{{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox school | name = The Brearley School | native_name = | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | logo = Brearley School (New York) seal.jpg | motto = By Truth and Toil | established = {{start date and age|1884}} | closed = | type = {{Flatlist| * [[Single-sex education|All-girls]] * [[Independent school|Private]] * [[Day school|Day]] * [[College-preparatory school|College-preparatory]] * Nonsectarian }} | status = | category_label = | category = | gender_label = | gender = | affiliation = | affiliations = | administrator = | assst_admin = | president = | chairman_label = | chairman = | rector = | principal = | asst principal = | campus_director = | headmaster = | head_label = Head of School | head = Jenny C. Rao | head_name2 = Assistant Headmaster | head2 = | dean = | founder = Samuel Brearley | chaplain = | officer_in_charge = | faculty = 122 | teaching_staff = | enrollment = 772 (2024–2025) | grades_label = | grades = [[Kindergarten]] – grade 12 | address = 610 East 83rd Street | city = [[New York City]] | state = [[New York (state)|NY]] | province = | country = United States | coordinates = | latitude = | longitude = | district = | oversight = | accreditation = | campus = | colors = {{Color box|red|border=darkgray}}{{Color box|white|border=darkgray}} Red and white | colours = | athletics = | houses = | student_union = | nickname = | mascot = Beverly Beaver | free_label = [[Emblem]] | free_text = | rival = [[Chapin School]] | yearbook = | endowment = $160 million (August 2024) | newspaper = | free_label1 = | free_text1 = | free_label2 = | free_text2 = | free_label3 = | free_text3 = | test_name = | test_average = | national_ranking = | website = {{URL|https://www.brearley.org/|brearley.org}} | footnotes = | picture = | picture_caption = | picture2 = | picture_caption2 = }}
'''The Brearley School''' is an American all-girls [[private school]] on the [[Upper East Side]] of [[Manhattan]], New York City. It educates approximately 770 girls in grades K–12, with approximately 55 to 65 students per grade.
In addition to being a member of the [[New York Interschool]] Association, Brearley is considered a sister school of the all-boys [[Collegiate School (New York)|Collegiate School]] and the nearby all-girls [[Chapin School]], with which it shares an after-school program and some classes.
== History ==
Samuel A. Brearley founded The Brearley School in 1884,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mitnick |first=Barbara J. |url=http://archive.org/details/geraldinerockefe0000mitn |title=Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge |date=2000 |publisher=Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-9704217-0-8 |location=Morristown, N.J. |pages=27}}</ref> and remained the head of school until 1886, when he died of [[typhoid fever]]. James G. Croswell was the next head until his death in 1915. Since 1926, Brearley has been headed by women, first by [[Millicent Carey McIntosh]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.brearley.org/about/our-mission--history|title=The Brearley School Our Mission & History|website=www.brearley.org|access-date=2019-12-20|archive-date=2019-08-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822045706/https://www.brearley.org/about/our-mission--history|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In December 2011, Jane Foley Fried replaced former head of school Stephanie J. Hull who had resigned for undisclosed reasons.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/01/nyregion/brearley-schools-head-stephanie-j-hull-resigns.html |title=Head of Manhattan's Brearley School Resigns |first=Jenny |last=Anderson |date=June 30, 2011 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=July 1, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brearley.org/about/head-of-school|title=Head of School|access-date=September 29, 2022}}</ref> Fried became Brearley's 15th head of school.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/nyregion/brearley-names-jane-foley-fried-as-head-of-school.html |first=Jenny |last=Anderson |title=New Leader for Brearley School Is Announced |newspaper=The New York Times |date= December 14, 2011 |access-date=September 29, 2022}}</ref> Jenny Rao replaced Fried as head of school in 2025.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.brearley.org/news/jenny-rao-named-next-brearley-head-of-school/ |title=Jenny Rao Named Next Brearley Head of School |date=July 1, 2025 |newspaper=The Brearley School |access-date=September 9, 2025}}</ref>
== Academics and reputation ==
=== Curriculum and resources === The school's curriculum is based on the [[liberal arts]]. The student-to-faculty ratio is 6:1.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Brearley at a Glance |url=https://www.brearley.org/brearley-at-a-glance/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=The Brearley School}}</ref>
Language instruction is offered in Ancient Greek, Latin, French, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese.
