By Laura Shin

One year after Hurricane Irene paved a destructive trail through the Caribbean and up the Eastern Seaboard, the storm is no longer a top headline or major concern for millions of Americans. For individuals in the field of emergency management, however, there is still work to be done and countless lessons to be learned.

“That’s the job of emergency managers—to learn from past experiences, to organize and write cogent plans,” said Chuck Frank, deputy director of the master of public administration in emergency and disaster management program at the Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY) in Lower Manhattan.

In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, some colleges began offering programs in emergency management, preparing students to handle response, recovery, mitigation and planning in a wide range of emergency situations, from natural disasters to terrorist attacks.
MCNY’s emergency and disaster management program enrolled its first students in 2004. Today, there are more than 250 emergency management higher education programs in the country, according to the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Emergency management can cover many different areas, including public administration, environmental sciences, social sciences, public health and engineering, according to the EMI.

There are still a limited number of programs related to the field in New York City. MCNY is the only school in Manhattan that offers a degree in emergency management. John Jay College offers a master of science degree in protection management, which focuses on “theory, design, management and operation of fire and security protection and emergency management systems,” according to the school’s website.

The program at MCNY leads to a master of public administration degree. It is a 16-month, 45-credit program split over four semesters.
“It started out as a visionary major with just a few students, but now at any given time, we have about 70 to a 100 students going through the program,” Frank said.

There is a mix of students, but most are working adults, Frank said. The school offers classes on Friday evenings and Saturdays to accommodate these students.

“We work predominantly with people who are in a career who either want to change or take what their experience has been so far and morph it into a whole new area that has a vast new horizon of opportunities,” Frank said.

While some recent graduates have found jobs with government agencies, such as the city’s Office of Emergency Management, private companies and nonprofit organizations also seek emergency managers.

Though there is a demand for workers in the field, Frank notes the job market can still be challenging.

“There’s no denying that we’re in a rough economy,” he said. “What we’re seeing is that if they go through the program and they take advantage of the ancillary opportunities such as doing an internship and adding at least a half of a dozen certifications to supplement their degrees, these are the things that are a winning track for people looking for jobs.”

Frank said that because the field is a new frontier with many different aspects, it’s a great opportunity for anyone to transition into the field. He gave the example of one incoming student who is an 80-year-old woman.

“When a disaster hits, the most vulnerable people are often the elderly or the very young,” Frank said. “I think this woman wants this training so she can find some way to help.”

New York Family has several wonderful resources to help city parents address their children’s educational needs as they grow up.

New York Family publishes the Ultimate Guide to Education in October; not only the season of transitions and adjustments in schools, it’s also the time for admissions applications. The Ultimate Guide covers all of it, helping parents understand local admissions in all of the sectors while offering stories about news and trends in learning and development and a parent’s role in their child’s education. You can find the digital edition of the latest Ultimate Guide to Education at newyorkfamily.com.

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

Nursery School and Pre-K

The Parents League of New York, parentsleague.org
The Independent School Admission Association of Greater New York, isaagny.org
The New York City Department of Education, schools.nyc.gov
Victoria Goldman’s The Manhattan Directory of Private Nursery Schools, victoriagoldman.net
Also note: Many “preschool alternative” programs are offered by neighborhood education and enrichment centers. See our classes directory.

Public School

Clara Hemphill’s various guides to New York City public schools, clarahemphill.net
Class Size Matters, classsizematters.org
The New York City Department of Education, schools.nyc.gov
Gotham Schools, gothamschools.org
Insideschools, insideschools.org
NYC Public School Parents, nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com

Private School (Independent)

The Independent School Admission Association of Greater New York, isaagny.org
NYC Private Schools Blog, nycprivateschoolsblog.com
The NYC Private School Admissions Handbook nypeas.com
The Parents League of New York, parentsleague.org
Victoria Goldman’s The Manhattan Family Guide to Private Schools and Selective Public Schools, victoriagoldman.net

Charter Schools

The New York City Department of Education, schools.nyc.gov
New York City Charter School Center, nyccharterschools.org

Parochial Schools

Archdiocese of New York, archny.org
Also note: For other faith-based schools in the New York City area, we recommend contacting local organizations affiliated with your religion. They should be able to direct you to schools of interest.

