Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know.

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It is a secondary-level program. College Onramps is a full secondary curriculum that a motivated student can complete in as little as one year, and it prepares students to sit for the GED High School Equivalency exam. We are not a school: we don't award academic credit, a high school diploma, or the GED credential itself. Finishing our coursework also doesn't end your state's compulsory-attendance obligation, which depends on your student's age and your state's rules. Students who want a degree can go on to take a year of courses at one of five partner universities, each of which has signed a memorandum of understanding to admit students who complete our program and earn that university's required GPA.

It is designed to be completed in as little as one year. To finish in a year, most students need about 12–15 hours a week of coursework, or roughly 22 hours a week once you include class projects and the Social Adventures Program. Because it is self-paced and competency-based, some students move faster and some slower. The total cost is fixed, no matter how long it takes.

We built this program for motivated students who want a faster, more flexible, and more relevant alternative to a traditional high school—whether they are aiming for college, the workforce, or a skilled trade. Our first communities include Orthodox Jewish families in the New York area and homeschooling and microschool families, but the program is open more broadly to any students who are interested.

The academic program comprises 10 courses that prepare students for college-level work and for the GED High School Equivalency exam. Five courses focus on "Durable SuperSkills"—real-world capabilities like communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving that employers across every field say they need most. Each course has a signature project that involves working with a team of peer students. We also have a Social Adventures Program that requires students to engage in specific activities in their community, helping them develop real-world social agency. These activities all feed into a Portfolio that strengthens college and job applications.

College readiness is the heart of the program, not an afterthought, though admission is always the college's decision and no program can promise it. Students build the skills and background knowledge that colleges expect, and they assemble a Projects Portfolio that gives admissions officers real evidence of what a student can do. Because students without a conventional transcript have less to show, that portfolio becomes an especially useful way to demonstrate ability.

Increasingly, yes. Signing up for the usual clubs and activities does relatively little; designing and carrying out a project that shows genuine, intrinsic motivation goes much further in admissions, and it teaches a life lesson about being a self-starter. The Portfolio is built to capture exactly this kind of distinctive, self-directed work.

Yes. The program prepares students for college, work, or the trades. Today's trades are being transformed by technology—from robotic milking and weeding on farms to AI-assisted layout in plumbing—so tradespeople increasingly need strong reasoning, communication, and problem-solving skills. The Durable SuperSkills at the core of College Onramps are exactly what helps someone win jobs, negotiate pricing, manage a team, and eventually run their own business.

No problem. There is no requirement to take the GED or to go to college afterward. A student can finish the program and start working in a job that doesn't require a high school credential. Keep in mind that compulsory-attendance rules still apply until your student reaches the age your state sets, and that many employers and training programs do ask for a diploma or equivalency credential.

Because a bachelor's degree has become the practical floor for many careers, and because the reasoning, writing, and self-management the program builds are the same skills that make a student employable without one. College is the default, not the requirement; the program works just as well for students headed into a trade or straight to work.

The GED (General Educational Development) is a widely recognized high school equivalency certification. Passing it demonstrates high-school-level skills and knowledge across four subject areas, and it is generally accepted in place of a high school diploma.

Virtually all of them do. GED Testing Service reports that roughly 98% of U.S. colleges and universities accept the GED for admission. Individual institutions can still set their own minimum scores or additional requirements, so it's worth checking with the schools your student is considering.

No, and this matters. The GED reports multiple score levels, not just "pass." Our goal is to get students into the top score band because a high GED score is a meaningful signal of accomplishment, much the way a strong standardized-test score is.

A bare-bones GED program can help you pass the test, but it won't prepare you for college or for a career. College Onramps is built to do both: it teaches key skills and knowledge, builds a portfolio, and develops social agency. Students don't just earn a certificate—they are genuinely ready for what comes next.

The minimum age is typically 16, though the specific rules vary by state. States differ on residency requirements, age and consent conditions for candidates under 18 or 19, whether the test can be taken online, and how long you must wait between attempts. Your state's education agency publishes the current rules, and we'll point you to them. Testing eligibility is set by your state of residence, and we don't advise families on ways around those rules.

The GED exam fee is separate from tuition. It is modest (roughly $100, depending on the state) and there may be an additional small fee each time the exam is retaken. We make the current range clear so there are no surprises.

Adaptive Active Learning is our teaching method, grounded in decades of cognitive science research on how people actually learn. "Active learning" means minimal lecturing and maximal engagement (debates, games, problem-solving). "Adaptive learning" means the pace and the specific material adjust to each student's performance. The teaching is goal-driven and connects new material to what a student already knows. This technique is deeply rooted in established science applied carefully—it is not an untested experiment performed on your child.

Our proprietary Alias Learning Engine acts like a personal tutor for every student. Instead of one teacher for thirty students and the same lesson for everyone, Alias adapts to each student in real time, engages them in real conversations, targets their specific gaps, pushes for deep understanding of every concept, gives continuous immediate feedback, and lets each student advance as soon as they demonstrate mastery.

