NewU Early College 2+1
A new private nonprofit school in the heart of DC
A Place Where High School and College Happen at the Same Time
High School + College Together
In Grades 11 and 12, students complete their high school diploma and earn up to 80 college credits in a structured and manageable curriculum.Â
Education Innovation = Benefits for Students and Parents
Our school design and close collaboration with an innovative university make this early college different. The school facilities and programs are tightly integrated and hosted at the university campus. This means no extra cost, time, or effort to get the best of both worlds, plus numerous benefits.
2+1 = Infinite Opportunity
Upon completing this unique early college program, students get a high school diploma and can transfer their credits to other colleges, or get a bachelor’s degree in as little as 1 year continuing their college journey at NewU University.
START in Grade 11
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Transfer them or stay for a bachelor's at NewU in 1 year after HS
START in Grade 12
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Transfer them or stay for a bachelor's at NewU in 2 yrs after HS
Are You a NewU Early College 2+1 Family?
FAILED BY THE LOTTERY
hooked on AP, IB, DUAL ENROLLMENT
BUDGET CONSCIOUS
HOME SCHOOL EDUCATOR
EARLY ADOPTER TRAILBLAZER
NEED A NEW SCHOOL ASAP
TUITION AND SCHOLARSHIPS
- Every student who is admitted and enrolls for Fall 2025 will receive a Founding Year Scholarship covering over 50% of tuition.
- Those enrolling in Grade 11 will qualify for the scholarship next year, too.
- Additional need-based scholarships available to displaced federal workers or families affected by a RIF.
- 0 interest monthly payment plan available.
FAQs
All classes are 100% in person and on campus for an optimal learning and social experience for our students.
Our modern urban campus is just 2 blocks from Dupont Circle between the metro station and Whole Foods on P St NW. The exact address is 1400 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20036. To schedule a visit, please register for an upcoming Open House.
Everyone in good standing at the conclusion of Grade 12 who completed at least 1 year of study at the school and met our graduation requirements qualifies for a high school diploma.
Our structured and closely integrated curriculum in collaboration with NewU University enables each student to earn both high school and college credits for about 75% of classes. We mapped each college class on the curriculum to do “double duty” by meeting both college and high school curriculum requirements. This ensures our early college high schoolers have a schedule and a workload consistent with quality high schools, and do not need extra course loads at any time. This approach also keeps summer, spring, and winter breaks free of academic activities, while students earn up to 40 college credits over a typical high school calendar year.
Classes are taught by university professors, many with credentials from or experience teaching at leading institutions such as Georgetown, GW, Harvard, MIT, UPenn, and more.Â
To keep tuition as low as possible, the school does not own or operate student housing. Public transportation makes attending classes a breeze with Dupont Circle Red Line metro stop just 2 blocks away.
The school academic calendar maximizes both deep learning and balance.
The school days begin at 8:30 AM and end at 4:00 PM Mondays through Thursdays, and 8:30 AM – 2:45 PM on Fridays.
Monday–Thursday: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM – 2:45 PM
Fall 2025 classes start on August 18, 2025 and run through late January 2026, with a 3-week Winter Break in late December/early January.
Spring semester starts on the last week of January and ends the first week of June 2026, with 10 days of Spring Break in early April.
Summer Break is 2+ months from early June through mid-August.
Yes, the college credits students earn at NewU Early College 2+1 are transferable to many other colleges.
These credits are earned by taking real college courses taught by NewU University — a licensed, degree-granting institution which recently received the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) member status ascertaining sustained quality and compliance with MSCHE’s standards of accreditation and federal regulations. Once a new member university completes the last self-study step in the MSCHE process, accreditation is retroactive to the date of candidacy, which in NewU University’s case was March 2025.
Transfer Caveat: As with any college credit, transfer is always subject to the policies of the receiving institution. However, NewU University credits have already been accepted by multiple accredited colleges across the country.
Jonas Rolett, Board Chair
Jonas Rolett is a long-time civic leader and philanthropic advisor. He chairs the board of NewU Early College 2+1 and has advised national and global nonprofits on education and democracy. He studied political science at NC Chapel Hill and has served as an advisor for multiple international foundations.
Ruth Lyons, Board member and Director of Academic Programs & Learning
Ruth Lyons brings deep international expertise in curriculum development, especially through her leadership roles in International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) programs across Europe, Asia, and the U.S. She serves as Director of Academic Programs for NewU Early College 2+1 and is a Chief Examiner for the IB, overseeing exam development for 5,000+ schools worldwide.
Claudia Diamante, Board Member & Parent Advocate
Claudia Diamante is a senior executive with decades of experience in strategic growth, innovation, and operations in the space and media industries. An MBA graduate of American University and a CPA from Universidad de Buenos Aires, she now brings her leadership to NewU Early College 2+1 as a parent and board member.
Stratsi Kulinski, Founder & Head of School and NewU University President
Stratsi Kulinski is the founder of NewU University and NewU Early College 2+1. He holds an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and has led innovative efforts in education reform, entrepreneurship, and strategic management across public, private, and nonprofit sectors worldwide.
Viktoriya Zotova, PhD, Finance Director and NewU University EVP
Dr. Viktoriya Zotova holds a PhD in Business & Management from the University of Maryland and a Master’s in Legal Studies from Harvard. She leads finance, compliance, and strategic planning across NewU entities. Her prior roles include work at the International Monetary Fund and faculty positions at UMD. She also teaches at NewU University and is a faculty member at Georgetown University.