New Schools

For new public schools, check the DOE website and Inside Schools and call your local school district’s office, which you can find on the DOE website. For new charter schools, check with the New York City Charter School Center. Here are a few new (and new-ish) and noteworthy nursery and private schools.

Avenues, avenues.org
École Internationale de New York, einy.org
Fusion Academy, fusionacademy.com (search for New York City)
The Goddard School, goddardschool.com
Grace Church School, gcschool.org
The Lang School, thelangschool.org
The Learning Experience, thelearningexperience.com (search for Manhattan)
Léman Prep (formerly Claremont Prep), lemanmanhattan.org
Queens Paideia School, queenspaideiaschool.org
Upper West Side Playgroup, upperwestsideplaygroup.org
World Class Learning Academy, wclacademy.org

From stress relief to reducing the risk of heart disease, there are many reported benefits to swimming. And on a hot summer day in New York City, it’s also a great way to cool off. These are just a few reasons why some adults who never learned to swim are signing up to learn now.

“Everybody can learn to swim—it has nothing to do with age,” said Lori Pailet, managing director of Aqua Skills, a swim instruction group in Manhattan. “There are so many benefits—it’s great cardio, great for circulation, great for flexibility and it doesn’t hurt your joints.”

Aqua Skills offers group classes as well as private and semiprivate lessons for adults at different locations in Manhattan. It offers a flexible schedule with classes seven days a week and an “Early Bird” class that begins at 6 a.m., said Pailet.

Many other programs also offer beginner swim classes for adults in the city.

Mary O’Donoghue, aquatics specialist for the YMCA of Greater New York, said there are five YMCA locations in Manhattan that all offer swimming classes for adults. She said participants range from adults in their twenties to those over the age of 60.

“One of our members was 65 when she started taking lessons,” she said. “When she grew up, she didn’t have the finances or time to learn to swim. She wanted to enjoy the water with her grandchildren, so she decided she was going to do it.”

The adult beginner classes cover the basics of swimming as well as addressing any fears that adults may have about being in the water. The class is a good fit for adults who have never swum before or those who can swim a little bit but have not gone into deeper water, O’Donoghue said.

For more information about Aqua Skills, visit www.aquaskills.com or call 212-206-6976. To find a YMCA location, a class schedule and rate information, visit ymcanyc.org or call 212-630-9600.

Below are a few options available in Manhattan:

Asphalt Green: Freestyle 101
Learn the basics of freestyle swimming in this intro course—breath control, floating, submersion, kicking and arm movements. Note: Swimmers must be able to comfortably float on their front with their face in the water.
Dates: Saturdays, June 30–Aug. 18
Time: 3:30–4:15 p.m.
Price: $240 for members, $288 for nonmembers
Location: Asphalt Green, 555 E. 90th St.
For more info or to register, call 212-369-8890 or visit www.asphaltgreen.org.
Private beginner lessons for adults are also available at Asphalt Green for the summer term, which runs June 25 through Aug. 18. Half-hour lessons are $65 per lesson, and 1-hour lessons are $130. For more information, email privatelessons@asphaltgreen.org or call 646-981-2387.

NYC Parks: Learn to Swim Program
The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation offers swimming lessons for people of all ages free of charge. Space is limited and registration is by lottery. Applicants who do not win a spot are placed on a waiting list.
Dates:
Session 1: July 9–July 24
Session 2: July 25–Aug. 9
Session 3: Aug. 10 – Aug. 24
Classes are Monday through Friday.
Time: 7:15–8:15 p.m.
Price: Free
Location: Lasker Pool, 110th Street and Lenox Avenue
For more info or to register, visit www.nycgovparks.org/registration/aquatics,

92Y: Beginner Swim Group
No experience is necessary for this adult beginner swim class, where you’ll learn basic skills and proper body alignment.
Dates: Sundays, July 29–Aug. 19
Time: 6–7 p.m.
Price: From $132
Location: 92Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street
For more info, to register or to find more sessions this summer, visit www.92y.org.
92Y also offers “Water Fear Wash-Away for Adults” courses for individuals with aquatic phobias. Check out their website for more details.

