"We prepare students to engage in the world that is and to help bring about a world that ought to be."
  • Ninth Graders Champion Change Through Youth Philanthropy Ninth Graders Champion Change Through Youth Philanthropy
    Friends recently held its annual Youth Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) finals, a powerful capstone experience and service-learning project embedded in the Grade 9 history curriculum. This initiative challenged students to connect with the nonprofit sector and explore the role philanthropy plays in addressing pressing social issues across New York City.
  • From Friends to Duke’s Courtside Crew From Friends to Duke’s Courtside Crew
    Congratulations to David Williams ’23, who is now in his second year as a Student Manager for the Duke University Men’s Basketball team—one of the most respected and tradition-rich programs in college athletics.
  • Day of Service: A Celebration of Community and Quaker Values Day of Service: A Celebration of Community and Quaker Values
    The FS community came together for its annual Day of Service, a beloved tradition rooted in Quaker values. Throughout the day, students, teachers, and staff across all divisions partnered with nonprofits across New York City, demonstrating their shared commitment to service, stewardship, and community engagement.
  • Artist Chenlu Hou Brings Folklore and Form to Life Artist Chenlu Hou Brings Folklore and Form to Life
    Chenlu Hou, whose imaginative ceramic sculptures are inspired by traditional Chinese folklore, ceremonial objects, and personal memory, engaged both Middle and Upper School students in thoughtful conversations about the power of art to express identity and spark connection.
  • Unplugged and Empowered: Zora ’25 Champions Healthy Media Habits for a Digital Generation Unplugged and Empowered: Zora ’25 Champions Healthy Media Habits for a Digital Generation
    A passionate advocate for digital wellness and media literacy, Zora serves as a Student Ambassador for Take Two Media Initiative, a nonprofit organization committed to equipping K–12 learning communities with the tools to engage with media responsibly. 
  • Bearing Witness: A Deepened Study of The Diary of Anne Frank in Middle School English Bearing Witness: A Deepened Study of The Diary of Anne Frank in Middle School English
    This spring, Grade 6 students at Friends Seminary have been engaged in a powerful and multifaceted exploration of Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. As part of their English 1 curriculum, students have been reflecting on the enduring importance of personal narratives and what it means to serve as a witness to injustice.
  • An Evening of Reflection and Reunion with Linda Chu An Evening of Reflection and Reunion with Linda Chu
    At the sixth annual We’re All Grown Ups Now event Alumni Council member Marc Mechanic ’08 interviewed Faculty Emerita Linda Chu, who reflected on her extraordinary 51-year tenure at Friends 
  • Students Earn Top Honors Across National Math Competitions Students Earn Top Honors Across National Math Competitions
    Students demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication across a range of prestigious math competitions this year, including MathCON, the AMC 10 and 12, the AIME, and the Downtown Mathematics Invitational. Their strong performances reflect a deep commitment to problem-solving and academic excellence, supported by the guidance of faculty mentors Amy Starks and Patrick Cahill.
  • Exploring the Positive Power of Technology in K-2 Exploring the Positive Power of Technology in K-2
    At Friends, the thoughtful integration of technology begins early. With guidance from Lower School Computer Science Teacher Judith Seidel, students engage in purposeful, age-appropriate tech experiences that encourage creativity, collaboration, and reflection.
  • Spring Sports in Full Swing Spring Sports in Full Swing
    Follow the official Friends Seminary Athletics Instagram account to stay up-to-date on Middle and Upper School sports.
  • Sushi, Sprinkles, and Sculptures: Inside Kinley’s Imaginative World Sushi, Sprinkles, and Sculptures: Inside Kinley’s Imaginative World
    Colorful cakes, sprinkled confections, rolls of sushi, and puffy pastries—these whimsical delights fill the world of Kinley ’29, a Middle School artist at Friends whose work has turned heads and sparked smiles.
  • Inspiring Inquiry: NYPL Visit Prepares Students for Capstone History Projects Inspiring Inquiry: NYPL Visit Prepares Students for Capstone History Projects
    As part of the lead-up to their culminating independent research projects, Susannah Walker’s Advanced U.S. History students took a meaningful and eye-opening trip to the main research branch of the New York Public Library.
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[ NEWS ARCHIVE ]


Quicklinks

Untitled Document

239

YEARS OF QUAKER EDUCATION

Founded ten years after the birth of our nation, Friends Seminary is the oldest continuously operated, independent, co-educational school in New York City.

