A Kind Community of Global Citizens
Dominican Academy has been educating young women intellectually, socially and spiritually since 1897.
Located in an historic mansion on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Dominican Academy consistently ranks among New York City’s best high schools and has been named as one of the Top 100 High Schools in the country.
Operated by the Dominican Sisters of Peace and lay staff, Dominican Academy unites academic excellence with a warm, family-like atmosphere. The school’s program challenges and empowers young women to be local and global leaders in the 21st century.
Student Body
The 222 students enrolled for the 2017-2018 academic year come from all five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Westchester, and abroad. Dominican Academy is easily accessible by the E, F, N, Q, R, and 6 trains.
While 80 percent of students identify as Roman Catholic, the remainder are Christian, Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or non-religious.
Academics
All classes are honors or AP level. Students can choose from 12 AP courses and over 20 elective courses. The study of both classical and modern languages is an integral part of a Dominican Academy education. All students are required to take at least two years of both Latin and either French, Mandarin or Spanish, for a minimum of five years of language.
A student-teacher ratio of 8:1 ensures personalized attention and fosters opportunities for mentorship. The largest class is approximately 18 students. Ninety percent of faculty members hold at least one advanced degree.
Fine Arts
Dominican Academy students benefit from a well-rounded arts curriculum that includes required dance, music and drama classes, with the option to take advanced electives in each.
In addition to on-site art history electives, Dominican Academy partners with the Frick Museum (70th Street and Fifth Avenue) to offer sketching classes taught by art professionals at no extra cost.
Extracurriculars and Sports
Dominican Academy offers over 30 clubs, including Campus Ministry, Culture Club, Girls Who Code, Literary Journal, Mock Trial, Shakespeare Club and Women’s Empowerment Club. The schools’ athletic program has been expanded to include intramural tennis and the following varsity sports: basketball, cross country track, soccer, softball, swimming, indoor track, outdoor track and volleyball.
College Placement
One hundred percent of graduates go to accredited colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad. Members of the Class of 2017 are attending Barnard College, Brown University, Cornell University, University of California at Berkeley, Fordham University, University of St. Andrews in Scotland and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, to name a few.
Of the 53 graduates in the Class of 2017, one was identified as a National Merit Commended Scholar (top 3 percent nationally), and one was honored as a National Merit Finalist (top <1 percent nationally).
Application Process
Applicants are required to take the TACHS exam (Code 204). All first- and second-choice applicants are considered for admission, though preference is given to first choice. The school will be unable to consider third-choice applicants.
Prospective students are considered strong candidates when they score 85 percent or higher on the TACHS exam, have above average grades in school and wish to strive for excellence in a Catholic, college-preparatory environment.
The tuition for 2017-2018 is $17,300, and Dominican Academy offers a limited number of full- and partial-tuition merit scholarships. Financial aid is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Families interested in financial aid must submit the School and Student Services application (www.sssbynais.org) no later than Dec. 15. Students interested in being considered for a scholarship must list Dominican Academy as their first choice or second choice (with a letter of explanation).
Dominican Academy welcomes prospective students for a Mini Open House on Thursday, Oct. 26, from 4 to 6 p.m. To RSVP or if families have additional questions, contact Madeleine Metzler, Dominican Academy’s director of admissions, at 212-744-0195, ext. 131 or mmetzler@dominicanacademy.org.
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