12. High School for Dual Language and Asian Studies
The High School for Dual Language and Asian Studies provides challenging coursework in science, technology, engineering and math, while students study both English and Chinese with the goal of proficiency in both languages upon graduation. 50% of freshman entering the school speak Mandarin Chinese as a first language, while the other 50% speak English as their primary language.
Both groups are provided rigorous education in either language.
U.S. News & World Report lists the High School for Dual Language and Asian Studies 4th in New York State and 39th nationally. The school is host to 28 teachers and approximately 340 to 390 students. The school offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses in biology and calculus as well as in Chinese language studies, among numerous other advanced courses.
The school is located just outside the official borders of Chinatown, NY, on route to the Williamsburg Bridge. The average SAT score for High School for Dual Language and Asian Studies students is 1424, with a graduation rate of 93% and a post-secondary enrollment rate of 95%. The enriched math and science programs achieve the remarkable result of 100% proficiency in math according to the U.S. News report.
The school’s demanding school day begins at 7 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m., weaving culturally related material throughout its curriculum, helping students to gain a full grasp of the Chinese culture, in addition to their advancement in core subjects, states the schools website.
The school was founded in 2003, and native English speakers are required to take two periods of Chinese daily, with all students required to pass a Regents exam in Chinese in order to graduate. The school states that one of its objectives is to prepare students with the skills needed to succeed in the contemporary competitive global market. It describes itself as a “safe school” with a “self-disciplined” student body.
