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New York City: applying for grades 5 and 6

On this page
  1. The ten schools
  2. One timeline
  3. Month by month
  4. ISEE
  5. Common questions

Short answer

These guides cover ten schools in and near New York City. All ten take the ISEE for grade 6: Allen-Stevenson and Buckley name only the ISEE, Horace Mann accepts the SSAT only from boarding-school applicants, and the other seven accept either. Eight admit new students into grade 6 as a planned entry point; at Buckley and Berkeley Carroll, grades 5 and 6 open only through attrition. Deadlines run from November 13 (ECFS) to December 11, 2026 (Spence), with Buckley's file due January 8; decisions come between February 5 and 10, 2027.

The ten schools

Grades 5 and 6 both open

  • The Brearley SchoolGrades 5 and 6 (Classes V and VI)ISEE, grade 6RequiredDeadlineDecember 1, 2026

Grade 6 is a planned entry point

  • Ethical Culture Fieldston SchoolGrade 6, about 30 · grade 5 as space allows (own assessment)ISEE, grade 6RequiredDeadlineNovember 13, 2026
  • Riverdale Country SchoolGrade 6, 20–25 · grade 5 as space allowsISEE, grade 6RequiredDeadlineNovember 16, 2026preliminary application
  • Horace Mann SchoolGrade 6, about 55–60 · grade 5 wait pool onlyISEE, grade 6RequiredDeadlineNovember 18, 2026application form
  • The Allen-Stevenson SchoolGrade 6 · grade 5: contact admissions firstISEE, grade 6RequiredDeadlineDecember 1, 2026
  • The Browning SchoolGrade 6, about 15 · grade 5 as space allowsISEE, grade 6RequiredDeadlineDecember 1, 2026preliminary application
  • Hackley SchoolGrade 6 · grade 5 as space allows · WestchesterISEE, grade 6RequiredDeadlineDecember 1, 2026preliminary application
  • The Spence SchoolGrade 6 · grade 5 as space allowsISEE, grade 6RequiredDeadlineDecember 11, 2026

Grades 5 and 6 only as space allows

  • Berkeley Carroll SchoolGrades 5 and 6 as space allowsISEE, grade 6RequiredDeadlineNovember 16, 2026core application
  • The Buckley SchoolGrades 5 and 6 as space allows · inquiry firstISEE, grade 6RequiredDeadlineJanuary 8, 2027application complete

New York runs early and close together. Applications open in August, the first deadlines fall in mid-November, most of the rest on December 1, and test scores and teacher forms are due around January 8. Most schools send decisions on February 10, the common date set by the Independent Schools Admissions Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY); ECFS (February 5) and Brearley (February 8) come a few days earlier.

Grade 5 is the harder door. Only Brearley lists grade 5 as open; elsewhere it depends on attrition or a wait pool, and ECFS assesses grade 5 applicants itself instead of asking for the ISEE. Each school sets its own test rules, so read every school's page. Hackley is in Tarrytown, Westchester County, and is listed here as a nearby option.

Ten schools on one timeline

Today is October 25, 2026. Each school shows only its deadline and its decision date; on phones the chart becomes a list by date.

Key dates for 10 New York City schools on one timelineECFS: Nov 13 Application due, noon; Feb 5 Decisions. Riverdale: Nov 16 Preliminary application due; Feb 10 Decisions. Berkeley Carroll: Nov 16 Core application due; Feb 10 Decisions. Horace Mann: Nov 18 Application form due; Feb Decisions, usually in February. Brearley: Dec 1 Application due; Feb 8 Decisions. Allen-Stevenson: Dec 1 Application due; Feb 10 Decisions. Browning: Dec 1 Preliminary application due; Feb 10 Decisions. Hackley: Dec 1 Preliminary application due; Feb 10 Decisions. Spence: Dec 11 Application due; Feb 10 Decisions. Buckley: Jan 8 Application complete; Feb 10 DecisionsFall testing season (Aug–Nov)Winter testing season (Dec–Mar)OctNovDecJanFebECFSECFS · November 13, 2026 · Application due, noonNov 13ECFS · February 5, 2027 · DecisionsFeb 5RiverdaleRiverdale · November 16, 2026 · Preliminary application dueNov 16Riverdale · February 10, 2027 · DecisionsFeb 10Berkeley CarrollBerkeley Carroll · November 16, 2026 · Core application dueNov 16Berkeley Carroll · February 10, 2027 · DecisionsFeb 10Horace MannHorace Mann · November 18, 2026 · Application form dueNov 18Horace Mann · February 2027 · Decisions, usually in FebruaryFebBrearleyBrearley · December 1, 2026 · Application dueDec 1Brearley · February 8, 2027 · DecisionsFeb 8Allen-StevensonAllen-Stevenson · December 1, 2026 · Application dueDec 1Allen-Stevenson · February 10, 2027 · DecisionsFeb 10BrowningBrowning · December 1, 2026 · Preliminary application dueDec 1Browning · February 10, 2027 · DecisionsFeb 10HackleyHackley · December 1, 2026 · Preliminary application dueDec 1Hackley · February 10, 2027 · DecisionsFeb 10SpenceSpence · December 11, 2026 · Application dueDec 11Spence · February 10, 2027 · DecisionsFeb 10BuckleyBuckley · January 8, 2027 · Application completeJan 8Buckley · February 10, 2027 · DecisionsFeb 10Today
  1. November 13, 2026
    • ECFS Application due, noon
  2. November 16, 2026
  3. November 18, 2026
  4. December 1, 2026
  5. December 11, 2026
  6. January 8, 2027
  7. February 2027
  8. February 5, 2027
  9. February 8, 2027
  10. February 10, 2027