The Jewish Community Center: Adult Beginner Swim
The JCC offers adult learn-to-swim classes taught by American Red Cross-certified instructors. Beginner courses cover the basics: breath control, self-propulsion, buoyancy and water safety skills.
Dates:
Summer Session: Mondays, June 18–Aug. 13 (classes are prorated for late registrants)
Fall Session: Mondays, Sept. 10–Nov. 5
Time: 7:30–8:30 p.m.
Price: $315 for members, $405 for nonmembers
Location: JCC, 334 Amsterdam Ave.
For more info or to register, call 646-505-5708 or visit www.jccmanhattan.org .

Physique Swimming
Physique Swim School offers adult beginner swim classes throughout the summer at different locations throughout Manhattan, including uptown, the Upper East Side, Midtown East and Downtown.
Dates: Various
Time: Various
Price: $400 for 8 courses, $720 for 16 courses
Location: Various
For more info or to register, call 212-725-0939 or visit www.physiqueswimming.com/schedule/ny/adult.

We doubt that anyone thinks of New York City as a summer camp mecca—but by most standards, it really is. Consider all the children’s activity centers and enrichment programs that the city is blessed with—some go on hiatus and some slow down in the summertime, offering the same programming but less of it, but many others take what they do best and build wonderful day camps around their core offerings.

Academic

Keep your kiddo’s mind fresh this August with the academic day camp offered by Drake Bennett Summer Schools. Divided into two sessions and housed at The Epiphany School, 1st-6th graders can brush up with lessons in literacy, math and science, while chess and drama pepper the afternoon hours. Or join Mathnasium for their Summer Re-Boot Camp. Specifically for 2nd-8th graders, this half-day camp is filled with math-centric games and activities.

Language

Set your kid on the fast track to becoming bilingual. Collina Italiana is offering Italian Summer in the City Camp, which includes Italian-infused music, theater, movies, cartoons and museum outings. Children as young as 3 can start learning “bonjour” and “merci” at the French Institute Alliance Française, where culture and language will be taught through stories and workshops.

The Language Workshop for Children is a great tool to get your child speaking like a native. Offering summer camps in Spanish, French and Mandarin Chinese, immersion activities include costume days, arts and crafts, baking and birthday celebrations.

Media

Future video game creators will love the options in Summer Media Camp through the Museum of the Moving Image, where campers get to flex their software muscles learning animation, live action video and more. Or send your wannabe MTV VJ to New York Film Academy’s one-week Music Video Camp, designed for kids with little or no knowledge (but a passion) for the industry. And let’s not forget about summer camp at Take Two Film Academy, which will show your budding director the ins and outs of production, acting and editing. Each student gets to keep an online and DVD copy of their final product to show off to friends and family!

Nature

Wonder about wildlife? Kids ages 8-12 can get friendly with hyenas and lions at the Bronx Zoo’s Animal Kingdom Camp, where they will observe creatures up close and learn how to best protect an animal’s habitat. Taking full advantage of Prospect Park, the Park Explorers’ Camp Explorers program is ideal for the elementary school set. Be prepared to get a little dirty as this camp takes a hands-on approach to Mother Nature—think sprinklers, hill rolling and a host of field trips. And regardless of where you live, an awesome camp adventure awaits with NYC Parks Experience Summer Camp. With locations in every borough, this über-affordable camp provides structured hiking, swimming and sports.

Science

Inquisitive young minds will love the American Museum of Natural History’s Fossils and DNA Camp, where they can explore the evolutionary timeline. If your elementary school-aged child is more into constructing and electronic, the range of camp choices at Launch Math will give him or her the chance to build rockets and robots or design video games.

Budding scientists can use the city as their laboratory with the SciTech Kids Summer Camp. In Central Park, campers build solar ovens, learn about gravity thanks to the thrills of Victorian Gardens and make a few insect friends.

Visit newyorkfamily.com for even more day camp options.

