor a lot. 

Murrow does a lot of things really well-chess club champions, amazing theater productions that so many kids can be part of, robotics.  But they have very little in the way of boys' sports.  

The Music Institute is awesome as is Drama. 

Very diverse too.


Did your child use the school's college office? 
Just beginning to do that this year.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Just to know your kid and consider what they will take advantage of while at the school. One plus--if you go to a small high performing school, you can have a great experience but there is a lot of competition coming out when looking at colleges if all are going to the same place.

******

Edward R Murrow HS

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Music; Art (2 children)
Location 1600 Avenue L

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW

Overall we are very happy with Murrow. Most of the teachers are good to very good. A few are burnt out or plain weird. The Music Institute is wonderful and has been a great fit for my older girl. The Art Institute seems very good although one female teacher is kind of a BS artist.
I think the ELA and SS departments are particularly good, as is Music. Foreign Language is a bit hit and miss.
Most of the staff does seem to care about the kids, and even the school security officers are pleasant and very helpful. The principal, Mr. Barge, seems on top of things.
The musicals and SING are great fun, and I am glad there are some sports teams!
This is not the school's fault, but it is criminal that the City has NOT finished renovating Midwood Field across the street. Murrow and Midwood HS students suffer.
Also was not happy about the lead in the water level. But the cafeteria renovation was very good.


Did your child use the school's college office? 
It is good but over-burdened. To be honest, I think Ms. Monaco could be nicer. But she probably needs a few more staff members, that's why.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Speak to lots of people about schools: parents, kids, teachers, etc.

*****

Edward R Murrow

Specific Program or major (if applicable) vocal
Location Brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
yes
TIME TO REVIEW

Murrow's a huge school that feels cozy (once you find your way around). Being in a specialized arts program helps enormously. Academically it's as challenging as you make it--our child has had some very good classes with very teachers and some 'rocks for jocks' type of classes. Students are talented, involved, and artsy. This is not a school with "in" crowds--there are simply too many kids for that. Brooklyn-only, but from every corner of the borough. Very few NYC high schools offer a well-rounded education like this, with emphasis on arts as well as academics. It's usually either/ or. Not at Murrow.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Let your child lead the way--don't go for prestige if it's not the right fit.

*****

edward r murrow high school

Location Brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
no

TIME TO REVIEW

 Please write a review of your experience 

Great specialized programs for drama, music and art.  High level, but not as high as LaGuardia. 
Great, huge and well done musical theater productions that are open to entire school to participate in (crew, costumes). 
Honors program is small (which I don't really understand) and seems to include only a couple of hundred kids. 
Humanities courses seem especially good but there is variation as at all schools. 
Some teachers in Stem are great (math, bio, chem). 
Mstar is overrated and variable depending on teacher--may be better to skip it and save that time period (2 periods required).   They have added intro to engineering and computer science now. 
They excel at many other things: chess team, robotics, ping pong team, volleyball.  Very little boys' sports teams. 
Big school but feels small within the screened programs. 
Has some administrative wrinkles--schedules are often messed up at the beginning of the year.


Did your child use the school's college office? 
Just about starting this now.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Know your child and where they would thrive.

****

Edward R Murrow High School

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Art Institute
Location Brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year

Have you already reviewed this school?
no

TIME TO REVIEW

Please write a review of your experience 

This is a huge school, which is both a positive and a negative. My daughter is in the Screened Art Program at Murrow, and chose it over LaGuardia - we don't regret her decision. 

It has taken quite some time for her to begin to feel comfortable at Murrow, but because of her personality this would have been the case anywhere. However, the school overall has a very friendly vibe, and feels warm and like a safe place. The size has the benefit of making it totally impossible for any "it" crowd, so the social pressure is oddly reduced. There simply are too many different kinds of kids. There is also a wide variety in terms of classes and programs kids can be involved in - also a plus of a large school.

The teachers are mixed. The good ones are excellent, and the rest are fair - we haven't had any horrible experiences yet, so pretty standard I think. The school administration and staff in general are very open and engaged, and always responsive and friendly.

We had one bullying instance which the school handled immediately and with sensitivity. It was quite impressive, and I believe there is a genuine desire to keep Murrow a safe and friendly place.

A more progressive academic style would make Murrow perfect, but we knew what we were signing up for, and while academics are fairly standard and traditional, my daughter is learning a lot.



Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
As everyone says, know your kid. Even a child with anxiety can make it at Murrow, but it will take patience. There are tons of options at Murrow, but the child ultimately has to be willing to seek them out.
****

Edward R Murrow High School

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Music program and Honors
Location Brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year

Have you already reviewed this school?
no
TIME TO REVIEW

Please write a review of your experience 

ERMHS is a large urban high school with a variety of students from all walks of life.  However my son's honors teachers outshine the teachers from his other subjects.  The workload is intense and the standards are high for the honors program.  The problem is that the non honors classes are Bad.  Every non honors class he has taken (except for foreign language) is taught by a teacher who is overworked stressed and teaches at a level below grade with even less expectations for the students.  The music program is excellent but the guidance counselors often have a hard time scheduling both the music requirements and academics together.  The school tries hard to communicate with parents but teachers often do not check email or PupilPath and an emphasis is placed on communication with Asst. Principals which can feel uncomfortable.  I have found that no teachers nor guidance counselors make time to meet parents also.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
This school requires a lot of advocacy on the part of parents!

***

NEST+m

Location NYC

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW

We live in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. My son, Ben, was accepted to Staten Island Tech and NEST going into HS. We decided to go with NEST because I liked the parents, private school environment, and the fact that it’s in the city. 
We are happy with the school. He likes it, and he likes the teachers. The classes are challenging. My son took AP physics and AP World history last year, and this year he’s taking AP Calc, AP US Hist, AP English. The teachers are very dedicated and many have tutoring hours before and after classes. My son is on a basketball team and he takes a jazz class. I’m also very happy with their college office. They hold plenty of workshops for kids and parents, take them on college tours, invite colleges to NEST . 
The only thing that’s missing for me is field trips and travel abroad, but I think many schools are limiting travel now.


Did your child use the school's college office? 

My son is a junior, so for now the college office is holding workshops, helping students with Naviance, taking them on colkege tours, etc. I hear from seniors that they are great with recommendations, application support, etc.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Get your child involved in the decision-making process.

*****

Notre Dame

Location 327 West 13th

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

Have you already reviewed this school?
no
TIME TO REVIEW

Please write a review of your experience in the box provided:Try to give some specific information about your experience-- what you liked and disliked (if anything) and include feedback on things such as::----Skill of teachers----The facility and programs offered----How the school dealt with difficult situations ----Feedback you received about your child's progressIf you've already reviewed this school, please include what changes, positive or negative that you've noticed since your last review.
As is true for many schools, mixed bag with teachers.  There are brilliant teachers, very good ones, and a few that are less involved.   The tone is generally very kind, easy to communicate with teachers.   The facility is great, lots of light, large classrooms, science lab good, art room good, gym, lunch room all comfortable.
Where the school has excelled for us is how they handle difficult situations.  THey have been very responsive, kind and supportive.   feedback again depends on the teacher.  
but you have easy access to teachers and can get what you need.


Did your child use the school's college office?
THey are very informative and listen well.  they help with all aspects and I think as good as you are at asking questions is how good they will be.    
the counselors have very caring natures and seem very motivated to help your daughter succeed.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Your comfort with other families and administration.

****

PPAS

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Dance
Location Midtown

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more
TIME TO REVIEW

The pros of PPAS are that it's a nice small school. It's a friendly environment. The performing arts are strong. We are in the Ailey program and it's an amazing program. The kids get to perform every year unlike some other schools. The academic teachers are hit and miss, but the benefit for us thus far is the smaller class sizes. Communication from the school has been getting better, but the administration is very approachable and available. If your child is really into the performing arts, it's a great choice.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
PPAS is for people who prioritize the arts first, and want a smaller, more familial learning environment.

*****

Stuyvesant

Location Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW


Stuyvesant has everything. For the most part, teachers and administration staff are great. We’ve had a couple of dud teachers, but have figured out work arounds so they don’t have too much of a negative impact on my child.


Did your child use the school's college office? 

We are not at that stage yes, next year. However, we’ve reviewed a great deal of info on what to look forward to next year.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Do your research well before applying. Do tours, talk to parents and kids currently attending and alums. Don’t wait until your child is accepted to start asking about the school.

*****

Stuyvesant

Specific Program or major (if applicable) N/A
Location Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?
no, he or she already graduated in June 2017

Have you already reviewed this school?
yes
TIME TO REVIEW

Stuyvesant is not for everyone, but for a self-motivated teen who wants to be there, it offers tremendous opportunities, a wonderful peer group, and a well-rounded education. Its reputation is as a STEM school, but the humanities are strong enough that my child is talking about majoring in English or history in college. Those two departments in particular are among the school's finest, with a deep bench of experienced teachers and a curriculum that, contrary to the rumors we'd heard, offers solid and imaginative writing instruction. The math curriculum is intentional and well thought out; the quality of the teachers was mostly very high. Surprisingly, the science departments seemed among the weakest; with the exception of one superb physics teacher, the instruction was rather lackluster. The music program is excellent. Class sizes for the most part are at the contractual limit, but the teachers get to know the kids quickly and well. 

