Admissions – FAQs
When can I get an application?
What is a 'wait list' application?
How much does it cost to apply?
Will applying for Financial Aid hurt my chances of admission?
When can I visit campus?
What happens during the interview?
Who do we meet with for the interview? Does it matter which person we meet with?
What is a Student Ambassador?
When do you notify families about admissions decisions?
How many places do you have available in grade X?
How old must my child be for Grade X?
What do you look for in an applicant?
How much does the standardized testing matter?
When can I get an application?
The application deadline for the 2013-2014 school year has passed. Due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy, the application deadlines for Horace Mann School were extended in order to give families more time to apply. Applications for the Nursery Threes, Pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten programs were due by November 9, 2012. Applications for Grade 1 through 11 were due by November 26, 2012.
If you have already submitted an application and would like to access your online admissions account, please go to our online admissions account page in order to log into your account and view your application.
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What is a 'wait list' application?
Our traditional entry points are Nursery Threes, Kindergarten, Sixth and Ninth Grades, with a secondary entry point at Seventh Grade.* At all other grade levels, the number of openings varies from year to year based on attrition. For those grade levels, we send wait list applications. Interested families submit the application -with a $10 wait list application processing fee- and we will only call to schedule interviews if it seems that we might have openings available. Only completed wait list applications will be reviewed, so applicants should schedule the required testing and be sure all other required materials have been submitted by the deadlines.
* While normally an entry point, this year, as a result of a larger than usual 6th grade class, applications to the 7th grade for the 2013-2014 school year will be placed on the Wait List. Applications will be activated as space becomes available. Applicants to the 7th grade should still complete their applications in the event that a space becomes available; 7th grade applicants will pay the $10 processing fee. We expect to return to a normal enrollment of 10-15 students in the 7th grade for the 2014-2015 school year.
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How much does it cost to apply?
Each application must be submitted with a non-refundable $60 application fee. Families who intend to apply for Financial Aid may submit a reduced $25 fee, but they will be billed for the remaining $35 before a decision is made if they fail to submit the Financial Aid application. (Wait list applications require a $10 fee.)
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Will applying for Financial Aid hurt my chances of admission?
No. Admission to Horace Mann is need blind. Admissions decisions are made first, and after those decisions have been made, Financial Aid requests are evaluated. However, due to the number of requests we receive for Aid, we are not always able to provide aid to all qualified students. Sometimes a student will be admitted but denied Aid or placed on a waiting list for Aid.
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When can I visit campus?
Please refer to the Visit Us page for this information.
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What happens during the interview?
The interview process varies by age level. Children applying for the Nursery Division and for Kindergarten have a group interview with several other children in a classroom setting. Children applying for grades 1 through 11 are interviewed individually by a member of the Admissions staff. Parents meet with the interviewer after the child. At the Middle and Upper Divisions, student and parent(s) take a tour of campus with a Student Ambassador before the interview.
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Who do we meet with for the interview? Does it matter which person we meet with?
Members of the Admissions staff conduct interviews, in addition to our Division Heads and Grade Deans. Interviewers are assigned based upon time availability, and the specific person you meet with has no bearing on admissions outcomes.
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What is a Student Ambassador?
At the Middle and Upper Divisions, Horace Mann students in grades 8-12 may volunteer one class period per week to tour interested families. Ambassadors also attend the Open Houses, and other functions where tour guides are needed. Our Ambassadors do a wonderful job of helping families get a glimpse of what life at HM is really like. Visit the Student Ambassadors page for more information and to contact our Ambassadors.
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When do you notify families about admissions decisions?
Horace Mann is a member of the Independent School Admissions Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY). ISAAGNY schools use the common notification dates agreed upon each year. Notification varies by grade level- but is generally between early February and early March. Please refer to the
ISAAGNY site for those dates.
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How many places do you have available in grade X?
The number of available places varies from year to year. In general, we have 42-46 places available each year in the Threes program, 3-5 places in the Pre-Kindergarten program, and 35 places in Kindergarten. Sixth Grade is our largest entry point, with between 50 and 55 places available each year, and in Seventh Grade we usually have between 10 and 15 places to fill.* For Ninth Grade, we traditionally enroll approximately 45 new students. At all other grade levels, places are available only when current students withdraw. We do not accept students for Twelfth Grade.
* While normally an entry point, this year, as a result of a larger than usual 6th grade class, applications to the 7th grade for the 2013-2014 school year will be placed on the Wait List. Applications will be activated as space becomes available. Applicants to the 7th grade should still complete their applications in the event that a space becomes available; 7th grade applicants will pay the $10 processing fee. We expect to return to a normal enrollment of 10-15 students in the 7th grade for the 2014-2015 school year.
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How old must my child be for Grade X?
For Nursery through Grade 5, we have a September 1 birthday cutoff. For the Threes program, children must turn three by September 1 of the year they wish to enter. For Kindergarten, children must turn five by September 1 of the entry year. This September 1 deadline continues through Grade 5. For Grades 6-11 applicants are considered based on the grade level completed. (For the Middle and Upper Divisions, we may suggest that a student repeats a grade if, after evaluating an application, we believe that placement is more appropriate.)
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What do you look for in an applicant?
There is no such thing as a typical Horace Mann student, nor do we have a typical applicant. The process is designed to be age appropriate, and at every level we are looking for students who will benefit from and be successful in our program. We base that assessment on all the pieces of the application, including but not limited to the school records, teacher recommendations, standardized test results, and the interview. We also look for families who will be positive members of our community.
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How much does the standardized testing matter?
The standardized testing required for Kindergarten through Eleventh Grade is important because it provides the only 'standard' measure that all applicants have in common. We receive applications from many different areas and many different schools, and their backgrounds are varied. The testing enables us to assess them compared to the larger group. However, the standardized test is only one measure of an applicant's success, and we use it in conjunction with the school reports and recommendations. Please refer to the ERB and SSAT websites for more information about the tests.
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