By David Stoll

The story this month seems to be that it is harder than ever to gain admission to a selective college. Harvard, for example, admitted just 5.9 percent of its 34,302 applicants this spring, down from 6.2 percent last year. However, this trend should be viewed in a larger perspective—one that suggests that applying early remains an important part of the admissions process.

The Harvard story is instructive. Harvard reinstated early admissions, in the form of nonbinding early action, this year. A full 772 students—18 percent of early applicants—were offered early admission, a number representing nearly half the size of the entering class. Harvard naturally assumed that the yield (the percent who will eventually accept) would be high. Thus, fewer students were offered regular admission this year, making that larger pool even more competitive.

Harvard is not alone. Princeton offered admission to 21 percent of its early applicants, who would fill more than half the class if they all accepted. The 15 percent accepted early by Yale would also fill more than half the class. The University of Chicago admitted over 18 percent of its early applicants; because Chicago’s yield is lower than those of the Ivy Leagues (despite its stellar reputation), the school admitted more people early than it has freshman slots. Locally, Fordham admitted more than 45 percent of its applicants early, also admitting more students than there are slots.

The early decision story is even more interesting. Applying early decision involves a binding promise to attend the school if accepted. Columbia University admitted more than 20 percent of its early applicants, filling 45 percent of its freshman class before most people had even submitted their applications. University of Pennsylvania admitted more than 25 percent of its early applicants, filling 47 percent of its freshman class.

Duke, as competitive as the Ivy Leagues, admitted nearly 25 percent of early applicants, filling 38 percent of its class. Williams College admitted over 42 percent of applicants, representing 43 percent of its class. Locally, NYU admitted nearly 46 percent of early applicants, representing 29 percent of the class.

What do these numbers mean? Applying early decision is wise for a competitive student who has a clear first choice and for whom financial aid is not an issue. For such a student, the odds of acceptance are higher, because the student is showing an interest, the school will accept a higher percentage of applicants and there will be fewer slots available for those applying regular decision.

On the other hand, someone uncertain about attending a school should not apply early decision as a means of gaming the system; attending a good-fit school is well worth the wait.

Applying early action is also wise, and financial aid need not be a consideration yet. While chances of admission are not quite as high at an early action school as at an equivalently selective early decision school, the odds for a competitive student are still are better than they would be in April. Do note that some early action schools, including Harvard, Princeton and Yale, will not permit early applicants to apply early to other schools. Thus, it may be better to apply to other schools early to allow for more possible options.

David Stoll is a premier tutor and college admissions counselor at The Princeton Review.

Arlene Newman will be sharing her job search tips May 4 at Baruch College.

When Arlene Newman, founder of Career Bound Success, was hiring director at The Leading Hotels of the World, a Baruch College student sent her a résumé for a summer internship.

While the student had a stellar background, Newman dismissed her after catching a few spelling and grammatical errors on her CV. But the girl’s professor called Newman, told her the applicant spoke English as a second language and convinced her to give the college junior another chance.

Newman later hired the hard-working student for a full-time position and now uses the story as an example of how presentation is vital to snagging one’s dream job—and not getting glossed over by hiring managers swamped by other candidates.

“The cover letter and résumé should be error-free,” said Newman, who will be imparting more of her seasoned knowledge to job seekers in her “Fundamentals of a Successful Job Search” course on Friday, May 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Held at Baruch College, the course is open to the public and costs $99 to enroll.

Through personal anecdotes and hands-on exercises, Newman will cover everything from online networking skills to the importance of attitude in the job search.

“The job search is all about networking, whether online or personally,” said Newman, pointing out that employers will trust the recommendations of other employers far more than job search engines such as Monster.com.

Yet, having an up-to-date LinkedIn profile—especially one outfitted with keywords about skills and descriptive job information—can also catch the eye of recruiters.

“It’s all about distinguishing yourself—determining your strengths and what sets you apart,” she said.

Newman said presentation during the interview itself—whether over the phone or in person—is also important. For example, applicants should have a firm handshake with eye contact, sit up straight and smile when talking, she said.

Newman will also talk about honing personal image and projecting a positive attitude—which some applicants inadvertently lose as they become frustrated by the job search, she said.

