Moringside Heights vs. UWS - Schools

Well, if you can afford private...
http://www.cathedralnyc.org/podium/default.aspx?t=1641

On the public side, I think Morningside Heights straddles the northern edge of District 3. Within District 3, you're eligible for some very good Gifted & Talented programs, at the nearby schools and farther south. The local GenEd programs are reputedly less strong. Outside District 3 - i.e. most of Morningside Heights proper - I can't comment.

There are MANY private schools near morningside heights. Bank Street School for Children, the Columbia Children's School, St Hilda's. There are also 4 pre-schools that are outstanding in the neighborhood that people from all over the city seek out. (Hollingworth and the barnard toddler program). There's an outstanding apartment available...it's not my listing and I have no claim on it, except i think it's a fab apt. I write about it on my blog: nychousewhisperer.blogspot.com

There's also Cathedral. The UWS privates are hardly too far away from MSH as well, including Trinity, Columbia Grammar, Collegiate, and a bit further down I think, Ethical Culture. The Anderson Program (need to test in) is also on the West Side.

Thanks for you comments. However, are private schools my only choice is there a great place to live on the west side that has above par public schools

There are a number of good public schools on the west side, I only know of ones below 96th street. That doesn't mean others don't exist higher up, I just am unaware of them. Be very careful on the upper west that you are at an address that will stay with the school you want if there should be rezoning. Check out www.insideschools.org. Very good info on NYC public schools.

I don't think the local public cachement school is great. However, you can apply for other public schools like Manhattan School for children on 93rd which people love. It's not G and T, but it has a progressive program and small classes. There's also Hunter (need to test in as well) and the other G and T prgrams.

>>There's also Hunter (need to test in as well) and the other G and T prgrams.<<

I hear Hunter is as difficult to get into as Yale these days.

Hunter's always been very difficult to get into (not the College, of course). But even Stuyvesant has had an acceptance rate that's half that of Harvard's in recent years, and the kids of everyone I know who've tried have gotten in with little or no test prep. So you can assume that if you're well-educated and hands-on with your kids' education, they'll get in -- it's not a lottery.

There are definitely great private schools in both the UWS and Morningside Heights. (Many have been listed above).

If you're going for Hunter, Anderson or a G&T program you'll be fine in either UWS or MSH. If you're going for non G&T programs, although MSH is in District 3, I think you'll find better public schools in the UWS proper.

The public schools zoned for MS aren't good. It's not easy to get into Hunter, Anderson or PS9/166 G&T.

Grunty: I could be wrong, but I reeeeeeeally don't think most of Morningside Heights is in District Three.

nyc10023: It's tough to say exactly how hard it is to get into G&T, because DoE keeps fiddling with eligibility - usually with good intentions and bad results.

Agree, that's why I'm not saying ALL G&T. But I think PS9 G&T and 166 G&T will continue to be desired.

Also, don't assume that "bad" schools are bad and that "good" schools are good -- go spend half a day at any you're considering. Schools that have G&T might also have very good mainstream programs. And the allegedly good ones might have the children of many of the same kind of reprobate parents who send their kids to "best" private schools, then still have to (or choose to) hire private tutors for their children.