Published Works
College Without High School (New Society, 2009) - Read an excerpt here (and praise below).
Speaking
Blake speaks and leads workshops regularly at conferences, camps, and his own programs. He is available to speak or present for your conference, group, radio show, or other medium. To arrange a date, please get in touch!
Blake Boles came to our wide-ranging homeschool group and generated a record turnout! He was an excellent resource on a wide range of topics. Blake’s wisdom is beyond his years and it shows in the way he holds an audience’s attention and is quick to honestly answer all questions. Our organization completely endorses Blake for speaker engagements as well as his fantastic camps and adventures.
- Julie Valvano, President, Teaching Parents Association of Eastside Seattle
Upcoming Appearances
Ignite Asheville (February 21, 2012)
InHome Conference (March 15-17, 2012 in St. Charles, IL)
Not Back to School Camp (August-September, every year)
Wide Sky Days Conference (Sept 5-9, 2012 in San Diego, CA)
Past Appearances
CWHS Book Review: No Beaten Path blog (Feb 9, 2012)
Good Vibrations Conference Young Adult Program Leader (Sept 8-12, 2011 in San Diego, CA)
HSC Conference (August 6, 2011 in Sacramento, CA)
Homefires Teleconference Interview (June 23, 2011)
Podcast interview with Unschooler.com (and follow-up) (April 18, 2011)
InHome Conference Keynote (March 24-26, 2011 in St. Charles, IL)
Firestorm Cafe & Books (Dec 14, 2010 in Asheville, NC)
TEDxYouthDay (Nov 20, 2010 in Palo Alto, CA)
Unschool Your Teen Seminar (Oct 2, 2010 in Palo Alto, CA)
Teaching Parents Association (Sep 9, 2010 in Woodinville, WA)
HSC Conference (Aug 19-22, 2010 in Sacramento, CA)
UHEA Convention Teen Keynote (June 12, 2010 in Salt Lake City, UT)
Radio Free School (June 5, 2010)
Life is Good Conference (May 27-30, 2010 in Vancouver, WA)
Unschool Examiner (April 7, 2010)
InHome Conference (March 18-20, 2010 in Chicago, IL)
Jordan Lake Sudbury School (March 16, 2010 in Raleigh, NC)
The Autodidact Symposium (March 12-14, 2010 in Columbia, SC)
Trestle Homeschool Group (Oct 27, 2009 in Everett, WA)
Nanaimo Public Library (Oct 26, 2009 in Nanaimo, BC, Canada)
Pacific Northwest Homeschool College Fair (Oct 25, 2009 in Bothell, WA)
Roy Green Show radio interview (October 25, 2009)
Dave Rutherford Show radio interview — 750,000 listeners in Canada (October 22, 2009)
MacLean’s (October 15, 2009)
North Star: Self-Directed Learning for Teens (Oct 8, 2009 in Hadley, MA)
Converge Magazine (Sep 21, 2009)
SHEA Conference (Sep 14-16, 2009 in Anaheim, CA)
Everyday Learning Magazine (Sep 3, 2009)
HSC Conference (Aug 6-9, 2009 in Sacramento, CA)
Self Made Scholar (Jul 20, 2009)
Relaxed Homeskool Talk Radio show #14 (Jun 29, 2009)
Relaxed Homeskool Talk Radio show #13 (Apr 6, 2009)
Village Home Education Resource Center. (Feb 25, 2009 in Beaverton, OR)
Praise for College Without High School
“Words fail me. This is the most inspiring, convincing, and practical case for self-directed learning that I’ve seen in many years. Mr. Boles draws on time management principles from the business world and on his own adventure-packed youth to map out a brilliantly simple way that people can live life to the fullest while also preparing masterfully for admission to college. If you believe, as I do, that our time on earth is a grand gift not to be squandered, then buy this book for all the teenagers you love, and watch as all manner of quests, discoveries, inventions, and miracles emerge.”
-Grace Llewellyn, author of The Teenage Liberation Handbook: how to quit school and get a real life and education and Real Lives: Eleven Teenagers Who Don’t Go to School Tell Their Own Stories
“This splendid book is intended as a step-by-step guide, but can be read with profit by anyone interested in moral philosophy. Exceptionally clear, insightful, and lively, it will take its place as the definitive work on the subject.”
-John Taylor Gatto, author of Dumbing Us Down, The Underground History of American Education, andWeapons of Mass Instruction
“Boles offers an antidote to the over-scheduled, grade-driven, and sadly uncreative existence of most high-schoolers today. It’s time for teens to take control of their own education. Yes, they must learn the basics. Absolutely. But as Boles explains, self-motivated teens can cover those topics efficiently and free up more of their time for further learning. This book is a crucial guide for students and parents interested in replacing the old carrot and stick that’s at the heart of today’s education system with intrinsic motivation–self-directedness and autonomy that leads to real learning and growth.”
-Daniel H. Pink, author of A Whole New Mind and The Adventures Of Johnny Bunko
“Blake Boles has found the solution for those students who find regular high school oppressive. Outstanding advice! His book is absolutely right on about the many options for success for students who have a little different approach to life and study.”
-Donald Asher, author of Cool Colleges For the Hyper-Intelligent, Self-Directed, Late Blooming, and Just Plain Different
“College Without High School is an excellent update to the groundwork provided by John Holt, the Colfaxes, Grace Llewellyn, and other unschoolers. I found it engaging and filled with concrete understanding and useful suggestions for Self Directed Learners of all ages, in or out of school.”
-Cafi Cohen, author of And What About College?: How homeschooling leads to admissions to the best colleges and universities
“Blake Boles shares what homeschoolers have known for decades: teens are thriving everywhere without attending school! Blake will inspire you to seize the day and live well now, with every bit of confidence that the doors to college will be wide open to you. I am thrilled to have another messenger trumpet the truth that school is optional. I recommend all parents and educators to acquaint themselves with this information.”
-Kenneth Danford, co-founder and executive director of North Star: Self-Directed Learning for Teens
“College Without High School is a fantastic resource for homeschoolers who want to stand out from the rest of the college admissions pack. However, especially for unschoolers and other eclectic learners, it is also an inspirational description for how adventurous self-directed learning can lead to college admission. This is an entertaining workbook, how-to manual, and educational philosophy text that will help teenagers and their families figure out how to get into college without a conventional high school degree.”
-Patrick Farenga, co-author of Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book of Homeschooling
Photo: Signe Constable
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