Can anyone give me info on manhattan high school for girls??

I'm looking into Manhattan High for our dd -can anyone comment on the values of the student population? The hanhala is obviously a frum/yeshivish/intellectual sort of interesting mix...however we're afraid that practically our daughter might be surrounded by girls with more modern and materialistic values. Would hate to spend all that money on trying to provide a frum environment with depth only to have our dd come out with designer sweat shirts...should we be looking into Beis Yakov D'Rav Meir?? Seems like a Lakewood cookie cutter environment with lots of tests and not much thinking...HELP!!

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 23 2008 Posts: 9074

Some of my former JH students went there. While it's true they were from affluent homes (remember, the fees are high) I wouldn't say they were any more materialistic than anyone else who went to other HS. They concentrated on their studies...it's a very hard schedule.

I went to MHS. I graduated 2007. There are a lot of wealthy girls who wear very expensive clothing, but I wouldn't say it's a big focus. Like Bubby said, I don't think girls are any more materialistic there than any other school. Actually, maybe less, because they aren't wannabes like girls in other schools, they take the fact that they can afford these clothes as a given and no one really thinks much about it or cares that much. That said, not everyone is wealthy. There is a mix.
There is a LOT of work, its pretty high pressure. If your daughter isn't either very naturally smart or very studious, it's not the school for her. Also, if she buckles under pressure it can be very difficult. The education is very good. You learn a lot, and take lots of AP classes.
It's also really great to be in Manhattan, I loved that. You go on cool trips, and when you're a senior you can go out during breaks. We used to go to central park for lunch- its like 5 minutes away!
BTW, my grade was a more yeshivish one, a lot of Monsey and Brooklyn girls, but I've heard that in the past few years its become more modern- more Five Towns type. You'd have to check that out, I'm not sure.
As for the admin...Reb. Assaf is a very powerful figure. If you stay on her good side, she'll like you, but many girls were terrified of her. She basically runs things. There are some good teachers, and some not so great ones just like any other school. I'd say the secular studies ones are probably better (some are not Jewish or not frum) but isn't it always like that?
Hope I helped. Let me know if you have any more questions.

OP, I went to Prospect,but my parents very seriously considered sending me to MHS, because I am the "intellectual type" who loves a challenge and asks alot of questions about the world around me; they wanted a more open-minded enviroment for me where I would feel comfortable.

The reasons they decided not to send me to MHS, had nothing to do with money or the fear of materialistic values.
they were:
a) the fact that it is/was a long commute for a 13-14 year old
b) most, if not all of my friends, went to elementary school with me (I did not go to camp, so didnt have a set of "camp friends"), and it would have entailed making totally new friends (and being that I am not the most sociable person in the world and sometimes tend to keep to myself, that might have been very challenging for me in a new HS environment), and
c) although Prospect park as a whole doesn't have the same "name value" as Manhattan High School (ie, to colleges and seminaries), if you are an intelligent, intellectual, hard worker, you wont be at a disadvantage. I ended up going to BJJ, and after that, to college and graduate school. (just go give you an idea of the fact that PPY does not put you at a huge disadvantage: I applied to Columbia for undergrad - really just to see if I could "get in," and I was accepted)

Now, back to Manhattan High School for a second. Now that I gave you the personal reasons why I myself didnt go, I want to clear something up:

you are concerned about the following:

Thanks for everyone's input. We've obviously been asking around of ppl that have sent to Manhattan. We're still a little leery...maybe the whole hs thing is scary altogether particularly b/c this is our first daughter. She really is a genuinely bright, talented and questioning individual and we so want to put her into the right environment where she won't feel stifled but on the other hand we want her to be machshiv Torah and learning. We want her to see learning as the center of her world, not the secular world...do Manhattan girls marry learning boys?? Are they machshiv learning? Is intellectual openess seen as being incorporated into a Torah centered life or are they seen as merely somewhat co-existing...I feel like if I send her to Manhattan I might open up a pandora's box intellectually for her and ch"v she may not go in the direction we would like her to go and on the other hand a BY Drav Meir school with all of its inherent Lakewood closed mindedness might turn her off as well...I know I'm probably taking this waayyyy tooo seriouslY (!) and sound oh so much like a first-timer at this -which I am- but this whole ordeal is sooo nerve wracking!

Gold Member Joined: Nov 07 2005 Posts: 1103

my dd wants to go to MHS. she has also wanted to go to Bruria. She craves a highly intellectual enviroment but I don't want to expose her to things that might exagerate this tendancy. How does MHS round out the education of the girls so that they develop their middot, and emunah. One problem I find with schools that emphacize academics is that many of the students come out jaded.

my dd is very motivated and wants to go to college. I don't overtly discourage her, but I do want her to good Torah based outlook. I am more concerned about her being exposed to secular philosophy than issues regarding boys (because I think she is getting good chinuch about this.)

btw, there were so many amother's, but I was confused which school you were referring to in this quote:

I taught there for a few years, and was there when you were there 2007 amothers Smile

let me know if you have any questions....

Silver Member Joined: Mar 30 2009 Posts: 704

Gold Member Joined: Dec 17 2007 Posts: 1880

Can weigh in on the school, if needed - I graduated 2003. Hi everyone!
_________________
No kids. No comment.

Gold Member Joined: Nov 07 2005 Posts: 1103

Does anyone know if there is transportation available to manhattan HS for girls from northern new jersey? Also, what are the hours for the school? Thank you.

Silver Member Joined: Feb 25 2008 Posts: 606

I know that there is transportation from Passaic and from Teaneck - not sure where else in northern NJ.

My sister is there now. She loves the school. That being said she is extremely bright and is able to handle the pressure. That should be your biggest concern sending to Manhattan. If your child is not the top of her class and willing to put in work she will not do well there. Manhattan is also very different in another respect - it has a mix of students there are five from this neighborhood, seven from there and ten from there. No one comes into school knowing everyone and it is almost like a fresh start for every girl. I find it a plus that there are girls from different homes and environments, but some more close minded types don't like to expose their children to anything other than lifestyles that are like their own. In terms of affluence, te tutition is over 20,000 a year so yes you have the most affluent from Flatbush, Lawrence,Riverdale and Manhattan, but you also have girls from Queens, Monsey and Philadelphia, and communities in New Jersey. For your question of how the girls are after high school, look into the seminaries they end up at. You will see a mix, but the common thread is the intelligence factor(BJJ, Michlala, Bnos Chava).

Silver Member Joined: Nov 02 2009 Posts: 633

Be very careful here. The hanhalah tends to be very heavy-handed, ie. if you want to transfer you daughter out a school they don't like, or want to send her to a seminary that doesn't strike their fancy, they won't give you a transcript. I don't want to get into lashon hara, but suffice it to say it they really damaged my relationship with my daughter. This seems especially the case with single mothers (there were several girls in my daughter's year and I know a couple of other mothers had problems.) My daughter did quite well there, and got a good education--but I wouldn't send her there if I had a second chance.
To address your question, btw, there was a lot of pressure on the "poorer" girls. It was tough, and I don't think the school did enough to address it; it was clear that wealth conveyed status (although that seems to be the case to often in frum circles in general, le-tza'areinu)