Considerations for Kicking Off the Kindergarten Admissions Process
Considerations for Kicking Off the Kindergarten Admissions Process
This post was guest-written by Admit NY, our friends and leading admissions consultants in New York City. Reach out to Admit NY for support with your family’s kindergarten admissions journey (or nursery school, high school, and everything in between!).
Is your child getting closer to kindergarten? Living in NYC, kicking off their educational journey might seem overwhelming; there are hundreds of school options, whether public or private, and it’s notoriously confusing to decide on the best path for your child. Early preparation is key to minimize kindergarten admissions stress - and there are a few key considerations that you can consider now to ensure a smooth admissions process in the future.
Self-Evaluation: How to Begin Choosing a School
It’s very common to wonder where to even begin when you approach the kindergarten admissions process. Let’s keep it simple: your first step is simply to check in with yourself and your family to reflect on what you’re looking for in a school. Here are a few of the factors that you should weigh:
Public versus private schooling - and relatedly, cost
Distance from home, and/or the distance you’d be willing to travel to get your child to school; are you open to moving to be closer? Will you need school-provided transportation?
Class size and overall size of school
Diversity of the school population
School philosophy and teaching model: teacher-led or child-led curriculum, group work versus independent work, interdisciplinary learning, etc. Progressive, traditional, and Montessori are common educational approaches used across NYC schools; our article here further describes how to evaluate these models.
Level of parental involvement in the school community
For private schools:
Endpoint - K-5 or K-12
Testing (two private schools in NYC require outside testing for admissions)
Single-sex versus co-ed
Religious affiliation
Uniforms
While you’re reflecting, it’s also a good idea to begin evaluating your family values and how your child seems to interact with the world. Ask questions like:
What type of learner is my child?
Is time spent outside an important factor for my child?
How does my child interact with other kids of mixed ages?
Is there a school philosophy that resonates with our family?
What was my early educational experience like, and how am I seeking to replicate or change that for my child?
If your child has been attending preschool or other programs, you could also seek input from their teachers or preschool director for additional perspective.
It’s a good idea to begin a journal or other document to note your thoughts on these factors and questions, so you can refer back to them as you move through the admissions process and continually refine your thoughts on the ideal school for your child and family.
Birthday Cutoffs: When Will Your Child Start Kindergarten?
Assessing your child’s birthday and deciding which year they’ll enter kindergarten is one of the foundational steps of your kindergarten admissions journey. This consideration is closely linked to your decision on private versus public school (see above), because birthday cutoffs work differently between private and public.
Here’s how to decode your child’s birthday relative to private and public school birthday cutoffs:
Private school: Schools have varying birthday cutoffs, so it’s always best to research your specific schools of interest to make sure you’re aware of their guidelines. But in general, private schools most often want students to start kindergarten after they’re already five years old. That means that if your child’s birthday is between January and August, they’ll start kindergarten in the fall of the year in which they turned five. If your child’s birthday is between September and December, they’ll start kindergarten the fall of the year after they turn five (meaning they’ll be nearing their sixth birthday when they start kindergarten). Private schools may offer a bit of flexibility on these policies depending on your child’s birthday and other circumstances; you can always ask to see what their recommendation would be for your family.
Public school: NYC public schools accept students in the year of their fifth birthday, no matter when their birthday falls (January through December). That means that some children might already be five when they start kindergarten, but others might start when they’re four and turn five that fall. There is no wiggle room in this policy.
Remember: Prioritize Fit Above All Else
As you begin reflecting on your priorities for the admissions process, it’s critical to keep in mind that fit is the most important reason to select a kindergarten program. We define “fit” as an educational environment where your child is learning, growing, and thriving - which, for most children, can happen at a variety of schools and isn’t necessarily tied to factors like public vs. private, traditional vs. progressive, close vs. far, etc.
Based on our experience with the common misconceptions and anxieties that parents have when they approach the kindergarten admissions process, here are some important truths to remind yourself:
Focus on where your child is right now, not five years from now. While it can be intimidating that some schools offer K-12 pathways, making it seem like you have to make a perfect decision right now to determine your child’s next 12 years - remember that you have the opportunity to re-evaluate at every step along the educational journey, and that your family’s “fit” may evolve over time. It’s impossible to predict the future: just focus on what your child needs right now.
You have a very wide range of school options - that’s a good thing. You don’t need to find the singular school that feels the best; in fact, you’re actually very fortunate if you think many schools feel right. Don’t worry about choosing the single best one until you actually have to matriculate based on the admissions offers you’ve received; until then, just remain open-minded and lean in to finding “fit” at any number of schools.
Relatedly, don’t be too narrow-minded when initiating this process. However large your list of options may be, consider making it bigger, especially at the start! Try not to eliminate schools right off the bat based on one factor that seems misaligned, or because you’ve heard something about the school from another parent. Give yourself the time to explore options yourself and come to your own conclusions, even if you surprise yourself by changing your mind about what “fit” might mean!
Don’t get caught up in prestige. It’s easy to get lost in a sea of statistics, rankings, anecdotes about student’s life successes, etc. - remember that there is no “best” school in NYC, just the best school for your unique child and your unique family. This process is like dating - you’ll have your own distinct type that may or may not be similar to everyone else’s, and your goal is to find the best mutual match.
Your number one goal before diving fully into the kindergarten admissions process should be to spend a good bit of time reflecting on and discussing your child’s needs and educational priorities. The more confident you can feel about knowing your child’s and your family’s needs, the more prepared you’ll be to consider all of your options, submit applications, and find the best-fit school!
Take the guesswork out of admissions! Admit NY is a comprehensive resource for families looking to make informed decisions about their child’s education. We limit the number of families we work with each season, allowing us the time and flexibility to give individualized attention to each and every one. Reach out today to learn about our admissions guidance services for nursery through high school students.
