Horace Mann School

My son attends Middle School. It is true that this is a mini-college school. He s learning Mandarin, studying Latin, Honors Math...and lots of classes he selected. It is not an easy school at all and it is not all about the wonderful teachers but the students. We can visit all classes once a year and a good filter to feel you don t belong to it are the students. They are SO smart! If someone is complaining is just because they don t belong to HM... very few do. It s a place where being a nerd is cool so it s not a place for everyone. I feel very proud my kids excel at HM... parents are very involved with activities but don t interfere with their kids academics. If your kid needs a tutor to pass his classes this is not the school...just for the really smart & committed.
—Submitted by a parent

I have had to opportunity to view the school as an alum and as a parent. Horace Mann is one of the best high schools in the country. It possesses the facilities of a college and offers the course selection of one as well. With an average class size of 14-15 there is plenty of opportunity for close teacher/student interaction and it is easy for a student to get extra help from a teacher. The administration is very accomdating if a student has an issue or an illness. The faculty is first rate. With average home work of 2-3 hrs a night, the acedmics are challenging and the school can be a real pressure cooker. There is also an early awareness of the college process even as early as 9th grade.
—Submitted by a parent

This high school is like a mini-college. All of the students end up at top universities, and love their experience at HM. Not to mention that the student body at HM is amazingly talented, intelligent, ambitious, and driven. There are tons of facilities- a pool, 2 gyms, fitness room, several computer labs, 2-floor library, 2 theaters, and a big cafeteria. Every classroom is equipped with a computer, projector, and some have smart boards. Tons of the teachers have PhDs, and all of them are really great. They are extremely helpful and actually want their students to succeed. I love this school, and I'll never forget all that I've learned from here.
—Submitted by a student

This is a most engaging school with teachers and administrators who are really interested in the kids and their well-being, not just the school's cumulative glory. The children are engaged and excited to learn. The opportunities for them are numerous and exceptional. They foster simple values such as kindness and respect in a practical way. It's not just lip service.
—Submitted by a parent

My kids go to the middle school in 09/10. The Middle school teachers seem very mediocre and unimpressive. They are supposed to use the moodle which is a hi tech academic curriculum and syllabus system designed to help the self motivated. But not one teacher has this working correctly, on-time or with quality content. Too many teachers are uninvolved, uninspiring, and frankly overrated. Some of them are downright bad. I did hear that the high school has better teachers. I wish the school would institute a reverse performance review-by the students and parents of their teachers.
—Submitted by a parent

Designed for the gifted set, this top notch facility provides every challenge a growing mind could want. The stress level is overrated, most often by those who could not rise to the challenge. The educators are driven, yet supportive abd understanding. The 'Escalade' parent set takes some getting used to, but the educational experience is unmatched. If your child is accepted, this is the place to send hium/her.
—Submitted by a parent

I'm not a parent at HM, I'm a student. I attend Middle School there and entered in kindergarten. So I want to point out some things that parents 'may have overlooked' (but when you're paying approx. $39,000, what could go wrong?) Some of the teachers at HM are spectacular (I can think of two) but most of the rest are ok-ish (or worse.) Some are not too strict, which is what I'd expect, but are somewhat flaky, and don't offer any discipline or rules at all (I recall one english class that I had, right before my lunch period, where we were allowed to walk in late, with chips, soda, and/or french fries. Then, we would proceed to eat in class, climb on the desks, and write on the whiteboard. ~BustopherJones
—Submitted by a student

I graduated at the very top of the class, played multiple varsity sports etc., and went on to one of the best universities on the planet. I was shocked to learn how woefully underprepared I was for college by HM. HM will give you lots of homework and fancy facilities but will not teach you to think or problem solve.
—Submitted by a former student

Simply the best of the best. If your child is lucky enough to get accepted, it truly offers the best education money can buy.
—Submitted by a parent

Horace Mann's academics are rigorous. Hard working students thrive there. Students with a desire to succeed have the power to do so at Horace Mann because of the extremely attentive and talented faculty. The school also has fantastic extracurricular opportunities.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter has attended Horace Mann School since she was in kindergarten. She is now in 7th grade. This school is excellent. She continues to excel and loves going to school every day. Horace Mann provides numerous extracurricular activities that supplement its program of study.
—Submitted by a parent

