UES: 92 Street Y, Episcopal (these are the "big 2"), Temple Emanu-El, Brick Church, All-Souls, STMPG, The Madison Playgroup. Those are all the tippy-top (aka Baby Ivies).
Some other great, connected schools are: Westside Montessori, The Washington Market School, Park Children's School, First Presbyterian Church Nursery School
Keep in mind that ongoing schools have been purposely trying to diversify and expand the preschools (and even daycares) from which they draw, so it may be to your advantage not to attend a "TT" preschool unless your family/kid really stands out and you can be sure that the PSD will advocate for you.
I would agree with the caveat that a connected or at least "in the know" PSD is... pretty much essential unless you are a URM. They might not all broker but they'll make sure everyone gets in somewhere, will be able to push if an interview doesn't go so well, will have ongoing schools into the classroom to see the children in a place that's comfortable to them (obviously not now though) and will know how to help "package" your child and yourself for best results.
@anonymous DC is at a great NYC private from a neighborhood daycare (our first choice - not legacy - not URM). Maybe we are an anomaly, but I think overall, most daycare families don't even apply to private (at least at our daycare). But it is possible!
A TT preschool pretty much guarantees you will get into at least one ongoing school. They have enough pull with some schools. However, if you are TT or bust and you have no other connections, you will have a harder time standing out.
Yes, a PSD will advocate for you and make sure you are not lost in the shuffle, but you will be up against siblings, legacies, and well-connected/well-educated/wealthy families as a general rule. Also, applications for K have been on the decline for the past several years, particularly to non-TT schools, so it's not as common these days to get shut out completely so long as one applies broadly.
I think the top ones are tricky bc so many kids are legacy at trinity etc, so you really won't have a chance there unless you are also a legacy or very connected. We are applying to k now so we'll see how it goes. We are at a great preschool now but not one mentioned above.
I can't help but mention our favourite Litlle Scholars daycares in brooklyn. Actually, all the centers are located in Brooklyn. So, my recommendation can be useless to you. Anyway, I will share my review. I hope, somebody who lives nearby will find it helpful. This preschool has four educational programs for different age groups. Those programs prepare kids for school and give them initial knowledge that is necessary for an elementary school. I did not expect my son to be so smart after he finished the daycare. Now he is a scholar. And I wonder how easy he deals with all his homework! Honestly, I think about changing school to a more difficult one.
Hello, dear! I just want to say thanks to you for helping me! I probably do not know what I am talking about. But your post helped me to choose the best daycare ever. At first, I thought it was advertising. But I decided to check those Little Scholars daycares in Brooklyn. We live next to Brooklyn. But we could not find anything worthy to put our kid in. So, I contacted One of the Little Scholars centers. They agreed to take my kid. I was so happy to hear that! I hope everything will be great.
UES: 92 Street Y, Episcopal (these are the "big 2"), Temple Emanu-El, Brick Church, All-Souls, STMPG, The Madison Playgroup. Those are all the tippy-top (aka Baby Ivies).
Some other great, connected schools are: Westside Montessori, The Washington Market School, Park Children's School, First Presbyterian Church Nursery School
Thanks! For the UES ones, do they feed into all of the TT/2T/etc privates or are certain ones better for progressive/traditional independent schools?
"Big 2" is a new one for me! Did you just make that up?
@anonymous Yes! Well, I made up the name but I would say those are considered the two best/most-connected preschools in Manhattan.
Keep in mind that ongoing schools have been purposely trying to diversify and expand the preschools (and even daycares) from which they draw, so it may be to your advantage not to attend a "TT" preschool unless your family/kid really stands out and you can be sure that the PSD will advocate for you.
I would agree with the caveat that a connected or at least "in the know" PSD is... pretty much essential unless you are a URM. They might not all broker but they'll make sure everyone gets in somewhere, will be able to push if an interview doesn't go so well, will have ongoing schools into the classroom to see the children in a place that's comfortable to them (obviously not now though) and will know how to help "package" your child and yourself for best results.
@anonymous DC is at a great NYC private from a neighborhood daycare (our first choice - not legacy - not URM). Maybe we are an anomaly, but I think overall, most daycare families don't even apply to private (at least at our daycare). But it is possible!
A TT preschool pretty much guarantees you will get into at least one ongoing school. They have enough pull with some schools. However, if you are TT or bust and you have no other connections, you will have a harder time standing out.
Yes, a PSD will advocate for you and make sure you are not lost in the shuffle, but you will be up against siblings, legacies, and well-connected/well-educated/wealthy families as a general rule. Also, applications for K have been on the decline for the past several years, particularly to non-TT schools, so it's not as common these days to get shut out completely so long as one applies broadly.
I think the top ones are tricky bc so many kids are legacy at trinity etc, so you really won't have a chance there unless you are also a legacy or very connected. We are applying to k now so we'll see how it goes. We are at a great preschool now but not one mentioned above.
Preschool is so neighborhood dependent. Where do you live?
Which preschools are connected to which ongoings?
I can't help but mention our favourite Litlle Scholars daycares in brooklyn. Actually, all the centers are located in Brooklyn. So, my recommendation can be useless to you. Anyway, I will share my review. I hope, somebody who lives nearby will find it helpful. This preschool has four educational programs for different age groups. Those programs prepare kids for school and give them initial knowledge that is necessary for an elementary school. I did not expect my son to be so smart after he finished the daycare. Now he is a scholar. And I wonder how easy he deals with all his homework! Honestly, I think about changing school to a more difficult one.
Hello, dear! I just want to say thanks to you for helping me! I probably do not know what I am talking about. But your post helped me to choose the best daycare ever. At first, I thought it was advertising. But I decided to check those Little Scholars daycares in Brooklyn. We live next to Brooklyn. But we could not find anything worthy to put our kid in. So, I contacted One of the Little Scholars centers. They agreed to take my kid. I was so happy to hear that! I hope everything will be great.