Preschool education is a must and the most expensive day-cares in New York City pull out all the stops to ensure their students get the best possible skill set at an early age. But how much tuition are upper class parents willing to pay for an exclusive preschool and what makes these schools so outstanding? Well, for one, many offer highly developed curriculums that include a wide range of activities like learning to play an instrument, foreign language lessons, mathematics, and cooking. The science behind this high-expectation strategy is to create a competitive advantage for these children in their future school careers, as well as in college.
However, as prestigious and popular as these day-cares are, the admission process is extremely strenuous and stressful, especially for the parents. Much like the 10 most expensive boarding schools in the world, which we presented in a previous article, the applying children go through personal interviews, school tours, and standardized admission tests. And in many cases, parents are required to present references supporting their kids’ many talents or abilities, in order to land one of the few open spots. So, let’s take a look at the crème de la crème of toddler education, the most expensive day-care in New York City.
7. Grace Church School
Annual tuition: $39,200
Located on 4th Avenue, this beautiful church house educates Junior Kindergarten classes by the standards of racial openness and world peace. A traditional East Coast establishment, this day-care is associated with New York’s Episcopal Grace Church, religious home to some of the wealthiest families in the big apple. A peculiarity is the school’s Peace Marches, which it stages regularly in favour of racial diversity.
6. The Calhoun
Annual tuition: $39,860
Parents hoping to raise their children in an eco-friendly and artistic environment will definitely try their luck at this preschool. The building, formerly known as the television building, on the Upper West Side’s 74th Street has several stories and features a rooftop, which has been converted into a learning center. Here, students learn how to plant flowers and herbs, in addition to playing outside with a view of the city. Furthermore, the school educated its students in healthy eating by giving them organic juice popsicles. Ben Stiller is one of the Calhoun’s most famous alumni.
5. British International School
Annual tuition: $40,600
With a student mix of British and American children, this school is a relative newcomer amongst New York City’s Ivy League day-care centers, as it only opened its doors in 2006. However, it’s highly popular due to its fusion of the academically rigorous British National Curriculum and the International Baccalaureate program, which is considered an updated version of the Progressive method. However, like most British schools, all children are required to wear a uniform.
4. Columbia Grammar
Annual tuition: $39,900
Known as the grandmother of all New York schools, Columbia’s trajectory dates back 250 years. Although its curriculum doesn’t feature any particularly distinct characteristics, it does teach chess skills to its toddlers, likely with the intention of educating them in strategy planning and thinking ahead.
3. Horace Mann
Annual tuition: $41,150
Founded in 1878, this school is the second oldest day-care institution in New York City and has been the home to many famous alumni like Jack Kerouac and James Schlesinger. One of its most interesting features is the outdoor nature laboratory in Connecticut, where pre-schoolers can learn through direct contact with their natural environment. However, the school has lost some popularity since its dark headlines in 2012, when rumours about several instances of sexual abuse came to light.
2. Avenues: The World School
Annual tuition: $43,400
The newest Ivy League preschool opened its doors in 2012 and instantly became a hit for various reasons: housing Suri Cruise as a student surely resonated with many parents, but its international focus is another attractive feature. The school offers its students the possibility to study abroad in several world cities like London or Shanghai, but the key factor is the bi-lingual education from which the children benefit. All toddlers receive half of their instructions in English and the other half in Spanish or Mandarin, according to preference.
1. Riverdale Country School
Annual tuition: $44,600
The indisputable crown of most expensive day-care in New York City goes to this traditional institution, which features a 27 acre campus in the Bronx. Home to alumni’s John F. and Robert Kennedy, this school focuses on teaching children the art of balancing mind, body, and soul. Its preschool curriculum, which combines science, technology, engineering, art, and math in an integral manner is meant to prep kids for the academic expectations of the Ivy League colleges.
