2023 Best Public Schools in Chinatown

• New York City Geographic District No. 10, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  1,030 reviews

Parent: Excellent academics, almost every AP possible offered, lots of students taking post AP classes. Large school (~2800 kids), but brilliant student body with a wide range of interests and passions. This is the school where one can find high performing athletes with interests in performing arts and computers science or biology or math or physics or engineering. As one of the Specialized high school of the city, students come from all boroughs, making a 2-4 hours daily commute a regular part their 4-year high school journey. Very large number of clubs, sports, student activities. Teachers and administrators are top notch and dedicated. Perfect? Of course not, as it is after all a public school, but the Alumni foundation and the Parent Association are extremely active and generous both with time and resources to make up for what the Dept of Education budget does not cover. Go Wolverines!... Read 1,030 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,937

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 2, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  1,126 reviews

Junior: Stuyvesant High School is extremely rigorous, and the experience is super different from any other school in New York City, even other specialized high schools. However, the Stuy community is also unlike any other, and despite the difficult and college-level classes, the school provides a large array of materials and resources to ensure that students can preform to their best ability. Not everyone is going to be happy at Stuy, and I think a genuine love for learning and education is really important so as not to get overwhelmed here. However, if you want to challenge yourself, I think Stuyvesant is the best school in the city. If I would change one thing about Stuyvesant it would definitely be the diversity. The school is over seventy percent Asian, and a lot of other ethnic groups don't get an equal opportunity at getting in. However, a great many diverse groups are represented in the school's clubs and organizations, and the school is making an active effort to be more inclusive.... Read 1,126 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 3,357

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 25, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  677 reviews

Sophomore: I'm a sophomore at Townsend Harris, and my experience has been great! I really like that every year there are some school "holidays" that are special to our school only! The school was quite challenging academically since it required me to change my studying habits (I used to procrastinate a lot). The classes were nice. You could choose if you wanted to choose AP classes. But during freshman year you get automatically put into Pre-AP World History. Then in sophomore year, it's required to take AP World History. The students, teachers, and staff are all friendly! There are so many extracurriculars too, so if you're looking to do stuff in your free time there are a lot of options. The sports department is great too because of the variety. There's basketball, soccer, table tennis, badminton, handball, swimming, and many more!... Read 677 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,270

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 10, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  141 reviews

Senior: The High School of American Studies has created a rigorous academic environment in which students are pushed to do their best academically, striving for success on the daily. Teachers are always willing to help students with questions and test preparation, making it clear that they wish for each and every student to succeed. The history program is unmatched, as a curriculum of US History that would regularly take up one year is stretched into 3, allowing the students to truly learn the complexities of American history. Although the school is incredibly small, this acts as a positive in the overall experience. Students become incredibly comfortable with their peers and can easily trust anyone around them for help. The class size being small allows teachers and students to foster a closer relationship with much more daily specialized attention. The facilities are not exceptional in the high school itself, however the ability to use Lehman College's facilities makes up for any faults.... Read 141 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 385

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 5, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  199 reviews

Junior: I love the overall attention every individual student receives at HSMSE. Being a small school of 150 students a grade, HSMSE is able to provide every student the help they may need. Students are given the opportunity to create a closer bond with their teachers, making them more likely to participate during class and approach teachers after class. Additionally, every teacher is more than willing to offer students assistance. Being the rigorous school that it is, students may feel the need to seek review or extra clarification on a topic. This assistance is extremely easy to receive as there is a schedule handed out to every student regarding the teacher's office hours. Conveniently, teachers offer both morning office hours and afternoon office hours. Creating a tight knit community makes the school environment a safer and more comfortable place for everyone.... Read 199 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 496

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 24, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.16 out of 5  389 reviews

Junior: Bard was created to combat New York's deeply-segregated school system, so it provides great opportunities for low-income students. Students graduate in four years not only with a high school diploma but also with sixty college credits and an associate's degree in the arts. The literature and humanities programs are very eye-opening and life-changing. In the college program, they offer very interesting college courses such as anthropology, cinemas of South Asia, philosophy in science fiction, and so on. Students often complain about the fast-paced math classes, but the teachers are very kind, caring, and will always offer office hours. It's a small school (I've had only 9 students in one of my classes!) and the students are mostly friendly and welcoming. The school is very welcoming to undocumented students, is LGBTQ-friendly, and accepting of racially and religiously diverse students. The workload is very heavy and will be stressful at times, but you have a great team to help you!... Read 389 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 653

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 2, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.85 out of 5  162 reviews

Sophomore: ELRO is a small school allows easier community building and working together for similar goals (different classes, respect for others…). I enjoy weekly advisories that go over the topic of the month or week(s) such as: Lunar New Year, Black traditions, etc. These subjects are respectfully and collaboratively spoken, while understanding the differences between each and every person. It’s crucial for a community that’s trustworthy in order to dive deeper into quite sensitive topics such as violence, politics, and personal opinions. Adding on, from my two years at ELRO, I saw that it used to be a white dominated or majority high school. But, I see the changes for acceptance of students that grew to a diverse range of backgrounds in these two years. In addition, one change can be showing respect or speaking on different religions that shouldn’t only be in history-based classes. I see hostility and bias that sees others as dangerous and unfriendly like the historical people and events.... Read 162 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 546

