Admissions
Avenues offers a world-centered education, a trailblazing ethos, and a striking and expansive urban campus in the heart of New York City. Nearly 1,900 students from Small World to Grade 12 call our remarkably diverse and welcoming community home. We’re especially known for thoughtfully balanced rigor and wellbeing. We look forward to sharing more with you as you and your family consider Avenues. Please scroll down to learn more about our admissions process.
- Admissions guide
- Admissions team
- FAQs
ADMISSIONS ROUNDS
Applying to Avenues New York
School Year 2027-28: Avenues offers two main application windows, First Choice Round and Regular Notification. First Choice Round takes place in the fall for families who have determined that Avenues is where they wish to attend, with decisions released and contracts signed ahead of winter break in mid-December. Regular Notification applications are due by early January with decisions released by entry point in the mid-winter, and contracts signed ahead of spring break in mid-March.
School Year 2026-27: Avenues keeps an active waitlist that moves throughout the summer, and even into the start of the new school year. Please email David Buckwald, Head of Enrollment Management, david.buckwald@avenues-ny.org, if you wish to apply for this fall.
First Choice Round
We are pleased to offer an early round for families who have determined that Avenues is their first choice school. The First Choice round at Avenues is binding. Families whose child is admitted under the First Choice round agree that their child will enroll at Avenues and withdraw their applications to other schools. Families applying for financial assistance are welcome to elect this round and will have earlier access to our generous but finite financial aid budget. As in our Regular Notification round, we aim to meet 100% of a family’s demonstrated financial need at the time of admission.
Please note that a majority of open seats are filled each year via our First Choice round. In addition to new families who have determined Avenues is their top choice, most siblings and colleagues’ children apply in this round to receive priority consideration. Applicants who are not offered admission to Avenues in the First Choice round may either be waitlisted or not offered admission, which is a final decision for the academic year.
Please note that a majority of open seats are filled each year via our First Choice round. In addition to new families who have determined Avenues is their top choice, most siblings and colleagues’ children apply in this round to receive priority consideration. Applicants who are not offered admission to Avenues in the First Choice round may either be waitlisted or not offered admission, which is a final decision for the academic year.
Regular Notification
The deadline to submit your application in our Regular Notification round is December 1. Please aim to complete your application requirements by January 8, 2027. More on our notification and parent reply dates may be found below.
Late Notification
We welcome applications to be considered for any remaining openings following Regular Notification. In addition to submitting your preliminary application form as soon as possible, we encourage you to reach out to our admissions team and share your reason for applying and any context for the late application.
First Choice Round
01 / 03
We are pleased to offer an early round for families who have determined that Avenues is their first choice school. The First Choice round at Avenues is binding. Families whose child is admitted under the First Choice round agree that their child will enroll at Avenues and withdraw their applications to other schools. Families applying for financial assistance are welcome to elect this round and will have earlier access to our generous but finite financial aid budget. As in our Regular Notification round, we aim to meet 100% of a family’s demonstrated financial need at the time of admission.
Please note that a majority of open seats are filled each year via our First Choice round. In addition to new families who have determined Avenues is their top choice, most siblings and colleagues’ children apply in this round to receive priority consideration. Applicants who are not offered admission to Avenues in the First Choice round may either be waitlisted or not offered admission, which is a final decision for the academic year.
Please note that a majority of open seats are filled each year via our First Choice round. In addition to new families who have determined Avenues is their top choice, most siblings and colleagues’ children apply in this round to receive priority consideration. Applicants who are not offered admission to Avenues in the First Choice round may either be waitlisted or not offered admission, which is a final decision for the academic year.
Regular Notification
02 / 03
The deadline to submit your application in our Regular Notification round is December 1. Please aim to complete your application requirements by January 8, 2027. More on our notification and parent reply dates may be found below.
Late Notification
03 / 03
We welcome applications to be considered for any remaining openings following Regular Notification. In addition to submitting your preliminary application form as soon as possible, we encourage you to reach out to our admissions team and share your reason for applying and any context for the late application.
ADMISSIONS DATES
Application deadlines for the 2026–27 academic year
Each round has key deadlines you’ll need to meet. This includes submitting our preliminary application form to confirm your interest and begin your family’s unique application checklist.
