abacusmom Uncategorized

What NYC Families Say After Working with a Private School Admissions Consultant

I often say the real measure of my educational consulting work is not what happens during admissions. It is how families feel about their decisions once they are on the other side. Today a former client introduced me to close friends whose child is entering the kindergarten process this fall. She wrote:We shared how much … Continue reading What NYC Families Say After Working with a Private School Admissions Consultant

abacusmom Brooklyn Private Schools

Brooklyn Preschool Embezzlement Shocks Parents

The recent KinderHaus preschool scandal in Brooklyn—where a former director is accused of embezzling millions in tuition—has understandably shaken parents. In 27 years of practice, I told Erin Hudson at Bloomberg, I’ve never seen a case quite like this: a school director indicted for embezzlement. It’s extraordinary—and unsettling. But it also highlights something families need … Continue reading Brooklyn Preschool Embezzlement Shocks Parents

abacusmom Manhattan Private Schools, NYC, NYC Private Schools, NYC Public Schools, Private Schools, Public Schools

NYC Families Navigate a System That No Longer Works for Everyone

Troy Closson’s New York Times piece, Rising Costs and Competition at NY Private Schools Have Parents on Edge, offers a clear view of how New York’s school system actually works. Families with resources move smoothly through the process, while everyone else is left navigating a system that is opaque and uneven. There is no exaggeration … Continue reading NYC Families Navigate a System That No Longer Works for Everyone

abacusmom Admissions, Kindergarten, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, Private Schools, Riverdale Private Schools, Westchester Private Schools

The End of the “Common Calendar”? What It Means That Top NYC Schools Have Left ISAAGNY

In a meaningful shift that hasn’t gotten enough attention, Horace Mann, Ethical Culture Fieldston, Riverdale, Collegiate and Brearley have left ISAAGNY and are no longer following the shared admissions calendar. That calendar used to create some order in an otherwise stressful process—everyone applied, heard back, and decided on roughly the same timeline. Now, these schools … Continue reading The End of the “Common Calendar”? What It Means That Top NYC Schools Have Left ISAAGNY

abacusmom NYC Private Schools, Private Schools, Westchester Private Schools

Why AI in NYC Private School Applications Can Backfire

Artificial intelligence is here with a vengeance, and many NYC private school applicants as well as NYC private school admissions officers are using it. The problem is that AI is very easy to spot. I asked one client if she wrote her thank you note using Chat GPT because it was blatantly obvious. Yes, she … Continue reading Why AI in NYC Private School Applications Can Backfire

abacusmom NYC Private Schools

Abacus Guide NYC Private Schools Fall News

Continued concentration in demand for private schools as families consolidate their interest in the most competitive schools and some less competitive schools suffer. Manhattan Country School faces foreclosure. Calhoun and Metropolitan Montessori are in their second year after a merger. Packer's ex-baseball coach accused of molesting 7 Packer students. This is just a few weeks … Continue reading Abacus Guide NYC Private Schools Fall News

abacusmom Manhattan Private Schools, NYC, NYC Private Schools

A Note from an Abacus Guide School Consulting Client

Hi, Emily! Many, many years ago when our son <Name> was only 2, you helped us navigate the private school landscape. I remember sitting in a conference room across from you like it happened yesterday. It's hard to believe he's going into the 5th grade at <top Manhattan school> -- time really does fly!  Although … Continue reading A Note from an Abacus Guide School Consulting Client