75 West 205 Street, Bronx
Average Class Size: 32
Progress Report Grade: A
Average Daily Attendance: 97%
SAT Score: 1949
Graduation Rate: 99%
Dropout Rate: 0.3%
College Entrance 100% accepted, almost all go to four-year schools
TOP math and science specialized school holds the record for most Intel Talent Search finalists with 135, including three in the last five years. Strong focus on independent but guided research. Students are routinely published in respected journals. The school offers all available AP classes, as well as even more advanced courses with APs as prerequisites. Analytical thinking is encouraged — “We don’t ask, ‘What color is my shirt,’” said Principal Valerie Reidy. “We ask, Why do you perceive my shirt to be that color?’” Students can expect three hours of homework. Competition is stiff, but Reidy said, “It’s a positive thing that helps the students strive to be better,” recalling one instance when losing Intel students carried the winners on their backs. The school is crowded. Over 100 clubs. School had seven Nobel prize winners in physics. Many teachers have PhDs. Reidy acknowledged some friction between herself and teachers because she “holds teachers very, very accountable” and is “tough.” “Is there a love fest? No. But I think there is mutual respect.”