Accessing Private Schools at Any Income

It's about that time of the year in which many parents are applying for interviews/ play dates at Independent Schools (private) across NYC.   In a very diverse city like New York, many things seem to be out of reach for many parents, such as a good education for their children.  What many parents don't know is that there are various programs available to help them along the way.  

As a hobby, I love to research various things (weird, I know).  I find out about things under the radar and I find myself researching about things for months at a time, depending on how well it keeps my interest.  

When I was pregnant, I started researching schools throughout NYC.  One of the first things I notice was the price tag that went along with sending my soon to be child to one of these schools.  I was in shock, especially since it was going to cost me more than my undergrad and graduate tuition combine by the time my child would reach middle school!  Keep in mind, I went to private schools for both of my degrees...

After my sticker price shock, I put this search on the back-burner for another few years until my son was nearing preschool age.  I searched high and low for the "Right-Fit" school for my son.  Prior to preschool, my son was receiving Early Intervention Services for speech and occupational therapy.  I wanted to ensure whichever school he attended, they understood his needs.  In addition, I needed it to be within my financial scope.   

I researched and toured several schools for my son but it was one school that stood out amongst them all.  It was a wonderful Montessori School with a very enriched early childhood development program and most importantly, it was as diverse.  

The parent body was very prominent in the school and I loved that they interviewed perspective parents, not an admission personnel.  The bonus for me was the fact that this school had an AMAZING scholarship fund that was started many years ago to ensure that quality early childhood education was accessible to all families, no matter their race, color, creed or financial status.

 Although I loved everything about the school, the caveat was the fact that there was an admission process and you never know how your child will perform at the play date.  Thankfully all went well and my son was admitted into the school and we received a very generous scholarship!  


It's very understandable that many parents don't know where to start when it comes to being able to afford private schools.  The Momgician is here to add a little magic into your life.  Below are a few resources available:

TEAK Fellowships:

http://www.teakfellowship.org

• Be enrolled in sixth grade at the time of their application
• Attend a public or parochial school in one of the five boroughs of NYC and be a NYC resident
• Earn 90% or above in all classes
• Obtained a 3 or 4 on the 5th-grade ELA and Math New York State Test and/or scored in the 90th percentile on other standardized tests taken in the 5th grade
• Come from families with financial need
• Provide proof of academic merit and family income
• Be citizens or permanent residents of the United States
• Must have strong attendance and punctuality records

The Oliver Scholars Program:

http://oliverscholars.org

• Be of African or Latino descent; 
• Carry a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 90% in sixth and seventh grade in Math, Science, English, Social Studies and Foreign Language, with no score lower than an 85% in any subject;
• Have a combined raw score of at least 600 on NYC Math and ELA exams, with no score lower than a 300;
• Be an active participant in extracurricular activities;
• Demonstrate leadership potential through school and community involvement;
• Have a strong desire to achieve success and contribute to society.

EARLY STEPS:

http://www.earlysteps.org

• EARLY STEPS serves families of children of color.

• EARLY STEPS  work with families whose children will be entering kindergarten (age 4 by August 31st of the year they apply) or first grade (age 5 by August 31st of the year they apply).

• Families must be able to bring their children to schools located in the NYC boroughs of: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island or Tarrytown NY.  
  
  

Prep for Prep:

http://www.prepforprep.org    

Each year, over 600 New York City-area schools nominate their top students of color for a place in Prep for Prep through the Talent Search, Prep’s competitive admissions process.

• Approximately 6,000 candidates who scored in the 90th percentile or above on statewide English Language Arts and/or Math tests are nominated by their public, charter, or parochial schools and screened by Prep.
• Based on initial testing, about 1,000 students progress to the Second Level, which includes individual educational testing, teacher recommendations, and interviews.
• About 125 candidates are accepted into Prep for Prep (fifth- and sixth-graders for day school placement) and approximately 75 are accepted into PREP 9 (seventh-graders for boarding school placement).