School Profile
MISSION
To guide students in the pursuit of excellence through academic, physical and creative achievement while exemplifying a commitment to integrity, trust and responsibility. To encourage students to realize the joy of living through personal achievement and service to others, in preparation for higher learning and community life.
SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS
Columbia Independent School is an independent, co-educational, college preparatory day school committed to excellence. CIS opened in August 1998 with grades 6-9 and 55 students. The school now enrolls 197 students in grades K-12. The Lower School division consists of grades K-5 and has an enrollment of 106 students; the Upper School consists of grades 6-12 and has an enrollment of 91 students. The school has graduated six classes, with a total of 21 students. All graduates have matriculated at undergraduate school. Admission to CIS is competitive based on an application, previous school record, a teacher recommendation, an interview, and an entrance exam (6-12). The students represent a variety of socioeconomic, religious, ethnic and racial backgrounds. Students of color represent thirteen percent of the school population and international students represent three percent. The school provides over $400,000 in financial assistance to thirty percent of its students.
DATA
Accreditation
Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS)
North Central Association (NCA)
Membership
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
Faculty
1:9 Faculty/Student Ratio (20 Full-time faculty; 9 Part-time)
69% hold masters degrees or higher
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
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GRADING SYSTEM
CIS grades and GPAs are not weighted. GPA is cumulative through graduation/exit, 9-12 grades. CIS does not compute class rank. All academic courses are considered to be honors courses unless designated as AP. |
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ACADEMIC SCHEDULE
The CIS academic year consists of two semesters. The Upper School day contains seven academic periods.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES
Advanced Placement (AP) courses are offered in Art, Calculus AB, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, European History, Latin (Vergil), Psychology, Spanish Language, Statistics (online course), United States Government (on-line course), and United States History. (Course offerings each year are dependent on enrollment and schedules.)
COMMUNITY SERVICE
100 percent of CIS students volunteer in a wide variety of community service projects. Among the projects are The Assistance League, Cedar Creek Therapeutic Riding Center, Central Missouri Food Bank, Central Missouri Humane Society, Granny's House, Rainbow House, Ronald McDonald House, Voluntary Action Center, and several charitable fundraising activities.
COLUMBIA COMMUNITY
Columbia is a community of approximately 100,000. An educationally rich community, Columbia is home to the University of Missouri, Columbia College, and Stephens College. The largest employers in the city are the University of Missouri, University Hospital and Clinics, Columbia Public Schools, Boone Hospital Center, and the City of Columbia.
SAT SCORES
15 of the 16 graduates (2002-2005) took the SAT I: Reasoning Test.
| Verbal | Math | |
| Average | 681 | 655 |
| Range | 400-800 | 490-800 |
4 of the 5 graduates (2006-2007) took the SAT Reasoning Test.
| Critical Reading | Math | Writing | |
| Average | 678 | 725 | 673 |
ACT SCORES
19 of the 21 graduates (2002-2007) took the ACT.
| Composite Score | |
| Average | 29 |
| Range | 23-34 |
NATIONAL MERIT
CIS students have consistently been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program.
| CLASS OF 2002 | CLASS OF 2005 |
| 1 National Merit Semi-Finalist | 1 National Merit Finalist |
| 3 National Merit Finalists |
ADVANCED PLACEMENT TEST PERFORMANCE (2000-2007)
All students in grades 9-12 can enroll in AP courses and take the AP exam associated with the course. AP students are encouraged but neither required nor forbidden to take AP tests. From 2000-2007, 53 students took a total of 170 exams.
| SCORE | ||||||
| EXAMS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| Art | 2 |
1 |
1 |
|||
| Calculus AB | 22 |
3 |
9 |
10 |
||
| English Language and Composition | 12 |
4 |
5 |
3 |
||
| English Literature and Composition | 20 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
4 |
|
| European History | 44 |
6 |
9 |
17 |
7 |
5 |
| Latin (Vergil) | 19 |
1 |
3 |
6 |
6 |
3 |
| Psychology | 14 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
7 |
|
| Spanish Language | 3 |
2 |
1 |
|||
| United States Government | 13 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
||
| United States History | 21 |
4 |
8 |
3 |
6 |
|
| Total | 170 |
7 |
28 |
52 |
44 |
39 |
COLLEGE PLACEMENT
100 percent of CIS graduates have attended four-year colleges and universities. The Columbia Independent School classes of 2002-2007 (21 students) received admission into the following colleges and universities.
(Bold print indicates the college or university at which a student has matriculated.)
The Art Institute of Chicago
Baylor University
Bradley University
Brown University
Clemson University (SC)
Dartmouth University
DePauw University
Drury University
Duke University
Elon University
Fordham University
Furman Unniversity
Gardner-Webb University
Georgia Tech
Georgetown University
Goucher College
Marquette University
Northwestern University
Princeton University
Purdue University
Rice University
Rutgers (NJ)
Saint Louis University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Syracuse University
Texas A&M
Truman State University
Tulane University
United States Air Force Academy
University of Arizona
University of California-Berkeley
University of California-Los Angeles
University of Chicago
University of Illinois
University of Washington
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota
University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Missouri-Rolla
University of Oklahoma
University of Pennsylvania
University of Richmond
University of Rochester
University of Southern California
University of Virginia
University of Wyoming
Wake Forest University
Washington University
Westminster College
DOWNLOAD
A printable version of the CIS school profile is available here for download in Adobe PDF format.
CIS 2007-2008 Profile (40kb)