=== Rankings and college attendance === ''[[The New York Times]]'' describes Brearley as "one of the most competitive, academically rigorous private schools in the city."<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Shapiro |first=Eliza |date=2024-08-28 |title=Elite Girls’ School Offers Free Ride to Families Making $100,000 or Less |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/28/nyregion/brearley-school-free-tuition-manhattan.html |access-date=2024-11-11 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Brearley has been recognized in several lists of schools that send their students to selective universities.
* 2002: ''[[Worth (magazine)|Worth]]'' magazine ranked Brearley #2 in the nation (and the #1 school that admits girls) for sending students to Harvard, Yale, or Princeton. Between 1998 and 2001, 20.9% of Brearley graduates matriculated at one of these three schools.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mathews |first=Jay |date=2002-09-02 |title=Feeder School List Hard to Digest |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/technology/2002/09/03/feeder-school-list-is-hard-to-digest/9b9da7c6-b48f-4738-afc1-0c9616c56613/ |access-date=2024-03-08 |work=The Washington Post}}</ref> * 2008: ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' ranked Brearley #2 in the nation (and the #1 school that admits girls) for sending students to eight selective colleges and universities.<ref name="WSJRanking07">{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-COLLEGE0711-sort.html|title=How the Schools Stack Up|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=December 28, 2007|author=<!--Not stated--> |access-date=July 25, 2008}}</ref> * 2016: MainStreet ranked Brearley #3 in the nation for sending students to the [[Ivy League]] schools. 37% of Brearley graduates matriculated at one of these eight schools.<ref>{{cite web |date=15 October 2015 |title=TheStreet 2015 Rankings of Top US Private Schools |url=https://www.thestreet.com/story/13325695/1/top-us-private-schools-with-the-most-graduates-getting-into-ivy-league-universities.html |publisher=[[thestreet.com]]}}</ref>
In addition, for 2025, ''[[Niche (company)|Niche]]'' ranked Brearley the nation's top girls' school and the nation's third-best private K-12 school.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Brearley School |url=https://www.niche.com/k12/brearley-school-new-york-ny/rankings/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=Niche |archive-date=August 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822045127/https://www.niche.com/k12/brearley-school-new-york-ny/rankings/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In the five-year period from 2020 to 2024, Brearley placed 124 students at Ivy League schools.<ref>{{Cite web |title=College Advising |url=https://www.brearley.org/college-advising/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=The Brearley School}}</ref> Approximately 60-65 girls graduate from Brearley every year.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=School Detail for The Brearley School |url=https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&County=YORK&ID=00939491 |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=National Center for Education Statistics}}</ref>
== Student body ==
In the 2024–25 school year, Brearley reported that 56% of its 772 students identified as people of color.<ref name=":4" />
In the 2021–22 school year, Brearley reported that of its 768 students, 308 (40.1%) were white, 161 (21.0%) were Asian, 58 (7.6%) were Hispanic, 54 (7.0%) were Black, and 187 (24.3%) were multiracial. The school was not permitted to include students in two or more categories.<ref name=":2" />
== Finances ==
=== Tuition and financial aid === Tuition for the 2024–25 academic year is $64,100.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Tuition and Financial Assistance |url=https://www.brearley.org/tuition-financial-aid/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=The Brearley School}}</ref> 20% of the student body was on [[Student financial aid in the United States|financial aid]], and the average grant was approximately $58,552, or 91% of tuition.<ref name=":3" /> The school stated that it covered 100% of admitted students' demonstrated financial need.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Get Free Tuition! |url=https://www.brearley.org/tuition-free/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=The Brearley School}}</ref>
In 2024, the school announced that moving forward, students with household incomes at or below $100,000 (5% of the student body in 2024–25<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |date=2024-08-22 |title=Financial Aid FAQs |url=https://www.brearley.org/financial-aid-faqs/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=The Brearley School}}</ref>) will attend Brearley for free.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":6" /> That year, 75% of financial aid students had household incomes over $100,000.<ref name=":7" />
