A College Alternative for Homeschoolers: How Praxis Works
If your teen is a junior or senior, you’ve probably started the “what comes after high school” conversation. College is one option to consider, but for a student who learns best by doing, it may not be the best one.
Praxis is an option worth knowing about. It is an 8-month online program for young adults, most of them between 17-25, who want to start a career or a business of their own without spending four years earning a degree first.
Praxis at a glance
- 8 months long and fully online
- Two phases: Incubate (6 weeks) and Accelerate (6 months)
- $850 for Incubate and $6,650 for Accelerate, $7,500 in all
- Designed for ages 17-25
- Two tracks in Accelerate: a Career Launch Track and an Entrepreneur Track
- A job offer guarantee on the Career Launch Track
- Not a college, and not accredited
How the Praxis program works
Praxis runs in two phases:
Phase one: Incubate (6 weeks)
Incubate is the foundation. Each week has a focus: managing your time and energy, building a professional network, creating value for other people, practical AI tools and personal finance, pitching yourself, and putting together a plan for what comes next.
Students meet for one live workshop a week and do the rest on their own schedule, about 10 hours a week in all.
Phase two: Accelerate (6 months)
Students who complete Incubate can apply to Accelerate. During the first nine weeks in Accelerate, participants get hands-on training in marketing, sales, operations, and customer success. From there, students follow one of two tracks.
In the Career Launch Track, participants run a supported job search with a mentor. That includes resume and interview coaching, introductions to employers in the Praxis partner network, and support that continues through their first weeks in their new job.
In the Entrepreneur Track, students will build and launch a venture of their own. They can bring their own idea, or select one from the Praxis idea catalog.
Both tracks include one-on-one mentorship, weekly live workshops, and a cohort of peers doing the same work.
MacKenzie, who completed Accelerate, described it this way:
“The first half of Accelerate gave me proof of progress. … I’ve built skills that most people don’t develop until much later – communication, initiative, and the ability to create opportunities instead of waiting for them.”
What is the Praxis job offer guarantee?
The Career Launch Track comes with a job offer guarantee. Praxis guarantees one job offer within 12 months of starting Accelerate, with the potential to earn at least $45,000 in the first year, provided all participation, performance, and eligibility requirements are met.
How much does Praxis cost?
Praxis costs $7,500 for the full program: $850 for Incubate and $6,650 for Accelerate.
Because the phases are separate, a family can start with Incubate and decide about Accelerate later.
Is Praxis accredited?
No. Praxis is not a college. It is not accredited and it does not grant a degree, so federal financial aid does not apply. What a student leaves with is a portfolio of real-world projects and the skills they developed while creating them.
Is Praxis a fit for your homeschooled student?
Homeschooled students are often already used to managing their own time and learning by doing, and that is how Praxis works.
“To have someone leading me through the program, peers to look to for inspiration, and a great mentor; it creates an environment for growth. … With each challenge, I discovered that I already had it in me to succeed.” – Joelle, completed Praxis in 2026
New Incubate cohorts start several times a year. You can see the upcoming start dates and enroll here.
