Upper School (Grades 9–12)

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Apply

Thank you for your interest in Nueva! Through Ravenna, our online admissions system, you can sign up for events, fill out and submit application components, and monitor your application status. Don’t worry—by creating a profile for your student, you are not yet committing to apply, and you will gain access to explore all of our events.

Start by clicking the "Apply Online" button below.

APPLY ONLINE

How to Explore and Visit Nueva

Program Previews
- Our optional on-campus Program Previews are for families interested in applying for the 2025–26 school year. Program Previews provide prospective applicants and their parents/guardians a glimpse into life at Nueva. This is a unique opportunity to experience Nueva's teaching and learning and hear directly from current members of our community. The event will include demo lessons, presentations, tours, and lively panels.
- Program Previews are held in September, October, and November.
- Registration for an optional Program Preview is required through Ravenna.
Campus tours
- We are excited for families to see our community in action! Come join us in San Mateo for a tour of our Upper School campus given by one of our student Maverick Tour Guides. These tours are offered from October to December.
- Parents/guardians and applicants may register for a tour only after the Family Information Form and application fee are submitted and processed. Space is limited—register soon!
Virtual Office Hours
- We know applying to an independent school can get a little overwhelming with many events, and steps.
- Optional virtual office hours are hosted by the Admissions Team monthly from September to December.
- Open to parents/guardians, this is an opportunity to connect with a member of the Admissions Team to clarify any questions you have about the application process.
Additional Optional Events
- We invite prospective families to register for optional admissions events to learn about the Nueva community. We offer workshops and panels covering topics such as student life, giftedness, equity & inclusion, and financial assistance. Check your Ravenna dashboard for updates and more information.

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US Application Checklist

In This Section

Application Process

At Nueva, we believe in holistically enriching the academic, personal, and social lives of our students to ensure they will be effective scholars and global citizens. As a result, we will accept applications from students interested in joining our Upper School for grades 9 and 10 to provide the most time for students to become part of the community and take advantage of all that Nueva has to offer. Applications for admission to grades 11 and 12 are only considered in special circumstances. If you or your student have questions about applying outside of grades 9 and 10, please don't hesitate to reach out to admissions@nuevaschool.org.

Guarantee Deadline: November 13, 2024

If the prerequisites are met by November 13, 2024, your family is guaranteed an opportunity for an in-person Activity Session (applicant event) and Virtual Parent/Guardian Conversation.

PREREQUISITES:

Family Information Form submitted
Parent Questionnaire submitted

Application and Supplemental Materials Deadline: January 9, 2025

Click on each step for more details.

Inquire and create a Ravenna account

Submit Family Information Form

Submit Timed Writing Sample & Analytical Thinking Exercise

Applicants are required to submit an ungraded Timed Writing Sample & Analytical Thinking Exercise administered virtually by an independent third-party group, Test Innovators. Please visit the Test Innovators website for more information on available dates and to register. Results must be submitted to Nueva by the application deadline, January 9, 2025. We recommend registering for an early session as sessions closer to the deadline tend to fill up quickly.

Registration for the Timed Writing Sample & Analytical Thinking Exercise is through Test Innovators, not Ravenna. On the day of the applicant's appointment, students join a Zoom room and receive an essay prompt from a live proctor. They will have 30 minutes to plan, write, and submit an essay on the topic and 15 minutes for the Analytical Thinking Exercise.

This application requirement is shared by several Bay Area independent schools. Applicants applying to more than one of the participating schools will sit for and submit only one timed writing sample and analytical thinking exercise. They may not re-take either component.

Students who receive test accommodations at their school may contact Test Innovators directly to make arrangements.

The Test Innovators fee is $60. If this fee is a hardship, please email admissions@nuevaschool.org to request a fee waiver.

Submit the Parent Questionnaire

This is an opportunity for parents/guardians to tell us a bit more about their applicant. Once the Family Information Form and the Parent Questionnaire are submitted, applicants are eligible for the Activity Session and optional parent/guardian conversation.