One of Newman’s clients was stuck in a job search limbo for nine months, she said, before landing a job.

“I helped her hone her ‘elevator pitch’ to be more succinct and to the point,” said Newman, who will be helping every student in her class craft their own spiel to present to employers.

She will also include advice about the post-interview process, such as sending a hand-written thank-you note rather than just an email.

“It differentiates you from every job seeker,” said Newman, who has hired applicants who took the extra effort to give a personal touch.

Newman worked as director of human resources at places such as the Food Network, Leading Hotels of the World and Jaeger Sportswear before founding Career Bound Success in 2010. Located on the Upper East Side, the company specializes in equipping college students, alumni and professionals with the skills they need to land their dream job—advice she carries to her career seminar at Baruch.

“A lot of people will get out of the seminar a sense of confidence,” said Newman.

By Dr. Emily Levy

As students progress through school, their organizational demands increase rapidly. They are required to complete lengthier assignments, take detailed notes, study for exams and transport more materials. For many students, these organizational demands can be daunting, and they often become lost and utterly disorganized in this process.

Most students lack a system for consistently organizing all of their papers, notes, handouts and tests. By learning and implementing the three-tier organizational system below, students will become much more organized and systematic with all of the loose papers that come their way.

So how does it work?

The three-tier notebook organization system is composed of the following three parts: a working notebook, reserve notebook a and long-term filing drawer.

The Working Notebook. This is the notebook that should be taken to school on a regular basis. It can be set up in the form of one three-ring binder with separate tabs for each class or in the form of one color-coded spiral notebook (for taking notes) and one folder (for handouts and homework) for each class. What is most important about the working notebook, however, is that it only contains papers that your child absolutely needs to be carrying with him to school.

One day per week (you should help your child choose this day and have him write it down directly in his assignment book each week) will be designated as his clean-out-my-working-notebook-day. On this day, he will clean out all the papers that he no longer needs to take to school with him and file them in his reserve notebook.

The Reserve Notebook. The reserve notebook should actually take the form of a large, multisection accordion folder. For each class, there will be three sections in the accordion folder: one for homework, one for class notes and one for tests or quizzes. For example, for math, your child would have sections labeled “math homework,” “math class notes” and “math tests/quizzes.” He would have similar sections for English, science, social studies, and all other classes. Remember that the working notebook should be cleaned out and transferred to the reserve notebook on a weekly basis.

The Long-Term Filing Drawer. At the end of the semester or school year, if your child has written a stellar essay, completed a notable project or scored sky-high on a particular exam, you may want to save this work for the long-run. This information should be placed into a filing drawer for long-term safekeeping (you should be in charge of this drawer).

You might want to help your child set up this system and encourage him to maintain it on a regular basis. Within weeks you’ll notice that your child is more organized, structured, and systematic in his approach to managing his loose papers and his overall workload.

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder and director of EBL Coaching (www.eblcoaching.com) which offers tutoring and organizational coaching.

In order to enroll in a program to become a computer technician, you should already have a working knowledge of how to operate a computer. You should know how to create different types of documents, browse the Internet and compose an email. A healthy curiosity about “how the PC works internally and what it takes to deal with its common problems” is also a plus, according to the program description for a computer technician course at Hunter College.

Most often, people who enroll in such courses are pursuing a career as an IT professional or are already in the PC repair business. These courses cover basic knowledge about the workings of the computer, software/operating system variants, networking, the Internet, assembly and disassembly of the PC, malfunctions, viruses, troubleshooting and customer support. Many of the areas covered are those that aspiring technicians will be tested on when taking CompTIA certification tests. CompTIA, the information technology industry association, offers a variety of certifications within the field, the most common and basic of which are the A and Networks certifications.

“CompTIA A measures the necessary competencies of an entry-level IT professional with a recommended 500 hours of hands-on experience in the lab or field. It tests for technical understanding of computer technology, networking and security, as well as the communication skills and professionalism now required of all entry-level IT professionals,” reads a statement on the CompTIA website.

A certification is proof of competence in areas such as installation, preventative maintenance, networking, security and troubleshooting. The two requirements for CompTIA A certification are the A Essentials and Practical Application exams. CompTIA Network certification proves knowledge of networking features and functions and is the leading vendor-neutral certification for networking professionals. All certification exams are 90 minutes long and consist of 100 questions.