I've heard that guidance counselors could vary, but my child's counselor was truly wonderful. We had help from the college office when we needed it and probably could have asked for more. 

With regard to the rampant rumors of cheating and cut-throad competition, I can only say that this was not my child's experience. Most classes had a Facebook group (they may have moved on to other forms of social media by now), and kids were helpful with posting notes if someone was absent. There was a real sense of collaboration, and students were encouraged to edit one another's English essays or help each other out with math problem sets. At the same time, the school attracts kids who are driven and want very badly to do well. But I never saw back-stabbing; the kids seem really supportive of one another, and the competition seemed friendly. 

It's true that grades matter at Stuy, most notably as gateways to the Advanced Placement classes. The school as a policy that limits the number of AP classes one can take at a time based on overall GPA and sometimes in a particular department, i.e. admission to AP Chem might stipulate a minimum grade in regents chem. It's also true that some of the very best teachers are in advanced classes, but there are plenty of gifted teachers who prefer the younger students. For the past year or two, the school has been trying to ensure that every child gets to take at least one AP class, even if it means bending the rules about minimum GPA. 

The peer group is pretty wonderful. The work ethic among the students is so impressive, and beyond that, most of them are smart, thoughtful, and decent people. It's a special place, and we felt so very fortunate that our child was able to go there.


Did your child use the school's college office? 
We did use the college office, and they were extremely professional. While the caseload is quite high, my questions were always answered on that same day. They do several presentations at various points in the process. Many students are handling the college application process on their own, as their parents don't speak English, so we felt that we didn't want to take up more resources than we needed. But they get the job done. The guidance counselor writes the overall recommendation (in addition to the two teacher recommendations) and we did feel that my child's GC knew him very well and probably did an extremely good job with this.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Check out the schools' websites, particularly course descriptions, issues of the school newspaper--whatever you're interested in. This sometimes gives an inside perspective.

****

Stuyvesant high school

Location Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year

TIME TO REVIEW

​Our daughter is a freshman at Stuy and came from Mark Twain.  The facilities are excellent, as are the programs that are available. There is a huge amount of activities and academics.  The communication with parents is very good, especially if you can make the time to attend the various meetings and sessions (I cannot often do this).  There is a crazy detailed newsletter that goes out every week which is a bit arduous to read but filled with tons of information if you take the time to go through it. They also have an amazing resource for helping kids find opportunities outside of school during the year and in the summer months. You have to be organized and focused to figure out what makes sense but they have incredible options.  

In this first year, my daughter has had some fantastic teachers -- inspiring and engaging and just really high quality teaching in history, english, biology and math.  She also has had some not great teachers such as in music (a required subject for freshman) and math team (didn't love the teacher there though he clearly knows his stuff).  Her Spanish teacher is very solid, but she was very disappointed that they no longer offer Italian.  I hear that it can be difficult figuring out what to take going forward and that not all kids get their top choices but we haven't been through that process yet.

I have had several interactions with the administration.  First, my daughter's bio teacher in the first semester was providing huge quantities of homework and wasn't providing much guidance about what was expected. For example, they were asked to put together outlines of chapters. My daughter could spend 5-6 hours doing one chapter yet it would only count for 2 points.  After I attended meeting with the principal and others, and I and other parents were complaining about this particular teacher, they clearly communicated with her and she definitely got the message so I appreciated that. The homework load didn't change, but she provided more specific examples to the kids of what was expected which helped my daughter refocus her efforts.  

In my second interaction, my daughter was overwhelmed the first semester even after having a pretty heavy homework load at Twain, and where she was used to spending as much time as she wanted on homework -- hours and hours.  When she got to Stuy, the big adjustment was figuring out how to change her study habits to be more effective and efficient especially as she also was continuing her big outside sport which was taking around 25 hours a week (so that was a huge drain on time).  Anyways, she had gotten on to math team but it was clear this was not her passion and by the end of October I had convinced her to quit. It was an elective. She asked the teacher, who passed the request on to the department head and on to the principal and they said no - she had to wait till end of January.   This was despite the fact that I had engaged with her guidance counselor at least 3-4 times to discuss how unhappy my daughter was (even enrolled her in the SHSAT again which she ultimately didn't take - in her mind she thought Brooklyn Tech might have been the "perfect" place for her). I spoke to staff about the decision and found the response frustrating. I was basically told that being on math team was an honor, and a privilege.  Yet, for my daughter this was contributing to her struggling at school and I felt that Stuy should have at least explored this a bit more. It wasn't like there weren't other kids who would fill this slot.    It was a big deal for her to ask for this (she doesn't like to quit) and Stuy made it harder. In the end, I would have appealed to the principal but my daughter didn't want me to so she stuck it out. Things are much better now and she is much happier.  Has made more friends, and become more engaged in additional activities which I think is key for feeling part of the school.  I don't find it competitive among students just that many of these kids are super driven so it is frustrating when they are not at the very top in all their subjects despite working like crazy.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend with reservations
​Totally depends on your child.  Must be super self motivated and driven and be willing to commit to the intense homework load.  I also think if you can have a freer schedule to begin with that helps. Kids I know who didn't have any extracurriculars when starting had much more ability to cope with the homework and get a decent amount of sleep.  ​



