View source for Year On

{{Short description|Alternative education organization}}
{{Infobox website
| name             = Year On
| logo             = Year On logo.jpg
| logo_size        = 250px
| screenshot       =
| caption          =
| url              = http://www.yearon.com
| commercial       = Yes
| type             = [[Education]]
| language         = English
| registration     =
| owner            =
| key_people       =
| alexa            =
| current_status   = active
}}
'''Year On''', formerly '''UnCollege''', is an organization which aims to equip students with the tools for self-directed learning and career building.<ref name="yearon">{{cite web |url=http://www.yearon.com |title=Year On}}.</ref>  Its flagship program is a yearlong [[gap year]] program involving training in work skills and life skills, volunteer service in a foreign country, and [[internship]] or personal project.
{{Infobox website
| name             = UnCollege
| logo             = UnCollege logo.jpg
| logo_size        = 250px
| screenshot       =
| caption          =
| url              = http://www.uncollege.org
| commercial       = Yes
| type             = [[Education]]
| language         = English
| registration     =
| owner            = [[Dale J. Stephens]]
| key_people       =
| alexa            =
| current_status   =
}}
==Background==
UnCollege was founded by Dale J. Stephens in 2011.<ref name="uncollege">{{cite web |url=http://www.uncollege.org |title=UnCollege}}</ref><ref name="CoHE">[http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/disgruntled-college-student-starts-uncollege-to-challenge-system/29631 The Chronicle of Higher Education] ''Disgruntled College Student Starts ‘UnCollege’ to Challenge System'' By Jeff Young, February 9, 2011</ref><ref name="cnn">[http://edition.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/06/03/stephens.college/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 College is a waste of time] By Dale Stephens, Special to CNN June 3, 2011 "a social movement empowering individuals to take their education beyond the classroom"</ref><ref name="Huffpost">[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/10/uncollege-homeschooling-f_n_821343.html UnCollege: Home-Schooling For College Students] ''Huffington Post'', 02/10/11</ref><ref name="thedartmouth">[http://thedartmouth.com/2011/02/28/news/uncollege Students develop new UnCollege curriculum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110412015909/http://thedartmouth.com/2011/02/28/news/uncollege |date=2011-04-12 }} ''The Dartmouth'' Monday, February 28, 2011</ref>  Stephens is a self-described "elementary school dropout", as he was   [[homeschooling|homeschooled]] with emphasis on real-world experience for the majority of his childhood.<ref name="businessinsider">Gobry, Pascal-Emmanuel (2011-06-14). [https://archive.today/20130118133315/http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-06-14/tech/30039115_1_higher-education-uncollege-talents Peter Thiel Is Giving This Man $100,000 To Disrupt College]. ''[[Business Insider]]'', 14 June 2011.</ref> He briefly attended [[Hendrix College]]. While there, Stephens had a night-long discussion with a friend regarding the disconnect between the theoretical subject matter taught in college and its [[reality|real world]] applications.<ref name=businessinsider /> This discussion would become the basis for UnCollege, which Stephens founded in 2011 in [[San Francisco]].<ref name=businessinsider /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schawbel |first=Dan |date=March 5, 2013 |orig-date=March 5, 2013 |title=Dale Stephens: Ditch College And Create Your Own Educational Experience |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2013/03/05/dale-stephens-ditch-college-and-create-your-own-educational-experience/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207233101/https://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2013/03/05/dale-stephens-ditch-college-and-create-your-own-educational-experience/ |archive-date=December 7, 2023 |access-date=August 11, 2024 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
In 2010, Stephens also applied for the [[Thiel Fellowship]], a program founded by [[Peter Thiel]] which grants fellows US$100,000 to forgo college for two years and focus on their passions.<ref name="inc">{{cite web|author=Markowitz, Eric|title=Meet the College Dropouts|url=http://www.inc.com/magazine/201109/peter-thiel-college-dropouts.html|publisher=Inc.