Praxis vs. College: Fast Facts

Cost:

College can cost anywhere from $25,000-$50,000 per year, according to collegedata.com.  

Praxis currently costs $11,000.

Debt:

The average time it takes students to pay off college debt is 20 years, according to this article by U.S. News.

Praxis alumni make $14,400 while they are still enrolled in the program, which comes out to a net cost of $0.

Salary:

Time posted an article in 2016 stating that the average salary of grads was $50,566 annually.

Praxis grads make an average of $50,000 annually. (But Praxis doesn’t cost as much money as college. Besides, Praxis participants start their career several years ahead of their peers. And finally, they aren’t stuck with years of debt to pay off as they advance their careers.)

Time:

It takes 4 years to get a bachelor’s degree in many fields.

Praxis is 1 year long.

Curriculum:

College curriculum is a set medium that students complete.

Praxis curriculum is meant to be customized to a participant’s individual goals.

Community:

College offers roommates and class buddies.

Praxis offers the opportunity to connect with highly-motivated people with similar goals. Participants leave the program with good friends and strong social capital among some of the best startups in America today.

Teaching:

Colleges have professors. They teach their expertise and otherwise remain absent from students’ lives.

Praxis advisors are available as long as participants need them. The advisors offer one-on-one coaching sessions about any professional issues participants may have.

 

Helpful resources:

How can I be sure Praxis will pay off for me?

4 MORE Reasons to Rethink College

What do Praxis Participants do After They Complete the Program?

 

Praxis has been the fastest-paced learning experience of my life. I highly recommend the program for any young person who wants to catapult into his or her career.

Check out discoverpraxis.com to learn more. Otherwise, feel free to email me with questions: lolitaallgyer@gmail.com

The Wisdom of Youth With Solomon Hanes: Season 1 Episode 6

Solomon Hanes is a creative learner who has chosen not to take the traditional route of college for his education. In addition to an apprenticeship in Delaware, he hosts the Elder Tree PodcastHe runs a creative Facebook group called the Creative Condition.

Solomon is also building his brand as a photographer. His Instagram page documents his life artistically. Here’s a link to his website, where he features more of his photography and his writing:  http://solomonhanes.com/

Solomon believes the term “education” has been misused.

 

“If I had to choose never to use the word “education” again, I probably wouldn’t use it, because in today’s society it is so associated with the schooling system.”

However, learning is not limited to school. Solomon uses the example of our interview on the podcast as a way he is passively learning communication skills.

Once you realize the things you are learning passively, you can use this knowledge to analyze

One main facet of education, according to Solomon, is self-examination. Realizing how you learn helps you develop processes that help you learn more effectively.

“Learning about yourself and how you think is so valuable,” Solomon summarizes.

We cover Solomon’s story, from homeschool to high school to Praxis. He read finance and marketing books during class, and poured himself into the lawn care business he built at the same time.

He’s full of ideas for the future.

We also talk about the Praxis business partner experience.

(22:00)

This is the 6-month apprenticeship side of the program. Solomon gives a bird’s-eye view of what the work experience is like.

After the boot camp. Praxis places each participant with a business partner that best fits their needs and interests. The participants spend half a year in a paid apprenticeship position with their business partner. The coolest part? By the time you finish the apprenticeship, you pay off your Praxis tuition!

What words describe the apprenticeship experience?

  • Independent. “You have to count on you… you’re accountable for yourself.” -Solomon
  • Fast-paced. Participants are intentionally placed in roles that stretch them, making the experience one of the most adventuresome things they will ever do.
  • Fun. Solomon works for an arcade on the East coast. He is currently in charge of all their marketing.

Here’s an article on the Praxis blog that details what participants learn in the apprenticeship.

Solomon’s wisdom for other young people:

 

“Get out there and learn. Or, learn in the classroom… as long as you’re learning things that you deem valuable… Whether you think school is boring or not, think, ‘What will help me in the future the most?’ “

Top 5 Quotes On Education

  • “Education consists mainly in what we have unlearned.” -Mark Twain

True stuff. Education is not the act of stuffing information into your brain. It’s the constant refinement of ideas.

  • “When you take the free will out of education, that turns it into schooling.” -John Taylor Gatto

Schooling is the process of educating everyone the same way. However, we are all individuals and this process takes the individuality out of a human.

  • “What does education often do? It makes a straight cut ditch out of a free, meandering brook.” -Henry David Thoreau

Traditional education seeks to fit each child into the same box as his peers. This kills the potential of every child that fits in the box.

  • “The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.”- Albert Einstein

Learning was meant to be a process of constant curiosity. When this is stifled by a standard of education, the human stops growing.