What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

​Know your kid and what they want, and what they can do, and try to understand the school as best you can by visiting and ideally talking to a couple other parents but make sure you understand those parents' values -- they could be completely different from yours.​

*****

The Urban Assembly New York Harbor School

Location Governors Island

Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year

TIME TO REVIEW

Very difficult commute since if you miss the boat, the wait is between 30 min. to one hour.
The teachers and staff are not committed to the students; as if they don't care at all about them.  It is a school where all mediocre students, many, many with special needs, hope to get in. The level is extremely low, and there is barely any homework. Therapists are scares, as they do not want to lead with such a hard commute. The extreme passivity of the teachers and staff is so strong, that the amount of drugs and other illegal substances are outrages.
The principal is in denial, and the school has a high number of students that have attended juvenile detention.  The students are rude, and the vocabulary used is very vulgar. It is common students have unappropriated sexual actions while in class, and the school guard is often called to deal with not cooperating students. The school does not likes parents, and the fact the school is in an island filters parents to go to the school.  
Teachers are young and inexperience, as if this would be a time to be in waiting of a better school.
The service provided to Special Ed students is very weak and light.  Only few students are able to attend after school activities, and nobody cares if students don't get to attend after school activities. Though, there is a lot of favoritism to certain students. Teachers rarely communicate with parents.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Do NOT recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Be realistic about the student academic level, and ability to perform in school.

*****

New York Harbor School

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Marine Biology
Location Governor's Island

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more
TIME TO REVIEW


The New York Harbor School provides many amazing opportunities for motivated students, via the CTE programs. The campus is beautiful, the building is spotless, and there are no metal detectors. Security at the ferry terminal is friendly but rigorous, which I like very much. Teachers are on a first name basis with students, and the principal is young, energetic, friendly, and smart. Though many teachers are in the early years of their teaching career, they are obviously devoted to their students and the school mission. The parent coordinator is a superstar communicator. Because the school is not academically selective, it does seem to struggle a little with the challenge of meeting a wide range of academic needs. The CTE leaders help with this challenge. As an example, the Marine Biology director runs a highly rigorous program and demands a lot of his students.It does seem that this is not a school for kids who need a lot of structure and/or external motivation, but it's great for self-directed, independent learners.


Did your child use the school's college office?

My child is in her junior year and is just now starting to interact with the school's college office, so I don't have much to add here.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Stolen from Joyce Szuflita: find a school where YOUR child can be successful.

*****

Xaverian High School

Specific Program or major (if applicable) Honors
Location 7100 Shore Road, Brooklyn, NY

Is this the school your child attends now?
Currently in our first year

TIME TO REVIEW

We love Xaverian.  My son is in the honors program, which is academically accelerated.  The school credited his Regents exams from middle school, and placed him in geometry and chemistry as a freshman.  He is on track to start AP courses in sophomore year.  The school issues iPads to the students and maintains a webpage to access grades, school calendar, sporting events, etc.  We have found the teachers to be knowledgeable, very supportive and helpful; emails are answered the same day.  They have an amazing music program and STEM program.  They foster a supportive environment.

Q7
Did your child use the school's college office?
We had a freshman college meeting that explained the process, but he is too young for all the rest.


Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Trust your child’s opinions; they have to attend for four years.

*****

Xavier High School

Specific Program or major (if applicable) NA
Location Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

TIME TO REVIEW

I have two sons at Xavier, a senior and a junior.

--Counselors and college counselors are available, excellent, give thorough advice and council.
--Teachers know their subject material and are happy to be teaching at Xavier.  It seems to be a good environment for the teachers and that trickles down to the students.
--Problems with my child were addressed fairly and quickly.
--Problems with teachers were also addressed fairly and quickly.


Did your child use the school's college office?

Xavier has a excellent college guidance office.  They recommend college guidance starts junior year, but they have information for parents (and students) available freshman year. They were willing to meet with my husband, son and me at the end of junior year to discuss his college opportunities as well as his current Xavier life.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
This is an all boys Catholic school.  It's not for everyone.  You must be a boy to attend, but you don't have to be Catholic.

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