Admissions FAQs

The Lower School main point of entry is Kindergarten. Seats may be available in Grades 1-5, but are reserved for applicants who would be a good fit with the existing group.

The Middle School main point of entry is in the Grade 6 where we enroll approximately 15-17 new students each year. Seats may be available in Grades 7 and 8, but are reserved for applicants who would be a good fit with the existing group.

The Upper School main point of entry is in grade 9 where we enroll approximately 20 new students each year.  We review candidates for 10th, and 11th grade and though rare, we review and enroll candidates for 12th grade as well.

Our Lower School has one class per grade with an average of 15 students for Grades K-3 and an average of 17 students for Grades 4-5. 

In Middle School, the grade typically doubles in size from the Lower School. For example, Grade 6 is 34 students this year. The average class size ranges from 12-15 students. Students in our supportive programs will have some classes that have fewer students for specific subject areas.

The average grade size in the Upper School is approximately 50 students. Class size varies from 6-10 students in our supportive programs, to an average of 12-15 students in our mainstream programs.

In Grades K-3, most of our families live in the Bay Ridge neighborhood. Students in Grades 4-12 are from all parts of Brooklyn (we have a large contingency in the Park Slope and Carroll Gardens areas), Staten Island and Manhattan. 

For all divisions families can choose to pack a lunch for children, or participate in Campus Cuisine an online ordering program where families can register and order food to be delivered through the week.

Students in Grade 6 eats together in two connected classrooms. Grades 7 and 8 eat by grade in our multi-purpose room. Lower School students eat in their classrooms.

Freshman lunch alternates between an option to go out in groups with a teacher to choose from options on 3rd and 5th avenues and bringing a lunch from home or ordering from Campus Cuisine. 10th, 11th and 12th graders are free to leave school for lunch as long as they are back in time for their next class.

Lower School: In typical school years, children start the morning by meeting with friends and teachers in the multi-purpose room. At dismissal, all Lower School teachers dismiss children directly to parents or a designated adult in front of the school.

Middle School: Some families carpool or students commute via subway, very often in groups. Once at school, Middle School students can meet and participate in supervised activities in the gym until advisory begins. Advisory takes place 10 minutes at the start of each morning. This time is used for greetings, announcements, and getting students ready for the day.  The day also ends in advisory, where students discuss homework plans and again organize themselves before they dismiss in advisory groupings.  Middle schoolers are released unless we have a prior notification that a child is not allowed to be dismissed. 

Upper School: All upper school students start the day in homeroom.  At the end of school students are able to leave on their own or go to whatever club or athletic activity they participate in.

Limited bus service is available for an additional cost along the current routes in operation. Families interested in bus service must contact our business office to find out if their address qualifies for the bus routes, which currently serve the Park Slope area.  During the enrollment process, families can speak more with the Business Office about bus service.

Typically we are pleased to offer a variety of after-school enrichment activities for families of Lower & Middle School students who need to provide a safe, fun and engaging atmosphere until their child can be picked up from school. We offer several options for after school and hope families find the flexibility of these options to be convenient to their individual schedules. These programs start after dismissal and end at 6pm.

At the moment, the Lower & Middle School After School Program and all school-wide competitive athletics are suspended due to COVID-19 protocols, athletic league decisions and state regulations. Upper School clubs are meeting virtually and are offering limited, outdoor, distanced athletic-based after school activities for Middle and Upper School. We will phase in additional in-person activities when it is safe to do so.

Lower School: 

• Lower School classes begin at 8 a.m. and end at 2:40 p.m.

Middle School:

• Middle School classes begin at 8:15 a.m. and end at 2:40 p.m.

Upper School:

• Upper School classes begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 2:40 p.m.

Homework is assigned in Grades 1-8 by classroom teachers. The rough guideline we use overall is the goal of 10 minutes per grade of homework.  So, a 6th grader should expect about 60 minutes of homework per night.  This leaves plenty of time for individual reading, after school activities, and family time.

Homework in the Upper School depends on course load and program. Some students enrolled in all AP and Honors classes can expect more homework that those who are not. In general, we aim to have homework workload that is challenging but not overwhelming.

Parents at Bay Ridge Prep can communicate with their child’s teacher by phone, email or appointment. 

There are many avenues for family involvement in Bay Ridge Prep.  K-1 families are invited into the classroom on the first Friday of each month for Family Fridays, where they read or engage in an activity with their child.

All families are invited to attend parent workshops, which are offered on specific topics throughout the year.  In addition, there are opportunities to volunteer for events such as the annual Tiger Trot, our fun run and school fundraiser. Parents will also be invited to parent coffees and workshops throughout the year.

In Grades 4-8, we administer the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, a nationally- normed standardized test of reading and math skills. Upper School students take SAT II subject tests and AP Exams. We do not use instruction time to prep for tests.