  • “Knowledge that is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.” -Plato

True education is that knowledge that makes you come alive. It’s not going to be the same as the person beside you. We kill the growth in humanity by expecting each individual to know the same things as everyone else.

Copywriting Exercise: Ft. Copyblogger

Praxis’ Module 3 week 4 is focused on Marketing Copy. The deliverable for the week is a video assessing the copy of any website.

Critiquing other’s work helps you develop methods to better your own. 

I put my own spin on this challenge. I took an amazing article by Copyblogger called 7 Ways to Write Damn Bad Copy. It had some amazing insights that clicked even with someone like me, who is new to copywriting. Continue reading Copywriting Exercise: Ft. Copyblogger

What is Philosophy? And Then Some

 

 

It’s interesting to me how kids are humans in pure form. Untouched by the biases and mindsets that adults have formed, young children can teach us a multitude of things about how to approach the world.

This is one aspect of the Module 4 curriculum I cover in this week’s video.

Praxis’ Module 4 is packed with information. And it’s some of the most thought-provoking content I will ever cover.

Here’s my take on Week 1, covering Philosophy.

 

But First, Build Trust with Andrew Schmidt: Season 1 Episode 5

“If you want it, and get right in the middle of it, you will learn it.” -Andrew Schmidt

 

Andrew runs a network marketing business with Plexus. He also manages his own business educating people about currency, assets, and investments. He runs these businesses from home. This gives him time to focus on his family and teach his kids about business as he works.

Andrew’s story is definitely not stereotypical. He’s been a pilot, a firefighter, a farmer, and an entrepreneur.

Here’s a link to  Andrew’s website:

http://www.schmidtassetsltd.com/home.html

Education:

Andrew was raised in Bolivia, South America, and got several years of elementary education there. But the majority of his learning as a child happened on the farm.

There was no option in Bolivia but to learn the skills you need. Farming is complex work filled with the need for many skill sets. Anytime someone with a new skill came to help with an issue, Andrew learned from that person. A key piece of his education was shadowing others who knew more about specific issues than he did.

When he chose to move to Canada because of his personal goals, Andrew had an issue. He only knew German and Spanish. He knew there was no way to continue his learning without English. So he taught himself the language.

In Canada, he had a hard time adjusting to the difference in learning. Here, people went to school to focus on one specific career. But Andrew’s education had involved building as many skill sets as possible.

However, his past experience came in handy when he got into aviation. Because of the trust he had built previously with others in the aviation sector, he was able to land a job in the flying industry.

“You can never learn enough to gain people’s trust.” The trust of other people is a greater credential than any degree or qualification.

Unschooling:

Andrew seeks to build the groundwork for his kids to be able to launch their lives.

One important facet of this goal is surrounding himself and his family with people of numerous skill sets and ideas,  so they can learn directly from people with vast arrays of experience.

If parents spend time with high-quality people, their kids will naturally gravitate to high-quality connections as they build their own social capital.

Here are some tips on self-education per our conversation:

  • Be a trustworthy person.
  • Remember that there is more than one way to learn.
  • Immerse yourself into what’s in front of you.
  • Surround yourself with high-quality people.

This was the first episode I ever recorded with Educationeering. Andrew’s story was one of the ones that fueled the idea for this podcast.

 

 

 

Storytelling and Self-Education with Hannah Frankman: Season 1 Episode 3

This episode introduces Hannah Frankman, a fellow college opt-out. She’s a photographer, videographer, and writer who also spends time coaching other young people in their educational journeys. Continue reading Storytelling and Self-Education with Hannah Frankman: Season 1 Episode 3

Education and Individual Freedom with Isaac Morehouse: Season 1 Episode 2

Isaac Morehouse is the founder and CEO of Praxis. He has dedicated his life to the pursuit of freedom. Through Praxis, he has opened up the path for other freedom-seekers.

Praxis is the combination of a 6-month boot camp and a 6-month apprenticeship. It gives young people the opportunity to build a career they love from the ground up. Plus, they complete this journey with the support of the Praxis advisors, a wonderful team of dedicated people who seek to mold the program to each individual’s needs. Continue reading Education and Individual Freedom with Isaac Morehouse: Season 1 Episode 2

My Story: Season 1 Episode 1

This episode is an intro to Educationeering.

In this episode, I share my education story. It’s different from most:

    • I never went to public school.
    • I attended a Mennonite School almost until the end of middle school.
    • Since then, I have been steadily growing toward a mindset of self-education.

Continue reading My Story: Season 1 Episode 1