Columbia Secondary School

Columbia Secondary School

Public Middle, High School | Grade 6-12
425 W 123rd St,  New York, NY
Morningside Heights Neighborhood
New York City Geographic District No. 5
3.8
4.0
658 Students
A
Niche Grade

School Details

Head of School
Principal - Ms. Miriam Nightengale
Student Teacher Ratio
14:1
Average SAT Score
1320
Average ACT Score
29
Math Proficiency
84%
Reading Proficiency
90%
Average GPA
3.5
Graduation Rate
95%

Niche Grade

A
Academics
A
Teachers
A+
College Prep
B-
Administration
B-
Resources/Facilities
C
Clubs and Activities
C+
Sports
C-
Food
Source: Niche
Niche Grades

Niche grades and rankings are calculated using dozens of public data sets and millions of reviews. Niche data scientists and user researchers rigorously analyze data and user opinions to assess the key aspects of K-12 Schools, Colleges, and Places to Live. Every month, millions of students and families use the Niche grades and report cards to find the right school or neighborhood.

Niche Grade Details

Academics
Average GPA
3.5
Reading Proficiency
90%
Math Proficiency
84%
Teachers
Student Teacher Ratio
14:1
Teachers
50
Full Time Teachers
50
Teachers in First or Second Year
18.3%
College Prep
Average SAT
1320
Math
660
Verbal
660
Average ACT
29
Math
28
English
29
Reading
30
Science
28
Number of AP Courses
5
AP Pass Rate
69.2%
AP Science Enrollment
Very High
Other AP Enrollment
Very High
Clubs and Activities
Girls Athletic Participation
Average
Boys Athletic Participation
Low

GreatSchools Rating

9
Test Scores
8
Equity
8
Student Progress
10
College Readiness
Source: GreatSchools
GreatSchools Rating
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

GreatSchools Rating Details

Test Scores

Science
6%
State Average
20%
Math
8%
State Average
22%
GreatSchools Test Scores Rating
GreatSchools
The Test Score Rating reflects annual state test results for this school compared with scores statewide.

Teachers and Staff

Students Per Counselor
348:1

Student Diversity

Male
54.2%
Female
45.8%
Hispanic
34.9%
White
27.2%
Black
21.7%
Two or more races
7.7%
Asian or Pacific Islander
7.2%
Native American
<1%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
<1%
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School Rankings

#11 Most Diverse Public MS in New York
#13 Most Diverse Public HS in New York
#24 Best College Prep Public HS in New York
Source: Niche

Specialty School Programs

AP Programs Offered
Free/Reduced Lunch Offered
Athletics Program

Colleges Students are Considering

Students are most interested in or go on to attend these colleges.
New York University 135 Students
Stony Brook University 96 Students
Binghamton University, SUNY 96 Students
Syracuse University 88 Students
Boston University 87 Students
Columbia University 70 Students
Cornell University 68 Students
CUNY Hunter College 67 Students
CUNY City College of New York 56 Students
Fordham University 53 Students

What Students Want to Study

Niche users from this school are most interested in the following majors.
Psychology 69 Students
Biology 59 Students
Computer Science 49 Students
Business 46 Students
Pre-Medicine Studies 35 Students
Nursing 28 Students
Political Science and Government 26 Students
Mechanical Engineering 24 Students
Engineering 23 Students
English 23 Students

This School’s Reviews

Niche Reviews
3.8 102 Reviews
4.0 Senior
11/16/2020
I'm currently a senior at Columbia secondary school and if you are interested in math science and engineering I think this is the school for you. It has a great engineering program for those who are interested and the math and science programs are great too. The social aspect of the school is average. The workload is a lot so be prepared for lots of work. Students at this school do struggle with the pressure from time to time which can be hard on ones mental health. The guidance office at Columbia secondary needs to be worked on. Regarding academics this school is phenomenal. But you must be prepared to excel and be under pressure from the workload. The college team does their best however there are a lot of kids and not a lot of counselors (there are only two).
3.0 Senior
7/8/2020
I think that overall, CSS is an okay school. I think that my biggest issue with it is the fact that there is so much pressure on the students to be the best that it felt like I had to compete with my friends and classmates grade wise. This kind of environment ends up having a huge effect on the students' mental health. I think that the school needs to do better at taking the pressure away from the students so that students don't have to feel stressed everyday.
4.0 Junior
5/25/2020
The workload is rigorous and at times too much. There are weeks that are extremely compact then followed by weeks where nothing seems to be due or happening. It would be an extremely good school if there was more funding and resources to go around.
See All Niche Reviews
GreatSchools Reviews
4.0 23 Reviews
5.0 parent
3/15/2023
My daughter transferred in 11th grade. School is great! From the first day we walked in, leadership is very supportive. They are welcoming, attentive, always friendly, always find time to help.Education is strong and challenging. Many students are well prepared and therefore teachers are able to cha...
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5.0 parent
6/27/2018
My child just finished his first year at CSS. We come from San Diego and the school district in SD determined that my son was gifted. When we moved to NYC, the school he attended did not have the right set of skills to teach children like my son. His fourth grade year was a terrible experience. His...
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4.0 parent
6/14/2015
This school is good for children who thrive in highly competitive, challenging situations. The teachers are dedicated, and the students are ambitious, so you know that your child is in good company here. It is not a good match for children who struggle with time management or need a certain amount o...
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5.0 student
4/18/2015
This school offers lots of programs in just about everything. The normal curriculum is advanced with special courses like Philosophy and Engineering. Teachers are very knowledgeable. There are many clubs and electives ranging from architecture 101 to 3d printing and modeling to neuroscience to guita...
Read Full Review
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New York New York County New York 10027 Morningside Heights
Columbia Secondary School
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