Parents/guardians who submit the Family Information Form and the Parent Questionnaire by November 13 are guaranteed an opportunity for an in-person Activity Session for their child and an optional Parent/Guardian Conversation. Applicants who submit the Family Information Form and Parent Questionnaire after November 13 will be scheduled for an Activity Session and an optional parent/guardian conversation as availability allows.

Register for an Activity Session and an optional Parent/Guardian Conversation

These events take place after the Family Information Form and Parent Questionnaire have been submitted.

Activity Session
Optional Virtual Parent/Guardian Conversation

Activity Session

Applicants will spend time on our campus and participate in hands-on, collaborative activities led by Nueva faculty and staff. They will also be in conversation with faculty/staff and other applicants.

The Activity Session can be scheduled only after the Family Information Form and Parent Questionnaire have been submitted. This event is for applicants only.

Activity Sessions are offered in October, November, and December.

If the Family Information Form and Parent Questionnaire are submitted by November 13, applicants are guaranteed an opportunity for an in-person Activity Session. Applicants who submit these components after November 13 will be scheduled for an Activity Session as availability allows.

We are typically able to accommodate most eligible applicants for an Activity Session. However, in some years, we have more applicants than open spaces in our Activity Sessions. When this occurs, the Activity Session step of the application will be waived and we will request additional information about the applicant if needed.

Optional Virtual Parent/Guardian Conversation

The Virtual Parent/Guardian Conversation is a chance for you to meet with a member of faculty or staff. This is an opportunity to ask any questions you may have while also allowing us to learn more about your child and family. Conversations typically last 20 minutes and are offered from October to December.

Parent/guardian conversations are open only for grades PK, K, 5, 6, 9, and 10.

These conversations are not required for admission to the Upper School, but they are encouraged. Conversations take place after the Family Information Form and Parent Questionnaire have been received. We guarantee an opportunity for a conversation to parent/guardians of Upper School applicants who submit these components by November 13. After November 13, we will continue to schedule conversations as space allows.

Submit the Student Questionnaire and Nueva Creative Project

Submit required supplemental materials

Student Evaluation Forms are completed and submitted to Nueva directly by the applicant's school.

Confidential current principal or counselor recommendation form
Confidential current English teacher recommendation form
Confidential current math teacher recommendation form
Transcript release form and transcripts: We require the previous year's (2023–2024) progress reports/grades and 2024-2025 current grades when they become available (usually late January). All materials should be uploaded to Ravenna by the student’s current school, not the parents.

Nueva considers only required application materials and evaluations, so we respectfully request no additional documents be submitted on behalf of a student or their family. Additional letters of support, including those from current Nueva community members, will not be added to a student's completed application.

Important Note:

Entrance testing is not required and not accepted.

Nueva does not require nor accept the ISEE/SSAT exam results as part of the application process.
IQ assessments are also not required for admission to the Upper School. However, previous IQ assessment results may be submitted to our office via email at admissions@nuevaschool.org.

The Admissions Office appreciates and is always delighted to receive applications well in advance of the deadline! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call 650-235-7119, or email admissions@nuevaschool.org.

Si necesita ayuda en español, comuníquese con Melanie León, directora de admisiones, mleon@nuevaschool.org o llame al 650-235-7111.

Apply for Financial Assistance

Nueva uses the Clarity platform to process all applications for tuition financial assistance. The financial assistance application and supplemental documents are due February 4, 2025.

Find out more about Nueva's Upper School

Upper School Admissions Contacts

Melanie León
Director of Admissions
650-235-7111
Email Melanie

Emily Fedor
Associate Director of Admissions
650-235-7158
Email Emily

Katie Grobeck
Assistant Director of Admissions
650-235-7199
Email Katie

Melanie Abella
Admissions Assistant
650-235-7119
Email Melanie

Upper School (Grades 9–12)

Program Previews

Campus tours

Virtual Office Hours

Additional Optional Events

Important Note:

Find out more about Nueva's Upper School