|date=September 2011}}</ref><ref name="huffpo">{{cite web|last=Gee|first=Robyn|title=Creator Of UnCollege Gets 100K From Thiel Foundation|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/youth-radio-youth-media-international/creator-of-uncollege-gets_b_871214.html?ref=tw|publisher=Huffington Post|date=2011-06-03}}</ref><ref name=cnnstephens>{{cite web|author=Stephens, Dale|title=College is a waste of time|url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/06/03/stephens.college/index.html|publisher=CNN|date=2011-06-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Stephens|first=Dale|title=Thiel Fellow Dale Stephens Drops Out (Of College), Moves In (To Silicon Valley), And Starts Up (Talent-Scouting RadMatter)|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/1767368/peter-thiel-fellows-dale-stephens|publisher=Fast Company|date=2011-07-18}}</ref> After his initial proposal was rejected, Stephens was encouraged to reapply in pursuit of his work as an educational futurist through UnCollege. His second application succeeded and he was in the first batch of Thiel Fellows.<ref name=nymag>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Daniel|title=The University Has No Clothes|url=http://nymag.com/news/features/college-education-2011-5/index4.html|work=New York|date=2011-05-01}}</ref><ref name=mash>{{cite web|last=Fox|first=Zoe|title=Diploma or Dropout: The Entrepreneur's Dilemma|url=http://mashable.com/2011/08/26/college-dropout-entrepreneurs/|publisher=Mashable|date=2011-08-26}}</ref>
The UnCollege website featured resources, forums, and workshops designed to help students, both in and out of college, with the task of self-directed learning.<ref name=nyt>{{cite web|title=How Students Can Take Charge of Their Education|url=http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/04/how-students-can-take-charge-of-their-education/|work=The New York Times|date=4 November 2011 |access-date=11 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The 'UnCollege': are walled campuses obsolete?|url=http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/business-brains/the-8216uncollege-are-walled-campuses-obsolete/14638|publisher=Smart Planet|date=May 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120613172055/http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/business-brains/the-8216uncollege-are-walled-campuses-obsolete/14638|archive-date=2012-06-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Beyond The Hill : Getting Schooled: UnCollege attracts students with higher education alternative|date=14 February 2011 |url=http://dailyorange.com/2011/02/beyond-the-hill-getting-schooled-uncollege-attracts-students-with-higher-education-alternative/|publisher=Daily Orange|access-date=2012-05-11}}</ref><ref name=cnn1>{{cite web|title=College is a waste of time|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/06/03/stephens.college/index.html?hpt=o...%20May%202012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Students develop new UnCollege curriculum |url=http://thedartmouth.com/2011/02/28/news/uncollege |newspaper=The Dartmouth |access-date=May 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110412015909/http://thedartmouth.com/2011/02/28/news/uncollege |archive-date=April 12, 2011 }}</ref><ref name=un>{{cite web|title=UnCollege|url=http://www.uncollege.org/|access-date=2012-05-11}}</ref> The site also hosted The UnCollege Manifesto, a 25-page document written by Stephens that covers subjects like "The value (or lack thereof) of a college degree" and "Twelve steps to self-directed learning."<ref>[http://www.uncollege.org/manifesto The UnCollege Manifesto]. ''UnCollege''.</ref>  Stephens expanded upon the approach described therein in a book, ''Hacking Your Education: Ditch the Lectures, Save Tens of Thousands, and Learn More Than Your Peers Ever Will'', which was published in 2013.<ref name="HackingYourEducationNPR">{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2013/03/05/173416593/skipping-out-on-college-and-hacking-your-education |title="Skipping Out On College And 'Hacking Your Education'" |author=NPR Staff |publisher=NPR}}</ref>
In 2013, UnCollege began offering its flagship year-long program.  The first iteration of the year-long program included four phases: Launch, in which students learnt life skills, work skills, and how to engage in self-directed learning;<ref name="GapYearLaunch">{{cite web |url=https://www.uncollege.org/launch |title="Launch" |publisher=UnCollege}}</ref> Voyage, in which students traveled to a foreign country, for a [[service learning]] trip;<ref name="GapYearVoyage">{{cite web |url=https://www.uncollege.org/voyage |title="Voyage" |publisher=UnCollege}}</ref> Internship, in which the students, using work skills acquired at Launch, seek out and work through an internship of their choosing;<ref name="GapYearInternship">{{cite web |url=https://www.uncollege.org/internship |title="Internship" |publisher=UnCollege}}</ref> and Project, in which students completed, from start to finish, a capstone project of their choosing.  The inaugural class of students in the year-long program included ten students from four countries.<ref name="InauguralFellows">{{cite web |url=https://blog.uncollege.org/introducing-our-inaugural-gap-year-fellows |title="Introducing Our Inaugural Gap Year Fellows!" |publisher=UnCollege}}</ref>  Later iterations of the yearlong program reversed the order of Launch and Voyage, eliminated the Project, and/or allowed students to choose between an Internship and a Project.
