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ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL

132 EAST 78 STREET

At a Glance

An all-boys elementary where tradition, arts, and athletics share the same podium on the Upper East Side

Best suited for

Families who want a structured, all-boys elementary with strong academics and a real commitment to arts and athletics, who can navigate the cost and are already thinking ahead about middle school.

What stands out

  • A 6.4-to-1 student-teacher ratio across the whole school, with classes small enough that teachers really do know every boy.
  • The "3 A's" framework treats athletics and the arts as genuine equals to academics, not as enrichment on the side.
  • A music and performing arts program that parents consistently call out as exceptional for an elementary school, including a strong theatre component.
  • Eight interscholastic sports offered at the elementary level — an unusually broad athletic slate for boys this young.
  • Subway access is about as convenient as it gets in NYC: the 77 St/6 stop is roughly a 1-minute walk from the entrance.

Things to consider

  • An all-boys environment shapes a boy's peer world significantly — worth weighing against your child's temperament and your family's preferences.
  • Tuition tops out at $64,100 for 2025-26, which puts Allen-Stevenson near the very top of NYC elementary pricing.
  • The "scholars and gentlemen" language has a distinctly traditional register that some families love and others find dated.
  • The school ends at fifth grade, so families need to plan a middle school transition in addition to the application process here.
  • The December 15 application deadline compresses the timeline — visits, assessments, and references all need to happen in the fall before.

Identity

Traditional

Nonsectarian, all-boys elementary serving PK through fifth grade with an "enlightened traditional" philosophy. The school's framing — "scholars and gentlemen" — is paired with a stated belief that there are many ways to be a boy, and a commitment to meeting each student where he is rather than running a one-size-fits-all program.

Community

Diverse

Enrollment is roughly 62% white, with meaningful Asian (13.1%), multiracial (14.1%), Black (6.7%), and Hispanic (4.1%) representation; the 0.66 diversity index puts the student body on the more heterogeneous end for an elite Manhattan elementary. Tuition for 2025-26 runs $42,100 to $64,100, placing the school firmly in the top tier of NYC private elementary pricing.

Neighborhood

Upper East Side-Carnegie Hill

Carnegie Hill is one of Manhattan's wealthiest pockets — the median household income of nearly $198,000 and the 84% bachelor's-degree rate among adults point to a neighborhood of professionals, dual-income families, and multi-generational Upper East Side residents. The area around East 78th Street is a dense, leafy residential stretch of prewar buildings and brownstones, with the cultural institutions of Museum Mile a short walk north.

The 77 St station on the 6 line is about a 1-minute walk from the school — effectively at the door — with the 72 St (Q) station about 8 minutes away and the 86 St (4, 5, 6) station about 9 minutes on foot.

Notable Programs

3 A's Program (Academics, Athletics, Arts)Music and Performing ArtsTheatre programVisual ArtsAthletics (8 interscholastic sports)

What Parents Are Saying

Highly positive - parents describe the school as wonderful, warm, and joyful with top-notch teachers; exceptional music program; great balance between academics and the arts; caring, kind community; students develop holistically as scholarly gentlemen

Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL a good school?
Published quality ratings aren't available for ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in Upper East Side-Carnegie Hill.
What grades does ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL serve?
ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL serves grades Pre-K to 5.
How do students get into ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL?
ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
Is ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL public, charter, or private?
ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL is a private school.
What neighborhood is ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL in?
ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL is in Upper East Side-Carnegie Hill, Manhattan.