The best of the best. Pressure, yes. Pressure cooker, no. This is a school packed to the brim with self-motivated kids who take advantage of the opportunities available to them at an instution of such academic caliber. Teachers are inspiring and enthusiastic. Sure, there are duds, but overall, they are the best you can get. Beware of the materialistic tendencies of the student body, but remember, your child doesn't have to be one of them to fit in. Parents Association active and heard- very supportive. State of the art facilities including a fitness room, hi-tech private music practice rooms, photography lab, wireless internet, and 4+ computer labs. The only child left behind at HM is the one who shouldn't be there. Note: Sports teams are diverse, but this is no 'Friday-night football game with cheerleaders' crowd; it's more like the intellectual fireworks crew. An ideal environment for bright and driven students.
—Submitted by a parent

Myth #1 'It's a pressure cooker.' Intense, yes. Rigorous academics, yes. So many extracurriculars it's hard to choose (many kids don't.) The *kids* are intense, the pool of talent immense. Most kids are talented academically *and* in other areas. Most genuinely want to develop to the fullest. Courses move quickly,material's explored in depth, standards are high. Romance languages are weak. Science, math, history: outstanding. English: verytraditional. TONS of arts: music, drama, dance, visual, etc. Tons of teams, clubs populated with diversity of 'types': baseball players also sing in glee club. Kids given freedom in order to learn to handle it at college. Leadership is encouraged, service required, intelligence admired, even envied. Most kids genuinely supportive of each other. Parents can be too intense. Teachers are down-to-earth, concerned & accessible to kids & parents. Hard to believe we'll find a college that's comparable. Average kids will struggle.
—Submitted by a parent

Great school, if you are going to pick a private school in riverdale this is the one and only one. Don't even think of the other 2, if you can get into this school you can get into any private school in the metro area. My daughter loves it. Teachers are the greatest and care about the students. Classes are small and the students are as friendly as they come.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter has attended HM since Middle School, and is now finishing freshman year. She was always a strong student, but I've watched her blossom beautifully, taking complete ownership of her education. This attitude was intentionally fostered by the school leadership and teachers, and my daughter has embraced it and is excelling. The workload is tremendous, but the kids are self-motivated and the intensity seems to come from their own healthy desire to excel. The school is committed to providing not only extraordinary academic and extracurricular resources and experiences, but diversity. As a family of Hispanic and African American background, the student body is among the most diverse I found--although more teachers of color would be a welcome sight. I've found HM a fabulous environment for my daughter. I highly recommend it.
—Submitted by a parent

Horace Mann offers its students a first-rate education at every level. Teachers are highly qualified and motivated. This excitement about learning is passed on to the students. There are, however, social issues at this school. There is little religious diversity, and the school is filled with cliques. The arts are beginning to become a priority at the school, and the splendid new buildings have contributed greatly to a general feeling of well-roundedness.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers are extremely well qualified and in most cases superb educators - better than many colleges. In fact the high school is like a college. The kids are very bright and the environment is very demanding and stimulating.
—Submitted by Mary Stone, a parent

Demands are made of students in all areas... however Horace Mann goes to great lengths to provide 'saftey nets,' which students can avail themselves of throughout the learning process/experience. Expect your child to have from 2 to 5 hrs. of homework each night... but also expect that they will come out of this better having had the experience. Forget, for a moment, that this is a school that prides itself on academic excellence. Think, instead of the enrichment that you give your children in so many wonderful ways. Horace Mann demands a great deal from both its students AND their parents. This is not an institution that one breezes through. Rather, there is a partnership to promote an environment for excellence found in only a handfull of other schools in America today. Personally, we have made some of the most lasting and valued friendships we have ever know through Horace Mann. This in turn has helped make this 'hands-on' experience more inviting and rewarding than one could have imagined. Sadly, while not everyone can afford to send their children to Horace Mann, there are programs to bring diversity to the School, that has real promise... and in fact, which the School is achieving. The object being to achieve a balance in its community to further promote achievement and excellence. We are delighted that our son attends the Horace Mann School... and even more proud of how well adjusted he is becomeing (in part because of the experience). While nothing man-made is truely flawless, I know of no better institution of learning in the New York area. I could be wrong... and it's only an opinion... but this has been our experience.
—Submitted by a parent