The school states that "applying for financial assistance does not impact our determination of your child's admissibility."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Admission FAQ |url=https://www.brearley.org/admission-faq/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=The Brearley School}}</ref>
=== Endowment and expenses === In August 2024, Brearley's endowment stood at "around $160 million."<ref name=":1" /> In its [[Internal Revenue Service]] filings for the 2022–23 school year, Brearley reported total assets of $360.2 million, net assets of $275.9 million, investment holdings of $181.2 million, and cash holdings of $13.4 million. Brearley also reported $38.7 million in program service expenses and $7.1 million in grants (primarily student financial aid).<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Brearley School, Full Filing - Nonprofit Explorer |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/131623915/202431179349300423/full |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=ProPublica |language=en}}</ref>
== Campus == Brearley has been headquartered on a 12-story building on 610 East 83rd Street since 1929.<ref name=":5" /> The school previously occupied quarters on East 45th Street, West 44th Street, and the corner of [[Park Avenue (Manhattan)|Park Avenue]] and East 61st Street.<ref>{{cite news |last=Witchel |first=Alex |date=May 2, 1998 |title=The Class of '48 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=y8oPAAAAIBAJ&pg=6400%2C362933 |access-date=July 1, 2011 |newspaper=Boca Raton News}}{{Dead link|date=October 2023|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>
The building is at full capacity, but in 2015, the school announced that it would not seek an alternative site. Instead, it renovated the main building and expanded into three other buildings.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Satow |first=Julie |date=2015-02-25 |title=Brearley School, After Considering a Move, Will Stay Put |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/26/nyregion/brearley-school-after-considering-a-move-will-stay-put.html |access-date=2024-11-11 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Brearley opened a new building at 590 East 83rd Street in Fall 2019 to house its lower school program.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Brearley School Construction Information |url=https://www.brearley.org/construction-information |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822045707/https://www.brearley.org/construction-information |archive-date=2019-08-22 |access-date=2019-06-13 |website=www.brearley.org}}</ref>
A separate building, the "Field House" on East 87th Street, has facilities for [[physical education]] and [[sport|athletics]] including track, [[soccer]], [[basketball]], [[tennis]], [[badminton]], [[volleyball]], [[lacrosse]] and [[field hockey]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Gordon |first=Amanda |date=August 16, 2020 |title=A Guide to Reopening NYC’s $50,000-a-Year Elite Private Schools |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-16/a-guide-to-reopening-nyc-s-50-000-a-year-elite-private-schools |access-date=September 29, 2022 |newspaper=Bloomberg}}</ref> Brearley also utilizes other sports facilities frequently, such as [[Randalls and Wards Islands|Randall's Island]] and [[Municipal Asphalt Plant|Asphalt Green]].
== Athletics == Brearley fields varsity teams in 13 sports.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.brearley.org/athletics/teams|title=The Brearley School Teams|website=www.brearley.org|access-date=2019-12-20|archive-date=2019-08-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822045551/https://www.brearley.org/athletics/teams|url-status=dead}}</ref> The school's team colors are red and white, and its mascot is a [[beaver]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/26/style/brearley-brearley-rah-rah-wry.html |first=Alex |last=Witchel |title=Brearley, Brearley, Rah Rah Wry |newspaper=The New York Times |date= April 26, 1998 |access-date=September 29, 2022}}</ref>
== Notable alumnae == {{Main|List of Brearley School alumnae}}
== Affiliated organizations == *[[National Association of Independent Schools]] *[[New York State Association of Independent Schools]] *[[New York Interschool|New York Interschool Association]]
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *[http://www.brearley.org/ The Brearley School homepage]
{{Upper East Side|state=collapsed}} {{Education in Manhattan}} {{New York Interschool}} {{Girls' schools in New York City}} {{Portal bar|New York City|Schools}}
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[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1884]] [[Category:Private elementary schools in Manhattan]] [[Category:Private middle schools in Manhattan]] [[Category:Private high schools in Manhattan]] [[Category:Private K–12 schools in Manhattan]] [[Category:Preparatory schools in New York City]] [[Category:Girls' schools in New York City]] [[Category:1884 establishments in New York (state)]]