There are a few different courses and programs offered in New York that you can take to prepare for these exams and become a computer technician or IT professional. City University of New York offers a number of computer technology courses in its continuing education programs at Hunter College, New York City College of Technology and Medgar Evers College. A high school diploma or a GED is required for entry in these courses.

The computer technician certificate program at Hunter College consists of two courses and introduces students to the basic concepts and mechanics of PC support, with a emphasis on concepts at the first level and on mechanics at the second level. Classes meet in the evenings and the full certificate program package costs $1,300—or, separately, each level costs $700.

New York City College of Technology offers classes geared specifically toward preparation for CompTIA exams. The A certification test prep course costs $790, with an additional $120 for textbook and personal tools. The Networking Technologies course also costs $790, with $70 for textbook expenses. The Computer Technology Institute at Medgar Evers College offers courses in the basic computer programs you should be familiar with before enrolling in the more advanced classes, though they not actual prerequisites. CUNY courses are offered every semester and tuition can be paid either at once or on a set payment plan.

PC Tech vocational and technical school in New York City offers a variety of computer classes, both part time and full time. Among them is a part-time CompTIA A class that meets over the course of four weeks, either two nights a week or on Saturdays, and costs $399 for 28 hours. A full-time CompTIA A class meets Monday through Friday mornings for three weeks and costs $750 for 54 hours.

Other centers offering courses and training in computer and information technology are NetCom Information Technology, Ace Computer Training and Technology Career Services. And if you cannot afford to pay for such courses, the Per Scholas Institute for Technology in the South Bronx offers free intensive technology training to people in lowincome communities. Per Scholas covers the cost of both tuition and books and even offers job placement services for students.

Coaches assist clients with everything from improving prioritization skills to discovering a new career path, always striving to optimize the client’s potential for success in achieving certain goals. Coaching helps professionals communicate effectively and be better managers—as a result, classes appeal to everyone from yoga teachers to CEOs. "Because coaching draws creativity and resourcefulness out of people, students come simply to add coaching skills to their tool box," said Richard Michaels, a program leader for the International Coaching Federation’s New Jersey branch. Additionally, many students choose to turn life coaching into a career in its own.

Based on the positive psychology movement of the late 20th century, life coaching can seem rather foreign and ambiguous. "It’s a problem with educating the public," said Ellen Ades, a full time, NYU certified, ICF accredited coach who practices out of New Jersey.

On the surface, life coaching has a fair amount of crossover with psychotherapy. However, "people don’t turn to coaching when they’re in need of a healing intervention that therapy might provide," said Michaels. While therapy gives weight to the ways in which family origins and past experiences have affected the client, coaching concentrates on the present and how the client can move forward. "It’s the action orientation and the focus on the client’s own wisdom that sets it apart," said Michaels.

Michaels has been teaching a ninemonth Coaching for Transformation program at the New York Open Center in Midtown for seven years, and finds interest in the field has grown consistently.

"When we first started, we were running one class a year, and now we’re at two," said Michaels. His program trains 36 people in each class, in addition to one- and two-day seminars that draw about 25 people twice a year. Designated as an Accredited Coaching Training Program by the ICF, Michaels’ course, which he teaches along with two others, is designed to accommodate the lives of busy, working professionals.

"ICF is the only globally recognized school within the profession," said Ades. "They’re at the forefront of championing the science." In addition to the ICF, iPec is another organization striving to further the profession based on scientific data. Both groups offer training in Manhattan and across the country.

Students at NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies can choose to specialize in personal/ life coaching or organizational/executive coaching as part of the leadership program and are required to complete seven classes for certification. Mandatory instruction focuses on decision making, communication and motivational skills and may be complemented with courses in marketing and human relations. "Even now, after I’ve gone to so many other classes, the quality of that program is unbelievable," said Ades.

