Minerva la prxima universidad de lite a mitad de precio?

De Jaime Meja

Los estudiantes de la primera clase de Minerva en su tiempo libre (Foto de

Minerva)Cuando las universidades ms prestigiosas de Estados Unidos como Stanford,
Harvard o Princeton enviaron sus cartas de admisin hace unos das para la clase de los que
se graduarn en 2019, qued claro los pocos que tuvieron la suerte de ser admitidos. En
muchos casos menos de uno de cada 10 estudiantes que present la solicitud.

El costo y la dificultad para ser admitidos es una gran fuente de frustracin para padres y
muchachos recin salidos de secundaria en todo el mundo. Adems, quienes lo logran
tendrn que pagar una verdadera fortuna para lograr una carrera profesional en los
prximos cuatro aos.

Pero existe el proyecto Minerva, un nuevo modelo de universidad que aspira a ofrecer
educacin de lite para los mejores estudiantes y a mitad de precio. Adems, esta nueva
universidad cuya primera promocin apenas inici clases en 2014, tambin tiene la
ambicin de admitir a muchos ms alumnos. Pero no ser una escuela comn y corriente.
Lasa clases son en lneas pero todos la toman al mismo tiempo (Foto de Minerva)

En lnea pero con un componente residencial

Las clases de Minerva son a travs de Internet, pero los estudiantes viven juntos en la
misma ciudad (este ao en San Francisco). Se conectan a la misma hora para clases y cada
una est limitada a 19 personas. No hay tiempo para navegar en Facebook mientras se
escucha. Se espera que los alumnos se involucren mucho en las discusiones con la ayuda de
los profesores.

La ciudad como un campus

Los estudiantes toman sus clases en la maana y en la tarde exploran la ciudad, toman
prcticas laborales u otras oportunidades de aprendizaje. Cada ao los elegidos se mudarn
a otros lugares del mundo como Buenos Aires, Berln o Estambul. De esta manera las
ciudades se convierten en los campus y as Minerva no invierte cientos de millones en
construir y mantener una sede.

Enfoque en el primer ao

Segn Ben Nelson, el fundador de Minerva, lo que realmente diferencia a Minerva de las
universidades tradicionales es el primer ao. Es ms riguroso y todos los estudiantes toman
las mismas clases que incluyen matemticas, ciencias, ciencias sociales y escritura y hablar
en pblico.

Carrera y ubicacin laboral

Otro nfasis de Minerva es que tratar a los estudiantes como talentos de Hollywood. A
diferencia de las escuelas tradicionales que tienen unos cuantos consejeros de carrera para
miles de estudiantes, Minerva planea tener una estructura de consejeros que ayudar a los
estudiantes a determinar lo que quieren hacer en sus vidas y a darles gua sobre eso desde el
primer ao.

Residencia de estudiantes en San Francisco (Foto de Minerva)

El precio

Lo ms interesante es que los estudiantes pagarn 10.000 dlares al ao en matrcula, ms

alrededor de 18.000 dlares al ao en costos de alimentacin, vivienda y otros, lo que es
menos de la mitad del costo en la mayora de las escuelas de lite en Estados Unidos.

El fundador

Ben Nelson es un egresado de la Universidad de Pennsylvania que estuvo al frente de

Snapfish, el sitio para compartir fotos que fue adquirido por Hewlett-Packard. El proyecto
Minerva cuenta con una alianza con Keck Graduate Institute (KGI), del Claremon
University Consortium y las 4 carreras que ofrece estn acreditadas ante la Western
Association of School and Colleges (Asociacin Occidental de Escuelas y universidades,
WASC).

Minerva Schools at KGI

A Unique Undergraduate Education

The Minerva Schools at KGI were established in 2012 to provide an extraordinary liberal
arts and sciences education to the brightest, most motivated students in the world. We
believe that preparing such students to become the next generation of global leaders and
innovators will positively impact our collective future.

We are dedicated to ensuring our students are equipped to fulfill their enormous potential. By combining a
rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum, advanced learning technology, and immersive cultural experiences, we
train our students to solve the most complex global challenges. Our expert instruction, based on the science of
learning, instills the fundamental cognitive skills and critical knowledge needed for success in any field.

All our courses are taught as intimate seminars, with direct professor engagement. Because rigorous, active
learning is central to our pedagogy, there are no large introductory classes, nor lectures of any kind. Every
class is an opportunity to interact with your professor and a small group of your peers.

A Minerva education is highly selective and uniquely accessible. Our demanding admissions process,
including a series of assessments and interviews, ensures all admitted students meet the highest levels of
individual drive, commitment and academic achievement. This entirely merit-based admissions policy and
our distinctly scalable approach, allows us to accept all applicants who qualify.

This unparalleled education, together with our active, ongoing career support services, positions graduates to
thrive in an increasingly interconnected global context.

The Alliance
In an alliance with the Keck Graduate Institute (KGI), a member of the Claremont University Consortium, the
Minerva Schools began offering a four-year undergraduate degree program to a Founding Class of students,
matriculating in fall of 2014. The four core majorsArts and Humanities, Computational Sciences, Social
Sciences, and Natural Sciencesare fully accredited by the Western Association of School and Colleges
(WASC), with accreditation for the Business major pending.
A proven innovator in higher education, KGI created the first-of-its-kind professional science masters degree
in 1997, which has been replicated nearly 300 times by more than 130 institutions. This focus on the practical
application of knowledge is common to all of the programs at KGI, including the Minerva Schools.

Minerva

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Feature
Documentary Short

Experience the city as your campus

This film, shot over the course of a day, exhibits the depth and breadth of the student
experience at Minerva. Throughout the day, students attend class, and engage in variety of
co-curricular and extracurricular programs in San Francisco communities.

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Student Life
Global Cultural Immersion
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A Minerva education challenges you beyond your coursework. Each residential location is
an opportunity to learn new customs and explore new areas of knowledge. By engaging
directly with multiple cities and diverse cultures, you expand your understanding and
broaden your worldview.

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Faculty
Accomplished Educators

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Our Founding Deans are among the most expert in their fields. They have been selected for
their outstanding academic achievements, their worldly perspectives and, above all, their
dedication to teaching students the critical skills necessary for success in a rapidly evolving
world.

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Academics
Interactive Seminar Experience

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All classes are taught via live interactive seminars, with fewer than 20 students.
Deliberately designed to improve your educational experience, the advanced video platform
facilitates personal engagement and modes of instruction not possible in a traditional
classroom setting.

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Admissions
Pivotal Moments

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Many in our Founding Class made the decision to leave traditional undergraduate programs
to attend Minerva. In the Pivotal Moments series, our students share why they chose to
change their educational paths.

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Interview
Reinventing the University Experience

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Founder Ben Nelson and Founding Dean Stephen Kosslyn, Ph.D., describe what makes
Minerva unique among other highly selective universities. From the founding principles to
the structured curriculum, the learning experience is designed to enhance your intellectual
growth and accelerate your career trajectory.

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Admissions
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Information Sessions
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out more?

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well as college counselors interested in learning more about Minerva

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 Overview

o Year 1 Foundation

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o Year 3 Focus

o Year 4 Synthesis

o Year 5+ Impact

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Student Life

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