Finalized Outreach Cards

Front 1

What does Minerva look for?

Back 1

Multi-stage admissions process screens for strong intellectual, personal potential, and fit.

Front 2

What's on the application?

Back 2

We evaluate potential, not opportunity using live evaluations whenever possible to get as accurate a representation of the applicant as possible

Front 3

Do I submit SAT/ACTs?

Back 3

No, we do not accept SAT/ACTs in our application proccess, but instead have students take an assessment we designed to guage critical and creative thinking, not just the ability to practice for a test. Current standardized test are unfair representations of students academic potential, and favor students that have the time and money for test prep.

Front 4

What it the profile of a successful applicant?

Back 4

While the application views students holistically and there is no one "perfect" fit for Minerva, successful applicants possess both strong intellectual, creative and leadership abilities as well as unique poise and maturity.

Front 5

What is the cost of Minerva?

Back 5

We aim to make Minerva accessible to all those who wish to attend. Tuition is only $10,000 / year, plus another ~$20,000 for room, board, books, technology, travel etc. We are need-blind and meet full need both for domestic and international students.

Front 6

How is it so cheap?

Back 6

Minerva spends money only on aspects of the experience that will directly aid in a student's academic and personal growth. By utilizing these exceptional cities as our campus, we cut down on the unnecessary real estate and administrative overhead of most universities.

Front 7

Does finanical aid include flights to each campus?

Back 7

As with other colleges, getting to campus is each student's own responsibility, but financial aid decisions will be made on an individual level incorporating the total cost of living.

Front 8

Are their loans in your financial aid packages?

Back 8

We aim to offer a Minerva education to all those qualified regardless of financial background so we've set up an extensive financial aid program consisting of loans, grants, and term-time internships. Student loans are capped at $3k/year, so the maximum amount of debt a students would graduate with it $12k

Front 9

Is Minerva accredited?

Back 9

Yes, Minerva is accredited through the Western Association of Colleges and Schools, which is the accrediting for all colleges on the west coast, including Stanford, Cal, etc.

Front 10

Can I major/minor in the arts?

Back 10

Minerva does not offer “minors” in any disciplines, though we have partnerships with local performing arts centers and student organized extracurriculars, so students can engage with and learn from community members in a variety of environments.

Front 11

What are classes like?

Back 11

Classes are all small, discussion based seminars that leverage decades of research on the science of learning. There are no lectures, no introductory classes, and no classes that simply disseminate content.

Front 12

How much work does each class take?

Back 12

We expect Minerva students to spend ~40hrs/week academically, including the ~12hrs/week they spend in class. Because classes are all discussion based, it's important that all students prepare appropriately for class by completing readings and assignments.

Front 13

Why do all students take the same four classes?

Back 13

Minerva students study a rigorous curriculum built to impart fundamental concepts and habits of mind, intellectual skills that provide the broad foundation you'll need to be successful in any academic discipline or professional field. While other schools hope you learn these fundamental skilsl by osmosis, at Minerva all Freshman are explicitly taught these skills. During the subsequent three years students have many opportunities to customize their academic experience through course selection, tutorials, and the capstone project.

Front 14

Where are the teachers if they do not have to be in a classroom?

Back 14

Our faculty are industry leading teachers, academics, and researchers that are the experts in their respective fields. Teachers are able to live anywhere in the world, allowing us to hire the absolute best faculty, regardless of location.

Front 15

Roommate Fact

Back 15

Every student is paired with a roommate that is not from their home country.

Front 16

What percent of American college students do a semester abroad?

Back 16

Less than 2%. Over 50% of those 1.8% of students study in Europe.

Front 17

How many countries are represented in Inaugural Class of 2019?

Back 17

Nearly 40 countries

Front 18

Why is critical thinking so important?

Back 18

93% of employers said a “demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly and solve complex problems is more important than a job candidate’s undergraduate degree.” (Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2013). Minerva's goal is not to prepare you for your first job, but to prepare you to thrive in jobs that haven't been invented yet, and that requires the ability to think critically and creatively and to communicate and interact with others effectively.

Front 19

What employers/grad schools have we spoken with?

