I read Ayn Rand’s lengthy novel The Fountain Head in only a few days. When I was finished I just sat there, staring into space. “What the…?” I thought. The book had some unusual ideas that I’d never considered before. I was confused and I really needed to talk about it with someone. Soon.
It’s true: […]

One of the most challenging and gratifying parts of learning alone is the opportunity to search for and select your own learning material. Students in traditional classrooms usually don’t get to decide how they are going to master course content. Instructors decide for them in the form of textbook selection, quizzes, tests, group projects, […]

The last post, How to Recover from Traditional Schooling, discussed some of the ways independent learners can rid themselves of the negative thought patterns picked up at traditional schools. I talked about some simple activities you can do to rekindle your love of learning. For many, this is all it takes.
Unfortunately, for some former […]

Shred your textbooks! Burn your report cards! Before you embark on an independent learning journey, you’re going to need to take some time to un-learn the negative lessons you picked up in traditional schools. Chances are you’ve spent a good thirteen years of your life sitting behind a desk. Maybe more if you attended college.
Perhaps […]

Over the coming months, this blog will give suggestions for how to become a “self-made scholar,” – a person who takes control of his or her own learning.
Schools can give you a lot of opportunities, but relying on schools to give you an education is ridiculous. I have a graduate degree, and I’ve learned […]

Welcome to SelfMadeScholar.com. This blog is going to be all about self-education - people learning what they want to know
without formal schools or classrooms. Let’s start with the basics:
What is self-education?
Self-education is learning in its purest form. You decide what you want to learn, when you’re going to learn it, and how you’re going to […]