About Victoria

Over a decade ago, I underwent the nursery school admissions process and found it daunting. When it came time to make applications for my children to ongoing (elementary or elementary/secondary) schools I again found myself overwhelmed by the number of choices and intimidated by the admissions process. I vowed that the next time around, I would know better. I hardly thought then that my research would lead to an independent career in educational journalism, countless columns, articles and books, culminating in five editions of the Manhattan Family Guide to Private Schools and Selective Public Schools, the only guide to independent schools in New York City in which the text is not controlled by the schools.

Touring the schools and scrutinizing brochures, annual reports, handbooks, curriculum guides and student publications became routine and I interviewed admissions directors, heads of schools, educators, IQ test administrators, child psychologists, students, alumni and parents. Originally, a letter and questionnaire was mailed to all of the heads of schools describing the project. Now, updated information is requested and, in most cases, promptly sent; when appropriate school visits and revisits are made.

It should not surprise parents that the schools that were most open to questions are also the most secure about their missions and the directions in which they are moving, and are the most welcoming to the parents in general. While it is easy to understand the reluctance of the schools to disclose their inner workings of their admissions decision-making process, many heads of schools, admissions directors and administrators continue to be very generous with their time and advice and I thank them for their cheerful cooperation.

Victoria Goldman, a journalist specializing in education is the author of three guide books on private schools: The Manhattan Family Guide to Private Schools, The Manhattan Directory to Private Nursery Schools and The Los Angeles Guide to Private Schools, all published by Soho Press. Ms. Goldman regularly contributes to the Education Life supplement of The New York Times and has a column in a Manhattan weekly, Junior Ivy League. Ms. Goldman lives in Manhattan and serves on the board of trustees of various non-profit institutions including Riverdale Country School, The We Are Family Foundation and The Educational Alliance.

All information included in Ms. Goldman's guide books are written by the author with information provided from schools, teachers, administrators, alumni, students, advisors, tutors and parents. Careful attention is taken to insure factual accuracy from the schools themselves, but much information is based on interviews with many reliable sources whose facts are checked. Guide books do inevitably become out-of-date as such facts like tuition, class size and personal change on a regular basis, but Ms. Goldman's guides have much that remains current and invaluable for those seeking information about private schools.