First Choice Round
PRELIMINARY APPLICATION FORM DUE
November 1, 2026
APPLICATION COMPLETION DEADLINE
November 18, 2026
NOTIFICATION DATE
December 11, 2026
ADMISSIONS PROCESS BY GRADE
How to apply, step-by-step
Our multi-step application process varies by entry point. You can find our grade-by-grade requirements below.
- Small World (Toddler 1s and 2s)
- Early Learning Center (Nursery, Pre-K, and K)
- Lower Division (Grades 1–5)
- Middle Grades (Grades 6–8)
- Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
- Small World (Toddler 1s and 2s)
- Early Learning Center (Nursery, Pre-K, and K)
- Lower Division (Grades 1–5)
- Middle Grades (Grades 6–8)
- Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
Applying to Small World
To apply for our Small World 1s and 2s (part of the Early Learning Center) programs, please follow this step-by-step guide.
01 Check our entry requirements for Small World 1s
Requirements and Gentle Reminders
Prospective Small World 1s students must be either 12 or 15 months old by August 31 of their year of entry, depending on section offering.
Financial aid is limited.
Small World 1s families don’t need to reapply to Small World 2s the following year. Rather, families can simply select their preferred program choice and commit to enrollment in late fall of their child’s Small World 1s year.
We’d encourage you to apply during our First Choice round and consider all program options (you can select up to three).
ELC grades are split into two language tracks, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. For optimal consideration, we encourage you to indicate no preference on your application. Our admissions committee will then carefully consider the best language track for your child with respect to open seats.
For September 2027, we anticipate 60 openings in Small World 1s.
02 Check our entry requirements for Small World 2s
Requirements and Gentle Reminders
Prospective Small World 2s students must be two years old by August 31 of their year of entry.
Financial aid is limited.
Small World 2s families don’t need to reapply to nursery the following year. Rather, families can simply commit to enrollment in late fall of their child’s Small World 2s year.
We’d encourage you to apply during our First Choice round and consider all program options (you can select up to three).
ELC grades are split into two language tracks, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. For optimal consideration, we encourage you to indicate no preference on your application. Our admissions committee will then carefully consider the best language track for your child with respect to open seats.
For September 2027, we anticipate 40-45 openings in Small World 2s.
03 Attend a parent information event (recommended)
The best way to get to know Avenues is by attending our events. We recommend both an Intro to Avenues and Roundtable with the Head of School (virtual) and an ELC or Small World-specific event (in-person).
04 Fill out a preliminary application form
Next, you’ll need to complete our Preliminary application form. If you have any questions about the form, our admissions team is here to help.
05 Schedule your parent conversation
After receiving your form, we’ll invite you to schedule your parent conversation. You can do this via our application portal. This is an opportunity for you to learn more about Avenues and for our team to get to know your family.
06 Complete your parent statement
At Avenues, we consider parents, guardians, and caregivers to be partners in the education of our students. Please submit your parent statement via the application portal, ideally before your parent conversation, and feel free to share anything that will help us better understand your family.
Applying to nursery, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten
To apply for nursery, pre-kindergarten, or kindergarten, please follow this step-by-step guide.
01 Check our entry requirements
Requirements and Gentle Reminders
Nursery, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten students must be aged three, four, and five, respectively, by August 31 of their year of entry.
Financial aid is limited until kindergarten.
ELC grades are split into two language tracks, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. For optimal consideration, we encourage you to indicate no preference on your application. Our admissions committee will then carefully consider the best language track for your child with respect to open seats.
For September 2027, we anticipate 30-35 openings in nursery, 25-30 openings in pre-kindergarten, and 40 openings in kindergarten.
02 Attend a parent information event (recommended)
The best way to get to know Avenues is by attending one of our events. We recommend both an introductory event (virtual) and an age group-specific event (in-person).
03 Fill out a preliminary application form
Next, you’ll need to complete our preliminary application form. If you have any questions about the form, our admissions team is here to help.
04 Schedule your parent conversation
After receiving your form, we’ll invite you to schedule your parent conversation. You can do this via our application portal. This is an opportunity for you to learn more about Avenues and for our team to get to know your family.
05 Complete your parent statement
At Avenues, we consider parents, guardians, and caregivers to be partners in the education of our students. Please submit your parent statement via the application portal, ideally before your parent conversation, and feel free to share anything that will help us better understand your family.
