* In New Vista Learning Units: 1 Learning Unit = .5 Carnegie Unit

College Acceptances:
Adams State College, Adelphi University, American Academy of Dramatic Arts, American University, Antioch, Arizona State, Art Institute of Chicago, Bard, Barnard, Bates, Bay State College, Beloit, Bennington, Berklee College of Music, Boston University, Bowdoin, Brown, Bucknell, California Institute of the Arts, Cal Poly at Pomona, California State-Humboldt, Carnegie-Mellon, Clark University, Colby, College of Santa Fe, Colorado College, Colorado Mountain College, Colorado State University, Columbia University, Connecticut, Cornell College, Cornish College, Dartmouth College, Drake, Earlham, Evergreen State College, Fort Lewis College, Franklin, George Washington, Goucher, Grinnell, Guilford, Hamilton, Hampshire, Indiana University of PA, Ithaca, Juaniata College, Kalamazoo, Kansas City Art Institute, Knox, Lewis and Clark, Macalaster, Metropolitan State College, McGill, Miami of Ohio, Mills, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Montana State, Mount Holyoke, Naropa University, New Mexico Highlands University, New York University, NYU-Tisch School, Oberlin, Occidental, Oregon State, Pacific Lutheran, Pacific University, Parsons School of Design, Pitzer, Pomona, Pratt Institute, Prescott, Redlands, Reed College, Rhode Island School of Design, Rutgers, Sarah Lawrence, Scripps, Skidmore, Smith, Spelman, Stanford, State University of New York at Purchase, Stevens, Stevens Institute of Technology, Syracuse, Temple, U.C. Berkeley, U.C. Davis, U.C. Santa Cruz, University of Arizona, University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Colorado at Denver, University of Hawaii, University of Illinois (Champagne-Urbana), University of Iowa, Univ of North Carolina-Asheville and Greensboro, University of Oregon, University of Puget Sound, University of Texas at Austin, University of Utah, University of Vermont, University of Washington, University of Wisconsin, University of Wyoming, Vassar, Wellesley, Wesleyan, Wheaton, Whitman, Whittier, William and Mary, and York University.

Background
New Vista High School was created in 1992 by the Boulder Valley Board of Education to "break the mold" of conventional secondary school practice and to offer students another option for the high school experience. New Vista is not an alternative school for at-risk students. It serves a broad spectrum of students with the intent of helping them to develop their unique talents and interests and to prepare them to become fully-functioning individuals within our complex and demanding society. We are structured to work with students who are ready to take more responsibility for their own learning. Students at New Vista choose their classes and the order in which they will meet Common Learning and Individual Path requirements. They choose projects within each class that match their interests to the subject matter at hand. They also choose learning experiences in the community which allow them to explore current interests and future options.

As juniors at New Vista, students formally select a post-graduation path for which they prepare themselves during the last part of their high school career. In the case of college-bound students, Individual Path is usually connected to meeting college entrance requirements. Finally, each student designs and produces a rigorous Culminating Project which builds a bridge between high school studies and the student's chosen future. Students work with an advisor throughout this process to develop an understanding of how their choices shape their learning experiences and their future opportunities.

Unique Features
Calendar/Schedule: New Vista operates on a quarter system and uses block classes. The year-long schedule includes a week of Mini-Courses in the spring that allows for in-depth study of one topic, including out-of-town expeditions.

Advisory: Every student at New Vista is in a multi-age advisory led by a staff member. Advisory serves as the primary source of guidance and support for each student from the time he/she enters the school until graduation.

Grading and Class Rank at New Vista: Course work only counts toward the school's Common Learning requirements when students earn a grade of A or B. A limited number of C grades can be applied to the student's Individual Path. Work of lower quality is not given any credit.

Students receive letter grades and have their Grade Point Average calculated using the four-point system. We do not, however, generate a class ranking. It is our view that ranking students interferes with our commitment to each student as a unique learner.

Community Experience: Community Experience is a four-hour block of time built into the weekly schedule. Students are expected to find a placement in the community that allows them to explore out-of-school learning experiences that interest them. Community Experience can take on many forms: service, shadowing, internship, class work in another institution, independent study, and apprenticeship.

Learning Unit Contracts: New Vista students can earn credit for off-campus learning experiences outside the school day and year that are supervised and evaluated by qualified community and school experts. Examples include team sports, fitness programs, language study, independent studies, travel, music or other private lessons, etc. A staff person works with each student to identify learning goals, devise assessments, and insure follow-through on commitments.