What we actually teach

The Curriculum.

Four pillars of intellectual capability, taught one student at a time. Each pillar is a standalone course of 60-minute, 1:1, online sessions — built to compound over a lifetime rather than a semester. Students may take them in sequence or choose the one that meets a specific need.

Format 1:1 · online
Length 60 minutes
Cadence 1–3 sessions per week
Ages 14–22

Pillar I · Foundation

Critical Thinking & Mental Models

Sessions 12 Target Class 9–12, Undergrad Prerequisite None — entry point
  1. 01Orientation — How you currently think (cognitive baseline assessment)
  2. 02First Principles Thinking — Stripping problems to their core
  3. 03Inversion — Solving problems backwards
  4. 04Second-Order Thinking — Consequences of consequences
  5. 05Confirmation Bias & Motivated Reasoning
  6. 06Logical Fallacies — Identifying them in real arguments
  7. 07Steelmanning — Arguing the other side better than they can
  8. 08Decision Frameworks — Expected value, reversibility, optionality
  9. 09Systems Thinking — Feedback loops and emergent behavior
  10. 10Case Study — Deconstructing a real-world policy decision
  11. 11Case Study — Deconstructing a business strategy
  12. 12Capstone — Student presents original analysis of a complex problem

Outcome

Student can independently break down ambiguous problems, identify hidden assumptions, and construct multi-layered arguments.

Pillar II · Intermediate

Research & Analytical Reading

Sessions 10 Target Class 10–12, Undergrad Prerequisite Pillar I recommended
  1. 01How to read a book — Levels of reading (inspectional, analytical, syntopical)
  2. 02Extracting the argument — Thesis, evidence, assumptions
  3. 03Source evaluation — Credibility, bias, methodology
  4. 04Building a research question from scratch
  5. 05Literature review mechanics — Mapping a field in 48 hours
  6. 06Note-taking systems — Zettelkasten, progressive summarization
  7. 07Synthesizing contradictory sources
  8. 08Data literacy — Reading studies, understanding p-values, sample sizes
  9. 09Practice — Student conducts a mini-research sprint on a chosen topic
  10. 10Capstone — Student presents a structured research brief

Outcome

Student can pick up any non-fiction book or paper, extract the core argument in under 30 minutes, evaluate its strength, and synthesize multiple sources into an original position.

Pillar III · Advanced

Persuasive Writing & Argumentation

Sessions 10 Target Class 10–12, Undergrad Prerequisite Pillar I recommended
  1. 01The anatomy of a compelling argument — Claim, warrant, evidence
  2. 02Structure — Why most student essays fail (and what works instead)
  3. 03Opening lines — Hooks that earn the next sentence
  4. 04Concision — Cutting half the words without losing meaning
  5. 05Counterarguments — Addressing objections before they arise
  6. 06Rhetoric & persuasion — Ethos, pathos, logos in practice
  7. 07Long-form essay writing — A 1500-word argumentative piece
  8. 08Editing workshop — Rewriting the previous essay from scratch
  9. 09Application essays & personal statements (college / scholarship)
  10. 10Capstone — Polished 2000-word essay on a topic of choice

Outcome

Student can write a clear, persuasive, well-structured argument on any topic — suitable for college applications, competitions, or publication.

Pillar IV · Elective

AI Fluency & Strategic Technology

Sessions 8 Target Class 9–12, Undergrad Prerequisite None — can run parallel
  1. 01AI as a thinking partner — What it is and isn't
  2. 02Prompt architecture — Structuring complex multi-step prompts
  3. 03Research workflows — Using AI to survey a field
  4. 04Writing with AI — Drafting, editing, and maintaining your voice
  5. 05Critical evaluation of AI output — When it's wrong and why
  6. 06Building personal knowledge systems with AI
  7. 07Automation & productivity — Workflows that reclaim ten or more hours a week
  8. 08Capstone — Student builds a complete AI-assisted research project

Outcome

Student uses AI as a genuine intellectual tool — not a shortcut — and can construct workflows that amplify their thinking rather than replace it.

How students engage

Three ways to work with us.

Every engagement is one mentor and one student. Where you begin depends on the goal — a single focused gap, a complete intellectual upgrade, or sustained partnership once the foundations are in place.

Begin with a conversation.

We limit our intake each month to protect the standard of 1:1 mentorship. If the curriculum resonates, request an invitation and our admissions team will arrange a discovery call to understand your child and recommend where to start.

Apply for Consultation