At a Glance
An Episcopal school built on intellectual excellence and habits of ethical virtue, anchored at one of downtown's busiest crossroads.
Best suited for
Self-motivated teens who want rigorous academics paired with ethical reflection, and families drawn to a values-driven downtown community within easy reach of the 6, R, and W trains.
What stands out
- A 5:1 student-teacher ratio at a school of 749 students — unusually personalized for a high school of this size, suggesting genuinely small classes and tight faculty relationships.
- The Independent Project (IP10), a sustained self-directed intellectual experience in 10th grade that gives students real ownership over their work.
- A Footsteps of History VR program that brings historical sites into the classroom — an unusual commitment to experiential and immersive learning.
- Daily Chapel and Community Meeting keeps the Episcopal identity tangible, with space for ethical reflection alongside academic work.
- Four overlapping accreditations, including the Episcopal-specific NAES, signal a school that's been deeply peer-reviewed.
Things to consider
- Tuition ranges from $21,050 to $68,490 in 2025-26, indicating substantial financial aid — but the top of that range is real money, and families should plan accordingly.
- Parent reviews surface a competitive academic culture and a heavy workload; students who crave challenge will thrive, others may feel stretched.
- Some reviewers flag administrative friction — the kind of thing worth asking current families about during a tour.
- The December 1 application deadline is on the early side, so families need to move quickly if Grace is a serious contender.
- At 749 students, this is a sizable school — bigger and more anonymous-feeling than many Episcopal peers, though the staffing ratio softens that.
Identity
Founded in the Episcopal tradition, Grace emphasizes intellectual excellence alongside habits of ethical virtue — a dual focus that's distinctive even within independent schools. It is nonsectarian in practice (open to students of all backgrounds), but Episcopal identity shows up in chapel programming and community meeting rhythms. Coeducational, grades 9 through 12, on a single unified campus.
Community
About 61% of students identify as white, with a sizable multiracial population (around 22%) and meaningful representation of Asian, Black, and Hispanic students. The community skews downtown and intellectually engaged, with families who choose Grace for its blend of rigor and ethical grounding. Reviewers describe a socially aware, college-bound culture with high expectations.
Neighborhood
Greenwich Village around Cooper Square is one of the most highly educated corners of the city — a BA+ rate of 88% and a median household income north of $180,000 underscore a population of professionals, artists, and NYU-adjacent families. The neighborhood reads as dense, walkable, and culturally alive, with the energy of a college town layered onto a long-standing New York residential core.
Transit access is exceptional: Astor Pl (6) is about a 2-minute walk, 8 St-NYU (R, W) about 3 minutes, and Bleecker St (6) about 6 minutes — three lines within easy range.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Mixed reviews: parents praise academic excellence and community, while some note competitive culture, heavy workload, and administrative disconnect. It is rated 4.2 out of 5 across 47 reviews.
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is GRACE CHURCH HIGH SCHOOL a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for GRACE CHURCH HIGH SCHOOL yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades 9 to 12 in Greenwich Village.
- What grades does GRACE CHURCH HIGH SCHOOL serve?
- GRACE CHURCH HIGH SCHOOL serves grades 9 to 12.
- How do students get into GRACE CHURCH HIGH SCHOOL?
- GRACE CHURCH HIGH SCHOOL runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is GRACE CHURCH HIGH SCHOOL public, charter, or private?
- GRACE CHURCH HIGH SCHOOL is a private school.
- What neighborhood is GRACE CHURCH HIGH SCHOOL in?
- GRACE CHURCH HIGH SCHOOL is in Greenwich Village, Manhattan.