rich dad poor dad thread

Education

Richard,

Not off topic at all, education is a service that is wide open... in fact i
wrote a masters thesis on self-supporting noncredit education 20 years a go, and
hte field is far wider today than then.

The best model is the University of Washington Experimental College, and all of
their records and business plans and budgets are public domain information.

the best free-market success story is the University of Phoenix, and continuing
education instructor who became a billionaire when he realized govt education
missing the adult market.

It seems to me Quilting, Tai Chi, Quickbooks, massage, small business,
astrology, astronomy... all that is covered. What is missing in the market
place is a bachelors degree in the humanities, a classical liberal arts
education. A bachelors degree today is roughly equal to a high school diploma
30 years ago... and a liberal arts education is simply not available in usa,
like soap. You have to make your own to get it.

Accreditation is the Berlin Wall of education, so the trick would be to offer a
hardcore liberal arts degree, unaccredited. Work thru the trivium and
qaudrivium in 36 courses over 4 years, using those first rate scholars who by
bad luck did not get one of the govt-limited professorships at govt schools.
offer a bachelors degree superior to what you can get at stanford of harvard, at
about $12000. Market it to those who simply do not need a medallion degree, but
would like to be educated.

There, Steal my idea.

John


John,
This is off topic from import/export I realize, but there is no adult
education continuing education within 25 miles of my town. I wanted to
explore setting up a local community school where those with expertise
could share with those interested and maybe make a few bucks (and
perhaps pay myself some for setting it up). Quilting, Tai Chi,
Quickbooks, massage, small business, astrology, astronomy, etc.

I know you've been working with your university experiment and was
wondering if you had any tips. Nonprofit? Grants? Private for profit?
How much to charge? How to advertise? How to do sign-ups (all online?).
I was thinking eventually I may be able to make a movie of the really
good presenters to sell as a how-to or self-help video course. I should
mention I live in a community with a high percentage of educated
retired folks.

Is this something that is way bigger than I realize and not at all
worth it except through the city or county or activity center or senior
center? Or are there any models of this where someone has done it
privately and made a few bucks in the process (plus getting to sit in
on the classes for fun)?

Eventually I would offer the online courses (such as yours) as well and
was wondering what is required to do that. I know I signed up for your
course through the local community college in another city where I used
to live but don't see that offered around here anywhere.

Maybe your next book topic? Do you foresee a time where we will be
taking courses from overseas colleges who can offer it cheaper? At
least for the non-credit type? I wonder if at some time we will have a
US accredited overseas college we can attend online and get a degree
for a fraction of other colleges (import). Or perhaps the opposite and
have foreign attendees online at a US accredited college (export) for a
full degree?

Richard

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