The Tuesday after Labor Day in Manhattan is traditionally the first day of the private school admissions season.  It's the first day that parents can call the schools of their choice and request  applications.  Some of the more popular schools, especially those known for their academic rigor, have been heard of to run out of forms - and interview slots - before noon.

For many parents looking to find the perfect academic fit for their gifted child, the option of a private school is often off the table not due to philosophical concerns, but financial ones.

A year of kindergarten at the Horace Mann School costs $34,050.  The Trinity school charges $33,440.  Even a smaller, more community-oriented institution like The Studio School is $26,650 without financial aid.

But not all private schools in New York City are priced to break the bank.  Below are two, non-tuition charging private schools:

Founded in 1996 to serve Harlem neighborhood families, The Children's Storefront provides a tuition-free education to youngsters in grades K-8 (they have discontinued the pre-school starting this Fall) and have sent graduates to all of the city's selective public schools, as well as to prestigious private academies like The Dalton School (Tuition: $34,100; if you're going to pay so much for High School, better save up in the early years!).

Though The Children's Storefront School is co-ed and accepts children of all cultures and faiths, Regis High School offers a tuition free Jesuit college preparatory education exclusively to Roman Catholic young men from the New York metropolitan area who demonstrate superior intellectual and leadership potential.

Both are quintessential examples as to why no parent of a gifted NYC child should completely dismiss the private school option due to cost considerations.

For more info: The Children's Storefront School, Regis High School, What qualifies a child as gifted in NYC?  Gifted minority students and the NYC private schools