06 Attend a student assessment
Your child will be asked to sit for an age-appropriate, in-person assessment led by our ELC faculty.
07 Request required documents from your child’s current program
If your child is currently enrolled in an early childhood program, you’ll need to ask the nursery or school to complete our confidential recommendation form. This can only be done through our application portal. We also accept the ISAAGNY School Report, sent directly from your child’s current school.
Applying to the Lower Division
To apply for Lower Division (grades 1–5), please follow this step-by-step guide.
01 Check our entry requirements
Requirements and Gentle Reminders
Prospective grades 1–5 students should be aged six, seven, eight, nine, and ten, respectively, by August 31 of their year of entry. However, applicants to grades 1 and above are assessed based on the last year of completed school, and we will work with your family to consider the best grade option for your student.
Applicants to our language immersion programs in grades 2–5 will need to demonstrate grade-level proficiency in either Mandarin or Spanish. In addition, we offer a classroom in Grade 5 requiring no prior language acquisition in Mandarin or Spanish. “The Palms” classroom in Grade 5 is an ideal entry point to join the Avenues community ahead of the start of middle grades and the Upper Division.
Occasionally, we make offers of admission for grades 2–5, conditional upon a family’s commitment to support their child in reaching grade-level language benchmarks before starting at Avenues.
Each year, we also welcome approximately 10 new grade 1 students who don’t have significant Mandarin or Spanish experience. Admission to Grades 2-4 is based both on attrition and prior language exposure. For September 2027, we anticipate 12-15 openings for “The Palms” in Grade 5.
02 Attend a parent information event (recommended)
The best way to get to know Avenues is to attend one of our events. We recommend both an introductory event (virtual) and an age group-specific event (in-person).
03 Fill out a preliminary application form
Next, you’ll need to complete our preliminary application form. If you have any questions about the form, our admissions team is here to help.
04 Schedule your parent conversation
After receiving your form, we’ll invite you to schedule your parent conversation. You can do this via our application portal. This is an opportunity for you to learn more about Avenues and for our team to get to know your family. If you’re applying to our grades 2–5 language immersion program, we’ll schedule a call beforehand to get a sense of your child’s language proficiency.
05 Complete your parent statement
At Avenues, we consider parents, guardians, and caregivers to be partners in the education of our students. Please submit your parent statement via the application portal, ideally before your parent conversation, and feel free to share anything that will help us better understand your family.
06 Attend a student assessment
Your child will be invited to an age-appropriate, in-person assessment, led by our faculty. For grades 1–5, the assessment includes math, reading, and writing in English. Students applying to join our grades 2–5 language immersion program will also be assessed in Mandarin or Spanish.
07 Request required documents from your child’s current school
You can request all required documents to be sent to our office online using the application portal.
08 Sit for an optional admissions test
Your child can also opt to take an additional admissions test. Students applying for grades 2–4 can sit the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) primary test, while prospective grade 5 students can take either the ISEE or Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT).
When registering, please enter the relevant school code so that the test results will be sent directly to us.
If registering for the ISEE, please use the school code 333666. For the SSAT, please use the school code 1442.
When registering, please enter the relevant school code so that the test results will be sent directly to us.
If registering for the ISEE, please use the school code 333666. For the SSAT, please use the school code 1442.
Applying to the Middle Grades
To apply for our middle grades (6–8) program, please follow this step-by-step guide.
01 Check our entry requirements
Requirements and Gentle Reminders
Prospective grades 6–8 students should be aged 11, 12 and 13, respectively, by August 31 of their year of entry.
Each year, we typically enroll 30-35 new students in grade 6.
Based on availability, we typically enroll 8–10 new students in both grades 7 and 8 each year.
To increase your chances of securing a place, we advise you to apply in the first choice round, provided Avenues is your top choice and you’re able to make a binding commitment.
02 Attend a parent information event (recommended)
The best way to get to know Avenues is to attend one of our events. We recommend both an introductory event (virtual) and an age group-specific event (in-person).
03 Fill out a preliminary application form
Next, you’ll need to complete our Preliminary application form. If you have any questions about the form, our admissions team is here to help.
