Our paradigm-smashing approach is something the world has never seen before, so we understand if it seems a bit confusing at first. You probably have lots of questions.

We hope that the information below might be helpful for you, but if you still have any questions or comments, please do drop us a line at info@bmsole.org.

Wait, what about college?!

College and university education programs serve a particular purpose — to teach academic knowledge. This knowledge might be needed (or at least the accompanying credentials) for certain careers in law, medicine, or academia. But a college degree is no longer a guarantee of a steady, comfortable job. And worse, college programs often ignore the vital interpersonal and professional skills needed to be successful in any career. Most of these programs ignore the crucial questions of what really is important to you, how to land (or create!) a career you love, and how to live a meaningful life. These are the kinds of skills that Geronimo cultivates and questions that we are constantly exploring. While Geronimo won”t make you a scientist or dentist, it will make you a far better one. And for those who want to be anything from an entrepreneur to a graphic designer, you may find that Geronimo Education is all you need.

If you are exploring the option of attending a four year university, please be sure to ask graduates of that program the following: (a) if they learned more in or outside the classroom (b) what percent of knowledge acquired do they currently remember or utilize and (c) what the total four year bill was for room, board, and tuition.

Our friends at SkillShare captured our concerns about college beautifully in this video.

Who is Geronimo for?

• Leading-edge thinkers willing to challenge themselves
• People who want a more effective and less costly means to land the career of their dreams
• Dreamers who can see new futures before they are created, bringing insight and generosity to improve those around them
• Recent high school or college graduates that have natural talent but are unclear where to channel their energy
• Young professionals that are unfulfilled in their current line of work and want to catalyze their professional evolution by doing something extraordinary
• Dynamic personalities that want to form lifelong relationships while having an unprecedented adventure
• Champions that prefer to play life fully instead of merely watching passively from the stands
• Fearless heroes of any age willing to embrace a rigorous period of personal development

Is Geronimo right for me?

Geronimo is not for everyone. Our program demands commitment, personal responsibility, and a supremely high willingness to change. As a student, you will push yourself beyond the boundaries of what you thought you could do before.

Geronimo is right for you if:

• You are committed to personal and professional transformation
• You are searching for more fulfillment and satisfaction in your life
• You are willing to break from tradition and try new approaches
• You are open to bold, straightforward feedback and are willing to fail
• You relish insights from dedicated mentors and are open to take on suggestions
• You’re willing to live a healthy and engaging lifestyle
• You want to be creative—and smart—with your time and money

If you are uncomfortable moving outside your familiar ways of being, not interested in trying new methods, and don’t like to challenge yourself, you will probably struggle at Geronimo. We think struggling can be good, but we want you to be ready for it, too.

To help you see what Geronimo can offer, we’ve compiled a collection of case studies of potential students at Geronimo. Check them out to learn why each one feels that Geronimo is right for him or her.

What are the takeaways from Geronimo?

Our graduates cultivate a particular set of skills and a powerful mindset for success. You will:

• Have the practical and interpersonal skills you need to succeed in any career you choose. See, for example, the Seven Survival Skills all our graduates develop.
• Read and teach your fellow students 15 of the most informative, practical and empowering books and other materials on personal development and success.
• Digest up to a total of 500 top books, videos, presentations and other works from your fellow students.
• Garner experience working on consulting projects for real companies.
• Craft and execute a personalized curriculum that will prepare you to succeed in a keystone project that you develop.
• Design and carry out your very own keystone project that combines your new skills and your passions. Will you write a novel? Invent a new app? Start a non-profit to relieve homelessness in your home town?
• Develop, practice and own new habits of success, from healthy behaviors to ownership of outcomes.
• Perfect your networking skills and weave your own network of leaders and innovators in your field. Some of these people will have been the coaches who worked with you on your project, and others you will actively seek out during our networking phase of the program. In today’s world, who you know is more important than what you know.
• Forge lifelong relationships with your peers and coaches at Geronimo, some of which will produce profitable collaborations in the future.

Why should I leave my job/delay college/drop out/take a year of my life to do a Geronimo Gap Year?

A good question. We’re glad you’re starting to think about what would be best for you to do. We certainly think that Geronimo might be exactly what you were looking for. And here’s why.

Geronimo offers you a way to learn, as Michael Ellsberg’s calls it, “The Art of Earning a Living.” We want our students to create careers that bring both financial success and deeply satisfying meaning into their lives. We don’t buy the age-old argument that either you’re a starving artist or a soulless corporate sellout. We know you can do both, because that’s what we’re doing, and what our mentors have done before us.

