AdmissionSquad gets students into NYC's Top Public High Schools

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Getting into one of NYC's top public high schools involves a whirlwind of entrance exams, interviews, fairs and open houses. AdmissionSquad prepares middle schoolers (and their parents) for the process through test prep, application counseling, academic enrichment and high-quality mentorship. We provide direct support to families and partner with schools/community-based organizations to help diversify NYC’s top 10% of high schools.

Group of students labeled 'Admission Squad Class of 2025' posing on outdoor steps in front of a building.
Group photo of the AdmissionSquad Class of 2020 featuring a diverse group of students and adults in a room with wooden walls and a tiled floor.
Image of a promotional flyer featuring three smiling students—two girls in formal dresses and a boy in a suit—titled 'Meet the Triplets! 2018 Graduates of Our HUDA Prep Program.' The flyer includes a table with test scores, high school placements, an
Smiling student named Alexa with academic achievements and high school acceptances listed, showing improvement in diagnostic SHSAT scores and praised feedback from parents.
A young person is featured in a promotional image for AdmissionSquad. Text highlights include: "Meet Jabari! 2017 graduate of our HUDA prep program," with diagnostic SHSAT scores and high school acceptances listed. A quote from Jabari's parents prais
Smiling student next to text highlighting SHSAT scores and high school acceptances with "Admission Squad" logo.
Teenage boy in pink shirt stands against chalkboard with text highlighting his academic achievements and a positive testimonial about a prep program. AdmissionsSquad logo featured.

Founded in 2016, AdmissionSquad, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, is an education company that offers test prep, academic enrichment, mentorship and application consulting to middle schoolers who have a goal to attend one of the Specialized High Schools in NYC or a competitive screened program. Our inaugural cohort of 23 students took the Specialized High School Admissions Test in 2015 and 18 of those students places into a top NYC high school. In 2021, we support 120 students in all 5 boroughs through distance learning.

We recruit students from as early as 5th grade. However, most of our students are current 6th and 7th graders with a goal to get an early start on the preparation process. Participating students will receive one to three years of intensive academic training and mentorship for the New York City Specialized High School Test, and other high school admissions requirements (ie. interview prep, how to secure recommendations, writing support, etc.)

Our goal is to ensure that all New Yorkers, regardless of race or economic-status, have an opportunity to attend New York City’s top public high schools.

AdmissionSquad is not affiliated with the New York City Department of Education DREAM-SHSI program. We encourage all students interested in the specialized high school admissions process to check their eligibility for any and all programs that support underrepresented students.

Infographic on educational disparities for Black and Latinx students in NYC. Left: Text explaining Black and Latinx students make up 66% of public school attendees, but only 10% in specialized high schools, with AdmissionSquad's mission to increase these numbers. Right: Two illustrations comparing Black and Latinx representation in public (66%) vs. specialized schools (10%).

Learn more about our 2025 SHSAT Summer & Fall Boot Camp with CEO, Tai Abrams.

Student Testimonials

Smiling boy in white shirt with text overlay about receiving a full scholarship to Phillips Exeter Academy, thanking AdmissionSquad for support.
Young girl smiling with glasses and braces, next to flowers and a text testimonial about the AdmissionSquad program's impact on her academic achievements.
Portrait of a young woman with curly hair, alongside text praising the success and impact of AdmissionsSquad's program. The text includes a thank you note from a parent, mentioning the Specialized High School Admissions Test, Catholic School TACHS, and various school acceptances, including Brooklyn Tech and Brearley.
Young male student smiling, wearing glasses, with an Admissions Squad badge. Text expresses appreciation for support in gaining acceptance to Stuyvesant High School.
A young woman wearing glasses is sitting at a desk with a laptop displaying "SHSAT" on the screen. The image includes text from "Mr. Smalls" praising AdmissionSquad for helping his daughter get into prestigious programs, and a testimonial by Maya Smalls, Queens Science at York College, Class of 2025. The image features the AdmissionSquad logo.
Young person sitting on rock, wearing glasses, gray sweater, jeans, and sneakers. Background shows trees and grass. Message expresses gratitude to Ms. Tai for helping the author's daughter, Mayumi Kawano, get accepted into several schools, including Phillips Academy Andover.
Student sitting at a desk with a computer and stationery, wearing a school uniform. There's a testimonial text below about the student's successful admission to American Studies at Lehman. The image has an "AdmissionSquad" logo at the top left.
New York Post article with headline about NYC parents' concerns over SHSAT cancellation due to COVID-19, featuring a photo of student Maya Smalls preparing with Admission Squad.

Where our students are going this fall:

Public Schools: Stuyvesant High School (2), Bronx science, american studies at lehman, Brooklyn Technical High School; Brooklyn Latin; townsend harris LaGuardia; Beacon; Millennium - Brooklyn; Midwood - screened; Frank Sinatra H.S.; NYC lab school; N.Y.C Museum School; Medgar Evers Preparatory School;Brooklyn College Academy and more

Private Schools: Philips Exeter Academy, Philips Academy Andover, The Brearley School, Poly Prep Country Day School

Get your child into one of NYC's top public high schools

How many of NYC's top public high schools could you name? Do you know what makes a high school top-notch? AdmissionSquad believes top high schools have a knack for preparing students for college. Every year, we pore over NYC public high school data to determine who the best high schools are, checking each school's college readiness index, college enrollment rate and average SAT scores. 

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    TEST PREP + INTERVIEW PREP

    Our Early Start Program provides 6th and 7th grade students with comprehensive and rigorous preparation for Common Core ELA and Math state tests and early exposure to the SHSAT. Our SHSAT Summer and Fall Boot Camp prepares 7th and rising 8th graders for top high school admissions tests (like the new Specialized High School Admission Test (SHSAT), entrance exam for Bard High School Early College, and more) and admissions interviews (like those of Bedford Academy, Bard High School Early College, and more).

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    WORKSHOPS

    Our high school admissions workshops (hosted online and, upon request, at schools and churches) offer exclusive information on how to get your child into a top NYC high school. The experience of our founding members combined with the experience of our instructors, counselors and talented alumni has afforded us the ability to offer insight into this elusive process. You are sure to leave each workshop armed with the RIGHT information to guarantee your child's high school admissions success.

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    MENTORSHIP

    Mentorship is one of the most powerful ways to expedite a students academic, professional and person development. We consider our mentorship component one of the most meaningful parts of our service offerings. To ensure that our students transition into high school as smooth as possible, we host student workshops that tackle study skills, time management, public speaking, and more! Our guest speakers hail from top high schools, elite colleges or are leaders in their community.

Group of diverse young people smiling and posing outside of a building.
Students sitting in a classroom, listening and writing notes, with a teacher standing near the desk.
A group of students gathered around a chess game, with two individuals actively playing while others watch attentively, inside a classroom setting.
A classroom with a man standing beside a student who is seated at a desk, both smiling. Other students are visible in the background working.
Three teenagers laughing outdoors in a park with green trees in the background.
Group of people sitting on grass, smiling, outdoors
Woman tying a red blindfold on a girl outdoors
Group of diverse teenagers posing together in a park with trees and a historic bridge in the background.
A group of diverse young students posing together indoors, in a spacious room with a checkered floor and wooden paneling. There are approximately fifty individuals, including adults, arranged in several rows, seated and standing.
Two students studying at a table with open books and a laptop, smiling and engaged in their schoolwork.

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