Austen Allred (Co-Founder of Lambda School) & James Currier (NFX) on The New American Dream
In this episode, James Currier, Austen Allred, and Kristen O'Brien discuss the societal pressures of higher education and the American Dream. They explore Lambda School's role in reshaping education, and the importance of aligning school incentives with student success. The trio compares international education systems, particularly Germany's, and the history and future of online education. They delve into the role of community in education, misunderstood aspects of startup success, and future educational decisions for today's five-year-olds. They wrap up by predicting future job markets.
Key Points
- Austin Allred, the co-founder and CEO of Lambda School, challenges the traditional American higher education system by emphasizing the high cost and opportunity cost of college, advocating for permissionless learning, and providing an alternative through his company that aligns the incentives of the institution with the success of its students.
- Lambda School's model offers a network effect by creating a community and providing students with a sense of belonging, which is crucial for motivation and retention, while equipping them with relevant skills and job placement support, ultimately aiming to provide the American dream as a service.
- Allred suggests that the future of education will be shaped by internet-native models that offer both personalized AI-based tutoring and cohort-based courses, enabling more efficient and effective learning experiences that move beyond the traditional classroom setting.
The new American dream is underway. The current US educational industrial complex is not serving young people anymore, and entrepreneurs outside the system are creating new alternatives.
Austen Allred, Co-Founder/CEO of Lambda School earned this perspective by dropping out of college, setting his own path, and now building a successful company and movement to change education in our country. Austen sees our educational past, present, and future in ways few others do.
In this conversation, James Currier (NFX) and Austen break down traditional and contrarian thinking on how we are educated, challenging what has gone unquestioned for decades:
- The Psychology of Traditional College: Why “Normal is a hell of a drug”
- Faulty Mechanics: The problem with America’s “Single Model” education system
- The New American Dream: How “permissionless learning” unlocks opportunity
- & 2 Trends to Watch
Read the NFX Essay here - https://www.nfx.com/post/the-new-american-dream/
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Transcript
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