04 Schedule your parent conversation
After receiving your form, we’ll invite you to schedule your parent conversation. You can do this via our application portal. This is an opportunity for you to learn more about Avenues and for our team to get to know your family.
05 Complete your parent and student statements
Please submit both statements via the application portal, ideally before your parent conversation. In your parent statement, feel free to share anything that will help us better understand your family. Likewise, the student statement is a chance for your child to give the admissions team a better sense of their character and interests.
06 Attend a student assessment
Your child will be invited to an in-person assessment, led by our faculty. In grades 6–8, this takes the form of a collaborative problem-solving exercise called a Design Challenge.
07 Request required documents from your child’s current school
You can request all required documents to be sent to our office online using the application portal.
08 Sit for an optional admissions test
Your child can also opt to take an additional admissions test. Families can submit results from their child’s Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) or Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT).
If registering for the ISEE, please use the school code 333666. For the SSAT, please use the school code 1442.
If registering for the ISEE, please use the school code 333666. For the SSAT, please use the school code 1442.
Applying to the upper grades
To apply for our upper grades (9–12) program, please follow this step-by-step guide.
01 Check our entry requirements
Requirements and Gentle Reminders
Prospective grades 9–12 students should be aged 14, 15, 16 and 17, respectively, by August 31 of their year of entry.
Each year, we typically enroll 40–45 new students in grade 9.
Based on availability, we typically enroll 5-10 new students in both grades 10 and 11 each year.
We accept applications for grade 12, but offers are rare and typically require a compelling context. Some grade 12 students may find a growth year repeating grade 11 or a post-graduate (PG) year repeating grade 12 to be an effective culmination of their upper grades education. We will work with your family to consider the best grade option for your student.
Applications far exceed the places we have available in the upper grades. We advise you to apply in the first choice round, provided Avenues is your top choice and you’re able to make a binding commitment.
02 Attend a parent information event
The best way to get to know Avenues is to attend one of our events. We recommend both an introductory event (virtual) and an age group-specific event (in-person).
03 Fill out a preliminary application form
Next, you’ll need to complete our preliminary application form. If you have any questions about the form, our admissions team is here to help.
04 Schedule your parent conversation and student interview
After receiving your form, we’ll invite you to schedule a parent conversation and student interview via our application portal. This is an opportunity for you to learn more about Avenues and for our team to get to know you and your family. Interviews may take place either in-person or virtually.
05 Complete your parent and student statements
Please submit both statements via the application portal, ideally before your parent conversation. In your parent statement, feel free to share anything that will help us better understand your family. Likewise, the student statement is a chance for your child to give the admissions team a better sense of their character and interests.
06 Request required documents from your child’s current school
You can request all required documents to be sent to our office online using the application portal.
07 Sit for an admissions test
Prospective students will also need to take an admissions test. You can submit the results of either the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) or Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) via the application portal.
When registering for the ISEE, please use the school code 333666. For the SSAT, please use the school code 1442.
When registering for the ISEE, please use the school code 333666. For the SSAT, please use the school code 1442.
Tuition and financial aid
Avenues New York seeks to build a student body that reflects the diversity of the great city we call home. Every year, we provide millions of dollars in financial aid to students in all grades who qualify for need-based grants.
EXPERIENCE AVENUES
Get to know us better at an event
The best way to get to know Avenues is to attend one of our events. Our monthly Intro to Avenues and Roundtable with the Head of School offers a one-hour virtual preview of the entire Avenues experience. We suggest attending Intro to Avenues as your starting point. In person tours invite you to campus for a welcome with campus leadership, a student panel, and of course, a tour with our student and parent ambassadors. This is a great next step and the best way to visit campus. Explore additional events to gain a better sense of our community and how you and your family may belong at Avenues. We look forward to seeing you soon!
If you're not able to attend an event, we invite you to complete the form to receive more information about our campus and community—and to connect with our admissions team.
If you're not able to attend an event, we invite you to complete the form to receive more information about our campus and community—and to connect with our admissions team.
GLOBAL ADMISSIONS
Transfer Opportunities to Avenues São Paulo
A student admitted to Avenues New York receives priority consideration for admission to our second campus in São Paulo, Brazil. This offers a unique educational opportunity to globally mobile families and those with professional commitments in Latin America.
