Depends on how you want to approach this.
Actually, here's the straight answer, and in fact a lot of the players in this thread actually do give helpful tips.. Positive rp to all those who suggested what to do..Give yourself a pat on the back and a cookie..(tht's how they train seals..
)
to the OP it really all depends on what you want to do in game, whether it is to hunt, mine or craft..
If you are the hunter type, youmight want to do what one player says, Do hunt missions, and in fact the grind is the way to go.. if you don't like hunting but helping, grab a heal ball or an herb box or some first aid kit and heal a player, (That too gives anatomy guys)
If you are the mining type.. Get with a group that works to teach you the proper way to mine.. Learn from them (I would recommend the Greenleaf mining company.. Sure they're iniotal start up fee is 200 ped, but they do teach well, or talk to an experience miner.. I know of one guy who's experienced..
and if you want to go the craftng route, you could always go and look at something like the ship repair angle.. After all repairing on a mother ship is the best way to get your skills up in a hurry, and it is just as boing as sweating (With a few exceptions when the pirates show up or you go on a journy half way across space.. to another world..
Now in terms of time, how long does it take for a person to graduate? It depends on the person 's ability to either deposit or not.. if you depo nothing, you can take your time and lean the game the right way, including how the economics of the game works., some of us are here to give tips and pointers, (Oh and if you have friends who are considering being mentored, remember to tell them to do a search, and check out the mentor's credentials.. after all some mentors are there to help, othes to ust farm..(and if they don't like the guy, they can always pick another..) And above all do research on the game.. there's players who give out good information out there but you have to weed through a lot of the infom handed you. to see if it is right or wrong.
but if you deposit a lot of cash, then the time factor does go down, I've seen some graduate in a matter of a week to 10 days depending on their inital deposit, and then how much they can "Cycle their peds to keep playing.
Other people who deposit less or non depostiors can take anywhere from a few weeks to up to 9 months (or more) to get the job done..
But a lot of the players in this thread do give you optiosn, and I'll give positive rep to those who thought of those ideas..
Oh and there is one more thing.. There's no time limit to finish a discipleship, you'll sitll get your reward, just don't quit cold turkey. (Some of the players do ths and disappear altogether, leaving some mentors with no option than to kick a disciple to take on another. It's sad to see disciples who can't make the grade..)take your time, communicate with your mentor often, or ask people who are helpful. learn the game, do the research and understand how the game works... that's the best way to get the most out of the game..
Hope that halps answer all those questions.. and oh yeah.. Ask questions, even if they sound stupid, cause th onlyu stupid question is the one you never ask.
Good luck and have fun,
Benjamin Ben Coyote (Space Pilot Callsign "Coyote")
a.kk.a. "The Blind Sniper"