Four year universities are the starting point for millions of students in the US, but there are numerous other options available that go unnoticed. Special schools with specific courses of study offer rigorous educational programs. For example, colleges such as Thomas Aquinas College and St. John’s College are Great Books institutions, in which students study only foundational literature for a more classical education. Other universities, like University of Chicago’s Graham School or Biola University’s Torrey Honors Institute, may have departments that offer similar programs. For a more comprehensive list of schools, check this list of Great Books Institutions on Wikipedia.
Other schools, such as Naropa University, Sarasota University, Shimer College, or Maharishi International University, are built on focused philosophies or principles, such as academic rigor, eastern philosophy, or strengths-based learning.
Some university programs take place outside the classroom. Programs like Semester at Sea will take students on an international learning experience. Other schools, like Evergreen State College and Lesley University, allow students to design their own major.
Finally, Colorado College and Spalding University are two examples of schools that use block scheduling, in which students take one class at a time for 3-5 weeks to allow more exploration and focus on a single subject.