
Apply HN: InventEd - dpoisson123
Problem: Today&#x27;s higher education system has become both costly and inefficient. In addition, students are forced to go through a system that restricts their learning to textbooks and lectures from professors that primarily do research and have no teaching experience or desire. This creates a terrible transition from higher education into the industry and life as an adult.<p>InventEd: Our organization is a personalized higher education alternative that allows our students to develop their own personal and professional goals that drive their curriculum. Our flexible environment will allow students to acquire an education utilizing their preferred learning style, whether its visual, audio, hands-on, etc. As a non-profit organization, we will utilize a volunteer base of retired engineers, current engineers, and anyone with the right amount of expertise to help mentor these students during their self-driven education. We will provide a direct line between the students acquiring an education and the companies that are interested in hiring students that are self-motivated with valuable real-world experience.<p>About Us: Founder (Dustin Poisson) is a graduate from the University of Michigan with a Aerospace background. He has gotten extensively involved with STEM education since moving down to Huntsville, AL. He has spoke to countless engineers, professors, and other STEM-focused individuals who back this concept. Co-Founder (Cody Stepko) is an Auburn University graduate with an Industrial engineering background who has an interest in an alternative higher education concept because he struggled in the current system as well. Both his parents are teachers and he has always had the passion to become a teacher as well.<p>If you have any further questions on our progress or our organization in general, feel free to comment!<p>Thank you and look forward to hearing from the HackerNews community.
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avs733
I would ask if either of you are aware of the active STEM (specifically
engineering education) research movements at your respective Alma Maters...I
would challenge a lot of the assumptions and generalizations made in your
problem statement.

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vit05
I think you can´t apply for Fellowship with a non-profit organization, but I
am not sure about. Do you have a website or a demo ?

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dpoisson123
They have a separate application for non-profits. Very few get selected (I
think there were 3 or 4 this cycle), but essentially they give money as a
donation. We are currently working on laying out our website, but we have put
together content once it is set up.

Our next step is to break up our educational model into small workshops in
order to test and gather data for its effectiveness. We plan to have our first
workshop this summer.

If you have any specific questions feel free to let me know!

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vit05
That is fo YC, not for the YCFellowship. :/

[https://fellowship.ycombinator.com/faq/#nonprofits](https://fellowship.ycombinator.com/faq/#nonprofits)

But I think they are still accepting aplications for YC.

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dpoisson123
Ahhhh, thank you for that clarification. Still would appreciate any input
though :)

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BoysenberryPi
Pretty sure YCF specifically forbids non-profits.

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dpoisson123
You are allowed to apply as a non-profit; however, very few get selected (I
think 3 to 4 last cycle). The money is received as a donation since 501(c)3
organizations allow a tax write-off.

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bestattack
I don't understand what you are going to make.

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seeing
Hey, are you friends with bickn? I'm a big fan of his speaking in education.

(No response means yes.)

