Building a Kind Community of Global Citizens
Dominican Academy (D.A.) has been educating young women intellectually, socially and spiritually since 1897.
Located in an historic mansion on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, D.A. 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, D.A. unites academic excellence with a warm, family-like atmosphere. The academy’s program challenges and empowers young women to be local and global leaders in the 21st century.
Student Body
The 225 students enrolled for the 2016-2017 academic year come from all five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Westchester and abroad. D.A. 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 Advanced Placement (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 D.A. 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 studies.
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 has at least one advanced degree.
Fine Arts
D.A. 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
D.A. offers over 30 clubs, including Campus Ministry, Culture Club, Girls Who Code, Literary Journal, Mock Trial, Shakespeare Club and Women’s Empowerment Club.
The athletic program has been expanded to now include nine sports: basketball, cross country track, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, 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 2016 are attending Boston College, Cornell University, the College of William and Mary, Fordham University, Princeton University, Trinity College in Dublin, Weslyan College, and Villanova University, to name a few.
Of the 58 graduates in the Class of 2016, six were identified as National Merit Commended Scholars (top 3 percent nationally) and one was honored as a National Merit Finalist (top <1 percent nationally).
How to Apply
D.A. requires applicants to take the Test for Admission into Catholic High Schools (TACHS). First-, second- and third-choice applicants are all considered, but preference is given to first choice.
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 2016-2017 is $16,200, and D.A. 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. 31, 2016. Students who are interested in being considered for a scholarship must list D.A. as their first choice, or second choice (with a letter of explanation).
The school’s Mini Open House is on Wednesday, Oct. 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. To RSVP, contact Madeleine Metzler, director of admissions, at 212-744-0195 ext. 131 or mmetzler@dominicanacademy.org or if you have any additional questions.
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