790

STUDENTS

259 Lower School (K-4)
227 Middle School (5-8)
304 Upper School (9-12)

41%

STUDENTS OF COLOR

1

CENTER FOR PEACE EQUITY AND JUSTICE

Grounded in the Quaker values of equality, diversity and community engagement, CPEJ supports academic, social, and cultural programs which contribute to wider movements for social change.

4,570

ACTIVE ALUMNI

33

ATHLETIC TEAMS

15 Varsity, 3 Junior Varsity, 14 Middle School

Baseball, Basketball, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Spring and Indoor Track, Cross Country, Volleyball

92%

of graduates were accepted to one of their top three schools.

25

Most Attended Institutions (2020-2024)

Boston University
Brown University
Colgate University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Duke University
Emory University
George Washington University
Georgetown University
Hamilton College
Haverford College
Kenyon College
University of Michigan
Middlebury College
New York University
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
Oberlin College
University of Pennsylvania
Rice University
University of Southern California
Syracuse University
Tufts University
Washington University- St. Louis
Wesleyan University
Yale University

1

MISSION

To prepare students to engage in the world that is and to help bring about a world that ought to be.

179

FACULTY and STAFF

90% Faculty hold advanced degrees
8:1 Student/faculty ratio
15 Average Upper School class size

15

STEPS TO NATURE

Stuyvesant Square, a beautiful four-acre park, borders the east end of campus, and punctuates the tranquility that surrounds our neighborhood.

10,694

SERVICE HOURS

Community Engagement and Service are integral parts of the culture at Friends. In 2023-2024, Upper School students collectively logged more than 10,000 service hours.

15,000+ Hours of service completed by the entire Friends community, including students K-12, employees and parents.

22

Immersive Global Education Travel Programs

Since 2017 students have traveled to 22 international and domestic destinations through our Global Education Program.

MORE THAN

15

CLASSES IN MUSIC, THEATER AND DANCE

Including: Acting, Playwriting, Directing, Public Speaking, Choreography, Technical Theater, Musical Theater, and Jazz, Orchestra and Choral ensembles.

9

ANNUAL PRODUCTIONS AND CONCERTS

MEAN SAT SCORES

1478 Composite
734 Reading and Writing
744 Mathematics

MEAN ACT SCORES

34 Composite

$6.9

MILLION

FINANCIAL AID BUDGET


23%

OF STUDENTS

RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID

1

TRANSFORMED CAMPUS

COMPLETED SEPTEMBER 2019

Highlights Include:

  • 100% ADA accessibility
  • New Upper School Building
  • Two new Middle School floors
  • Upper School Commons and Terrace
  • Turfed Skyfield
  • Center for Peace, Equity and Justice
  • New flexible classrooms
  • Fitness Center
  • Academic Center
  • Music Suite
  • Dance and Yoga Studio
  • K-6 Makery
  • Collaborative spaces
  • K-12 Rooftop Greenhouse and Garden
  • K-12 Multipurpose Great Room

Other Campus Highlights:

  • 1860 landmarked Meetinghouse
  • K-12 Gym with 80 ft. Climbing Wall
  • Library and Media Center
  • Six K-12 Science Labs
  • Lower School Library
  • Digital Media Lab
  • 7-12 STEM lab
  • Two Visual Arts Galleries
  • Blackbox Theater

45+

STUDENT-LED ORGANIZATIONS

5

WORLD LANGUAGES ANCIENT AND MODERN

Friends was the first NYC independent school to introduce Arabic in 2008.

$40.3

MILLION

ENDOWMENT AS OF
JUNE 2023


$57

MILLION

OPERATING BUDGET
(2022-2023)

Friends Seminary actively promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in all its programs and operations, including admissions, financial aid, hiring, and all facets of the educational experience. To form a community which strives to reflect the world’s diversity, we do not discriminate on the basis of race or color, religion, nationality, ethnicity, economic background, physical ability, sex, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. Friends Seminary is an equal opportunity employer.
Friends Seminary — the oldest continuously operated, coeducational school in NYC — serves college-bound day students in Kindergarten-Grade 12.
FRIENDS SEMINARY
222 East 16th Street
New York, NY 10003
P: 212-979-5030
F: 212.979.5034