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 1, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.78 out of 5  294 reviews

Alum: Bard is a great highs school to attend. It's a small school which can make the transition into highschool easy to navigate. Teachers and faculty are involved and personable, they are passionate about their courses and one can expect them to have a PhD in their respective subject. The college program prepares you for the level of work expected from you in university. The writing program is particularly strong, professors will work with you to improve your writing, analysis and overall critical thinking skills. In class, the seminar style approach encourages discussion and debate. There is a place for everyone to get involved in the things they like, the library for example, is most student's favorite hangout spot. It's always filled with contemporary books, and boardgames for students to enjoy. Bard is an academically rigorous school with a great culture of respect and support among students and faculty... Read 294 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 635

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 30, NY•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 3.96 out of 5  235 reviews

Senior: BSGE is a very very good high school. You will learn a lot from the rigorous coursework and high expectations. To all the middle school students who are considering this high school, I would definitely recommend it. The teachers are very respectful, nice, and caring. However, the coursework load can be really demanding, but it is manageable. As you go higher in the grade, you will face different types of challenges and learn new things from all your classes. You will need to work hard, sometimes you have to give it your all. You will find this school to be very rewarding!... Read 235 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 579

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 1, NY•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  218 reviews

Parent: NEST+M is a warm and nurturing community. The student body is kind. The faculty is great and encourages and empowers students. Students' mental health and well-being are foremost at NEST. Teachers and staff work hard to address the pressure students experience at a school of NEST's caliber, particularly during the college application season. Although NEST+M is known as an excellent stem school, the humanities are outstanding and should get their due! The administration is on top of things and responsive. However, like most city public schools, it can be inflexible and bureaucratic at times. The downsides are the limited athletics and art options. It is also crowded during passing time. All in all, NEST+M has exceeded my expectations.... Read 218 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,797

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 3, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  1,186 reviews

Alum: During my time there, the teachers I had were kind, understanding, and knowledgeable about their respective fields. The classes were about 45 minutes each and a full school day ends at 4:00. You get to choose your classes from when you are a sophomore till when you are a senior. The graduating classes are big so if you like big schools then this is for you!... Read 1,186 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,722

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Brooklyn, NY•

• Public School•

• K-8

• grade A+

• Students 752

• Student-teacher ratio —

• New York City Geographic District No. 14, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.93 out of 5  287 reviews

Alum: The Brooklyn Latin School is a great school for academics since it offers the rigorous IB program. The teachers at the school are passionate and kind, they also write great recommendation letters for college. The school has a close-knit community due to its smaller class population and it is generally easy to find your community at the school. This school will push you to participate in group discussions and public speaking which is a great way for students to step out of their comfort zone. One setback of the school is that the options for extracurriculars are not so diverse therefore students often look for extracurricular offers outside of the school. Overall, this is an excellent school for students who are dedicated to academics.... Read 287 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 809

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 2, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.8 out of 5  199 reviews

Senior: I love Lab so much and I’m really going to miss it. I have made many life long friends here and my grade feels like a second family to me. There are different friend groups, but almost everyone is welcoming and friendly. It is not clicky, or at least not in my grade. Almost all of the teachers are supportive and friendly, and you can actually build close relationships with them. Most of the classes are challenging for students, especially the APs, but the teachers make them fun and engaging. I always look forward to coming into school and my classes. I also always feel safe and comfortable in my classes, the hallways, and the bathrooms, which just got renovated this year! Over these past four years, Lab has really become a second home to me.... Read 199 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 482

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 3, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.71 out of 5  189 reviews

Niche User: One of the things that stood out to me most about MHSHS was the high level of academic rigor. The school has a reputation for being challenging, and it certainly lived up to that reputation. However, the teachers were incredibly supportive and always willing to help students who were struggling. The school also offered a wide range of advanced courses and extracurricular activities, which allowed me to pursue my interests and challenge myself in new ways. Beyond academics, the community at MHSHS was one of the best things about the school. Everyone from the teachers to the students was passionate about learning and dedicated to making the school a better place. I made lifelong friendships while at MHSHS, and I still keep in touch with many of my former classmates today.... Read 189 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 452

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 3, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.98 out of 5  519 reviews

Senior: I have loved my experience at Beacon. I have encountered so many dedicated, kind, and intelligent teachers who work hard to make sure all their students succeed. I think there's a risk with changes to the application process that incoming classes might not be as academically dedicated as in the past, and the students are really important to the quality of the school. However, Beacon has always had a vibrant community with tons of opportunities to take advantage of, so I'm not worried. The arts could be better, besides the music department which has amazing facilities. Overall, Beacon is a great school and allows for a good balance of academic rigor and social life/extracurriculars.... Read 519 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,510

