How long it takes to learn to photoread will vary from person to person. If you get the course and apply the techniques you can obtain the information from a book in 1/3 your normal time by the end of the course. If you do that and follow the steps as given on the tapes then you could learn the course in 12 hours. Everything gets better with practice. The tape course consist of 8 tapes and on each tape there are practice exercises. If you just passively listen to the tapes without doing the exercises as you listen... it's going to take longer. Actual learning time with the tapes once though is 12 hours.
How long it will take you is up to you... some people keep putting off the tapes and never really get started. If you really want to know more about photoreading and compare how much you really want to learn, get the book. A few members of the forum have learnt the technique from the book alone (and are themselves in high school).
Deep phases of relaxation is an exaggeration. Being a teenager you'll find it easier to get into a relaxed state for learning than most adults. It's a matter of just becomeing relaxed enough to feel at ease with it. Worrying about getting relaxed doesn't work and for the most part it doesn't really 'feel' different.
I can see a bigger problem for you - quote :'something that is going to end up sitting in my closet.' You've already decided to put the course in the closet. 
So I suggest get a hold of the book and then decide whether you would do the course.
Alex
