It isn't just the structure of social interactions that is missing, but also the structure of educational options. Someone who is already intelligent and motiva

It isn't just the structure of social interactions that is missing, but also the structure of educational options. Someone who is already intelligent and motivated can pick the right courses and do well, but if you're trying to reach people currently underserved, they come from under-educated families, don't have a sense of what is out there to learn, and can't really evaluate their options. If you've ever worked with parents in this position, you realize the potential danger of DIY education. These parents are embarrassed because they know their kids need education to get ahead, but because they aren't educated, they don't know how to do it. They develop bizarre ideas about what is and is not important. My wife tutored for a poor family that was working double duty to send their son to an awful private school. The school was worse than the public schools in the area, but because it was "private" they felt their son must be learning more. Many online academies are like this: they make you feel narrowly knowledgeable and valuable, rather than introducing you to painful humility the way a top-notch research program tries to.