About Minimus
About Our Purpose
The purpose of Minimus is to graduate students from college in four years or less with little or no debt.
Little debt means less than $10,000 at graduation for many students, and no more than $20,000 depending on major and other factors.
Our program helps students and their parents assess their college financial situation and how to raise the funds they need for college.
About Our Philosophy & Ethics
Philosophically, we believe in teaching students:
• How to fish,” versus handing out fish (i.e. dollar grants).
• How to own or take control of their academic and financial future in a TNT (Today, Not Tomorrow) way.
Ethically, we believe in a coaching and mentoring approach:
• That produces positive ethical outcomes.
• Where students are the "players," not the coaches.
• Where we do not write their essays,
• Where we do not take their SATs,
• Where we do NOT tell participants where they must go to college.
• Where we ask students (and their parents) to give their best efforts to honestly, objectively, and systematically assess their educational situation and share it with us so we can give them our best advice.
Minimus does not write checks to cover college costs. However, when possible, it makes recommendations to potential donors.
When all is said and done, Minimus helps those who have a propensity to help themselves and others, once those we help become alumni of our program.
About What We Expect from you
For those who enroll in our other programs, we expect you to:
1. Actively work with us to achieve college success.
2.Take responsibility for your education.
3. Respond to our requests in a timely manner.
4. Produce a great application.
5. Write a great essay.
6. Make an honest effort to find financial support.
After graduating college, we hope you will:
1. Begin to "pay it forward" by helping us with new students.
2. Stay in touch with us and your donors. Keeping us informed of your progress is our psychic income!
About Our Strategy
Our strategy is to help students make intelligent college choices that maximize the effectiveness of donor grants.
Our strategy assumes that donor funds are misallocated when students incur high levels of debt.
Our strategy assumes the efficacy of donor funds is reduced when students realize massive debt which prevents or postpones their pursuit of careers that allow them to compete in today's competitive world.
Testimonial: How we are doing
"I couldn't have asked for a more helpful guide through my journey in higher education."
Isabella Lovering, senior, University of New Hampshire.
Our Leadership
Dr. Robert Ronstadt, Founder and Head Coach of Minimus,
• has helped students and parents make good college choices for over 15 years.
• has pursued a 30-year academic career at several universities.
• is a Former Vice President of Boston University.
• is a Former Chaired Professor, University of Texas at Austin.
• was the Third Director of IC2 Institute, an "action think and do tank" at the University of Texas at Austin.
• is a Fellow of TANDO, a "Think And Do" tank solving "unstructured problems" that impact our world.
• is the author of Surviving the Tuition Travesty.
• is the author of Ronstadt’s Paying for College: books, software, & articles.
• has lectured at many colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad.
• has served on admissions and financial aid committees.
• has degrees from Harvard University, University of Oregon, and University of California at Berkeley.