Are you enrolled somewhere and you find yourself wondering if anyone else cares about what’s being studied? Do you find textbooks boring? Can you imagine yourself surrounded by other people who actually want to learn? Does your mind drift toward the WHY of things? Perhaps you feel like you finally figured out what you want for yourself, and you no longer want to wait. Have you taken a gap year or semester? If you answered yes to any of these queries, then you should consider applying to our January Freshman term. This accelerated option lets students complete our four-year degree in just 3 and 1/2 years. If you start in mid-January, you can be a sophomore in August.

Our distinctive great books, Socratic discussion-based liberal arts program gives individuals a rare opportunity to challenge and converse with some of the greatest minds in science, mathematics, philosophy, literature, music, and history. With a 7:1 student to faculty ratio, and with no class larger than 20 students, you can engage deeply with the essential questions of human existence along with a group of fellow students who are also invested in understanding and exploring these kinds of questions.

The application requires two letters of recommendation, copies of all transcripts (high school and any college), and an essay. This year our essay prompt is as follows:

Discuss a book that has particular significance for you. What makes this book great in your view? What effect does it have on what you think or how you think? (Minimum 400 words)

We use the essay as the focal point of the application, but we look at everything in detail and we try to build a picture of each applicant in the fullest context possible. Time is running short, but we will continue to accept and review applications for our January 2019 term through the first week of January.

If you are still wondering what we are about or if we are a good fit for you, read what Frank Bruni says in his recent New York Times article, “The Most Contrarian College in America.”