A lesson with Alias is like having a conversation with a knowledgeable and thoughtful tutor. There is no lecturing or passively watching long videos; the student is consistently engaged in a conversation with the tutor. A traditional classroom is like a train: it moves at one speed along fixed tracks for the whole group and won't stop or turn just because one student needs it to. Alias is more like driving your own car: you can slow down where something is hard, speed up where it's easy, and take interesting detours where you're curious. Your responses shape what comes next.

The Alias system is designed for exactly this situation. It quickly figures out what a student already knows and what they don't, and it begins from there. Alias remediates as needed before moving forward. As a rough guide, a student who has completed through eighth grade is ready to begin, because the program fills in gaps from that point on.

These skills are critical thinking, creative problem solving, communication, self-management and learning, and navigating the real world. We chose them because they come up again and again in employer surveys as the skills that matter most across jobs and over time. That is why they form the foundation of the program.

Not at this point. The program is a focused set of ten courses (five Durable SuperSkills courses and five Foundational Knowledge survey courses). Additional courses may be offered in the future and could function as electives. Note that the ten courses are not everything every state requires of a home-education program: physical education is the most common gap, and a few states require a state-history, civics, or safety unit that we don't teach. See Legal Requirements below.

A traditional high school day runs roughly 8:00 to 3:00, about 35 hours a week. College Onramps is about 12–15 hours a week of coursework, and roughly 22 hours a week in total once you add class projects and the Social Adventures Program. Students gain back the time they would otherwise spend on passing periods, homeroom, and assemblies. If your state sets a minimum number of instructional hours or days, plan the schedule against that figure rather than against our estimate.

Self-paced means students aren't locked into a rigid bell schedule, but it does not mean unsupervised. Each student works out a schedule with their mentor, and that schedule is built to keep them on track. Parents can set reasonable parameters too—for example, a school-day window such as 10:00am to 5:00pm—both for a healthy routine and because the Social Adventures Program depends on local businesses and community activities being open during normal hours.

Yes. We treat the mentor as a concierge who works directly with families. At intake we ask about parents' concerns and preferences, just as we ask students about their interests, and parents can make individualized requests. Parents are also welcome to join a student–mentor meeting periodically, much like a parent-teacher conference, so schedules and expectations can be reviewed and adjusted to fit your family and your community.

The mentor relationship is the safeguard. Early on, the mentor and student negotiate a plan: when the student will work, at what pace, and toward what milestones. And then the mentor holds them to it. Plans are reviewed in short increments (every couple of weeks), so a student can never quietly fall far behind. The goal is to make sure no family ever discovers, six months in, that little has been accomplished.

Every student meets with a mentor twice a week. Mentors are coaches and guides, not instructors — the Alias Learning Engine delivers the teaching. Mentors keep students on pace, build motivation and accountability, help students process real-world experiences, and serve as the point of contact for parents.

There are two ways to arrange this. At $1,800 you designate an adult you already know and trust, and we train them in the basics of mentoring; that person is your choice and your responsibility, not someone contracted with us. At $4,800 we provide the mentor: they're contracted with ALS, we run a background check before they are assigned to a student, and we train and supervise them, including a check-in with a supervisor every week. We handle scheduling. Parents are welcome to sit in on a student–mentor meeting at any time.

Students take part in a structured series of community experiences, some of which are intentionally designed to push them outside their comfort zones. After each experience, they meet with their mentor to reflect, build self-awareness, and develop resilience. It is how students learn to face challenges, recover from setbacks, and build genuine confidence. The exact nature of this program may vary for different communities. To be clear: this program is not about indoctrinating any particular set of values.

Yes. The Social Adventures Program is built around real interaction with others, and every course includes a project that requires students to work together. Students also have time and are encouraged to engage in other activities: join a sports club, take art lessons, start a band, or pursue other community activities—which can count toward the Social Adventures program.

Each course ends with a proctored final exam, monitored through the student's own webcam. The session is recorded so it can be reviewed, and the recording is deleted as soon as the review is complete — in no case later than two weeks after the exam. Only staff reviewing exam integrity see it. We ask for a parent's consent before a student sits their first proctored exam, and students are told about proctoring from the start, so they know they'll need to genuinely learn the material. Full details are in our Privacy Notice.

No. Throughout each course, a student's ongoing interactions with the Alias Learning Engine give the student and parents a clear, continuous picture of how things are going. No one is blindsided at the end. Students also get assessed by GED practice checkpoints after every unit in each course. At the start of each course students take a sample of the final exam to see where they stand—this also allows them to monitor their own progress (it serves as a "before and after" they can keep and use as a study guide). If a student doesn't pass the final exam, they can prepare further and take it again.

They can take it again. As with everything in the program, the standard is mastery: students advance by actually demonstrating skills and knowledge, and they can keep working until they do.

Yes. The Alias Learning Engine provides ongoing feedback, and a progress dashboard lets both students and parents see how things are going at any time.

