High School for Environmental Studies: admissions and school facts
High School for Environmental Studies (DBN 02M400) is a New York City public high school in Clinton, Manhattan with 2 admissions programs. Admission: Educational Option (Ed. Opt.), Screened. Its average SAT is 991 (2024-25), against a median of 871.5 across NYC high schools. 98% of students graduate in four years.
- Programs
- 2
- Average SAT
- 991
- NYC median 871.5
- 4-year graduation
- 98%
- College and career rate
- 74%
- Students
- 940
- Applicants per seat
- 1–4
Free. Enter your academic group and borough, and the estimate takes your priorities into account.
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.)M41C
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.
223 seats · 223 applicants · 1 per seat
ScreenedM41D
Focus: Environmental Science
The school ranks students by its own criteria (usually grades, sometimes attendance and tests). Seats are offered by rank within each priority group.
47 seats · 169 applicants · 4 per seat
About the school
The mission of HSES is to promote environmental integrity, social equity and economic prosperity for all learners through challenging hands-on collaborative learning experiences that promote citizenship, scholarship and leadership within our community and the world at large. Our Three Roots philosophy anchors all of our work within the school. Our Three Roots focus on Knowing Every Student Well, Equity and Rigor, and Environmental and Climate Justice.
Courses and languages
AP courses (10): Biology, Calculus AB, Computer Science Principles, English Literature and Composition, Environmental Science, Psychology, Statistics, United States Government and Politics, United States History, World History: Modern
Sports and clubs
Girls: Basketball, Cross Country, Handball, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball
Boys: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Tennis, Volleyball
Clubs: Anime, Art, Badminton, Black Student Association, Drama, Envirothon, Environmental Media Studio, Feminist Club, Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA), Gamers, Generation Z Club, Girls Who Code, Glee, Green Team, Hiking, Hydroponics, Internship, J Club, Latino Students Union, K-Pop, MakerSpace, Media Club, Model UN, Music, Muslim Student Association, National Honor Society, Photography, Rooftop, Science Research, Student Government, Sustainability, Table Tennis, Weight Training, Yearbook
Students
- Girls
- 49%
- English language learners
- 5%
- Students with disabilities
- 16%
- Economic need index
- 66%
- Asian
- 11%
- Black
- 13%
- Hispanic
- 51%
- White
- 19%
- Multi-racial
- 3%
- 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
- 87%
- Rigorous instruction
- 59%
- Supportive environment
- 61%
- Family and community ties
- 86%
Location and getting there
- Address
- 444 West 56 Street, New York, NY 10019
- Neighborhood
- Clinton
- Subway
- 1, A, B, C, D to 59th St-Columbus Circle; E to 50th St; N, Q, R to 57th St
- Bus
- BxM2, M10, M104, M11, M12, M20, M31, M5, M50, M57, M66, M7
- School hours
- 8:20 AM – 2:39 PM
- Building access
- Partially Accessible
Where to check and ask
Common questions
How do you get into High School for Environmental Studies?
High School for Environmental Studies admits students through: Educational Option (Ed. Opt.), Screened. Families apply by ranking programs on one MySchools application; the application closes December 4, 2026 for fall 2027 entry.
How competitive is High School for Environmental Studies?
In the Fall 2025 round the school’s programs had from 1 to 4 applicants per seat. Your real chance also depends on your priority group and admissions method.
What is the average SAT at High School for Environmental Studies?
The average SAT was 991 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 High School for Environmental Studies?
98% of students graduate in four years, and the college and career rate is 74% (DOE Fall 2025 directory).
Where is High School for Environmental Studies and how do you get there?
The school is at 444 West 56 Street, Manhattan. Subway: 1, A, B, C, D to 59th St-Columbus Circle; E to 50th St; N, Q, R to 57th St. Bus: BxM2, M10, M104, M11, M12, M20, M31, M5, M50, M57, M66, M7.
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