Lycee Francais De NY

3 years after, I agree with the review I read underneath : "General feeling of dissatisfaction with academic and social environment among parents but children remain enrolled because of the French language education." Although things improve when the children reach middle-shool, the level of the students education in the elementary school is just around average. The afterschool and summer camp programs, that should open the children education to arts, culture and sports, is of poor quality and overpriced. The new direction should be alerted by the low level of its frequentation and address the problem seriously.
—Submitted by a parent

The cultural diversity is one of the main strenght. Also the combination of a very rigorous acadamic program that is tought by highly educated, carring and warm teachers is a strength. My daughter is attending the lycee since 3 years and is every day looking forward to school. The parent community highly respects the principal, who is beloved by the children and remembers each of them by name. The parents are welcome to be involved in the school but are not required too.
—Submitted by a parent

I'm going to give this school 4 stars. I've been going to the LFNY since I was in kindergarten. The teachers are great: they really care about you and push you to do your best. The principal and dean also do their best to ensure your well-being inside and out of the school. The only thing I really dislike is that I find it very hard to fit in if you're not "100% French". Other than that, this school is great.

Primary School and Middle School. The school's greatest strength is the cultural diversity of its students.The school's greatest weakness is that it is overcrowded resulting in 6th graders out in the cold and rain for sports and lack of science labs for 4th and 5th graders, among other shortcomings. General feeling of dissatisfaction with academic and social environment among parents but children remain enrolled because of the French language education.
—Submitted by a parent

I've been going to this school since kindergarten and it's very comprehensible in so many ways. The students are all very nice as well as the teachers who will even stay a couple ours of their day to explain something you don't understand. My sibling went to this school and graduated from the LFNY and I hope to do the same.
—Submitted by a student

The Lycee is a truly exceptional school that combines the best that the French and American systems offer. The student body is very diverse, since the school embraces both socio-economic and ethnic diversity. However, it is increasingly being considered by parents who are neither French nor French-speaking, and who want their children to be multilingual, international, and open-minded. In the upper school children go on school trips to different countries in Europe and South America every year. Lycee graduates are being admitted into top universities in the United States and abroad in growing numbers, despite the fact that the admission process in pre-school is less selective than in other elite American schools, and despite the fact that many graduates have come from other French schools around the world and are not truly product of this Lycee. Additionally, it is probably the most beautiful school in Manhattan.
—Submitted by a parent

I think it is very difficult to understand the curriculum of this school unless you are truly bi-cultural yourself. I think that the French system is very old-fashioned (with the good and the bad that goes with that) but the children learn how to be analytical in every subject. I don't think the curriculum is 'confused'. It follows the French system but has added a lot of English hours. There are AP's only in subjects where the student is already prepared and this is necessary since most students go to North American Universities. There are many rules but structure is required to be successful at the French Baccalaureat which is a combination of very difficult exams and in many cases LFNY students enter university with Advanced Standing. This school turns out well educated, confident, international students ready to take on the world.
—Submitted by a parent

The Lycee is old-fashined and confused in its approach with seeks to combine American and French systems. The schools academics are fine, but nothing to write home about.

They are indeed very old fashioned compared to other schools, however the children do grow up learning at least three languages fluently. Overall, it's good school, but it would be almost perfect if it weren't for the the principal and some of the rules.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is a bit old-fashioned in their burocracy and curriculum, but the quality of education is better than other schools in the area. They do offer music and sport as extracurricular activities.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a student who now has gone to the LFNY for 6 years and I have to say that I honestly love it! The teachers are just fabulous and really want you to understand what they are teaching you,sometimes they will even stay later hours just with one of their students to make you comprehend what they are trying to teach you. I am now off to college next year so I will unfortunatly not be at the LFNY any more, but I wish I had come earlier!
—Submitted by a student