About ISAAGNY

ISAAGNY is the largest regional admissions organization of its kind in the country.  Our schools agree to adhere to our Membership Agreement and Notification & Reply Dates - this commitment ensures that the admissions experience is orderly, streamlined, and equitable. The ISAAGNY network is also a home base for collaboration between schools: we offer access to the latest research on teaching and learning practices, a variety of professional development and training opportunities, and a breadth of educational resources. 

ISAAGNY also provide free resources to families who are considering, preparing for, or navigating the admissions process. Any questions can be addressed by reaching out to inquiry@isaagny.org. In providing these tools and support, we hope to maximize the accessibility of independent schools for all families who wish to explore them. 

• ISAAGNY schools agree to adhere to our Notification & Reply Dates. This timeline allows families to coordinate the various steps of the admissions process, and to make informed, contemporaneous decisions about their options. Our shared dates makes the process of applying to schools more orderly, and the process of deciding on schools more comprehensive.

 

• Abiding by our Principles of Good Practice is another contingency of ISAAGNY membership. They ensure that schools act as colleagues, rather than competitors - and the resulting collaboration and resource-sharing improves the quality of all programming. The principles also afford families with a means of protection as they navigate the admissions process, as schools are committed to policies that are ethical, transparent, and consistent. Our Principles of Good Practice ensure that schools are collegial and families are protected. 

 

• ISAAGNY schools are required to satisfy a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Mandate. The requirement stipulates that anyone working in admissions must be actively elevating their understanding of educational equity, implicit bias, systemic privilege, and more. We also offer regular training opportunities to equip our members with the language, knowledge, and tools they need to work towards DEI+ goals. ISAAGNY members are committed to studying, understanding, and tangibly furthering equity in admissions. 

 

• All ISAAGNY schools are independent schools, and therefore have the freedom to create personalized experiences for every student's strengths and needs: 
  • They operate without state mandates on curriculum, testing, and mission. 
  • Their small class sizes and low student-teacher ratios allow for deeper analyses, engagement, and connectivity. 
  • Teachers at independent schools are highly qualified, and generally teach in their respective areas of expertise. 
  • Ample resources and extracurricular activities often feature in independent school programming. 
  • An independent education is an education for the whole child: high academic standards, social consciousness, leadership skills, artistic capacities, athleticism, and more are thoughtfully integrated into each curriculum. 

Each ISAAGNY school has a unique mission, board of trustees, and self-defined admissions process. Independent schools range in their philosophical approaches, ensuring that one will suit each and every type of student. Some schools begin in early childhood or kindergarten and continue through 8th or 12th grade, while others operate standalone programs for early childhood, elementary, or middle school programs. Some schools run co-educational programming, and some curate environments for either girls or boys. Some are affiliated with religious institutions, and others are independently secular. There are hundreds of options and opportunities for every type of student.