This is not an official school page; confirm requirements on each school’s admissions page.
What this page covers
This section answers which schools are included and what the table records. The page covers independent schools in New York City and its suburbs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island; Westchester County from Rye and New Rochelle to Tarrytown, Dobbs Ferry, Bedford and Katonah; Long Island from Garden City and Locust Valley to Stony Brook; and Millbrook in Dutchess County. Public schools and public-district programs are not in the directory, because the ISEE is an independent-school admission test.
For each school the table lists the grades enrolled, the tests the school accepts, whether a test is required or optional, the ISEE level that corresponds to each entry grade, and whether the school offers boarding. The counts shown above the table are calculated from these records rather than written into this text, so they change as records are added or re-checked.
How to read the table
This section explains the columns. The grades column is the span the school enrolls, which is not the same as the grades open for applications; a school enrolling grades K–12 may admit most new students at kindergarten, grade 6 and grade 9, with a few places in the grades between. The ISEE levels column lists the levels that follow from the school’s entry grades, using the grade-to-level mapping published by E3n: applicants to grades 2, 3 and 4 take Primary 2, 3 or 4; applicants to grades 5–6 take the Lower Level; applicants to grades 7–8 take the Middle Level; applicants to grades 9–12 take the Upper Level.
The policy column records what the school states. A school marked “Required” names a test as a required part of the application for its main ISEE entry grade; a few of these schools name another test first and accept the ISEE in its place, and the record’s note keeps that wording. A school marked “Optional” accepts a score without requiring one. A school marked “See admissions page” has a page that does not name a test. The table never records minimum scores, and ISEEPrep lists no score cutoffs for any school.
Why the Primary levels matter in New York
This section explains a feature of this area that families from elsewhere often miss. A large share of New York’s K–12 and K–8 independent schools apply the ISEE to applicants from grade 2 upward, not only at the grade 6 and grade 9 entry points. A family moving to the city with a child entering grade 3 or grade 4 may therefore meet the Primary 3 or Primary 4 level, which has a different structure from the upper levels: Reading and Mathematics only, with Auditory Comprehension added at Primary 2 and no essay. The Primary 2, Primary 3 and Primary 4 pages describe each one.
Matching the entry grade to the level
This section explains the one decision that comes before everything else. The ISEE level is fixed by the grade the student is applying to enter, not by the grade the student currently attends. A student in grade 5 applying to grade 6 takes the Lower Level, and a student in grade 8 applying to grade 9 takes the Upper Level. Choosing the wrong level is not a small error: the score report names the level taken, and admission offices read it against the entry grade. The levels guide sets out all six entry points. The entry-grade table below the school list shows how many ISEE-accepting schools in the area have an entry point at each level.
Single-sex schools
This section notes a feature of the Manhattan landscape in particular. Several girls’ schools and a smaller number of boys’ schools appear in the table, and the gender of each school is part of its record. Their test policies follow the same pattern as the coeducational schools, and the level follows the entry grade in the same way; what differs is the shortlist a family can build, since a single-sex school applies to only half of a family’s children.
Boarding options within reach of the city
This section is for families considering a boarding or five-day boarding option. A small number of schools in Westchester, Manhattan and Dutchess County offer boarding alongside day enrollment, and the boarding column marks them. Boarding applications usually involve more materials and interviews, so a family considering one should settle the test date early.
Timing an application in this area
This section covers the order in which the pieces fall. A student may take the ISEE once per testing season and up to three times in a school year, so the practical plan is to test in the fall season and keep the winter season in reserve. Many schools in the city set deadlines close to one another in late fall and early winter, and the deadline column records each date as the school publishes it. The test dates page explains the seasons and how far in advance to register. Score reports are sent to the schools the family selects, so the list of target schools should be settled before the first test.
How to confirm a school
This section gives a four-step check that works for any school on the list. First, open the school’s admissions page from the link in the table. Second, confirm the grade the student is applying to enter and whether that grade is open for applications this year. Third, read which tests the school accepts and whether the test is required or optional for that grade. Fourth, note the deadline and the score-sending method. The schools guide describes these steps in more detail, and the ISEE vs. SSAT page helps when a target school lists the SSAT only.
Preparation support for New York families
Families applying to New York schools work with ISEEPrep online: a diagnostic to confirm the level and find the weakest section, a plan that counts back from the earliest deadline on the family’s list, and one-to-one tutoring or the online learning system from there. The consultation is free and involves no admission promises.
