Metas is based on the best-selling brief intermediate-level text, Punto y aparte, which has been praised for its emphasis on developing communicative skills and for its diverse cultural coverage and thought-provoking topics.

Created in response to requests for a longer textbook with enough material to accommodate a two semester intermediate course, Metas achieves this goal by adding six chapters to the existing six main chapters of Punto y aparte. Thus, the preliminary and twelve main chapters of Metas, as well as the accompanying ancillary materials, form a robust yet manageable intermediate Spanish program that can be used successfully in the second year of study.