We bought the book, since this is the only one available for this specific private schools test.
We skipped the practice playgroup, because I thought it was kind of insane, but after a disaster of a playdate at Fieldston (DS had a bad day, and he is 5) I kind of wish we did not. This was our #1 choice school, and it was his first interview/playdate. That school was amazing. 
He would have an awesome experience and future if we could get in. We would not only need to beat the odds (given number of applicants per seat, this kindergarten is 3 times harder to get into than Harvard). But we would also need to receive financial aid, because 47K (which is not tax deductible) is out of our reach.
So all together, the odds are stacked against us, and it is a lot of time and effort to just try. It is like a job on top of a full time job. But you still try for your child, because... what if?
$150 for kindergarten book, $400 for playgroup, 47K for kindergarten
December 10th, 2015 at 03:05 pm
December 10th, 2015 at 03:27 pm 1449761225
December 10th, 2015 at 04:51 pm 1449766307
Everything is state of the art (toys, biology labs, sound studios for music, actual theater, background stage shops, Olympic swimming pool that is stunning, clean and modern, facilities and sports are too long to list).
The teachers are best of the best, everything about them, from the way they speak, present themselves, even look like, let along what they say. Class sizes are small, and they have lots of supervision. There is a person that sits at lunch with groups of 10 students and keeps abreast of all of their child issues, social calendars, who is friends with whom and what is going on... they rotate the groups for sufficient mixing of students, they gradually prepare them for more and more independence and by the time they are older they can pretty much choose their own curriculum (academically, school is very strong). there is also a dean for each grade level to oversee the academic success of each student.
Subjects are added "on demand" based on interest. Want to study ancient Greek? As long as you have 3 students interested, they will find a teacher for you, even if you just meet during your breaks, and so on.
Their resources are amazing. The balancing of the academics, physical activity, leadership by students in designing more activities... Plus, emphasis on ethical behavior and social responsibility (non religious school). Older kids I observed in hallways are nice. Engaged, comfortable, helpful, not your average one school child. I also know a girl from a building that went to that school, who is a teenager. Very poised, helpful, confident, thoughtful of others. My mom knows one who went there too, same traits. They do bring up leaders and pretty rounded human beings with every advantage of incredible education to boot.
Plus, the kindergarten is an "entry point". The later you try to enter, the less and less spots there are, as those who are "in" progress from grade to grade and attrition is very low. So once you are in, you are in and that spot is gone.
December 10th, 2015 at 06:44 pm 1449773083
December 10th, 2015 at 09:01 pm 1449781298
You know what? We do what we do in the best interest of our children.
December 11th, 2015 at 03:45 am 1449805506
I want to wish you as much luck as possible, and I am sure that whether it's this school or another, you will get a lot out of it, because your son already has the most important thing: parents who care so much about him!