With the increase in kindergarten applicants to Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Riverdale private schools and the opening of a well-funded new school (Avenues), schools are:

  • Releasing applications earlier.  Many NYC private schools for the first time released applications over the summer, relieving the post-Labor Day crunch.
  • Imposing character counts on essays.  Apparently, there is only so much admissions people want to read about your 4 year old.  1000 characters is a typical limit for an answer.
  • Releasing applications online.  This trend really took hold in 2010 and naturally it is here to stay.  Get comfortable with InfoSnap.
  • Asking questions like tell me about your child, what are your concerns about your child, and why are you interested in this school.
  • Asking for a picture, and sometimes a family picture.

Good luck!