Frequently Asked Questions

List of 21 frequently asked questions.

• What are the key entry grades at Friends?

  Kindergarten and Grade 9.  Openings for all other grades are dependent on attrition.

• Is an application required to tour the School?

  No, an application is not required to tour Lower or Middle School.  Applicant families can register for tours here.
  
  Tours for Upper School applicants are scheduled with the interview, so an application must be submitted before touring.

• Do I have to submit an application to schedule an interview?

  Yes. Please submit the Application for Admission to be considered for an interview. We schedule interviews in order of when this section is submitted.

• How do I begin my application to Friends?

  Applications are available online to ensure a simple and accessible process and to support sustainability. Click here to Apply Online.
  

• What are the application requirements?

  Click Lower School,  Middle School, or Upper School to learn about application requirements.  An interview is required for every application. 

• What happens to applications that are placed ON HOLD because (1) interview slots for Kindergarten or Grade 9 are full, or (2) no openings are available in a non-entry grade?

  ON HOLD for Interviews:  If a scheduled interview is cancelled, we go directly to the ON HOLD interview file.

  
  

  ON HOLD for Grade Openings:  If we find out that current student is leaving Friends, we go directly to the ON HOLD application file.

  
  Since we cannot always predict openings, we encourage interested families to submit the online application using our fee waiver code.  Please also upload a current school report and standardized test scores (ECAA, ISEE, or SSAT), if available.  Call our office for additional information.

• When do applications for Academic Year 2018-2019 need to be completed?

  Applications should be complete by January 15, 2018. If families apply after this date, applications will be put ON HOLD pending openings.
  
  For late applicants, no fee is required until the application is processed. Please reach out to us for more information.

• Does Friends require standardized testing?

  Friends requires standardized test scores from students applying to Grades 5-12.  We accept scores from the ISEE and SSAT exams.

• Are fee waivers available for the ISEE and SSAT tests?

  Eligible Grades 5-12 applicant families can apply for ISEE and SSAT standardized testng fee reductions. Please contact Sarah Demers, Associate Director of Admissions and Director of Financial Aid, at 646.979.5043 or sdemers@friendsseminary.org.

• For Grades 5-12 current teacher recommendations, what if the same teacher teaches both English and Math?

  Please ask the teacher to fill out both forms, since each form asks different questions.

• Are there birthday cut-off dates?

  Yes, for Kindergarten and Grade 1 only. 
  
  For Kindergarten, children must be five years old by September 1.
  For Grade 1, children must be six years old by September 1.

• Is there an Early Notification Program?

  Friends has an Early Notification Program for Kindergarten only. The program applies to children of (1) Members of the Religious Society of Friends, (2) current sibling families, and (3) current faculty and staff. Click Early Notification to learn more. 

• Does Friends have a Financial Aid Program?

  Yes, Friends has a substantial Financial Aid Program.  Families interested in applying for aid should check YES for Financial Aid on the application.  For more information, click Tuition and Financial Aid.

• How does the wait list work?

  Students who have been waitlisted can opt to remain on the wait list until the beginning of the school year.

• Does Friends have Before- and After-School Programs?

  Yes. Before- and after-school programs are available for Lower School students (Kindergarten–Gr 4), and an after-school program is available for Middle School students (Gr 5–Gr 8).  Financial aid for these programs may be available to families receiving aid.  Click here for more information.
  

• Where do Friends families live?

  Geographically Friends casts a wide net with students coming from 95 zip codes within the NYC metropolitan area including Westchester and New Jersey.

• How do students commute to Friends?

  Kindergarten - Grade 6 families living in Lower Manhattan
  

  Free bus transportation is provided by the NYC Board of Education. For more information contact the Assistant to the Lower School Head at x5111.
  
  Kindergarten - Grade 6 families living on the Upper East Side
  Free bus transportation is provided by the NYC Board of Education. For more information contact the Assistant to the Lower School Head at x5111.
  
  Kindergarten - Grade 12 families living on the West Side (above West 20th Street)
  Bus transportation is provided by a private bus company in the morning, as long as the minimum number of students subscribe to this service. Please call the Admissions Office for more information x5040.
  
  Grade5-12 students city-wide
  Metrocards
  Parent Carpools

• What courses are offered in the Upper School?

  Click UPPER SCHOOL.
  

• To which colleges and universities do Friends students matriculate?

  Click COLLEGE COUNSELING.

• Does Friends have Spring Tours?

  Yes.  Friends has tours in April for Kindergarten and Grade 9.

• When will Friends begin accepting applications for the 2019-2020 school year?

  Applications for the 2019-2020 school year will go live in late August.  Please check our website or call our office in August for updated information.