At Vista College Prep, we believe all students should have the opportunity and choice to attend college, and we believe that preparation starts in kindergarten. But we can’t get our scholars to college without emphasizing the importance of a great high school experience. We pride ourselves in taking the steps to work with each of our eighth graders and their families to ensure they graduate from our school and persist to a high school that will continue to prepare them for success in college and beyond. 

Mr. Alex Calabrese, the VCP-Sueño Park High School Placement Manager, teaches a class for all eighth grade students that prepares them for their VCP to high school transition. He says there are many high school options for families to choose from in the greater Phoenix area. Unfortunately, not all of those schools achieve high school graduation rates and college acceptance rates that are best for students.

“Two factors that we strongly value for placing our eighth graders into local high schools are graduation rates and college acceptance rates, and we give our students and families the resources necessary to make the right decision for their future,” said Mr. Calabrese. 

Throughout a scholar’s eighth grade year at VCP, each student takes a class where they learn about different high school options in the Phoenix area and participate in field trips and tours to different schools. In addition, Mr. Calabrese meets with each scholar and their families at the beginning of the school year to learn about their high school and college goals and support them with the high school application processes.

Mr. Calabrese and the Vista College Prep team are actively working with and developing relationships with Phoenix high schools who are mission aligned. The current VCP eighth grade class of 2022 is already seeing outstanding success with acceptances to traditional district high schools such as Bioscience High School, a top 10 Phoenix-area high school that has accepted 22 current eighth graders from VCP.

“One of our goals at VCP is to continue to follow-up with our former students as they make their way through high school and into college,” says Mr. Calabrese. “We want to keep up with our students’ successes and provide support for them in that part of their lives.” 

In partnership with our students, families and schools in the community, Vista College Prep is committed to taking our students to the highest heights possible!

Vista College Prep is now accepting applications for the 2022-23 school year. To enroll your child for the new school year, visit our Enroll Now page.