Turning Point USA (TPUSA) has launched a "prep year" program designed to offer young adults a nine-month alternative to the traditional college path, focusing on classical liberal arts education and cultivating conservative leadership. The program, housed in Fort Worth, Texas, and expanding to Elgin, Illinois, aims to equip 18-year-olds with wisdom and character, according to Dr. David Arnott, dean of the program.
"We are trying to implement what Charlie Kirk wanted. Which is the economic freedom to do with your life as you wish," Arnott stated. The program's mission is to "make more Charlie Kirks," he added, emphasizing a focus on classical, Christian, and liberal arts education through a Socratic teaching method.
The curriculum delves into the "Great Books," including texts by Dante and Virgil, alongside foundational texts like the Bible. The program also teaches students "how to get along in life," preparing them for practical challenges beyond academics. This approach is intended to instill wisdom, which Arnott contrasts with the factual knowledge that traditional universities may impart.
"AI can't teach character, and that's what we teach at prep year and that is what Charlie Kirk wanted us to teach," Arnott said. "He realized that there would be something coming along like AI that would answer all the technical questions of life, but it won't answer the important questions of life."
The inaugural class of 34 students concluded their program in May 2026. Approximately one-third are transitioning to college, another third are entering skilled trades, and the remaining third are pursuing other paths. TPUSA plans to accommodate between 35 and 80 students in its upcoming sessions in Elgin and Fort Worth.
The prep year initiative aligns with Charlie Kirk's critique of higher education, articulated in his 2022 book "The College Scam." The program's launch on September 2, 2025, preceded Kirk's assassination eight days later on September 10, 2025, on the campus of Utah State University.
Arnott clarified that the program is not intended to discourage students from attending college but rather to ensure they are well-prepared if they choose to do so. He also expressed a desire for government to refrain from intervening in the higher education market, suggesting that government support and debt forgiveness artificially inflate college prices. "If the government would just leave it alone, we'd be happy," he commented.
The program emphasizes the value of students learning from one another in a community of like-minded peers. "The effect of being with 35 to 50 other committed Christian conservative 18-year-olds who are highly intelligent. The way in which they learn from each other and gain from each other is just spectacular," Arnott said.