At a Glance
An all-girls Catholic college prep where virtues — not just transcripts — shape young women into leaders.
Best suited for
Bronx and outer-borough families seeking an affordable, values-driven all-girls Catholic education where character formation is taken as seriously as college admissions.
What stands out
- One of very few all-girls Catholic secondary schools left in New York City, offering a single-gender learning environment increasingly hard to find.
- The Preston Scholars Program recognizes top-performing scholars with distinction beyond standard AP coursework.
- An Ethics Bowl and Ethics Club reflect the school's commitment to character and moral reasoning, not just academic outcomes.
- Tuition sits at a flat $12,795 — substantially below most NYC private high schools — making Catholic college prep accessible to a broader range of families.
- Modest enrollment of 347 keeps the community feeling tight-knit; teachers know students by name across all four years.
Things to consider
- There are no subway stations within a 20-minute walk, so the commute is a real factor for families without a car — most students rely on buses or parent drop-off.
- Parent reviews are mixed: while many praise supportive teachers and college prep, some families have raised concerns about how bullying is addressed and about enrollment stability.
- The all-girls format is a strong fit for some families and a non-starter for others — visit and ask current students how they experience the single-gender dynamic.
- Catholic identity is central to the mission; families from other faith traditions or secular backgrounds should consider whether the values framework aligns with their own.
- AP offerings are limited (currently Biology and Calculus AB), so families seeking a broader AP catalog may need to supplement elsewhere.
Identity
Preston is an all-girls Roman Catholic college preparatory secondary school serving grades 9-12, founded on the pillars of dignity, honor, respect, and compassion. The mission explicitly empowers young women to become compassionate leaders for change, with Christian service woven into the educational experience. At 347 students with a 11:1 student-teacher ratio, it maintains an intimate feel uncommon for a high school.
Community
The student body is notably diverse for a Catholic school — roughly half Hispanic (47.6%) and a substantial White population (32.6%), with Black (10.7%), Asian (4.9%), and multiracial students rounding out the community. This mix reflects the Bronx's broad demographic tapestry rather than a single ethnic identity. The diversity index of 0.70 places Preston well above the average Catholic school in the city.
Neighborhood
The school sits in Throgs Neck-Schuylerville, a middle-income Bronx neighborhood where median household income is around $85,000 and about a quarter of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The area has a working- and middle-class feel, with a 14.9% poverty rate that sits roughly in line with the broader borough. It is the kind of place where families have lived for decades — Preston draws from this stable community base.
The school is beyond walking distance of any subway station — there are no subway stops within a 20-minute walk, so families should plan for a car commute, school bus, or MTA bus connection.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Mixed reviews, rated 3.96 out of 5 stars from 231 reviews; positive feedback about supportive teachers, college preparation, a diverse community, and a family-oriented atmosphere; some concerns about the bullying response and enrollment issues
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is PRESTON HIGH SCHOOL a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for PRESTON HIGH SCHOOL yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades 9 to 12 in Throgs Neck-Schuylerville.
- What grades does PRESTON HIGH SCHOOL serve?
- PRESTON HIGH SCHOOL serves grades 9 to 12.
- How do students get into PRESTON HIGH SCHOOL?
- PRESTON HIGH SCHOOL runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is PRESTON HIGH SCHOOL public, charter, or private?
- PRESTON HIGH SCHOOL is a private school.
- What neighborhood is PRESTON HIGH SCHOOL in?
- PRESTON HIGH SCHOOL is in Throgs Neck-Schuylerville, Bronx.