You could learn most of what Geronimo has to offer on your own, through a dedicated “self-education” program. But if you were going to do that, you would already be living the life of your dreams. Don’t worry—most people find it easier to learn in a dedicated learning environment, rather than in the chaos of the general world. You keep telling yourself you’ll change, but then there’s that exam coming up, or you’ve got the big presentation for the boss, so it’ll just have to wait until next week… You know how it goes. Coming to Geronimo gives you the often-needed space to take a deep breath, ask the questions that matter, and actually hear the answers. Not to mention the incredible support of our compassionate faculty and your devoted peers.

It might seem scary or ridiculous or foolish to leave the beaten path. But what if that path, although so many have trod it, doesn’t actually go where you want to go? We’re asking you to think about what you really want out of life, and then whether or not you are willing to do what it takes to get that. If you are, we’re ready for you.

How can Geronimo do everything it’s promising to do?

Very simple — we test everything we’re teaching first. All of us, from the founders to the mentors, coaches and facilitators, have practiced and implemented the very same skills, beliefs, and principles in our own lives. So we know it works. Check out this video from the A-team (Andra and Alexandra), two of our founders on their story of starting Geronimo.

Secondly, we’re not the only ones babbling about practical skills, experiential learning, flipping the classroom, customizing curricula, or any of the other fantastic ideas that have gone into making Geronimo the unprecedented opportunity that it it. The thought-leaders of the education revolution, from Sir Ken Robinson to Seth Godin, are all exploring and supporting the same methods. Schools from the Harlem Village Academy to education startups like Mycelium, Portmont College, and the Minerva Project are field-testing these approaches, and have the success to show for it.

But we don’t want you to believe us on faith. Learn about our paradigm-smashing approach here. And then read about how we pin our earnings — and thus our very survival — on your success by investing in you. Unlike traditional colleges, Geronimo takes personal ownership over the long term success of its graduates. If you are unemployed, underemployed, or unhappy with the value you received, your classes are FREE. You are not on the hook for course payments and no creditor will ever call you to collect student loans. That’s refreshing, isn’t it?

On the other hand, if you feel you have benefited from what you have learned at Geronimo, then consider that we are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity that thrives on the generosity of our graduates.

Why do we not just charge for classes? Because we want to make sure our priorities are identical to yours. After all, traditional colleges don’t have to worry if they actually improve your chances of succeeding, because you’ve already forked over the big bucks. We believe so strongly in you and this program that we’re willing to forgo our own paycheck to ensure your success.

What are Geronimo graduates likely to do after graduation?

Graduates of our program are likely to:

• Start their own organization, business, or non profit
• Live a fulfilling life making a difference in the lives of those they care about
• Become essential, valuable members of successful corporations and organizations
• Craft a career personally for themselves
• Find a way to successfully make money while doing exactly what gives their lives meaning
• Wake up thrilled each morning to be doing what they love
• Discover in their own lives that affluence is all about more coming in and more going out
• Mature faster than their peers
• Be recognized for rare skills and even rarer attitudes
• Join a dynamic organization that gives them a platform to grow and make things happen
• Excel in further education at a traditional university program (likely in half the time of their contemporary students)
• Provide our friend and mentor, twelve-time New York Times best-Selling author Seth Godin, with living examples of “Linchpins”

My parents will never buy into this…

We’re not saying the path is easy. Many of us took leaps that made us tremble, just to get where we are now. Fear of disappointing those you care about and who care deeply about you and your success is a very powerful fear. But the end of the day, your parents, colleagues and other advisers want what is best for you—even if you don’t see eye to eye. And when you find a way to build a life you love, you’ll have to have the courage to do what you think is right, the faith that eventually they will share your point of view and the courage to carry on even if they don’t. After all, it’s your life, not theirs. Only you can live it.

Please feel free to schedule a private tour of the campus and meet the faculty members. Your parents may have a different opinion after meeting the extraordinary people behind Geronimo Education.

How much will Geronimo cost me?

Attending Geronimo will cost you $1,167 per month (or $10,500 for the full 9 months). This fee covers your housing, utilities, high-speed internet, personal coaching, three meals a day at our on-campus restaurant, and necessary program expenses like our adventure weekend. We do not cover transport to or from your hometown.

Unlike traditional colleges, Geronimo takes personal ownership over the long term success of its graduates. If you are unemployed, underemployed, or unhappy with the value you received, your classes are FREE. You are not on the hook for course payments and no creditor will ever call you to collect student loans. That’s refreshing, isn’t it?

On the other hand, if you feel you have benefited from what you have learned at Geronimo, then consider that we are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity that thrives on the generosity of our graduates.

