<p>Deep Springs College is a tiny, elite, and very successful college out West that has its students' academic pursuits (book learnin') augmented by practical hard ranch work.</p>
<p>The start-up costs would seem to be pretty minimal...a few disgruntled professors who are tired of the typical academic atmosphere on regular college campuses, a bunch of books, and a business to run.</p>
<p>I was wondering why others haven't tried the same approach, maybe with a different type of business (ie, not ranching). Like a college associated with a fishing boat in Alaska, or a college associated with a carwash in Milwaukee, or a college associated with a beach resort in Florida.</p>
<p>Some schools do it with social work and do it through either campus ministry or internships. Warren Wilson College in North Carolina also has a unique Curriculum. Berea College in Kentucky. College of the Ozarks. Some examples where tuition is free or heavily subsidized by student work experiences.</p>
<p>I have to say that I definitely respect people that go to Deep Springs and could understand why they would want to - I'm sure you come out a much fuller person. That being said, it's sort of like the military academies: I respect them a lot, but I wouldn't necessarily want to go there.</p>