If you’re hoping to optimize your child’s chances of admission to the top private high schools in New York City — like Horace Mann, Trinity, Dalton, Collegiate, Riverdale, and the like — it all starts with earning admission to the top kindergarten. Yes, we did say kindergarten! So, what can you do to give your child the best chances of earning admission to NYC’s top finger-painting schools? And what should you avoid doing? Let’s dive in!

Admission Interview and Testing Tips for NYC Kindergarten Applicants

Top Seven To-Do Tips When Applying To NYC Kindergartens

1. Read with your child. If your child is one month old or already in Pre-K, reading with your child daily can help improve attention, vocabulary, critical thinking, and pre-reading skills.

2. Learn how to ask your child great questions to engage them in conversation and improve comprehension. 

3. Choose a variety of books. Sure, Mo Willems’ Pigeon books, The Gruffalo and Dragons Love Tacos are fun, but if your child has specific interests (e.g., witches and cauldrons, weather, Megladons, Antarctica, sea turtles, superheroes, dinosaurs, subway trains, lighthouses, planets, knights, red-tailed hawks, volcanos) help your child “research” to learn more. Along with your child, find books to read from the library, watch videos/age-appropriate documentaries together, visit museums with relevant exhibits, and talk about what you both learn.

4. Explore print concepts as you read, and your child will start to notice how sounds and words you say match the text. Pause to allow your child to fill in predictable or rhyming words.

5. Math Matters. Early on, engage your kids every day with counting, numbers and math concepts.

• Give your child a handful of macaroni and request 20 pieces for your recipe. Counting from 1-20 is essential, as is pointing to each piece of macaroni and giving it a number. This is known as 1:1 correspondence, which is also important for reading (we say one sound for most letters).
•  Play board games with dice.
•  Build patterns with small toys.
•  Teach your children to write and recognize numbers 1-20.
•  Help your child learn basic 2D shapes.
•  Ask your child simple word problems involving addition and subtraction (e.g., “If you had 3 lollipops and ate 1, how many would you have left?”).

6. Build Social-Emotional Skills. Arrange for your preschooler to have drop-off playdates, invite new friends over, and try different drop-in classes to allow your student to get used to new settings.

•  Practice for online assessments like First Looks Insights (FLI). Have a family member speak with your child on FaceTime or read your child a book over Zoom.
•  Your child should practice wearing headphones.

7. Begin preparing in the early spring for kindergarten interviews and testing.

Top Five Not To-Do Tips When Applying To NYC Kindergartens

1. Assume your child’s preschool is teaching them everything they need to know for success at kindergarten interviews.

2. Begin preparation a week or two before interviews/testing.

3. Choose a school you want for your child vs. one where your child is a good fit.

4. Assume that your younger child will be admitted to the school where your older child/children go to school or where you are an alum.

5. Only apply to top-choice schools. Formulate a balanced list of schools with your preschool director.

Assistance with NYC Kindergarten Admissions

Ivy Coach does not offer assistance with the kindergarten admissions process. Come to us in seventh grade! But we highly recommend Stephanie Sigal of Say and Play Family to serve as your trusted guide as you navigate the churning waters of admission to the top institutions of higher finger-painting in New York City.