The college application process at Tara is unique. We devote an entire two-week period to the college essay and application. Their applications are sent within the first month of school. This affords our students an advantage in the rolling acceptance process (months before deadline) of many schools, and we have been told that even the schools that do not have rolling admission can focus more fully if applications are early. However, our primary reason for this particular timeline is that not only is the college application process important and deserving of concentrated attention, but the senior year curriculum is brimming with rich experiences that need the full focus of the student without the stress of the application process overshadowing this final year.

Tara has become known at a number of colleges and universities for its beautiful presentation of its students. In a mini-portfolio, known as the “green folder,” the students present themselves with photos, artwork, the application, and an explanation of Tara’s rich curriculum in music, theatre, dance and community service, as well as other extra-curricular activities. In a time where colleges are inundated with applications from highly qualified students, this presentation is unique and calls special, positive attention to the applicant.

The following is a list of colleges that Tara students have been accepted by:

Adelphi University (NY)
Agnes Scott College (GA)
American Academy of Art (IL)
American Musical Dramatic Academy (NY)
Amherst College (MA)
Antioch College (OH)
Arcadia University (PA)
Arizona State University
Art Institute of Chicago (IL)
Auburn University (AL)
Bard University (NY)
Beloit College (WI)
Bennington College (VT)
Brooklyn College (NY)
Case-Western University (OH)
Clark University (MA)
College of the Atlantic (ME)
College of Santa Fe (NM)
College of Wooster (OH)
Colorado College
Colorado Mountain College
Colorado State University
Cornell College (IA)
Cornish College of the Arts (WA)
Denison University (OH)
DePaul University (IL)
Duquesne University (PA)
Earlham College (IN)
Franklin Pierce College (NH)
Fort Lewis College (CO)
Friends World Program, Long Island Univ. (NY)

Goddard College (VT)
Grinnell College (IA)
Guilford College (NC)
Hampshire College (MA)
Hiram College (OH)
Humboldt State University (CA)
Ithaca College (NY)
Juniata College (PA)
Kalamazoo College (MI)
Kenyon College (OH) Knox College (IL)
Lawrence University (WI)
Lewis & Clark College (OR)
Marlboro College (VT)
Marymount Manhattan College (NY)
The Meadows School of the Arts (TX)
Mesa State University (CO)
Middlebury College (VT)
Naropa University (CO)
New World School of the Arts (FL)
New York University – Tisch School of the Arts
North Carolina School of the Arts
Northern Arizona University
Oberlin College (OH)
Ohio Wesleyan University
Otterbein College (OH)
Portland State University (OR)
Pratt Institute (NY)
Prescott College (AZ)
Purchase College (NY)
Reed College (OR)
Saint Olaf College (MN)

St. Andrews Presbyterian College (NC)
San Francisco State University (CA)
Sarah Lawrence College (NY)
Shenandoah University (VA)
Smith College (MA)
Southern Methodist University –    
Meadows School of the Arts (TX)
Southern Vermont College
Suffolk University (MA)
Swarthmore College
Syracuse University (NY)
Savannah College of Art & Design (GA)
Shenandoah Conservatory (VA)
Sonoma State University (CA)
Vassar College (NY)
University of the Arts (PA)
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of Findlay (OH)
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
University of Minnesota (Guthrie Theatre)
University of New Hampshire
University of Northern Colorado
University of Puget Sound
University of Victoria, Canada
Warren Wilson College (NC)
Whitman College (WA)
Willamette University (OR)