HERE TO HELP
Meet our admissions team
Across its members, our team brings decades of experience guiding families through the admissions process. The team is committed to providing a warm welcome and exceptional support to all those considering Avenues.
David Buckwald
Director of Enrollment Management and Marketing
Janie Ruiz Yang P'37
Director Admissions and Enrollment, ELC and Lower Division
Christina Chang
Associate Director of Admissions, ELC and Lower Division
Beth Formidoni P'26, '28, '30
Associate Director of Admissions, Upper Division
Allie Blumstein
Director of Enrollment Operations and Analytics
Jenna Rosenblum P'40
Assistant Director of Admissions, ELC and Lower Division
Miscandy Corporan
Admissions Associate, ELC and Lower Division / Executive Assistant to the Head of School
Jane Kaiser '18
Admissions Coordinator
Michael Rushton
Director of Creative and Marketing
David Buckwald
Director of Enrollment Management and Marketing
Janie Ruiz Yang P'37
Director Admissions and Enrollment, ELC and Lower Division
Christina Chang
Associate Director of Admissions, ELC and Lower Division
Beth Formidoni P'26, '28, '30
Associate Director of Admissions, Upper Division
Allie Blumstein
Director of Enrollment Operations and Analytics
Jenna Rosenblum P'40
Assistant Director of Admissions, ELC and Lower Division
Miscandy Corporan
Admissions Associate, ELC and Lower Division / Executive Assistant to the Head of School
Jane Kaiser '18
Admissions Coordinator
Michael Rushton
Director of Creative and Marketing
ANY QUESTIONS?
Frequently asked questions
Looking for more information about the admissions process at Avenues New York ? You’ll find the answers to commonly asked questions here.
What does Avenues look for in an applicant?
There’s no such thing as a “typical” Avenues student. We consider all applicants equally, based on the information you provide in your application.
Ultimately, however, we’re looking for students who can thrive in a rigorous, innovative, and global learning environment. Our goal is to create a community of diverse interests, talents, and backgrounds, in which all students can become “architects of lives that transcend the ordinary.”
Ultimately, however, we’re looking for students who can thrive in a rigorous, innovative, and global learning environment. Our goal is to create a community of diverse interests, talents, and backgrounds, in which all students can become “architects of lives that transcend the ordinary.”
Will my child need to sit a standardized test as part of the admissions process?
Standardized testing is a requirement for students applying to grades 9–12. We accept the results of either ISEE or SSAT assessments.
Prospective Lower Division (grades 1–5) and middle grades (grades 6–8) students can choose to sit an ISEE or SSAT assessment. This isn’t mandatory, however.
Prospective Lower Division (grades 1–5) and middle grades (grades 6–8) students can choose to sit an ISEE or SSAT assessment. This isn’t mandatory, however.
Does my child need to achieve minimum test scores to be considered?
No, we don’t require a minimum score in any form of standardized testing.
Testing is just one of a range of criteria against which we assess students. With that said, students who do submit results typically fall within the 75th percentile.
Testing is just one of a range of criteria against which we assess students. With that said, students who do submit results typically fall within the 75th percentile.
Can I request an application fee waiver?
Yes, you can. If the application fee poses a financial hardship for your family, you can reach out to waiver@avenues-ny.org to request a waiver.
What is the birthday cut-off?
Small World 1s and 2s, nursery, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students must be aged one, two, three, four, or five, respectively, by August 31 of their year of entry.
Applicants to grades 1 and above are assessed based on the last year of completed school. However, we recommend that you apply for the grade level that aligns with our August 31 cutoff.
Applicants to grades 1 and above are assessed based on the last year of completed school. However, we recommend that you apply for the grade level that aligns with our August 31 cutoff.
Do I need to submit first choice letters or personal recommendations?
Neither first choice letters nor personal recommendations are necessary. If Avenues is your number one school, however, we advise you to apply in our first choice round.
If my child isn’t offered a place, can we reapply next year?
Yes, of course. You’re very welcome to reapply for the next admissions year.
Is the application process different for international students?
Students looking to join us from overseas follow the same standardized application process. We’ll work with your family to arrange mutually convenient appointments and assessments, taking any time difference into account.
START YOUR JOURNEY
Ready to apply?
Take the first step on a transformative learning journey by filling out an application form.
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