Betsy Garcete, Director of Operations & Data Management
Betsy Garcete holds an M.S. in Management from The Catholic University of America and leads operations, data management, and logistics at NewU Early College 2+1. She is also an adjunct professor at both NewU University and Montgomery College, teaching Design Thinking, Brand Management, and more.
Matthew Baker, Student Support Services
Matthew Baker holds a Master’s in Language & Literacy from Harvard and a BA from William & Mary. Fluent in seven languages, he specializes in multilingual education, instructional innovation, and student support services. His career spans climate data analytics, project management, and language education globally.
NewU University is a private nonprofit institution and the first 3-year bachelor’s degree college without summer semesters or extra classes per semester. It is the first new university to launch out of Washington, DC in over 100 years, responding to a dire need for reform and innovation in higher education. To learn more, visit their website.
We started the school just recently on June 1, and will be accepting applications through August 1.
We strongly recommend applying as soon as you decide that the school is a good fit for your family.
Our application process is streamlined and surprisingly simple. Because high school GPA is the best predictor of academic preparedness – more than essays, recommendations, or extracurricular activities – all we require is a copy of your child’s latest transcript and the application fee.
To qualify for admission, applicants must have a minimum of 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. We only enroll students in Grade 11 and Grade 12, so applicants need to have met requirements for rising to the relevant grade at their current/former school for this Fall.
Applicants with cumulative GPA of 2.5 – 2.99 may be provisionally admitted and required to take a short quantitative and/or qualitative in-house academic preparedness test before a final admission decision is made.
We may close the application window early if we reach our limited initial enrollment capacity of 15 students for Grade 11 and 15 students for Grade 12 for this Fall 2025 inaugural cohort.
Full Tuition is $19,500 per year. To celebrate our program launch, students who enroll for Fall 2025 automatically qualify for a Founder’s Scholarship of $10,000/year applied towards their tuition. Those enrolling in Grade 11 will receive the Founder’s Scholarship in Grade 12 as well.
We offer an additional $1,950 need-based scholarship to families of recently displaced federal workers or anyone affected by a RIF.
Our goal is to make sure your child can keep moving forward — even if your income situation changes. 0-interest monthly payment plans are available.
Email us at [email protected] or text 202-968-1005. We aim to respond within 24 hours.
You can also sign up for an upcoming Open House to see campus and meet with school staff.
Disappointed by the Lottery?
We got you
As a new school, we just started to advertise and enroll our inaugural cohort of students in late May, so it’s not too late to learn more and apply for this Fall.
When one door closes
Don’t settle for another year of waiting. Sign up for one of our weekly Open House information sessions on campus, and apply before the July 1 early bird deadline but no later than August 1. Classes start August 18.
You Value College Credit
Get much more of it here than anywhere else
The average for dual-enrolled students elsewhere is 9-12 credits per year. And it takes a big toll on students and parents. Here, your child can get up to 40 college credits per year while earning a high school diploma with our stress-free structured curriculum design and the shortest pathway to a bachelor’s degree in the nation.
No extra cost, scheduling conflicts, or transportation hassles
What’s more, you don’t have to worry about coordinating class schedules, arranging transportation to and from a college campus, or paying for college courses fees, and books – it’s all in one place and included in the high school tuition.
Better than AP, better than IB, better than Dual Enrollment
Because the high school is embedded within a college campus, and the curriculum, student services, and professors are shared, your student gets the best early college experience with the most college credits with the least amount of stress for your family.
Scholarships Available
Affordable Quality
The average private school tuition in the DMV area is over $20,000 a year, but our Founder’s Scholarship –Â awarded to all families enrolling for Fall 2025 –Â contributes $10,000 towards your child’s tuition.
We offer an additional need-based scholarship of $1,950/year to families of recently displaced federal workers or anyone affected by a RIF (Reduction in Force). Our goal is to make sure your child can keep moving forward — even if your income situation changes.
0 interest monthly payment plans are available.
Home School Friendly
Small nurturing community
Classes as small as 10 students, and never larger than 20. Professors and school administrators who know everyone’s name. We are here for you and your child.
Individual classes available
If you need only certain classes/labs, we can help. Ask us about our per-credit pricing for part-time students.
High school diploma
We can help with a high school diploma when you enroll full time even in Grade 12.
Are You an Early Adopter?
First in the nation
We designed the shortest pathway to a bachelor’s degree in the nation, and we are making it available to DMV families in our home area first. We expect great things ahead, and we hope you will join us on this exciting trailblazing path.
Not your old early college
Early college programs outperform regular high school. But they all have a design flaw – they end at high school graduation and give students only up to 60 credits (and in many cases a lot less), meaning you still have to take and pay for at least 2 more years of college. NewU Early College 2+1 has a more thoughtful, next-generation early college design – students get up to 80 college credits, plus an option to earn a bachelor’s degree in just 1 year after high school at NewU University.
Fortune favors the brave
It’s not every day that you and your child have a chance at a new beginning. Be a trailblazer.
Turn the Page
Need a change
Whether you just moved into town or need something better for your child, we are here for you.
Safe and happening campus
Consistently ranked as one of the safest neighborhoods in DC, Dupont Circle is where campus is. It is also home to embassies, think tanks, and other great internship and educational opportunities.
Structured and collaborative campus community
Students are encouraged and incentivized to collaborate, rather than compete. A rising tide lifts all boats.
Academic rigor and support
The curriculum is 75% college classes and only 25% high school classes. Our thoughtful design, policies and support mechanisms, and tight-knit community ensure student success for both academic stars and students aspiring to do better.
Important Dates for Fall 2025
Open House Registration
Application for Fall 2025 Admission
CONTACT US
NewU Early College 2+1
1400 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20036