Admissions
Entry Requirements
The Center for Young Children enrolls children ages 3 through 5 (kindergarten) each school year, which runs from late August to early June. Students are enrolled for this ten month period, not per semester. The CYC accepts applications from families year round. Applications will only be accepted if the child has a recorded birth date. When an application is received, the child is placed on our waiting list.
The Center for Young Children follows the criteria for kindergarten eligibility established by the
Maryland State Department of Education; specifically, a child must be 5 by September 1 to qualify. This rule also applies to newly enrolling three-year-olds. Children must be at least three years old and potty-trained by September 1 to be enrolled at the CYC.
Visiting Day
The enrollment process for the following school year begins in January, and a Visiting Day (open house) is scheduled for mid-February. Applicants who are eligible for admission the following school year are invited to attend, although the invitation does not guarantee enrollment in the fall.
How admission decisions are made
Following Visiting Day, families are contacted and offered a space for the fall, based upon the projected number of available openings in each classroom. Enrollment is offered to families based upon the date of application submission. Priority is given to the children of faculty, staff and students of the University of Maryland (affiliates), and to applicants who are siblings of current or past CYC students.
Applications from the community will be considered only if a space cannot be filled by University affiliates. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, interested families are encouraged to submit an application early, well before the year the child will be eligible to attend. Applications for future enrollment are accepted any time after a child is born.
When admission decisions are made
Whenever possible, families will be informed of their admissions status by mid-April. Unfortunately, we are not able to call all families on the wait list for whom we do not have available spaces. If an applicant family has not been contacted by mid-April, they may contact the CYC to check their status.
Center for Young Children Tuition Statement - School Year 2013-2014
The tuition costs for the Center of Young Children are as follows:
- Full-time Preschool and Kindergarten program
$11,500
Five days/week—Academic Year contract
- Part-time Preschool Classroom $7,500
Five mornings/week—Academic Year contract
8:30am-12:30pm—Monday-Friday
Part-time students can access Morning Gathering between 7:45 - 8:30 if needed.
Request or download an application
Return this form to the CYC by mail with a non-refundable $50 application fee.
 | Application Form |
 | Application Form |
The CYC enrollment contacts are:
Curriculum/Enrollment Coordinator
Leslie Oppenheimer
301-405-0107
Program Administrative Specialist
Jennifer Haislip
301-405-3168
Completed applications are placed on a waiting list for future consideration.
Placement on this list does not guarantee enrollment at the CYC.
Scholarships
The CYC has a limited number of need-based, partial scholarships available. Any enrolling families wishing to explore partial scholarship opportunities to help supplement their tuition costs can visit the National Association of Independent Schools web site at: sss.nais.org.
You will need to input our NAIS school code in order to access and complete their online scholarship application. Our code is 4692. Have your financial information ready in order to complete the application process. NAIS will send us their report, with which the Scholarship Committee will evaluate your financial limitations and then determine appropriate scholarship awards. Scholarship applications for consideration for Fall 2013 must be submitted by March 1, 2013.