College alternatives are rapidly expanding. Praxis is not the only option for today’s opt-outs! The entire education landscape is changing. College is dead, information is advancing faster than ever, and many individuals are realizing that the traditional path is not always the best path.
While society chooses to focus on education reform from within, the best innovators are building alternatives to the failing system.
2019’s Top College Alternatives
Praxis
Want to take a gap year to learn skills you’ll use for the rest of your life? Looking for a way to gain experience after college? That’s why we’re here! Praxis is a year-long apprenticeship program and career accelerator that includes a 6-month professional boot camp and a 6-month paid apprenticeship. The boot camp includes a full education experience including skills training, philosophy, writing, and much more.
The program has a net cost of $0! Tuition is $12,000, but participants are guaranteed at least $14,400 during their apprenticeships. 96% of Praxis participants graduate with a full-time job offer. Their average starting salary is $50K.
Lambda School
Lambda School is a software engineering school. Instead of paying tuition up front, students agree to pay a certain percentage of their income after they are employed- if they are making at least $50,000 annually. The school is 100% online, meaning students can complete the program from their own homes.
Lambda also features a network of companies called hiring partners, where many students get hired after they graduate. Recently they launched Lambda School Apprenticeships, where companies commit to offering 3-6 month paid apprenticeships to Lambda School Grads.
Crash
Want a direct path to your next job? Crash features self-directed curriculum and a tech platform that directs you while you build a profile featuring your work. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to take the alternative route but doesn’t feel like they need a coach to guide them through it.
GenM
It doesn’t make sense to go to college for four years when the marketing world is changing every day. GenM offers free courses and digital apprenticeships for marketers.
The advantage that GenM offers is the ability to complete 4 apprenticeships at the same time, working 5-10 hours per week at each one. Plus, this work is remote, which means apprentices can work with flexible hours and location.
Make School
Make School is changing tech education by offering product-based learning. Students learn much like a junior developer would at a startup. The work is highly self-led, with instructors on call to support each student individually.
The program is 2 years long and happens at the Make School campus in Silicon Valley. The average starting salary of Make School grads is $95K, and many work at companies like Google, Snapchat, and Facebook.
GetApprenticeship
Companies need young career builders who are hungry for knowledge and experience. If you are a hard worker and a self-directed learner, you have the ability to land an apprenticeship at a startup with GetApprenticeship.
The GetApprenticeship website features the available apprenticeship opportunities. Most of the opportunities are remote, giving apprentices flexibility over their schedule and location.
Thinkful
Thinkful is a coding boot camp that features 1-on-1 mentorship. Mentors have an average of 10 years of experience, and they work with each student to tailor their courses to individual needs and goals.
Thinkful offers 4 courses: Engineering Immersion, Full Stack Flex, Data Science, and Front End Basics.“You focus on learning. We focus on getting you hired.”
