The whole school thing can be so mysterious. We read all we can, we go on tours, we listen to other parents, but in the end what do we really know about the different school choices we have for our children? We have a vague sense. Is that really how we want to make such a vital decision? It's frustrating and a little bit scary that we can't find out more specific information and have something a little bit more concrete to choose a school in NYC.

What do they really do at Hunter anyway? Is it really that different? Is it worth all the torture to get in? How about private schools? What do they do there that's worth $30,000 a year? Does a G&T class do anything different that an average class? Mommy Poppins is going to try to get to the heart of the matter.

We're starting out with Hunter. Below we have, described by a Hunter parent with the help of her child, exactly what they are doing this year in the second grade. We will be following up with curricula from some other schools too. Hopefully this will give parents some concrete information to make informed decisions. If you would like to submit information about your school please email Mommy Poppins.

In the New York Times this weekend an article depicts Nutritional Sciences Preschool in Brunswick, New Jersey as a preschool on the forefront of a new trend - preschools with a curriculum focus on nutrition.

For parents who are clawing to get their children admitted to NYC Top Tier private school Horace Mann, $300,000 (a conservative approximation of 12 years of tuition) is nothing compared to the value of providing their children with an elite education, safe from the baser elements they might face in NYC public schools. While these parents are imagining their children ensconced in the crГѓВЁme de la crГѓВЁme of New York, noses buried in Chaucer, happily dreaming of their Ivy League careers, they are blissfully unaware of the nightmare the parents of Horace Mann seniors are currently facing.

In NYC we suffer a wealth of choices when it comes to schools. Whether you're looking for a preschool or a high school for your kid, there are so many schools to choose from, just thinking about it will make your head spin. And where do you begin? How do you find that one school out there that is the perfect one for your child? Mommy Poppins has put together a list of useful resources to help you navigate the twisting and turning road of New York schools. We hope it's helpful. If you have one you'd like to add, leave a comment or let us know.

The NY Sun illuminates a new twist to preschool admissions madness (via daddytypes) by pointing out the apparent trend to supply resumes and custom DVDs of your toddler with their preschool application. They then go on to destroy the tactic with several preschool personnel weighing in on how this would essentially get your application disqualified.

The article doesn't hold any big surprises. Any sane human being should be able to figure out that preschools are not looking for toddlers to have media kits and that this is precisely the type of showing off that turns people off. (see Are First Choice Letters Nuts?)

What was interesting was the proclamation that parents are skipping preschool all together just to avoid the madness of the application process:

We received this Reader -Submitted Review for the Educational Alliance Preschool, but it's such an excellent under -the-radar preschool that we wanted to include it, with a little bit more background from the Mommy Poppins team.

If you would you like to review your child’s preschool or ongoing school, send it to Mommy Poppins. Or, if you have additional thoughts or questions for our readers about Education Alliance Preschool, leave a comment below.

The Educational Alliance is an organization which runs the Sol Goldman 14th Street Y and many other community centers, including two preschools. In addition to the Educational Alliance Preschool that our reader reviews below, they run the Gani Preschool which is located on 14th Street in Manhattan. Children at both schools learn Jewish studies, but the schools are very diverse and have many non-Jewish kids as well.

The Education Alliance is a very well-respected preschool in Education circles. I have first hand experience of hearing an ongoing preschool Director make an exception for a student based on the recommendation from the Preschool Director at the Ed Alliance - isn't that the holy grail for preschools? The Educational Alliance Preschools definitely fall into the Under-the-Radar Preschool category.

A Mommy Poppins reader who has a child at the school has submitted this preschool review for Chelsea Day School on 14th Street. It's not under-the-radar preschool by any means, but it is a wonderful school worth looking into for your children.

If you would you like to review your child’s preschool or ongoing school, send it to Mommy Poppins. Or, if you have additional thoughts or questions for our readers about Chelsea Day, leave a comment below.

Chelsea Day is a fabulous preschool, held together by its principle, Jean Rosenberg, with some exceptional teaching staff. Unfortunately it too is in the ranks of the "very difficult" to get in to. But its certainly worth trying.

Nowadays it seems like every hunk of plastic they sell at a toy store is marked educational. Sure, LeapFrog Toys are probably good and all that (I don't know if they'll teach your kid to read or anything), but what a NYC kid really needs is toys that will teach him to survive and thrive in the City. So Mommy Poppins' intrepid shoppers have gone out to find some of the best educational toys for NYC kids.