Schools in this area that accept the ISEE
46 schools in this area are in the directory. 39 accept the ISEE (4 list the ISEE only and 35 accept either the ISEE or the SSAT); 1 list the SSAT only; 1 state that they neither require nor consider standardized test scores; 2 use only the school’s own assessment; 2 use another external test; 1 have admissions pages that do not state a test, so families should confirm with the admissions office. Confirm with each school’s admissions page for the current year; this is not an official school page and no cut-off scores are listed.
| School | City | Grades | Tests accepted | Policy | ISEE levels | Boarding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rippowam Cisqua School | Bedford | PK-8 | See admissions page | — | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level | No |
| Ethical Culture Fieldston School | Bronx | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Fordham Preparatory School | Bronx | 9-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Upper Level | No |
| Horace Mann School | Bronx | Nursery-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Riverdale Country School | Bronx | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Brooklyn Friends School | Brooklyn | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Poly Prep Country Day School | Brooklyn | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Berkeley Carroll School | Brooklyn | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Packer Collegiate Institute | Brooklyn | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Masters School | Dobbs Ferry | 5-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | Yes |
| The Waldorf School of Garden City | Garden City | PK-12 | School’s own assessment | Not required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Harvey School | Katonah | 6-12 | Other external test | Optional | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | Yes |
| Portledge School | Locust Valley | PN-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Optional | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Millbrook School | Millbrook | 9-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Optional | Upper Level | Yes |
| Iona Preparatory School | New Rochelle | PK-12 | ISEE | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Avenues: The World School | New York | Toddler-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Collegiate School | New York | K-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Upper Level | No |
| Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School | New York | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Convent of the Sacred Heart | New York | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Dwight School New York | New York | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Friends Seminary | New York | K-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Grace Church School | New York | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Léman Manhattan Preparatory School | New York | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | Yes |
| Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School | New York | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Optional | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Marymount School of New York | New York | N-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Rudolf Steiner School | New York | PK-12 | School’s own assessment | Not required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Brearley School | New York | K-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Browning School | New York | K-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Calhoun School | New York | PK-12 | ISEE | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Cathedral School | New York | K-8 | Other external test | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level | No |
| The Chapin School | New York | K-12 | No admission test | Not required | Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Dalton School | New York | K-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Upper Level | No |
| The Hewitt School | New York | K-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Nightingale-Bamford School | New York | K-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Spence School | New York | K-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Speyer Legacy School | New York | K-8 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level | No |
| Trevor Day School | New York | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Trinity School | New York | K-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| United Nations International School | New York | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Village Community School | New York | PK-8 | ISEE | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level | No |
| York Preparatory School | New York | 6-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Rye Country Day School | Rye | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| School of the Holy Child | Rye | 5-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Staten Island Academy | Staten Island | PK-12 | ISEE | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Stony Brook School | Stony Brook | 7-12 | SSAT | Optional | Middle Level, Upper Level | Yes |
| Hackley School | Tarrytown | K-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | Yes |
Source: each school’s own admissions page, with a check date recorded per school; the levels column is derived from each school’s entry grades and the level-to-grade mapping used by E3n. 1 school whose admissions page does not state a test requirement are marked “See admissions page”.
Entry grades across the area
The table counts how many ISEE-accepting schools in this area have an entry point at the grades each level covers. A school can appear under more than one level.
| Level | Applying to | Schools with an entry point |
|---|---|---|
| Primary 2 | grade 2 | 24 |
| Primary 3 | grade 3 | 24 |
| Primary 4 | grade 4 | 24 |
| Lower Level | grades 5–6 | 35 |
| Middle Level | grades 7–8 | 33 |
| Upper Level | grades 9–12 | 37 |
4 of the ISEE-accepting schools offer boarding.
Frequently asked questions
Do New York private schools require the ISEE?
Most schools in this directory for New York accept the ISEE, and the majority accept either the ISEE or the SSAT. The policy column records what each school states: required, optional or not required. A few schools use only their own assessment or another test, and a school whose admissions page does not name a test is marked for the family to confirm directly.
Which ISEE level does a student take for a Manhattan K–12 school?
The level follows the grade the student is applying to enter. Applicants to grades 2, 3 and 4 take Primary 2, 3 or 4; applicants to grades 5–6 take the Lower Level; applicants to grades 7–8 take the Middle Level; applicants to grades 9–12 take the Upper Level. Many New York K–12 schools apply the ISEE from grade 2, so a family applying for a younger child should read the Primary level pages.
What if a New York school requires a different test but accepts the ISEE instead?
A few schools name another test as their default and accept the ISEE in its place. The record marks the test as required and the note keeps the school's wording, so the family can see that the ISEE satisfies the requirement without being the school's first-named test.
Are there boarding options near New York that accept the ISEE?
Yes. A small number of schools in Westchester, Manhattan and Dutchess County offer boarding alongside day enrollment, and the boarding column marks them. Their test policies are set by each school in the same way as the day schools.
When do New York schools need ISEE scores?
Each school sets its own deadline, and the deadline column records the date as the school publishes it. Many schools in the city set deadlines close to one another in late fall and early winter. Because a student may test once per season and at most three times in a school year, families usually test in the fall season and keep the winter season in reserve.
How current is the information?
Each record carries the date it was checked against the school's admissions page, and this page is scheduled for review every three months. Admission policies change by year, so the school's page for the entry year governs, including whether a test is required and when scores must arrive.
Sources2 sources · checked 2026-10-01
Last reviewed 2026-10-01 · Next review 2027-01-01 · Reviewed by ISEEPrep teaching team