List of 22 frequently asked questions.

• When will Friends begin accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year?

  Applications for the 2025-2026 school year open on August 26, 2024.
  Click here to apply.

• Does Friends Seminary accept transfers?

  Friends Seminary does not accept mid year transfers. After an academic year has began, families will need to apply for the following academic year.  

• What are the annual entry grades at Friends?

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

• Does Friends have a birthday cut-off date?

  Yes, for Kindergarten and Grade 1 only. 
  For Kindergarten, children must be five-years-old by August 31.
  For Grade 1, children must be six-years-old by August 31.

• Does Friends offer Early Notification?

  Friends offers Early Notification for Kindergarten only. This applies to children of (1) Members of the Religious Society of Friends, (2) current sibling families, and (3) current faculty and staff. Please complete the Early Notification Form and submit your Application for Admission in Ravenna.

• How do I begin my application to Friends?

  Applications are available online in Ravenna. 
  Click here to apply.
  

• When do applications for Academic Year 2025-2026 need to be completed?

  The application deadline is November 18, 2024; however we encourage you to submit the application for admissions as soon a possible. 
  
  All supplemental documents must be completed by January 9, 2025. 
  
  If families apply after this date, applications will be placed on hold pending openings. 
  
  Please reach out to the Admissions Office for more information at admissions@friendsseminary.org or at 646.979.5041.

• What are the application requirements?

  Click Lower School,  Middle School, or Upper School to learn about application requirements for each grade. 

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

  Yes, the "Application for Admission" form must be submitted before an interview can be scheduled.
  
  The application deadline for the 2025-2026 academic year is November 18, 2024. 
  

• Will Friends offer Zoom interviews?

  Applicants residing overseas or outside of the New York, tri-state may request a Zoom interview. Please contact the admissions office to schedule an appointment.

• Is an application required to tour the School?

  Please visit Lower School,  Middle School, or Upper School to learn how to schedule a school tour.

• Does Friends require standardized testing?

  Friends Seminary requires a score report for the ISEE or SSAT for Grades 5 - 12.
  Please visit the How to Apply page for additional information. 

• 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 as each recommendation offer different questions.

• How do I register for Admissions Events?

  
  

  1. Log into your Ravenna account  
  2. Locate your student on the left side panel
  3. Select Applications
  4. Select Friends Seminary
  5. Select Go to Application
  6. Search for Additional Steps
  7. Select Register for an event

• Does Friends have a Financial Aid and Affordability Program?

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

• What is the process for applications that are on the waitlist for Kindergarten or Grade 9 interviews?

  As interview spaces become available, the Admissions Office will contact families on the waitlist.

• What happens to applications for attrition grades when an opening is not available?

  The applications will remain on an active hold. As openings become available, and if we are able to process your application, the Admissions Office will contact applicant families.

• How does the waitlist work following notification?

  Applicants who have been placed on the waitlist may opt to remain active until the beginning of the school year.

• Does Friends have before and after-school programs?

  Our before-school program, Early Bird, is available for Kindergarten-Grade 4 at no cost. Our after-school program, After Owls, are available for Grades K-6. Financial assistance is available for families receiving aid. Click here for more information on Extended Programs.
  

• Where do Friends families reside?

  Geographically, Friends casts a wide net; students represent over 80 zip codes within the New York metropolitan area, including 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 646-979-5111.
  
  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 646-979-5111.
  
  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 at 646-979-5044. Financial assistance is available for families who receive financial aid.
  
  Kindergarten - Grade 12 families living in Brooklyn 
  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 at 646-979-5044. Financial assistance is available for families who receive financial aid.
  
  Grade 5-12 students, city-wide
  Metrocards are available to students residing in New York City.

• To which colleges and universities do Friends graduates matriculate?

  Please visit the Matriculation section of COLLEGE COUNSELING page on our website.