This season's timeline (2026–27)

  1. August 2026 – early January 2027Entrance tests, taken in this application year. ECFS wants the test before December 31, Hackley by January 4, Spence by early January; at most schools scores are due with the January 8 file.
  2. August 2026Applications open: Horace Mann (Aug 5), Buckley (Aug 24), Browning (Aug 25), Allen-Stevenson (Aug 27).
  3. October 2026Horace Mann's interview-assurance date, October 15 (passed); Spence Middle School open house, October 27.
  4. November 13–18, 2026ECFS application (Nov 13, noon); Riverdale preliminary application and Berkeley Carroll core application (Nov 16); Horace Mann application form (Nov 18).
  5. December 1, 2026Applications due at Brearley, Allen-Stevenson, Browning and Hackley; financial aid due at ECFS, Brearley, Spence and Berkeley Carroll.
  6. December 4–15, 2026Hackley interviews booked (Dec 4); Brearley interview registration (Dec 7); Spence application (Dec 11); Riverdale financial aid (Dec 15).
  7. January 4–8, 2027Hackley's last test date (Jan 4). Files complete at Horace Mann, Brearley, Browning, Buckley, Berkeley Carroll and Hackley; Spence teacher forms (Jan 8).
  8. February 5–10, 2027Decisions: ECFS (Feb 5), Brearley (Feb 8), Allen-Stevenson, Browning, Buckley, Berkeley Carroll, Hackley, Riverdale and Spence (Feb 10); Horace Mann typically in February.
  9. February 25–26, 2027Replies: ECFS (Feb 25, noon); Brearley, Browning, Buckley, Berkeley Carroll, Hackley and Riverdale (Feb 26).

As listed on each school's admissions pages on October 25, 2026. School-by-school detail is on each school's page; the school's own pages are the authority.

Do these schools ask for the ISEE?

Grade 6. All ten ask for an entrance test and take the ISEE. Allen-Stevenson and Buckley name only the ISEE. Horace Mann asks for the ISEE and accepts the SSAT only from students also considering boarding schools. Brearley, Browning, ECFS, Hackley, Riverdale, Spence and Berkeley Carroll accept the ISEE or the SSAT.

Grade 5. Brearley requires the ISEE or SSAT for its open Class V. ECFS uses its own on-campus assessment for grade 5. Browning's pages disagree about a grade 5 test. At the other schools the test rules reach grade 5, but places open only through attrition or, at Horace Mann, a wait pool.

Common questions

Do all ten New York schools accept the ISEE for grade 6?

Yes. Allen-Stevenson and Buckley name only the ISEE; Horace Mann accepts the SSAT only from boarding-school applicants; the other seven accept the ISEE or the SSAT.

Which New York school has the earliest deadline?

ECFS, at noon on November 13, 2026. Riverdale and Berkeley Carroll follow on November 16.

Which of these schools has grade 5 open?

Brearley lists Class V (grade 5) as open. At the others grade 5 depends on attrition or a wait pool.

Is there a common decision date?

Most notify on February 10, 2027, the ISAAGNY date. ECFS notifies on February 5 and Brearley on February 8; Horace Mann says February.

Sources (18)
  1. Ethical Culture Fieldston School — Applying to Fieldston Middlehttps://www.ecfs.org/admissions/applying-to-fieldston-middle/checked October 25, 2026
  2. Ethical Culture Fieldston School — Applying to the Lower Divisionshttps://www.ecfs.org/admissions/applying-to-lower-divisions/checked October 25, 2026
  3. Riverdale Country School — Admissions Processhttps://www.riverdale.edu/admission/admissions-process/checked October 25, 2026
  4. Riverdale Country School — Admission Eventshttps://www.riverdale.edu/admission/admissions-events/checked October 25, 2026
  5. Riverdale Country School — Tuition and Financial Aidhttps://www.riverdale.edu/admission/financial-aid/checked October 25, 2026
  6. Berkeley Carroll School — Application Processhttps://www.berkeleycarroll.org/admissions/application-processchecked October 25, 2026
  7. Horace Mann School — Applying to Grades 6–11https://www.horacemann.org/admissions/applying-to-grades-6-11checked October 25, 2026
  8. Horace Mann School — Applying to Grades 1–5https://www.horacemann.org/admissions/applying-to-grades-1-5checked October 25, 2026
  9. Horace Mann School — Admissionshttps://www.horacemann.org/admissionschecked October 25, 2026
  10. The Brearley School — Apply to Middle Schoolhttps://www.brearley.org/apply-to-middle-school/checked October 25, 2026
  11. The Brearley School — Admission FAQhttps://www.brearley.org/admission-faq/checked October 25, 2026
  12. The Allen-Stevenson School — Applyhttps://www.allen-stevenson.org/admissions/applychecked October 25, 2026
  13. The Browning School — Apply Nowhttps://browning.edu/apply-nowchecked October 25, 2026
  14. The Browning School — Admissionhttps://browning.edu/admissionchecked October 25, 2026
  15. Hackley School — How to Applyhttps://www.hackleyschool.org/admissions/how-to-applychecked October 25, 2026
  16. The Spence School — Application Processhttps://www.spenceschool.org/admissions/application-processchecked October 25, 2026
  17. The Spence School — Admissions Eventshttps://www.spenceschool.org/admissions/admissions-eventschecked October 25, 2026
  18. The Buckley School — Applying to Buckleyhttps://www.buckleyschool.org/admissions/applying-to-buckleychecked October 25, 2026

Last checked against the schools' admissions pages on .

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