Back 19

Ensuring that our students are prepared to excel post-graduation is our ultimate goal. It is far and away our most important measure of success. We have employer advsiory board with McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, Google and others helping us on this process, and we have also spoken with top graduate schools like KGI, UCSF and Harvard Medical School.

Front 20

What percent of today's grade-school children will end up in jobs that don't exist yet?

Back 20

65% (U.S. Department of Labor)

Front 21

How will employers/grad schools view Minerva?

Back 21

Minerva students will thrive in post graduation plans because they possess the ideal combination of analytical horsepower, real world understanding and interpersonal communication skills that employers and top graduate schools demand. 85% of our students landed summer internships this year, many at world-renowned companies like Amazon, Apple, Airbnb and more.

Front 22

Why is Minerva partnered with KGI?

Back 22

The partnership between Minerva and KGI is one of mutual benefit, strenghtening both institutions. We share a deep commitement to innovation in higher education and dedication to practical application of knowledge and thus are able to share new insights and existing resources to create an improved educational experience.

Front 23

Whose idea was Minerva?

Back 23

Minerva was founded by a successful entrepeneur from Silicon Valley. He was joined shortyl after founding Minerva by the former Dean of Social Science at Harvard, Stephen Kosslyn, and Bob Kerrey, a former Senator and Governor from Nebraska and president of the New School.

Front 24

What's the difference between Minerva and other study abroad programs?

Back 24

Most study abroad students have relatively superficial, short extended tourist experienecs. Minerva students live and learn in seven cities, not just one, utilizing the city as a campus throughout for a truly immersive global experience.

Front 25

Why is there no campus?

Back 25

To help students truly understand the world around them and develop their own skills, Minerva students live and learn in seven of the world’s greatest cities. By utilzing the city as a campus, students immerse themselves in that environment, understanding real-world problems at a depth impossible to match when studying at a campus insulated from society.

Front 26

Why do students live with only 150 students?

Back 26

Minerva's cohorts are organized as 150-student groups based on the sociological / psychological principle of Dunbar's number. Dunbar's number is the number of social relationships peopel are able to maintain - 150 - and is used as a regular principle for group creation. These cohorts ensure that students are connected with people from different background, cultures and countries, rather than splinter off into groups with people who are just like themselves.

Front 27

Who lives in the dorms with students?

Back 27

In each location, a staff member will live in the dorms with students, as well as a team of RAs and additional Minerva staff on call 24/7

Front 28

What are the dorms like?

Back 28

While dorms vary based on the city, they are all designed to allow students as much interaction with each other as possible while maintaining comfort and safety. They're located in city centers to ensure students are able to easily capitalize on all that each city has to offer.

Front 29

If everyone lives together, why teach classes online?

Back 29

By bringing the science of learning to the classroom, Minerva’s active learning forum allows students to learn in a manner that is not possible in traditional in-person seminars. Additionally, becauase Minerva's classes are online, they can be recorded and analyzed by faculty so students can deliberately practice between sessions and professsors can tie learning objectives and performance across classes and years.

Front 30

If classes are online, why does everyone live together?

Back 30

We believe that intellectual and emotional growth happens both in and outside the classroom. Living together in the world's great students provides a community that will challenge students to grow and learn about themselves and the world.

Front 31

Is Minerva here to stay?

Back 31

Minerva is an institution developed by industry leading academics, politicians and businesspeople designed to last for hundreds of years. There are three main reasons a university could fail: lack of financial backing, lack of student interest, lack of fauclty interest. Minerva has raised $75MM from top financial backers and is stable financially. Minerva received 16,000 student applications last year, more than any other liberal arts program in the country. Minerva received over 1,000 applications for 10 faculty spaces last year. Minerva is here to stay for years and years.

Front 32

Will there be an "ideal" class size?

Back 32

Minerva is hoping to grow over the next decade, but we are focused on admitting students that are the right fit for Minerva, not meeting a target number. We expect that ultimately Minerva will be the size of a standard Ivy league school, ~6,000 students, but are not wed to that number.

Front 33

Why is Minerva for profit?

Back 33

Minerva Schools is a non-for-profit, accredited university program. Minerva’s corporate structure was designed to align incentives with our students, creating a world-class experience built to last for centuries. The Minerva Project is a separate for-profit entity that owns much of the intellectual property and brand value generated in building a world-class school.