Bio

Blake Boles is the author of College Without High School, the director of Unschool Adventures, and the founder of Zero Tuition College. His primary occupation is thinking, writing, and offering programs for self-directed young people.

In 2003, Blake was studying astrophysics at UC Berkeley (after a very normal California public school upbringing) when a friend handed him a fascinating book by former schoolteacher John Taylor Gatto. Inspired by Gatto’s outside-the-box approach to education, Blake designed his own major to study the ideas behind self-directed learning full-time. After graduating he worked at outdoor and alternative education centers, joined the Not Back to School Camp community, started the travel company Unschool Adventures, and met hundreds of young people who have benefited from alternative education.

Blake delivers presentations and workshops on unschooling, self-directed learning, international travel, and more. He has presented for homeschooling and unschooling conferences, TEDx, radio shows, parent groups, and bookstore audiences. Blake is an advisor to unschooling teens at Not Back to School Camp and the former director of a wilderness summer camp.

When working with young people, Blake emphasizes that the point of life is not school—it is adventure. Blake’s own adventures include travels in 20 different countries, starting multiple businesses, training as a wilderness emergency medical technician, and publishing a book at age 26. Blake’s biggest passion is sharing his enthusiasm and experience with young adults who are blazing their own trails through life. He is 29 years old.

Photo: Nicholas Walker