NYC Pre School Tips
Timeline:
Summer before you will begin the application process (for the year before your child begins school)
Research stage:
- Read books about schools (for example: Victoria Goldman’s Manhattan Guide To Pre-Schools and Clara Hemphill’s New York City’s Best Public Elementary Schools (some have pre-Ks) )
- Join the Parent’s League and read their material, take advantage of their seminars and advisory service
- Talk to friends who have children in pre-schools
- Go on the Internet
- Attend The Big City Moms Pre School Seminars (they are offered all year long)
- Look into the different styles of schools (Traditional, Progressive, Reggio-Emilio, Parent Co-Op, Montessori, Religious or a pre-school that is part of an on-going school) and think about which style best suits your family.
Organization stage:
- Put together a list of schools that you are going to apply to with email or telephone information needed to contact them
- Have a card with your pertinent information on it if others are making calls/going on-line for you with child’s name, birthdate, your names, address, email and phone information
- Have a recent photo of your child ready for applications that request that
- Make sure if you truly want your child to go to school a year from this September to have a list that is varied and wide reaching. For example most Church and Temple schools take from their own constituancies first so If you do not belong to that organization you usually have less of a chance of getting in. If you do belong to a Church or Temple it does not mean they will necessarily take your child, sometimes you have to have belonged for a certain amount of years to be considered. And at the end, it should say, the good news is that NYC has so many fabulous schools, be smart, be prepared, be organized and be open and it usually works out!
Application Stage:
- Contact the schools you have selected the Day after Labor Day, or whenever they have asked to be contacted. For most ISAAGNY (Independent School Greater Admission Association of New York)
- Fill out and file applications immediately
Tour stage:
- This varies from school to school, but is primarily in the fall
Interview stage:
- This also varies from school to school, but is usually late fall and through the end of February