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?

  Grades K-8:  An application is not required to tour.  Applicant families can register for tours here.
  
  Grades 9-12: Tours and interviews are scheduled in one visit, and therefore an application is required before scheduling the tour/interview date. 

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

  Yes. The Application for Admission must be submitted before an interview can be scheduled.

• 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. 

• 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 2020-2021 need to be completed?

  Applications should be completed by January 8, 2020. 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?

  Grades K-4: No testing is required.

  Grades 5-12: Standardized testing is required (either SSAT or ISEE)

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

  Grades 5-12 applicant families can apply for ISEE and SSAT fee reductions. Please contact Paige Sweet, Associate Director of Admissions and Director of Financial Aid and Affordability, at 646.979.5043 or psweet@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. Please fill out the Early Notification Form.

• Does Friends have a Financial Aid and Affordability Program?

  Yes, Friends has a substantial Financial Aid and Affordability Program. For more information, click Financial Aid and Affordability.

• How does the wait list work?

  Students who are on the wait list 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 - 8). Financial aid is 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 102 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, please 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, please 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 x5042.
  
  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. Kindergarten and Grade 9 tours will be scheduled after Spring Vacation.

• When will Friends begin accepting applications for the 2020-2021 school year?

  Applications for the 2020-2021 school year will go live August 26, 2019.