Marymount School of New York Admissions | How to Get In!

marymount school in nyc is one of the top catholic high schools in the city.  

Marymount School of New York (“Marymount”) is an independent Catholic K-12 school for girls on the Upper East Side in NYC. Marymount routinely ranks as a top Catholic high school in New York City and offers its students a unique blend of academic experience and extracurricular education. Read on to see whether Marymount School NYC might be the right fit.

Marymount School NYC | School Overview

Marymount was founded in 1926 and is dedicated to developing critical thinking and problem solving in its high school graduates. The school itself focuses on three core areas for its students: becoming engaged thinkers, ethical citizens, and cultivating entrepreneurial spirit. These core values influence everything from the school’s required classes to mandatory internship after junior year to opportunities outside of the classroom.

The Marymount curriculum includes a focus on STEAM, which marries the traditional science, technology, engineering, and math (“STEM”) focus with art and design. In addition to the typical STEM classes offered, Marymount also includes several high-tech and hands-on computer or programming classes, which help students learn how to interact with the world around them and how to use technology and programming in new ways. They may even engineer and prototype their own digitally fabricated projects to test in and outside the classroom. By including a focus on art and design, STEAM classes challenge students to develop creative answers to problems.

Aside from the STEAM courses, students from K-12 take humanities classes, including reading, writing, social studies, world literature, and more. Students have courses at the Metropolitan Museum of Art once a week, and field trips or specialized seminars are common.

Across all years, Marymount offers a wide selection of sports and other extracurricular activities. In the high school years, students often choose to study abroad or join Challenge Shape and Change (“CSC”) discussions during lunches, led by specific clubs at school on particular topics. After junior year, all students must participate in a summer internship, which provides valuable experience before heading off to college. Visit the official Marymount site to learn more.

Marymount School of New York | Admissions Information

Based on a student’s level, Marymount has specific admissions requirements for the lower school, middle school and high school.

Marymount School of New York | Nursery and Pre-K Admissions:

The requirements for entry do not require an exam. Parents will need to have a tour and parent interview, students must participate in an on-site demo classroom for half an hour, and parents need to submit a reference letter. In pre-k, parents will need to provide a school report from the student’s current school, if applicable.

Marymount School of New York | Kindergarten Admissions:

In applications for kindergarten, families will complete all the above requirements, though the demo classroom / play group is extended to an hour. During this extended visit, students will have the School Readiness Task (“SRT”) administered. This short exam is designed to measure several different types of academic skills without requiring students to know specific vocab. .

Marymount School of New York | Admissions Through Fourth Grade:

For first through fourth grade admissions, students will submit Early Childhood Admissions Assessment (“ECAA”) test scores as part of the complete application package. Grades two and up will require a teacher reference, while grades three and up include an hour-long student interview as well.

The ECAA exam covers several topics to test overall academic ability – the younger grades’ exams are administered individually, while third and fourth grade testing includes a group reading comprehensive test.

Marymount Middle and High School NYC | Through Twelfth Grade:

In the upper grades, students will have a family interview and tour in addition to the reference letter, school report cards, teacher references, and Independent School Entrance Exam (“ISEE”) scores in their application package. Check out a brief overview of the ISEE to discover some need-to-know facts.

Marymount School NYC | How to Prepare

Each part of Marymount has different testing requirements, but all students need to have strong grades, teacher recommendations (where applicable), and good test scores. For middle and upper school entry, students may want to brush up on the ISEE exam and consider retaking it this season to ensure they have a strong application package.

Other students may need to focus on improving their school performance and report cards to show their academic performance. Regardless, all students should ensure their applications reflect them in the best possible light if they wish to attend the Marymount School next year.

How Can We Help?

At Origins Tutoring, we believe that preparation for the various Marymount admissions tests (the "ECAA" or “ISEE” test) does not have to be daunting and exasperating; instead, it can represent an important opportunity along a student’s path to learning mastery. Indeed, the perspectives and abilities acquired during preparation can last a lifetime.

Our two-track approach to mastering content and improving test-taking skills means that students will not only thoroughly understand the fundamental concepts and skills tested by the admissions tests, but they will also excel in using essential techniques to improve attitude, endurance and focus.

Our students hone their independent thinking skills while developing a resilient mindset so they can perform on test day in a powerful, resourceful, creative and calm manner. Each student in our program receives the undivided attention and expertise of a dynamic and experienced coach who provides the framework to support each student on his unique path to becoming a master learner.

Please call 917.287.7927 now for a complimentary consultation to discuss how we can help your child achieve his or her personal best on the Marymount School of New York admissions tests.