Claremont Prep has reason to celebrate today. In The New York Sun, reporter Elizabeth Green gave a very positive account of the school’s progress in attracting students and administrators, and its plans to open a new high school in Sept. ’09. If I worked at Claremont, I’d put the article in my admissions materials and on my bulletin board!
One point I want to add to the one I made in this article. While they don’t announce this, I know that Claremont takes kids with a wide range of ERB scores. This is a valuable service, and to Claremont’s credit. As admission to private school has become increasingly and ridiculously competitive, private schools use this so-called IQ test as a screening device and almost all schools are sadly requiring higher and higher scores. The poor child who doesn’t perform at her best on the day of her exam, who has her developmental growth spurt at 6 rather than at 4, who was never exposed to copying block designs, etc., still has a chance to get into private school thanks to Claremont. The school has opened up the seat supply end and for now needs to take a broad range of students to fill the school. Particularly with the overcrowding now at the downtown public schools 234 and 89, many families appreciate having the Claremont option with its attendant small classes and well-trained administrators.
More good news? The seat supply will increase further soon with the opening of the new school Nations Academy.