Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts

I’m only going to the 8th grade but I know that this is a very great school because I dance with one of the boys who just graduated from here and every Saturday when we meet for rehearsal he’s always talking about it. I remember four years ago when I was 9 and he was 13 and we were learning a duet when his mom called and told him that he got accepted not only was he excited but so was I and as the years went on not only did he get better at dancing he got scouted which made me smile and cry at the same time because now he’s gone. But I can’t wait to audition this year but not even for dance but also for drama, vocals, and the violin. Quick tip for anyone who wants to audition make sure you audition for more than one talent if you can because what if you audition for art and vocals but they don’t like your art but they might like your singing so I hope that was useful. Good luck to everyone who’s auditioning this year.☺

Update!!!
I just got into LaGuardia for vocals, I’m so excited to start next school year. Just wanted to say congrats to everyone who auditioned and got in, even if you didn’t get in you still had the guts to audition so great job.

This WAS my first choice of high schools when it came to what I wanted to study. I'm from Brooklyn originally, and I auditioned for LaGuardia; and it was ABSOLUTELY my top choice for high school

At the time my family and I were still living abroad in the UK, (in London), and I'd been attending the equivalent of my "junior high school" years there: 6th, 7th & 8th forms (or grades) and so I had to fly back from London home to NYC to do my LaGuardia audition.

This was during the 1986/1987 academic year, for entrance into LaGuardia for the 1987/1988 academic year, when I would be an entering freshman. In the end, LaGuardia wait listed me and I had to attend Edward R. Murrow High School (my second choice after LaGuardia) out in Brooklyn, which also has strong Performing Arts and Music Programs, but it's NOT LaGuardia.

LaGuardia would have automatically upped my chances & gotten me into more "upper tier" colleges and Ivy League Universities as an undergrad (including increasing my chances at Juilliard probably) however, settling on Murrow in the end wasn't completely terrible, although I was 💔😭 that LaGuardia hadn't accepted me. And I had VERY MUCH wanted to go to high school in Manhattan, rather than in Brooklyn. I made do in the end, but LaGuardia was DEFINITELY my top high school choice.

I LOVE the school! I'm an incoming sophomore here- instrumental major. (: the students are so friendly, creative and of course talented! The school is also amazing, and challenging. It really gets us to work hard in our academics while excelling in our majors as well. (The "Fame" school)👌😊

I attended this school, and I'd it recommend to anyone - who is ready. Be prepared to stay for 3 extra periods of your chosen specialty a day (can be up to 10), while other schools get let out at 7 periods or earlier. This is one of the prices you pay for your craft.

Academics, as I can put it, is "no joke". Being a specialized school, it is preparing you for college-level academics. Do not slack, or you will fall far behind.

The vibe of the school is competitive, yet fun. Be prepared to hear guitars being played in the cafeteria during lunch, dancers walking around to dance classes in their leotards on the upper floors, drama students "acting out" in the hallways, and moody artists sitting on window sills in their classrooms working on their latest painting. Will everyone break out into song and dance like Fame and Glee? (At least one of the 2 is based on this school). No, but it's as close to it as can be.

This school taught me A LOT about the arts (as it's supposed to). Some are required to attend art exhibits at museums, others performances. We were at times brought across the street to Lincoln Center (graduation actually took place in Avery Fisher Hall), and we can see Juilliard right outside of our window. Some students are accepted there, Cooper Union, NYU, Columbia, etc.

Is it all glits and shine, rainbows and ballads? No, it's still high school. Some students are caught smoking in bathrooms, some get into a bit more trouble than that. But most of the students are serious about their craft and/or academics. Some of the most professional plays and musicals have been performed by the students at this school, as they should be. Students are honing their craft for 4 years straight, on top of childhood practice and many times have pure, natural talent. Not surprised if many have made it to Broadway right after.

With that being said, yes there are many famous alumni. I've seen personal classmates performing on TV, and then there are those who are celebrities. On the other hand, you have students who have gone on to become lawyers, architects, economists, financiers, public relations specialists, or to earn their master's and PhD's, etc. Some have moved abroad, while others have preferred to remain stateside.

I'd recommend this high school if, again, you are ready to work. Ace that audition, and have good grades and test scores, and you'll have 4 years that many others can say they could only dream of experiencing as a high school student.

@strawberry uyu's comment.

Fellow Lag Alum here, went there from 2000-2004, really enjoyed my years there as hard as it is sometimes. Highly recommend on auditioning. Many students I knew got in with Art, because it is the most versatile medium to be accepted, meaning a lot of kids who auditioned were accepted just from auditioning. You'd really have to be not following the instructor's instructions to not get in. In your 2nd year as a sophomore, you can have the option to audition in another major. Many went from art to vocal major and got in, or art to instrumental. I had friends from instrumental, dance, and wish I had made more solid connection with the theater majors, they were so multi-talented in so many ways, often "mastering" vocal, dance, acting, and even art history by senior year. I was able to learn how to play guitar, learn some dance moves from after school clubs that taught hip hop and break dance--in which you mentioned in your interests (singing and dancing). Nicki and Aqwafina both graduated around my year. Nicki did have training in vocal, Aqwafina had her training in instrumental (trumpet). Which goes to show that you can be multi-faceted and earn new skillsets, as long as you make friends in other majors to help you with techniques or just inspire you to be with like-minded people. I hope this helps, feel free to reach out to me with any questions regarding the school. Always awesome seeing people passionate about Lag :)

Ps. Definitely reach out to school counselors or the head of the major department to see what you can do to get in if your'e not confident to try out as a vocal or dance major in the first year. Dance rarely accepts anyone, only around 40-50 students per year. Vocals, I think slightly more people get in but not by much more. However, most people do get in for Vocal, and 95% get in for Art when they audition. Acting I'd say it's as hard as getting in as Dance Majors, Instrumental about as hard as Vocal in acceptance rate, and Art being most widely accepted. That would be the order of acceptance rate from Acting/Dance being hardest, Instrumental would be 50/50 and Vocal/Art the easiest.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

I stopped by my alma mater class of 1996 and showed my children my high school. Great establishment. The absolute best educational experience EVER! So proud to be an alum. Truly blessed to have been in their Art program.