On the Upper West Side, the Teachers College at Columbia University and Columbia Business School together offer the Columbia Coaching Certification program. Students focus on learning guiding principles such as ethics, core competencies that help establish successful relationships with clients and the mechanics of the coaching process. Columbia offers five-day intensives for individuals looking to establish life coaching as a profession (external coaching), and for those looking to incorporate it in their existing jobs (internal coaching). Students have the option to continue on to a coaching practicum, a semester of in-field coaching work and an advanced coach intensive, a five-day wrap-up session, to earn certification in coaching. The program can be completed in as little as eight months, although schedules can be stretched out over longer periods of time.

"It takes dedication and money.

You have to continually learn and better yourself and constantly strive for excellence," said Ades. "Everything is changing so fast, it’s incumbent on every professional to continually get better at what they do." No matter your career, taking life coaching classes may help get you there.

Where to become a life coach: Columbia Coaching Certification Program, 525 W. 120th St., 212-678-8240; $900–$8,700.

Coaching for Transformation at the New York Open Center, 22 E. 30th St., 212-219-2527; classes begin Sept. 10, $5,485. NYU SCPS, 7 E. 12th St. #923, 212-998-7100; $895–$995.

The extension division at Mannes, located on West 85th Street, is a continuing education program for adults looking to strum strings, play keys, blow horns and sing. Russell himself is a composer who has worked for the department since 1999. Throughout the years, he has seen New Yorkers from all backgrounds come through the doors of Mannes with the hope of learning a new instrument—the most popular classes they offer are acoustic guitar and jazz piano for beginners.

"This is not the best program in the world if you want to learn ‘Mozart wrote this and Beethoven wrote that,’" said Russell. "It’s about doing. We’re a very hands-on division."

The interactive group classes at Mannes have no more than 10 students per class, with some beginner courses even capping off at five. "Teachers will give you their home phone number," said Russell on the personal attention offered to each aspiring musician. Russell works personally with prospective students, eager to put them on the road to instrumental success. "People who fit in best are those who used to play, fell out and are looking to start up again," he said.

Igal Kesselman, director of the Lucy Moses School at the Kaufman Center on West 67th Street, finds the same is true in his music department. "We have people from all walks of life and all levels, but the majority are adults who used to play when they were kids," said Kesselman. "They think, ‘Now I have the time! Now I know it’s exciting!’" Lucy Moses is the largest community arts school in the city, with students ranging in age from 18 to 90. Despite the growing number of students—approximately 300 join the program each year—class and workshop sizes rarely exceed 12.

While guitar and piano classes are the biggest hits at these institutions, each offers one-on-one instruction for other instruments as well. Once students grasp the basics, they can move up to ensemble classes like Mannes’ flute ensemble, where 60 people play collectively. The schools make sure that, once in a larger setting, students are placed with others on the same level. "We don’t want anybody to be frustrated," said Russell. "We do our best to accommodate everyone’s needs."

The most exciting time for the schools is performance season, when students can showcase their talents. "We have great resources for performing opportunities," Kesselman said of the Lucy Moses recital halls. Each semester is wrapped up with a much-anticipated concert on campus.

For those whose work schedules and other time constraints make signing up for a semester a difficult commitment, schools like Encore School of Music and Turtle Bay Music School can offer similar instruction and chances to perform for an audience.

Located on East 52nd Street, Turtle Bay offers five-week introductory courses in the instrument of your choice, along with monthly performance nights. Encore has locations in Brooklyn and Queens as well as the Upper East Side and offers lessons in saxophone, bass, clarinet and others. Students looking to brush up on old skills or take their talent to a new level can choose the style of their instruction—from blues guitar to rock ‘n’ roll drums.

"It’s about people dipping their toes in the water, stepping out of their comfort zone," said Russell. "It’s the joy of playing music and challenge of trying something new that keeps the programs running each year."

Manhattan music classes:

Turtle Bay Music School 244 E. 52nd St., 212-753-8811; 5-week introductory course, $245. Begins October.

Mannes College the New School for Music Extension Division 150 W. 85th St., 212-580-0210; 15-week semester, $450.

Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Center 129 E. 67th St., 212-501-3300; 12-week semester, $335.

Encore School of Music 315 Madison Ave., 800-417-4620; Prices vary by location.