We acknowledge that many students have already started down a path of self-directed education long before deciding to seek a formal degree. Perhaps they have taken courses at a variety of institutions, or have found alternate means of educating themselves on various topics related to their field of interest. Perhaps they have run their own successful businesses or have been employed in their field, but don’t have a degree to support their level of knowledge or skill. We have created a college that assesses existing knowledge and experience, rather than assessing transcripts. Our highly qualified academic mentors assess each student, seeking to both understand their prior knowledge, skills, and experience and to determine gaps (if any) through a variety of assessment tools including practical and oral. Once this assessment is completed, students continue to be valued as the self-directed learners that they are. Learners collaborate with their mentors to create a customized curriculum, supplementing their education to date with a specific course, a practical project or internship, or both. Degrees are mastery-based and include both mastery of the field for which students receive a degree and a working knowledge of relevant liberal arts topics that justify a higher degree status. Certificates are issued that can be limited to mastery of field of interest only.