Initially, the year-long program was presented as an alternative to university. Students were encouraged to take a pathway, similar to Stephens' own, that avoided university studies.<ref name="TranscendSchool">{{cite web |url=https://blog.uncollege.org/dont-try-to-beat-the-school-system-transcend-it |title="Don't Try to "Beat" the School System—Transcend It" |author=Jean Fan |publisher=UnCollege Blog}}</ref>  However, Stephens found that this pathway was neither practical nor desirable for most of his students.<ref name="LessCollege">{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-02/from-uncollege-to-less-college |title=From UnCollege to Less College |author=Carrie Kirby |newspaper=Bloomberg|date=2 December 2016 }}</ref> Subsequently, the year-long program was rebranded as a gap year program, designed for students to take in between high school and university or vocational training, or for university students taking a year-long break from their studies.<ref name="LessCollege" /> A semester-long program was subsequently introduced, branded as a gap semester, consisting only of the Voyage and Launch phases of the year-long program.<ref name="GapSemester">{{cite web |url=https://gapsemester.uncollege.org/ |title="Gap Semester" |publisher=UnCollege}}</ref>
In 2018, UnCollege rebranded as Year On.<ref name="Rebrand">{{cite web |url=https://www.yearon.com/blog/this-is-my-new-post |title="Announcing Our Rebrand to Year On" |author=Charlie Taibi |publisher=Year On Blog}}</ref> The goal of the programs shifted to preparing students for life at university and in the world of work.  The year-long program and the semester-long program were retained; additional programs were added.<ref name="ProgramOverview">{{cite web |url=https://www.yearon.com/program-overview |title="Program Overview" |publisher=Year On}}</ref>
==Programs==
Year On currently offers several programs.<ref name="ProgramOverview" /> The year-long program<ref name="YearExperience">{{cite web |url=https://www.yearon.com/year-experience |title="Year Experience" |publisher=Year On}}</ref> has three phases: Explore, in which students take a service learning trip abroad; Focus, in which students learn life skills and work skills, and receive one-on-one mentorship; and Launch, in which students may take an internship, take an apprenticeship, work on a personal project, and/or apply for college.  The semester-long program<ref name="SemesterExperience">{{cite web |url=https://www.yearon.com/semester-experience |title="Semester Experience" |publisher=Year On}}</ref> has students complete portions of the year-long program. The flexible program<ref name="FlexibleExperience">{{cite web |url=https://www.yearon.com/flexible-experience |title="Flexible Experience" |publisher=Year On}}</ref> has students complete portions of the life skills, work skills, and/or self-directed learning curriculum, over a shorter period of time.
==Reception==
Through his work with UnCollege, Stephens was named as one of Splashlife's 30 Under 30: Social Media Titans.<ref name=spl>{{cite web|title=30 under 30: Social Media Titans|url=http://www.splashlife.com/article/30-under-30-social-media-titans?page=8|publisher=Splashlife|date=May 2012|access-date=2012-05-17|archive-date=2011-09-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928125401/http://www.splashlife.com/article/30-under-30-social-media-titans?page=8|url-status=dead}}</ref> UnCollege has been profiled in world publications like [[CNN]], ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[The Asia Times]]'', [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], ''[[Fast Company (magazine)|Fast Company]]'', [[Mashable]], [[NPR]], [[CBS]], ''[[Inc. (magazine)|Inc.]]'', [[TechCrunch]], and ''[[The Huffington Post]]''.<ref name=CNN>{{cite web|author=Bennett, William J.|title=Are colleges afraid of Peter Thiel?|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/18/opinion/bennett-thiel-education/index.html|publisher=CNN|date= April 18, 2012}}</ref><ref name=inc/><ref name=huffpo/><ref name=mash/><ref name=nyt/><ref name=abc>{{cite web|author=Louie, David|title=Foundation gives $100K to teenage entrepreneurs|url=https://abc7news.com/archive/8151836/|publisher=ABC|date=May 25, 2011}}</ref><ref name=tech>{{cite web|last=Stephens|first=Dale|title=Living the Knowledge Life: A Thiel Fellowship Finalist's Response|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/04/13/living-the-knowledge-life-a-thiel-fellowship-finalists-response/|publisher=TechCrunch|date= April 13, 2011}}</ref><ref name=asia>{{cite web|author=Hutchinson, Martin|title=College clear-out on its way|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/ND12Dj02.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120411204430/http://atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/ND12Dj02.html|url-status=unfit|archive-date=April 11, 2012|publisher=AsiaTimes|date=April 12, 2012}}</ref><ref name=fast>{{cite web|last=Stephens|first=Dale|title=What Has Being A Thiel Fellow Given Me? Credibility|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/1779564/credibility-dale-stephens|publisher=Fast Company|date=September 14, 2011}}</ref><ref name="npr">{{cite web|title=Preparing Americans for the 21st Century Workplace|date=26 October 2024 |url=http://www.kcrw.com/news/programs/tp/tp110608preparing_americans_ }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=KONRATH|first=ANDREAS|title=Desrupting College |url=http://www.newsweek.com/2017/03/03/peter-thiel-fellowship-college-higher-education-559261.html|publisher=[[Newsweek]]|date= February 22, 2017}}</ref>
==See also==
*''[[Academically Adrift]]''
*''[[In the Basement of the Ivory Tower]]''
*''[[Real Education: Four Simple Truths for Bringing America's Schools Back to Reality]]''
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.uncollege.org/ Official website]
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Alternative education organizations]]