driving schools

I got mine last year, I was 28 then. I took some lessons from a guy I didnt like near me, but last lesson before the test was from a place I think was called Alcon, its on fulton st right before south oxford I think.
Fairly cheap, and he had good pointers.
I took the test in Red Hook, which wasnt so bad.

I did my required safety course in Manhattan: http://parkavenuedrivingschool.com/
They cut the class blissfully short. All these driving schools are tucked away in dingy offices and none of them seem ideal. I did my road test with a car and a lesson from US Auto School near Jay St/Borough Hall. The instructor had a bad reputation with the road test people in Red Hook and was late for the test so they made us wait for one hour on purpose. I shared the car with two others also taking the test. My particular car was dingy, old and didn't drive very well.

I noticed that the Park Avenue cars looked a little better. In short: it's a jungle out there. Insist on private lessons and a road test by yourself. BTW I did the written test at the DMV in Coney Island to avoid the crowds at the Atlantic Mall. If you go early you can just waltz through. The Coney Island DMV is larger anyway and has slightly less stressed out, friendlier clerks.