Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.
A simple model: stand-alone courses designed to invite engaged students into profound Scholar Phase experiences with exceptional mentors.
Sign-up for Courses
Inkwood offers small, rigorous courses for students ages 13–17 who want to deepen their understanding of classic texts, critical thinking, and leadership principles. Our courses combine discussion, mentorship, and real-world application in a flexible, family-friendly format.
Are you ready for a Scholar Phase challenge? Find out here!
There's not much more to it than signing up for a course, but if you want to know more about who we are and how our simple program works - click here!
Sign-up for Inkwood Courses with an elite mentor. All courses meet twice a week and include a 4+ hour weekly study commitment.
Take the Readiness Assessment
Inkwood courses are designed for students ready for true scholarly work. This means taking ownership of their education, building on time spent in the classics, and engaging deeply with big ideas through discussion and sustained study. This self-assessment offers a chance to assess readiness and whether now is the right time for this level of learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Inkwood?
Inkwood is simple: we offer small, rigorous live Zoom courses for students ages ~13–17 who want to strengthen their critical thinking and leadership within a moral learning environment. Our live, online courses blend discussion, mentorship, and real-world application in a flexible, family-friendly format.
What makes the mentors special?
Our mentors have a combination of years of deep experience, extensive study, real-world resumes, excellent teaching skills and strong moral character. They guide students in both scholarship and personal growth, offering mentorship that goes beyond typical classroom instruction. Our goal is for every mentor to profoundly enrich each student’s learning and personal growth.
How many students are in each course?
We use an Oxford-style approach with courses intentionally small, 1–10 students, to maximize discussion, mentorship, and engagement.
How long are the courses?
- Fall: September – December
- Winter: January – May
- Spring Mini-Course: May – June
What is the cost?
Many of the most talented mentors eventually have to leave teaching because their expertise cannot be fairly compensated. At Inkwood, we honor that expertise with compensation that reflects their experience, while still offering families elite-quality instruction at a fraction of private or prep school tuition.
See the Courses link at the top of this page for course prices.
We work with families to accept ESA and other education funding. We also offer discounts for families enrolling multiple students and for groups taking the same course, as well as a limited number of need-based scholarships. For information, email us at help@InkwoodScholars.com.
How often do students meet?
Group Courses Meet Twice Weekly (M/W or T/Th):
- Prep Session (30–60 min): Scheduling, inspiration, and weekly prep
- Scholar Session (60–90 min): In-depth mentorship, discussion, and debate
Individual mentorship courses likewise meet twice a week, but sessions are not as long.
How many courses should a student take?
Taking just one course with Inkwood can profoundly strengthen a student’s critical thinking, discussion, oratory, and/or writing skills.
Inkwood is designed to complement a student’s broader education, not replace it. Each course requires about 5-7 hours per week of work. Some writing, project, and presentation weeks may require additional time.
A typical schedule: Inkwood is not a full school replacement program. Most students flourish with one Inkwood course paired with 1-2 additional classes, leaving space for physical activity, meaningful friendships, and significant personal projects. We’re not trying to keep students busy; we’re helping them go deep and experience real rigor in their Scholar Phase studies.
What is the Scholar Phase?
Scholar Phase is a focused period of a young person’s life when the prefrontal cortex is rapidly developing. High-quality mentorship is essential, providing guidance, accountability, and intellectual modeling that help students maximize this window of cognitive growth and step into true scholarship.
The transition typically begins around ages 10–12, with the main window of Scholar Phase unfolding from 13–17. It is a time for strengthening executive function, planning, focus, and reasoning, while developing the desire and ability to study deeply, think critically, and take ownership of learning.
For education to be effective during this phase, it should emphasize rigorous reading, lab work, first principles, writing, discussion, and mentorship, nurture a strong moral compass, and equip students for advanced academic and personal leadership.