Private School

Tara Performing Arts High School

#2 in Best High Schools for the Arts in Colorado

grade A
Overall Grade
Private
9-12
BOULDER, CO
Rating 4.79 out of 5 28 reviews

COVID-19 Update for Prospective Students and Families:

We recognize that human-to-human interaction, real-time relationships, active participation in modern society, connection to the outdoors and the seasons, and engagement with the arts are all essential to promote healthy learning and self-development. We are committed to prioritizing our students’ mental, physical & emotional growth while meeting local, national & global health & safety needs. Learn More

Overall Niche Grade

How are grades calculated?Data Sources

Academics
grade A
Diversity
grade B
Teachers
grade B+
College Prep
grade A minus
Clubs & Activities
grade B+
Sports
grade C minus

tarahighschool.org

(303) 440-4510

4180 19TH ST
BOULDER, CO 80304

About Tara Performing Arts High School...

Applying

Application Deadline

Rolling Admissions

Application Fee

Interview Required

Yes

Required/Recommended Tests

None

Tuition

Yearly Tuition

$22,374

Tuition is for the highest grade offered and may have changed for the current school year. For more information, please contact the school.

Received Financial Aid

26%

Average Financial Aid

$14,548

From Tara Performing Arts High School

A high school like no other, Tara offers an engaging Waldorf® curriculum, world travel & compelling theater. The heart of our vision is the belief that deep collaborative work in the performing arts inspires an all-encompassing love of learning. Further kindled by the passion/expertise of our faculty and direct experience of culture & history through travel, this enthusiasm leads to academic excellence. The spirit of ensemble – commitment to each other, the school, the community and the world – is embodied in our substance agreement & honor code and permeates every aspect of this education. Tara is striving to balance health & safety with the opportunities our curriculum offers. From spring 2020’s distance-learning to the full 2020/21 school year during which all plays, festivals, academic classes and (modified) trips took place in person, we have learned much about meeting the needs of the community while prioritizing the healthy mental, physical and emotional growth of our students.

Upcoming Events

Musical Theater Dance Workshop & Luncheon
February 5, 11:30 am
Tara Performing Arts High School, 4180 19th Street, N. Boulder, CO
View Event Description
Get Inspired! In this rare opportunity, Tara’s dynamic longtime choreographer Elizabeth Moran will teach musical theater dance moves to students 6th grade and up while parents talk with faculty and alums about Tara’s remarkable performing-arts-infused education. An informal lunch and more chat will follow. Attendees will receive two complimentary tickets to the 10th/11th grades’ production Love’s Labour’s Lost at the nearby Nomad Playhouse that afternoon!
Get Inspired! In this rare opportunity, Tara’s dynamic longtime choreographer Elizabeth Moran will teach musical theater dance moves to students 6th grade and up while parents talk with faculty and alums about Tara’s remarkable performing-arts-infused education. An informal lunch and more chat will follow. Attendees will receive two complimentary tickets to the 10th/11th grades’ production Love’s Labour’s Lost at the nearby Nomad Playhouse that afternoon!

View All Upcoming Events

Tara Performing Arts High School Rankings

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Academics

Average Graduation Rate

100%

Average SAT

Average ACT

Niche College Admissions Calculator

Popular Colleges

Niche users from this school are most interested in the following colleges.

grade A minus
Colorado State University
11 Students
grade A
Reed College
6 Students
grade A+
New York University
5 Students
grade A minus
University of Colorado Boulder
5 Students
grade A
Kenyon College
4 Students
grade B+
University of Denver
4 Students
grade C
Warren Wilson College
4 Students
grade A
Colorado College
3 Students
grade A+
Cornell University
3 Students
grade A+
Georgetown University
3 Students

More About Tara Performing Arts High School Academics

Why the Performing Arts?

Tara believes that performing arts are the ideal vehicle for adolescent intellectual and personal development. Our curriculum, which weaves together engaging academics with drama, music and movement, awakens inquiry through discipline and artistic expression. Performance at Tara builds confidence and community spirit, preparing students for success in all of life’s endeavors.