Why do we not just charge for classes? Because we want to make sure our priorities are identical to yours. After all, traditional colleges don’t have to worry if they actually improve your chances of succeeding, because you’ve already forked over the big bucks. We believe so strongly in you and this program that we’re willing to forgo our own paycheck to ensure your success.

If students do not rally behind Geronimo and its paradigm-smashing approach to financing higher education, the doors will eventually close. If students like it, it will flourish. You decide!

What does a typical day at Geronimo look like?

Honestly? It doesn’t look like anything in particular, because there isn’t a typical day. But one of our days might look something like this:

6am: Wake-up call for the group meditators, the P90X studs and the sunrise hikers.

7:30am: Breakfast at the Rustic Ranch Restaurant. Breakfast discussion tackles the questions left over from yesterday’s exercise on the impact of personal perception on how we process “facts.”

8:30am: Campus-wide seminar. One facilitator presents his favorite reading from “Education of Millionaires” by Michael Ellsberg. A student explains the creative process behind her winning blog entry from the week before. Another student presents his summary of Malcolm Gladwell’s book, “Outliers.”

9:30am: It’s a coaching day. Students either meet up with their coaches in person or via Skype in our video conferencing facilities. Today’s meetings are to finalize plans each student’s personalized curriculum. The coaches, who are all successful achievers in the student’s chosen field, are offering suggestions for what kind of knowledge and learning the student will need to tackle his or her keystone project.

What is the timeline for the Geronimo Gap Year Program?

Students arrive: September 7 and 8, 2013

Convocation and first day of classes: September 9

Fall Break: There are no scheduled activities the week of Thanksgiving (Nov 25 – Dec 1)

Winter Break: December 21 – January 5

Spring Break: April 19 – 27

Commencement: May 23

Why do people yell Geronimo when they jump from high places?

The short answer is that it’s more impressive than yelling “mommmmmy! I’m afraid!”

Geronimo! is a common exclamation for skydivers or any others jumping from great heights.

It originated in 1940 when a US Army Private was selected to test a new parachute design. To calm his nerves, the young Private and his platoon mates spent the day before the test jump watching a Western film featuring the Apache warrior, Geronimo. That night the Private was teased by his fellow paratroopers about being nervous.  He retorted, “All right, dammit! I tell you jokers what I’m gonna do! To prove to you that I’m not scared out of my wits when I jump, I’m gonna yell Geronimo loud as hell when I go out that door tomorrow!”

He kept his promise and the cry was gradually adopted by the US Army’s first parachute battalion. The 501st Parachute Infantry Battalion went as far as to incorporate the name “Geronimo” into its insignia, with the permission of Geronimo’s living descendants.

Why name this organization after Geronimo?

The great Apache warrior, the very last Native American to remain free, stood for change. He rejected the status quo. He would not give up.

Geronimo symbolizes the ability to lead, communicate, organize, and persuade others to follow a cause, despite the risks involved. He was persistently defiant in the face of authorities. He had overwhelming self-confidence in his mission. He personifies courage, freedom, clarity of purpose, willingness to risk failure, and persuasive communication.

Is Geronimo Education accredited?

Geronimo is not accredited nor will it ever seek accreditation in the future. Our students produce a personal portfolio that speaks to their resourcefulness and unique strengths rather than test-taking abilities or compliance with a standardized system. If students need to rely on accreditation, grades, or a diploma alone to prove their worth to society, they likely have not been to our school. The old way of finding opportunity was to send resumes and cover letters. The new way is to demonstrate who you are and what you can do by demonstrating it, and by telling compelling stories about what you’ve built. That is what our graduates do extremely well.

From our own experience and from our research working with leaders from a wide range of fields, we know which characteristics leading organizations seek. We deliberately designed our educational model to prepare students for the real world, the real organizations, the real opportunities, and the real challenges of our rapidly evolving future.

The experience and skills acquired in this program are used throughout our graduates’ lives, both professionally and personally. We do not offer college credit, degrees, or transfer credit.

What financial aid is available for students?

If you are accepted to our program and have circumstances that prohibit you from borrowing, raising, or earning enough to meet the required expenses, please contact us. Our faculty is committed to providing this opportunity to any capable individual that has made it through our application process.

Can I visit the campus?

Geronimo Education is located on a beautiful 1,200-acre campus known as the Blue Ridge Assembly which is open to the public. Organized campus tours are not currently being offered. However candidates that make it through the application process will be sent invitations for a private tour. Geronimo and Black Mountain SOLE host events that are open to the public, including seminars, workshops, and guest speakers.

This sounds too good to be true, is this real?

Start believing.