NYC Lab Middle School for Collaborative Studies

I'm currently a student in Lab Middle School and I think this school is amazing. There is a lot of pressure to do well, especially in the seventh grade as we prepare for high school admission tests. You will often hear that "everything counts!". Sixth grade was definitely more of a time to settle in and get to know people, and by the time you are in seventh you will know how to manage your time and do your work efficiently. I still feel a lot of pressure to do well in school and oftentimes this leads to stress. That is basically the only downside to Lab. The teachers are (usually) great, we don't have more than an hour and half to two hours of homework a night and the classes are interesting. I still give this school a four star rating because at Lab, there is always room to improve.

Here's a statistic that shows how great the school/teachers are and the caliber of student at Lab MS. There are about 190 students in the current 8th grade (2011-2012). 131 of the students got accepted into one of the nine Specialized High Schools in NYC. Of those students 46 got into Stuyvesant High School. WOW!
—Submitted by a parent

I am presently an 8th grade parent at Lab and I must say 8th Grade is the worse year at Lab. 6th and 7th is rewarding,with remarkable teachers and a more nurturing "compassionate" environment with and stress level down. However 8th grade is a totally different story -- the 8th Grade Team just know how to punish (with their constant lunch & after school detentions and constant screaming at kids) and give non-stop homework. Since the first day of school the homework has been grueling until now -- the last week of school. Hours and hours of senseless homework, as if the teachers are compensating for something they are lacking. The Principal is rarely on the parents' side and is not open to criticism. Complaining doesn't help, they either increase the homework or increase the amount of punishing. Keeping kids for "lunch detention" happens daily to many many kids for the most minor infractions. I warn you it's going to be a miserable year if you're going into 8th grade at Lab! The bright side is the the terrific ever-smiling Art teacher Ms Rhinna who brings joy to their day and the best Parent Coordinator Marilyn Coston who always remains the kids pillar of support.
—Submitted by a parent

I know my daughter is happy as she has ever been. The school is rigorous. She works hard and late into the evening on projects. Last weekend she was diligently working on cupcakes for her Spanish class. Translating her recipe into Spanish and providing samples for her classmates. Pleased that her Teachers have taken note of her the past two years and have enjoyed her as much as she them. I dearly hope she considers continuing on to the High School program there!
—Submitted by a parent

Lab used to be the only game in town for MS choices back in the days. Now that there are the other very good MS choices, Lab still maintains its attraction for high achieving learners. District 2 is lucky to have so many high performing MS. District 2 is a huge district so a lot of the UES population logically prefers ESM due to the proximity and ESM is a perfectly fine school. What makes Lab special is its collaborative culture and the schools' engaging teachers and students. The PA evolved to support the school programs once again after the separation from the HS a few years ago and the negativity as a result of that. Everyone is back on track to support the school community and focuses on the MS program.
—Submitted by a parent

The Lab School has a clear vision of building the school community and the character of it's student. Collaboration is the name of the game.
—Submitted by a parent

LAB is a pretty good school. The building itself is pretty hidious, but the teachers are great. They are all young, enthusiastic and outgoing teachers, and all seem to enjoy teaching, however good they are at it. cons: The gym class is not especially productive. I am in 7th grade and we are doing the same things as we did last year, which is basketball... (I must say i'm not a big fan of that sport...) We share a building with the LAB highschool and another highschool which is called Museum School. The LAB highschool kids are fine, but the Musuem school is terrifing. Everyone always stays on their own floors however. Ugly yard. Pros: Very good Math teachers! Science teachers for my grade are all fantastic. We learn! We are def. challenged! We get tests 2 times a week at least. Great kids! Nice gym! (despite the class) After 7th grade we go out-to-lunch.
—Submitted by a student

While this school is a competent school and supposedly one of the best in NYC it has its shortcomings. The environment isn't very supportive--it's almost sink or swim. The classes are around 34 students but there are some exceptional, dedicated teachers here--the rest are OK. Academics overall are fine.
—Submitted by a student