Gifted and Talented Readiness in Brooklyn
Parents ask us often: do you prepare children for the NYC Gifted and Talented test. The honest answer starts with a fact many families have not heard. There is no kindergarten G and T test any more. The city dropped it in 2021. Children are now nominated by their pre-K teacher, or interviewed by the DOE if they are not in a public pre-K. What gets a child in is how they actually behave and think in a classroom, and that is exactly what we build.
How we work. Skills first, no drilling. A child who spends two years with us builds reasoning, language, working memory and self control through how they play and learn, so a teacher or an interviewer sees a curious, capable child, not a rehearsed one.
At a glance
| Detail | G and T Ready |
|---|---|
| Ages | 4 to 6 |
| Approach | Multiple Intelligences, skill based, not test drilling |
| Tuition | From $2,700 a month. Full pricing |
| Location | 16 McGuinness Blvd S, Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Now enrolling, Open House weekly from November |
How NYC G and T kindergarten admission works now
Since 2021 there is no standalone test. Families add a G and T program to the kindergarten application. Children in a DOE pre-K are evaluated by their own pre-K teacher. Children outside DOE pre-K, which includes private programs like ours, are invited to an interview with DOE early childhood staff, who look at the child as a whole. Last year about 85 percent of children who applied were found eligible, and places are then assigned by the standard application process. What the evaluation looks for:
- Verbal reasoning
- Nonverbal reasoning
- Pattern recognition
- Working memory
- Following multi step directions
- Curiosity, persistence and how a child works alongside other children
What our G and T Ready program includes (ages 4 to 6)
- Pattern recognition games in daily routines
- Storytelling that strengthens verbal reasoning
- Block play, puzzles, and spatial challenges
- Multi step project work that develops working memory
- Group games that teach following directions and impulse control
- Conversation practice with adults and peers
Why test prep is the wrong tool now
There is no test to drill for, and an interviewer notices a coached child in minutes. Drilling a four year old on question types can create anxiety, reduce curiosity, and produce children who do one task well and struggle with the next. The research on early childhood development is consistent: children learn through play, meaning, and relationships with caring adults, not flashcards. Not at this age.
When to start
The behaviors an evaluator looks for develop over time. A child who joins at age 3 or 4 has more time to build them than one who starts at 4.5 hoping for a shortcut. Starting early with a program that builds these skills naturally beats a crash course in the final year.
Honest framing
We do not guarantee a G and T placement. No one can, and the decision is made by the DOE, not by us. What we can say is that our program builds the skills and habits an evaluator is looking for, through methods that match how young children learn. Many of our graduates will do well. Some will not. All of them leave ready for kindergarten.
Opening January 2027 at 16 McGuinness Blvd S, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, with an Open House every week from November. Join the waitlist for priority enrollment in G and T Ready and all our programs.
Related: What Gifted and Talented daycare means, Multiple Intelligences in early childhood.
Join the Waitlist