The Value Criterion Academy

The Value Criterion Academy exists to innovate debate – because our training is all online.
Consistent with our mission, VC Academy guarantees the best instruction at the best price.
To be a champion, learn from champions.
 

 
What's wrong with traditional debate camps?
We believe it’s simple – Cost, Convenience, and Quality. Foremost, you're asked to pay too much for what you're getting. That's because you'll have lots of expenses not directly related to your debate education, like housing, meals, and airfare, some of which aren't even included in your tuition.
In terms of learning, you may want to be taught by the very best instructors at the camp but can’t be guaranteed you’ll be assigned them. For the topics you are most interested in learning about, say philosophy debate, you'll likely only get piecemeal answers over the course of camp, rather than a distilled and efficient course of study. And finally, you'll likely find that your instructors haven't prepared any actual learning materials, resorting to telling you to just to go write cases that you'll never get any feedback on.
As former debaters and coaches, we've designed this Academy to address these problems and provide nothing less than a high-quality, fast-paced learning experience. If what you care most about is getting better at debate, that is what we care most about too. We think we've figured out how to spread our premier instructors' debate knowledge to the most people. Check out our programs now!
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Why join our Academy?
  1. Premier Instructors. We just have access to the best instructors, especially because we aren't constrained by geography.
  2. Tailored Curriculum. We don't just deliver material; every part of our program is designed to make sure you truly master it.
  3. Convenience and cost. We don't want you to pay for transport, lodging, or any other debate camp frills. Just for the learning.

Our Programs

Our Strategy Seminars are an intensive courses designed to help you master a specific and essential debate skill. To ensure this, all our programs feature:
- Interactive webinars with premier instructors
- Special course materials and metrics
- Regular, individualized and in-depth feedback
- One-on-one personal coaching
Seats are always limited to ensure highest-quality instruction. Get the training you need – sign up for available seminars now!
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    How it works
    You'll begin with one of your regular classes with a premier instructor, who will answer your and your peers' questions about an essential topic and tell you what you need to know, all from the comfort of your own home. These'll be group classes so that we can guarantee you will learn from the very best instructor to be teaching the topic. Each class is then followed with homework assignments, designed especially for your course to guide you through the material. You'll receive individualized feedback on each piece of your work. Instructors will be reachable before, during, and after class should you have a question about the material or about your feedback. Finally, if you opt for a drill package, you'll schedule one-on-one sessions throughout the program to practice your new skills with targeted drills. The class is fast-paced but tells you exactly what you need to know – in just a short amount of time, you'll have mastered a new debate skill!
    VC Academy Scholarship
    Consistent with our mission, we want to make our programs accessible to all students, regardless of financial background. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you are interested in our scholarship program!

    Program currently open to students

    Strategy Seminar: Philosophy Debate in LD

    April 3-7. Class meets daily from 7:00-8:00pm EST.

    Strategic command of philosophical framework debate:
    Primer on useful philosophies and how to use them to win.

    Topics Covered
    Function of Philosophical Frameworks in LD
    Primer "The Classics": Utilitarianism and Deontology
    Framework Refutation Tactics
    Framework Weighing and Contention-level Interaction
    Primer "Beyond the Basics": Rawls, Scanlon, Gauthier, and others
    Case-writing under More Advanced Frameworks

    Tuition
    $245, includes class webinars, materials and assignments, written assignments feedback, and our popular Philosophy Master Toolbox (50% discount). Or $395 with additional 3 x 40-minute one-on-one drill sessions (flexibly scheduled). Seats limited.

    Strategy Seminar: Applied Refutation

    April 3-7. Class meets daily from 8:15-9:15pm EST.

    Fundamental tools to understand and systematically attack any opposing argument, especially policy-style arguments in LD.

    Topics Covered
    A Framework for Argument Structures
    Link and Impact Attacks
    Effective Evidence Comparison
    Uniqueness and Advanced Directional Control
    Weighing Arguments Core
    Persuasion and Style Tactics

    Tuition
    $195, includes week of class webinars, materials and assignments, and written assignments feedback. Or $345 with additional 3 x 40-minute one-on-one drill sessions (flexibly scheduled).
    Seats limited.

     

     

    Program Enrollment

    from $195.00
    Program:
    Quantity:
    Reserve My Spot

    Questions?
    Please don't hesitate to get in touch with us!

    Please also review our cancellation policy.
    Have an idea for a seminar you'd like to see? Let us know!



    To be a champion, learn from champions.

    Our Instructors

    Our staff are the very best at Lincoln-Douglas debate, and more importantly, the very best at teaching you how to win at it. Because of our online training system, we can afford to bring in the instructors that would be among the top at any camp and guarantee you will work with them.
    Daniel Tartakovsky(Harvard College '17)VC Academy, DirectorCoach of the 2016 Tournament of Champions winnerTOC semifinalist; Champion of Harvard, Greenhill, USC, Greenhill Round RobinCurriculum Director of theVictory Briefs Institute

    Daniel Tartakovsky
    (Harvard College '17)
    VC Academy, Director

    Coach of the 2016 Tournament of Champions winner

    TOC semifinalist; Champion of Harvard, Greenhill, USC, Greenhill Round Robin

    Curriculum Director of the
    Victory Briefs Institute

     

    Additional bios coming soon...

    Henry Zhang(Yale College '17)VC Academy, DirectorCoach of the 2014 Tournament of Champions winnerTOC semifinalist; Champion of Stanford, Minneapple; Top Speaker of Greenhill, BronxPresident Emeritus of theYale Debate Association

    Henry Zhang
    (Yale College '17)
    VC Academy, Director

    Coach of the 2014 Tournament of Champions winner

    TOC semifinalist; Champion of Stanford, Minneapple; Top Speaker of Greenhill, Bronx

    President Emeritus of the
    Yale Debate Association

    Danny Debois(Harvard College '18)VC Academy, InstructorWinner of the Tournament of ChampionsChampion of Harvard (x2), Glenbrooks, Minneapple, and NCFL Grand NationalsAssistant Coach at the Harvard-Westlake School

    Danny Debois
    (Harvard College '18)
    VC Academy, Instructor

    Winner of the Tournament of Champions

    Champion of Harvard (x2), Glenbrooks, Minneapple, and NCFL Grand Nationals

    Assistant Coach at the Harvard-Westlake School

    Cameron Cohen(Harvard College '20)VC Academy, InstructorCoach of 7 debaters qualified to the Tournament of ChampionsTOC semifinalist; Champion of Greenhill, Loyola, Kandi King Round Robin; Top Speaker of Minneapple, Meadows, Cal Round Robin 

    Cameron Cohen
    (Harvard College '20)
    VC Academy, Instructor

    Coach of 7 debaters qualified to the Tournament of Champions

    TOC semifinalist; Champion of Greenhill, Loyola, Kandi King Round Robin; Top Speaker of Minneapple, Meadows, Cal Round Robin