Kweller Prep Offers Free Test Prep to 100 Area Students

Harlem and Bronx area schools have always been underrepresented in the competition for taking any of the nine New York area specialized high school exams. Frances Kweller, the founder of Kweller Prep in Manhattan and Queens, explains that it’s simply a matter of exposure. “The students from these schools do not try to take these exams, much less take a test prep course, because it is not something that is introduced to them,” said Kweller.

Kweller wants to set a new precedent for Harlem and the Bronx students by offering a Hunter test prep course for free to 100 of our area students. The exam, which takes place on January 10, 2020, is considered the toughest and most sought-after specialized high school entrance exam in New York City. Hunter College High School is one of the most selective high schools in the U.S., offering smaller-than-average classroom sizes and an accelerated education, which is free to any student who excels academically and qualifies through the admissions process. In 2018,150 students from nearly 2,200 test-takers were admitted.

The Hunter test prep course at Kweller will take place from December 26 - 30 with students reporting to both the Manhattan and Queens locations. The schedule includes rigorous 12-hour days over five days. Kweller states that she sent an announcement to a number of schools in Harlem and the Bronx outlining the scholarship opportunity with a link for students to sign up if interested. The sign up was officially closed on November 22nd with all 100 spots filled. The Kweller Prep holiday test prep program for the Hunter exam normally costs $500, plus an additional $150 for books. The Kweller scholarship students will attend for free. “It is an honor to be able to give the Harlem and Bronx area students an opportunity to compete for the available spots at Hunter,” added Kweller.