There are no front-end admissions requirements, other than that the student must be 15 when they start. Starting our program does not by itself end a compulsory-attendance obligation; that depends on your student's age and your state's rules, so check those before withdrawing a student from school. We've chosen to give every student a chance rather than screen them out. To get a good sense of the nature of instruction and level of difficulty, prospective families can try four sample classes. But "no admissions requirements" does not mean the program is easy: the courses are rigorous, there is no social promotion or courtesy passing, and a student has to demonstrate mastery to complete the program.

Enrollment is underway, and the program begins September 15. Enrollment is rolling.

Because content delivery is AI-powered, the program scales and isn't constrained the way a physical classroom is. After the September 15 start date, enrollment will be rolling rather than tied to a single hard deadline.

There are two options, both covering all ten courses, the Social Adventures Program, mentoring, and the Projects Portfolio. At $1,800 you designate an adult mentor and we train them in the basics ($150 per month over twelve months). At $4,800 we provide a mentor contracted with ALS, whom we background-check, train, and supervise ($400 per month over twelve months). Paying in full up front earns a 5% discount. A deposit reserves a student's spot. Either way, it's a fraction of the cost of private high school.

Tuition is charged by the course, not by time. The full program is ten courses, and that total does not change whether a student finishes in six months or takes longer than a year. (If a student finishes early but is paying monthly, the remaining installments still apply, because the price reflects the ten courses rather than the calendar.)

We don't leave students idle. Depending on timing, an early finisher can begin partner-college courses (these are typically semester-based, so the fit depends on the calendar) or take part in virtual job-shadowing and "day-in-the-life" programs that introduce different professions. The goal is to bridge the gap productively.

Yes: $150 per month for twelve months on the designated-mentor option, or $400 per month for twelve months on the option where we provide the mentor. Monthly plans run for a fixed twelve months and do not renew automatically. There is no late fee; if a payment isn't made within two weeks of the due date, access to the courses is paused until the account is brought current. You can cancel at any time by emailing us, and we follow the cancellation and refund rules that apply in your state.

Yes: paying the full year in advance earns a 5% discount.

Families can sample courses before committing. After you enroll there is a two-week window for a full refund, and after that tuition is prorated to the point of withdrawal. Deposits are credited against tuition and are refundable within that same two-week window. Where a state's law gives you a longer cancellation period or a more generous refund than this, that law governs and we follow it. If your student can't start because a planned withdrawal from school hasn't taken effect, contact us and we'll defer the start date or refund you.

All five partners are accredited institutions, and most are well established. Between them they offer majors across a wide range of fields, including business, engineering, entrepreneurship, liberal arts, nursing, pre-professional tracks, and technology, and they are geographically spread: Chicago, Omaha, Southern California, Washington, D.C., and Brasília, Brazil. One partner is newer and less widely known simply because it hasn't been around as long.

On credit transfer: whether credits earned at one institution transfer to another is always decided by the receiving institution, not by us or by the partner. That's true of any college. If transferring later matters to your student, ask the school they might transfer to before enrolling.

We're not naming them yet. We have signed memoranda of understanding with five universities and are still negotiating the final agreements, and we don't want to publish institution names before those are executed and each partner has approved the announcement. We'll name them once that's done.

No. Nobody can guarantee college admission, and we don't. What we have is this: five universities have signed memoranda of understanding to admit students who complete the College Onramps program and then earn that university's required GPA across one year of its courses. Each university sets its own required GPA and its own conditions.

Two things to be clear about. These are memoranda of understanding rather than executed agreements, and the terms remain subject to negotiation and change. And the pathway depends on your student's performance in the partner's courses, not just on finishing our program.

Yes. We're happy to work with homeschoolers and with microschools or alternative schools, including making arrangements where you handle some of the mentoring internally. Reach out and we'll work out an arrangement that fits.

The self-paced, mastery-based design suits a range of learners, and the Alias engine adjusts pace and difficulty to each student. But adaptive software is not the same thing as formal accommodations: we are not a school, we don't administer an IEP or a 504 plan, and we don't provide related services such as speech, occupational, or physical therapy, or one-to-one aides.

If your student has an IEP or a 504 plan, talk to your school district before withdrawing, because the district's obligations and the services available to a home-educated student depend on your state's rules and on the district's own process. In New York, families should speak with the district Committee on Special Education about an IESP. We're glad to talk through what the program does and doesn't offer so you can make that decision with full information.

No student will be stranded. We are committed to seeing every cohort through to the end. We understand the worry (some charter and celebrity-backed schools have collapsed mid-year) and our commitment is explicit: students who enroll will be carried through their program.

College Onramps is built by Active Learning Sciences, Inc., a team with deep expertise in cognitive science, the science of learning, and education. Active Learning Sciences has been in business over six years, and has had clients all over the world (see www.activelearningsciences.com). Our "Meet the Team" page introduces the key people behind the College Onramps program and their backgrounds.