Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School: admissions and school facts
Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School (DBN 31R064) is a New York City public high school in Todt Hill-Heartland Village, Staten Island with one admissions program. Admission: Educational Option (Ed. Opt.). Its average SAT is 973 (2024-25), against a median of 871.5 across NYC high schools. 99% of students graduate in four years.
- Programs
- 1
- Average SAT
- 973
- NYC median 871.5
- 4-year graduation
- 99%
- College and career rate
- 69%
- Students
- 543
- Applicants per seat
- 2
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How to get in
Seats and applicants are from the DOE directory for the Fall 2025 admissions round. Rules can change: confirm them on MySchools.
Educational Option (Ed. Opt.)R55A
Focus: Humanities & Interdisciplinary
Educational Option: the school takes students of mixed levels. About 16% of seats go to high-scoring students, 68% to mid-range and 16% to lower-scoring; a random number decides within each category.
112 seats · 276 applicants · 2 per seat
About the school
McCown is a college preparatory school partnering with NYC Outward Bound Schools and EL Education to offer challenging student-centered learning focused around case studies and expeditions that incorporate fieldwork and conclude with projects presented to authentic audiences along with service learning opportunities. We offer a small, personal environment which allows McCown to highlight each student's unique gifts, talents and creativity in pursuit of mastery of NYS Standards. McCown has dual enrollment partnerships with St. Francis College and CUNY CSI - all students are encouraged to take dually enrolled courses for college credits while attending McCown. We expect students to uphold our character traits of citizenship, integrity, perseverance, respect, and responsibility, wear our uniform, and complete 100 hours of community service by graduation. We offer electives fine arts,...
Courses and languages
Languages: Spanish
AP courses (5): Research, Seminar, Spanish Language and Culture, Statistics, United States History
Sports and clubs
Girls: Basketball, Cross Country, Fencing, Flag Football, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball
Boys: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Fencing, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Soccer, Tennis, Wrestling
Clubs: National Honor Society, School News Paper, Senior Council, Equality Among Teens, Muslim and Arab American Society, Bible Study, Harry Potter Fans, Chess and Games, Film, Key Club, Club 360, Hack Club, Community Service. Students have the opportunity to create a
Students
- Girls
- 47%
- English language learners
- 2%
- Students with disabilities
- 27%
- Economic need index
- 49%
- Asian
- 15%
- Black
- 5%
- Hispanic
- 30%
- White
- 43%
- Multi-racial
- 4%
- Native American
- 1%
What the school community says
Share of positive answers in the 2026 NYC School Survey. This is a DOE survey, not a rating from us.
- Students feel safe
- 94%
- Rigorous instruction
- 63%
- Supportive environment
- 65%
- Family and community ties
- 85%
Location and getting there
- Address
- 100 Essex Drive, Staten Island, NY 10314
- Neighborhood
- Todt Hill-Heartland Village
- Bus
- S44, S55, S56, S59, S61, S79-SBS, S89, S91, S94, SIM31, SIM4, SIM4C, SIM4X, SIM8, SIM8X
- School hours
- 8:10 AM – 2:39 PM
- Building access
- Fully Accessible
Where to check and ask
Common questions
How do you get into Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School?
Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School admits students through: Educational Option (Ed. Opt.). Families apply by ranking programs on one MySchools application; the application closes December 4, 2026 for fall 2027 entry.
How competitive is Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School?
In the Fall 2025 round the school’s programs had 2 applicants per seat. Your real chance also depends on your priority group and admissions method.
What is the average SAT at Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School?
The average SAT was 973 in 2024-25, compared with a median of 871.5 across NYC high schools (DOE data, students who took the test).
What is the graduation rate at Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School?
99% of students graduate in four years, and the college and career rate is 69% (DOE Fall 2025 directory).
Where is Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School and how do you get there?
The school is at 100 Essex Drive, Staten Island. Bus: S44, S55, S56, S59, S61, S79-SBS, S89, S91, S94, SIM31, SIM4, SIM4C, SIM4X, SIM8, SIM8X.
Other high schools nearby
Sources: NYC DOE Fall 2025 admissions directory, DOE InfoHub demographics 2025-26, SAT 2024-25, NYC School Survey. School Match is not affiliated with NYC Public Schools. How we calculate chances, and how accurate they are