Learn More

Culture & Safety

Poll

100%

of students agree that they feel safe at their school. 8 responses

Poll

75%

of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there. 8 responses

Poll

What are your favorite school events or traditions?

Based on 13 responses

Trips, Candlelight festival
54%
Advent Dinner
31%
Festival Week
8%
Spirit Week
8%

Students

Diversity

Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents.

Students

13%

of students and parents agree that students at this school are competitive. 8 responses

100%

of students and parents agree that students at this school are creative and artsy. 8 responses

of students and parents agree that students at this school are athletic. 8 responses

Teachers

Student-Teacher Ratio

4:1

National

17:1

Poll

88%

of students and parents agree that the teachers give engaging lessons. 8 responses

Poll

88%

of students and parents agree that the teachers genuinely care about the students. 8 responses

Poll

75%

of students and parents agree that the teachers adequately lead and control the classroom. 8 responses

Map

Homes For Sale

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Clubs & Activities

B+

Based on student and parent reviews of clubs and activities.

Girls Athletic Participation

Boys Athletic Participation

of students and parents agree that there are plenty of clubs and organizations for students to get involved in. 8 responses

of students and parents agree that clubs and organizations get the funding they need. 8 responses

of students and parents agree that lots of students participate in clubs and organizations. 8 responses

A+

Overall Niche Grade

How are grades calculated?Data Sources

Cost of Living
grade D+
Good for Families
grade A
Housing
grade C

Median Household Income

$74,902

National

$69,021

Median Rent

$1,711

National

$1,163

Median Home Value

$790,100

National

$244,900

Tara Performing Arts High School Reviews

28 reviews

All Categories

TARA is a school like no other. As a high schooler who went to three other schools ranging from public to private, TARA far outshines the opportunities, support, and classes that I took and experienced elsewhere. I came to TARA during my senior year with the support and tenacity of the leadership council and my classmates! They truly are miracle workers and wholeheartedly care for the school, the students, and meaningful experiential education. I would have never been able to travel and experience the trips and productions we went on and were a part of (in Covid times) had I been anywhere else. The classes are small, lovely, experiential, and taught by passionate teachers. The trips are, life-changing, perspective-altering, academic, confidence cultivating, and provide time to connect with your peers and learn more about yourself. As a host student, my time at TARA was significantly different than my non-host peers, but the experience taught me so much that I will take into life.

From thought-provoking discussions of live theater, to mixing concrete and helping to weed the cornfields on the Hopi Reservation, my four years at Tara were characterized by an ever-evolving exploration of my place in the world. Learning at Tara is immersive and experiential. Our study of geology wasn’t limited by the walls of the classroom, but continued between the canyon walls of the San Juan River, where the Earth’s history was written in the rock formations all around us. Our study of art history was deepened by the wonder of seeing the original works of the Dutch masters and Impressionists in person during our visit to the Met. More than anything, Tara provides an education specially tuned to the cultivation of empathy, as embodying any character on stage necessitates an ability to imagine the world from their perspective. I am so grateful for the teachers who challenged and inspired me to grow, encouraging me to test my limits in the classroom, onstage and in the world.

Tara is a gem! It focuses on teaching each student to truly know and understand him/herself. Tara is not a "Fame" school; it utilized the performing arts as a vehicle to teach about human beings, emotions, communication, how people think, interact and motivate. Teachers are very caring and push each student to strive for their best work. Unlike many college prep schools that primarily drive academic achievement, Tara's academic approach is one of preparing for the world and life in a broader more wholistic way. Travel and experiential learning are a core component of delivering the curriculum as well. Students take pride in their no substance use agreement. Tara is a very small school with small classes where no student can hide or get lost; instead each student can shine and gain confidence to go out into the world.

COVID-19 Update for Prospective Students and Families:

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About

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Upcoming Events

Musical Theater Dance Workshop & Luncheon

Tara Performing Arts High School Rankings

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Why the Performing Arts?

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