Reimagining Higher Education Selection for a Free Society
The New Hampshire Institute of Libertarian Sciences operates on a fundamentally different paradigm than traditional academia, and this begins with our admissions process. We view the conventional reliance on standardized test scores, GPAs, and formatted resumes as not only poor predictors of success in our program but also as antithetical to our values. These metrics reward conformity, grade-grubbing, and the ability to succeed within a system we largely critique. Instead, we seek autodidacts, builders, debaters, and philosophical explorers—individuals whose minds cannot be easily quantified by a Scantron sheet. Our process is designed to find those who think from first principles and possess the drive to apply those principles to the real world.
The Components of a NHILS Application
An application to NHILS consists of several unconventional elements, each intended to reveal a different facet of the candidate's character and intellect.
1. The Philosophical Statement: This is the cornerstone. Candidates are given a choice of provocative prompts rooted in libertarian theory (e.g., "Defend or critique the concept of intellectual property from a propertarian perspective," or "How would a stateless society handle persistent polluters?"). We look not for a "correct" answer that parrots our faculty, but for logical consistency, clarity of thought, depth of research, and the ability to engage with opposing viewpoints charitably yet critically. A well-reasoned critique of the non-aggression principle can be more impressive than a slavish endorsement.
2. The Project Portfolio: We ask candidates to submit evidence of something they have built, created, or organized. This could be a software repository, a business plan, a series of published articles or videos, a community event they spearheaded, or a detailed analysis of a local policy issue. The goal is to see initiative, practical skill, and the ability to complete complex tasks independently. A candidate who has launched a small agorist venture or contributed meaningfully to an open-source project immediately stands out.
3. The Dialogue Simulation: In a written exercise, candidates are presented with a common statist objection to libertarianism (e.g., "But who will build the roads?") and must craft a response that is both principled and persuasive to a skeptical but open-minded interlocutor. This tests rhetorical skill, empathy, and the ability to translate theory into accessible language.
4. The Interview: Finalist candidates are invited for an in-person or virtual interview, which is less an interrogation and more a challenging conversation. Faculty and current students will probe the candidate's beliefs, ask them to defend points from their philosophical statement, and discuss their long-term goals. We assess intellectual humility, curiosity, and how they handle being proven wrong in real-time.
- No SAT/GRE Required: We explicitly do not ask for these scores.
- Transcripts as Context, Not Decider: We review transcripts to understand a candidate's journey, but a non-traditional academic path is not a barrier.
- Letters of Recommendation: We prefer letters from those who can speak to the candidate's intellectual independence and character, not just academic performance.
- Diversity of Background: We actively seek students from non-academic backgrounds: entrepreneurs, veterans, activists, and self-taught programmers.
Selecting the Builders of Tomorrow
This intensive process ensures that our student body is composed of truly exceptional individuals bound not by a common test score, but by a shared commitment to rigorous thought and a passion for liberty. The result is a classroom dynamic unlike any other—a gathering of peers who constantly challenge and elevate each other. Our admissions philosophy is a direct application of our belief in judging individuals on their demonstrated merits and actions, not on credentials granted by institutions of questionable legitimacy. We are building a community of sovereign minds, and the gateway to that community must be worthy of them.