In response to this persistent problem, BetterRhetor is finding ways to help more students prepare for the academic work and the academic culture—they will encounter in college.

We start with writing, since writing is the skill research proves to be most linked to college success. Our signature online course, College-Ready Writing Essentials, is designed specifically to bridge the instructional gap between high school and college, giving aspiring college students the skills and confidence they need for early success BEFORE heading into their first undergrad year.

PERSISTENT PROBLEM #2:

There is a fundamental matching problem in college admissions. Students look for colleges they’re prepared for and that they can afford. Colleges and universities, in turn, seek recruits who fit their student profiles and are likely to complete their degrees.

Persistent mismatches happen because there is no efficient way for colleges to connect with best-fit students, no easy way for students to find and apply to colleges that believe in their potential. We’re working on a platform that not only prepares students for college academics but matches them with colleges that are looking for students just like them.

A college education is still the key to higher lifetime income,
still the primary means by which people rise from disadvantage to realize their full potential.

Yet, college appears out of reach for many students—whether because they can’t afford it, aren’t prepared for it, or suspect they’re not welcome.

BetterRhetor is committed to helping underserved students see college as an option within their reach and helping them gain the skills and confidence they need to succeed.

We believe in providing top-quality college prep instruction to students who don’t take AP courses, who are first-generation college goers, who come from disadvantaged places, who have abilities and potentials that aren’t reflected in standardized test scores.

Our long-term project plans will put college on the horizon of possibility for more students—no matter their income or background.

PERSISTENT PROBLEM #4:

The American school system fails too many students; as a result, it fails America. Students graduate from high school underprepared for college, for work, for citizenship.

The core of the problem lies in our schools’ inability to instill in students a coherent body of foundational knowledge and skills that builds sequentially year-by-year.

Many years ago, an approach to education centered on Greek and Roman classics produced generations of thoughtful leaders who shared a common body of knowledge, references, and ideas.

The classics may no longer be as relevant as they once were, but the concept of organizing primary and secondary education around a coherent body of ideas, history, and values is still a good one.

BetterRhetor’s goal is to build a K12 curriculum around America—it’s history, values, institutions, and culture—so that, by the time they graduate from high school, students are deeply knowledgeable about their own culture and country. They’re prepared to exercise the full rights of their citizenship. They’re ready to assume positions of responsibility and to think critically about the society and world around them.

Most importantly, they’re equipped to ensure the continuation of a robust, vibrant, democratic America.