Our Insights
What’s Special
Internships in financial industry; nice selection of Advanced Placement courses and extra-curricular activities
The Downside
Intense focus on business may not appeal to all
At the Academy of Finance and Enterprise (AFE) students train for jobs in the business and financial industries while taking a full academic load. The school opened in 2005 with the support of the National Academy Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that supports high schools that train students for careers in industries with strong growth and employment potential. The school admits students of all abilities and has graduation, college readiness and college attendance rates that are well above the citywide average.
AFE delivers on its name. offering a range of business and technology courses covering areas such as entrepreneurship, financial management, accounting, business plan drafting, tech start-up and computer applications. Many students intern in financial institutions and participate in stock market game competitions, Junior Achievement, Virtual Enterprise, where they run all aspects of a mock business.
Victoria Armano, the school's principal since 2012, consistently gets high marks from teachers for her leadership based on their responses to the annual NYC School Survey. Teachers also praise the school for its tone.
"We treat our kids like family, like this is a second home," Armano told the Daily News. "When you have that type of environment with kids, they feel it," she said. "Kids feel that you really care, that you really want to guide them to succeed. Parents feel the same way."
The school offers a nice selection of Advanced Placement classes and encourages students to take advantage of the coursework even though many do not earn at least a "3" on their AP exams, the minimum score needed to earn college credit. Students may also earn college credit by taking free courses at Baruch College and LaGuardia Community College. Spanish is the only foreign language taught.
Students wear business attire to school. Girls wear uniforms of skirts or pants, a blouse, and dress shoes; boys wear pants, button-down collared shirts, ties and dress shoes.
In addition to internships students participate in PSAL sports teams and after school clubs and activities such as art, cooking, media, dance, drama, entrepreneurship, academic tutoring and community-based programs sponsored by Filipino American Human Services, Inc.
Most graduates attend CUNY or SUNY schools. Some attend private schools on scholarship. Most graduates attend college—primarily at CUNY and SUNY schools—and nearly all who day stick with it. The school offers SAT prep for students.
AFE occupies the 4th floor of an office building that also houses Bard High School Early College II and The High School of Applied Communication. Facilities include science labs, a library, theater, cafeteria and small gymnasium.
SPECIAL EDUCATION: There are Integrated Co-Teaching classes with two teachers, one of whom is trained in special education. Graduation rates for students with special needs as well as English language learners are far above the citywide average.
(Laura Zingmond, web reports, November, 2018)
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School Stats
Academics
Students
Race/Ethnicity
Safety & Vibe
Faculty & Staff
Teachers’ Race/Ethnicity
Advanced Courses
Calculus
Computer Science
Physics
Advanced Foreign Language
AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science
AP/IB Math or Science
Music
Not offered in 2019-20College Readiness
Programs & Admissions
From the 2021 High School DirectoryAcademy of Finance and Enterprise
Program Description:
Students are able to receive a CTE endorsement in their diplomas if the student completes the CTE requirements.
Offerings
From the 2021 High School DirectoryLanguage Courses
Spanish
Advanced Placement (AP) courses
AP English Language and Composition, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP U.S. Government and Politics, AP United States History, AP World History: Modern, AP Calculus AB, AP Statistics, AP Chemistry
Boys PSAL teams
Basketball, Outdoor Track, Soccer, Table Tennis, Wrestling
Girls PSAL teams
Basketball, Cross Country, Flag Football, Rugby, Soccer, Softball, Table Tennis, Volleyball
Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools
Contact & Location
Location
30-20 Thomson Avenue
Long Island City
NY
11101
Trains:
to 33rd St-Rawson St;
,
,
to Queens Plaza;
to Court Square;
,
to Queensboro Plaza
Buses: B62, Q100, Q101, Q102, Q32, Q39, Q60, Q66, Q67, Q69, X63, X64, X68
Contact
Other Details
This school shares the building with the HS of Applied Communication and Bard High School Early College Queens
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