Welcome to the Writer's Room. Upcoming College Essay & Playwriting Clinics

I recently asked Greg and Matthew to put together small group classes for young writers, and they came up with two very different programs that serve a similar goal: nurturing young writers far beyond the typical classroom approach. Greg’s clinic will help incoming seniors ideate high impact college essays in an intimate writer’s room setting, while Matt’s workshop will give young creators an opportunity to hone their craft and work directly with professional actors.

Tuesday Talks: 30 Minute Toolkits for City Smart Families (Updated)

Each and every day parents reach out to us with fascinating questions about every facet of the educational journey. How can I help my family manage stress during a competitive admissions process? To what extent should I allow my child to make learning mistakes? Is my child applying to too many colleges?

As part of our on-going effort to educate and inform students and parents alike, we are launching a semi-regular series of “Tuesday Talks,” short Zoom sessions packed with tools to navigate the educational challenges that our families tend to encounter. These talks are free and open to anyone who registers. We hope to see you at one or two of them!

Crafting the College List: Balance, Fit, and Strategy 

With our Managing Director Brett Moses
Tuesday, April 23rd at 7pm – RSVP


In this enlightening half-hour session, City Smarts College Counselor Brett Moses will share insights and tools to power the college list. Attendees will learn how to construct and fine-tune a strategic college list, and discover how to sidestep the most common pitfall of this process. Both parents and students are welcome to attend.

A Digital SAT Primer for Parents

With our Curriculum Director Manpreet Singh

Tuesday, April 30th at 7pm – RSVP

In this lean 30-minute session, City Smarts Curriculum Director Manpreet Singh will break down the new Digital SAT for parents and equip them with tools to support their children in the college admissions journey.

30-Minute Deep Dive: The SHSAT

With our founder Danielle Florio

Tuesday, May 14th at 7pm – RSVP

In this invaluable 30-minute deep dive, City Smarts founder Danielle Florio will examine the test design of the SHSAT, discuss the ideal study timeline for effective readiness, and share insider strategies for study and prep.

Danielle shares Executive Function insights on new podcast

A few weeks ago, City Smarts co-founder Danielle was the featured guest on NYC Academic Solutions, an education podcast hosted by NYC learning-guru Alex Friedman. Alex brought Danielle on to discuss the role of executive functioning in the digital learning landscape. In a wide ranging and often fascinating conversation, they discuss a range of challenges students face today such as distractibility and the billion dollar attention economy, and share advice for parents overwhelmed by their kids’ smartphone usage.

Danielle also touches upon the City Smarts approach to Holistic Coaching and why our program has empowered students to develop meaningful habits and routines.

We think Alex’s podcast is terrific, and this episode in particular is brimming with practical tools and tips for parents. Listen below.