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 28, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.79 out of 5  210 reviews

Sophomore: I'm a current student at QHSS and I do like the school. Everyone, from the students to the teachers, are all extremely nice and caring towards people in the school. The major problems lie in the fact we are borrowing a building from York College. I mean for one of the highest ranked high schools in the state and even the country, we really don't have a good budget. All our classes are mainly on one floor that's a small rectangle. Our cafeteria is the size of a classroom so many people eat outside or in the college's cafeteria when it's cold. We have to borrow the college's gym, which is one block away from the main building. We don't have an auditorium and the clubs aren't that good. But since we have only 500 students, this is all manageable.... Read 210 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 512

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 22, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.93 out of 5  313 reviews

Senior: Since they started admitting students based on zip code, the academics and ranking of this school has gone down. The underclass men fool around and frequently get into fights. The reputation of this school has really gone down after quarantine. Some of the teachers are high key kinda racist and have been reported many times but nothing has been done about it. Student body is clichey but you’ll find a group easily. The white students are very stuck up and rude. It’s called a “High school for the sciences” but honestly I don’t even know half of the science teachers aren’t fired yet. The food is very bad generic school lunch. I have lunch last period and they always run out of food by that time. However they have a school store with lots of unhealthy snacks. The school is located in the middle of nowhere near only the B1 bus which gets extremely crowded as high school students AND college students take this bus. I happen to live very far away so this was very inconvenient.... Read 313 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,019

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 4, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.89 out of 5  786 reviews

Freshman: This is my first year in MCSM, i been loving the school and the environment. There’s many activities, clubs and lastly sports. This school has given me many opportunities. Like helping me pass my regents, helping me getting good grades. All the teachers are amazing and they help every student to be successful. One thing they can change would be the students behaviors, there’s many situations that are going on where people skip class and don’t participate. Thankfully this doesn’t affect all the students just the student doing bad behaviors.... Read 786 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,633

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 22, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  1,456 reviews

Senior: In general, there are either really good teachers or subpar level teachers. Its all about luck when it comes to that but there are so many AP courses available which is great to meet the needs of so many different students. In addition, there are so many clubs to choose from which can make the overall school experience more fun! The learning experience and the overall quality of life in Midwood is really great.... Read 1,456 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 4,117

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 15, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  146 reviews

Senior: It offers a wide range of academics and extra curricular activities, which helps with students engagement. The staff seems dedicated to the students, and trying to help them be their best. Millennium Brooklyn provides a high school experience that is different than other schools, as it more diverse than the average school in Brooklyn. Students are able to mingle with various cultural backgrounds, and explore these backgrounds through respective clubs that encourage diversity and student engagement. The location provides many opportunities for students to spend their outside lunch privileges at many locations on 7th avenue. Overall Millennium Brooklyn High School provides an excellent high school experience through student engagement, academics, and community.... Read 146 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 691

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 2, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.83 out of 5  282 reviews

Senior: BCCHS is a really academically rigorous school that provides a lot of resources to succeed. There are many AP classes you can take throughout your years of high school and you can even take college calculus at Baruch College as your math class in senior year. There is a lot of activism and leadership going on. However, the halls are often crowded and the school is underfunded sometimes. The printers would sometimes break. But overall, it is a really good school!... Read 282 reviews

• grade A

• Students 493

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 2, NY•

• 4-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: This school is a hidden gem. The structure of this school is rigid and effective. I am so thankful that my daughter is part of the Ballet Tech community.... Read 1 review

• grade A

• Students 142

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 3, NY•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 4.8 out of 5  5 reviews

Alum: This is a great school. I went to Anderson for 7 years (K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) and I thought it was great for my development as a student in the community of learning. The academics are amazing, the teachers are very encouraging, and I was lucky to be in the best class ever. The school is small, but it brings the community together really well. I loved Anderson through many ups and downs. It prepares students really well for high school admissions and I truthfully think that it was super helpful during my early years as a student. They have great programs and experiences, especially for the kids in K-4. I wouldn't be where I am today without Anderson, and I am eternally grateful for all that this wonderful school has taught me. This school has a great environment. Anderson focuses on integrity and gratitude. It's the kind of school where the life lessons you learn will stick with you forever. It certainly has stuck with me. For anybody out there considering, I would recommend Anderson.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A

• Students 516

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 2, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  285 reviews

Senior: Millennium provides a very academically intense environment for its students. While this can be challenging, especially as a Freshman, it does improve students' time-management skills and ultimately prepares them for college. The teachers I have had at Millennium have been wonderful and greatly supportive. I have never been given "busy work"; what we do in class always has a purpose. I am leaving Millennium as a more dedicated student and a more developed person, and for that, I am truly grateful.... Read 285 reviews

• grade A

• Students 699

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1