The 1% Scholar curriculum is not designed for passive consumption.
Every week, Scholars engage with a seminal text from the Western canon — philosophy, political theory, literature, science, mathematics, economics, or theology. Each scholar will move through the Five Pillars that transform passive reading into active intellectual leadership.
Whether you commit for one month, one quarter, or one year, each week follows the same rigorous discipline. The longer your commitment, the deeper your immersion into the Great Books and the greater your competitive advantage will be.
Our Mission
We believe we are on the cusp of the next Renaissance.
Our mission is to prepare the next generation of adolescents to thrive in an era of automation by achieving the highest levels of excellence and self-mastery.
We use Socratic inquiry and project‑based learning to take students beyond summaries and worksheets into live debate, long‑form writing, and portfolio‑ready work. By reading the world’s greatest and most influential books under the guidance of world-class Mentors, our Scholars learn to think clearly, write powerfully, and lead with confidence — in college seminars, boardrooms, and the AI‑driven future.
Our curriculum is aligned with the Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for reading, writing, and speaking. For more information, see our Educational Alignment page.
Our Values
Serious work, not busywork. If it doesn’t build focus, virtue, or real skill, we don’t do it. Every reading, seminar, and project must demand genuine effort and growth.
Wisdom applied, not admired. The Great Books are not museum pieces but are blueprints that students use to tackle real‑world questions, build portfolios, and practice leadership in the present.
Family‑aligned excellence. We serve families who are willing to hold a higher standard — for character, discipline, and intellectual ambition — than the average school will ever ask from their child.
The Weekly Discipline
Every Scholar will experience a rigorous cycle, which starts with a Socratic Seminar and then a different Pillar each day.
The Socratic Seminar
30 mins | Mondays-Fridays
Live dialogue where ideas collide. Your Scholar learns to defend positions under scrutiny and articulate complex ideas with precision.
Pillar I: The Preparation
Mondays
Strategic thinking. Your Scholar learns to approach each text as a tool for their future: How does this strengthen their college essay? How does this illuminate leadership?
Pillar II: The Practice
Tuesdays
Deep reading. Active annotations, rigorous note-taking, and synthesis. The reading discipline that distinguishes Ivy League applicants.
Pillar III: The Paper
Wednesdays
Argumentative mastery. Formal essays with integrated quotes, structured logic, 1,000+ words. The exact writing standard demanded by elite universities.
Pillar IV: The Product
Thursdays
Intellectual synthesis. Your Scholar translates ideas into tangible work — design, video, model, or artwork. Original work that becomes college application portfolio material.
Pillar V: The Person
Fridays
Self-actualization. Your Scholar presents their work and reflects on how the text changed their thinking. This develops high-level introspection that transforms lives and builds lasting careers.
What Happens Next
Every Pillar is assessed against clear standards of mastery. Your Mentor provides real-time feedback. By the end of your commitment, your cumulative portfolio — essays, artifacts, reflections, presentations — becomes a centerpiece of your life and future success.
The student will become the 1% Scholar.