I am in 6th grade and IM GOING TO THIS SCHOOL I want to be a tv actor and a theater actor (theater more) i want to be Hamilton on broadway, but anyway I live on Long Island but my mom works near here but will they still except me???????

I am a teacher within the NYC Department of Education and some of my students have finished middle school and set forth at LaGuardia. Not only are they expanding their own minds academically but they are performing at a level that gives me such joy as an educator. I thoroughly enjoy going to concerts every year.

A great volleyball league functions out of here- that’s the only reason I come here 😂. I graduated high school a Long time ago. The gym and school are clean. Definitely recommend.

Hey , I previously auditioned for this school in November. It was a great experience all the kids/teachers were extremely nice and helping. The school was very nice i had a great experience!, and highly recommend that you try out for it.

It’s a great school me and my friend love it but it’s not just an hs grades actually matter u have be smart lol for me I had to study a lot like I couldn’t even sleep but if u rlly want to go it’s a nice school over all

I wish to audition here but I’m afraid my 7th Grade grades are low for a big school (if that makes sense)
My artistic skills are pretty good
I get 90s on my projects and can improve over that summer
But can I get accepted into the school with an 80-ish average like a B and C?

From what i hear and research on this school it is very hard to get into La guardia, im currently searching for art and visual art high schools. It has been my and my moms dream to get into la Guardia since i was small.unfortunately my grades were not astonishing as i wanted them to be, especially math i always had difficulty in math. I thought that in my future i would find no use for it when i could be focused on singing and dancing, but i was wrong today i wish i put more effort for it. Not even my struggles in math is my problem now its the thought that im not good enough to even audition for it i havent had many years of practice because of financial and school issues. I never learned to be confident and that feeling of being on a stage watched by many people gives me a panicky feeling. I wish to go to la guardia to have someone behind me pushing me to go fowards, someone that tells me with no hesitation that im doing poorly. I want to learn but it seems that la guardia takes talented people already while im starting from below. Hopefully i have a chance at it.

I'm a freshman going to LaGuardia Highschool. I was reading previous reviews out of my own curiosity, only to find a surprising amount of overtly low ratings. In reading these ratings generally the reason for such reviews consisted of judgmental and generalized complaints. One review spoke of poor parking in the area during auditions to apply to LaGuardia Highschool. This is a rating of the parking in the area, not the school. Another review mentioned "roaches" and "holes everywhere". This is slightly more valid than the previous review I mentioned, although this is hardly the schools fault. Funding is limited and sometimes academics have a priority over anything else. As a New Yorker, I can say that I've seen more roaches in my apartment than in LaGuardia. My point in writing this review was not to defend LaGuardia but to instead keep these reviews just, and valid. If you're going to put something on the internet the least you can do is be reasonable.

This is one of my top 3 Performing arts school im looking forward into auditions but whne imdo they start auditions and what can i do to get started to enter myself into the school? Wish me good luck!

I'm in 10th grade and I've found out my interest and my talent and I want to take it seriously by going to a school that will help me get to my dreams. One question I have is, is this school more about the talent or
grades.

I left a Popsicle in a school locker, and came back to find only the Popsicle stick sitting there. I was absolutely devastated. I brought this up to the headmaster who just said "atta boy" while patting my head. Disgusting. This is NO way to treat a PARENT who is paying premium for their children to attend an "acting" school. They should have ACTED immediately. 5/100 Would not recommend!!!

I really want to go to this High School as a Dance Major or an Arts Major, but i am scared that the auditions are very harsh and i might not do too well. My friends and family say i dance and sing amazingly, but i am not sure what to think. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am about to head to 7th grade and I WILL be going to this school for the fine arts program :))) I’ll check back in when I get accepted 🫡🫡

Laguardia High School of Music and Performing Arts is the best Accademic and Music school in USA.
My son is 16 years old and is a Piano master, advanced winds Bassoon and drama. As a single mother being a Dr.in Music and Foreign Languages, I believe his choice was just right taking Laguardia and not Kaufmann Music School or Brooklyn school of Music where he auditioned and came through..Basically my son saw that Laguardia is one of the most challenging schools even in accademics.We are very happy to have Dr.Lisa Mars as a Principal in Laguardia.
She is very young but very smart and accomplished.She knows what to do if in Laguardia have to be fixed some problems. The Faculty Staff is very strong and there rating is 5 stars.
We would reccomand this school to everyone, from Laguardia of course if students are serious and are studying, lots of them can go to enter easy Universities and Colleges like: Juilliard, Curtis, Yale, Cornell, Campbellsville, Morehead state University, Lexington UK, Boston and Oberlin OH.Also Royal Accademy in London.
From Fiorello Laguardia has been graduate:
Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, daughter of Madonna Maria Lurdes and lots of actors, artists and musicians recognized in the entire World. For me and my son Music is the Melody of the Heart and the Voice of the Spirit.
God bless America!!
Dr.Carina Tiotuico