HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST NYC PRESCHOOL FOR YOUR FAMILY

New York City Pre-K For All placements came out last week - and the city immediately announced that applications for Round 2 were now open. (Doesn't say a lot for their confidence that you'd be happy with your first choice, does it?)

For all the parents who've come to me asking for help picking the best preschool for their family, please check out the following resources:

5 Ways To Decide Which NYC Pre-K Is Right For You via Mommy Poppins

Bill de Blasio's Universal Pre-K Program: Neither Free, Nor Full Day, Nor High Quality via New York School Talk

Podcast interview with two veteran NYC preschool teachers, one private, one UPK, about how a good school prepares your child for Kindergarten admissions:



Raising Your NYC Bright Kids Webisode: What Parents Should Be Looking For on a Preschool Tour



Good luck and make sure to reach out to me at AlinaAdams@gmail.com with follow up questions!

CHOOSING BETWEEN GIFTED & GENERAL ED NYC SCHOOLS

New York City Gifted & Talented scores came out last week. (For tips on how to get your child ready for testing next year, click here.)

Because so, so many more kids test gifted then there are G&T seats available for them, many parents, especially those of children who only qualified for District, rather than Citywide programs, are coming to me asking if a gifted program is worth it.

Here is an interview with a mom who opted for District G&T over General Ed: 

While this is a mom who turned down G&T in favor of a General Ed progressive option:

Finally, for those who either didn't qualify or didn't get into the G&T they wanted this year, this is how you reapply for next year:

And for every parent who asks me, "What's the best school?"

My standing answer is, "The best school is the school that's best for your child."

Have questions about your particular situation? Reach out to me at: AlinaAdams@gmail.com.

Good luck!

TEST PREP FOR NYC KIDS

Is everyone in New York City getting their kids prepped for Gifted & Talented testing, state testing, or middle and high-school admissions?

No.

Are lots of people in New York City getting their kids prepped for Gifted & Talented testing, state testing, or middle and high-school admissions?

Yes.

This post explains why the tutoring epidemic is actually making it harder to judge the quality of a school, as outside test prep can obscure kids falling through the cracks. Read it at New York School Talk.

Meanwhile, the below video reveals the true cost of a good NYC education - if you factor in prep - for K-8:

And for High-School: