07 May 2012

College

Here are the thoughts I have on college right now. This is kind of a time capsule post for me.

My top priority is that none of my children, male or female, become debt slaves. Ideally, none of them would marry debt slaves. :P

I think the advantage of a large secular university is being able to tell my kid, "This place is full of people who don't believe what you believe. You must know that the things they think and say and do are not OK for a child of God to think and say and do. Be much more careful than you think you need to be."

I am not sure if a small liberal arts college, "Christian" or not, has a particular advantage. It concerns me that a college with a Christian affiliation may appear to be a safer moral environment than a secular one, when it is only more muddled.

The one advantage I think a Concordia might offer is a higher concentration of potential spouse selection. But the main things Concordias produce are debt slaves, and sometimes also ministry-guilt slaves. I am certain we will tell our kids, "You cannot go to college to become a Lutheran teacher, DCE, DCO, Deaconess, or other made up LCMS-only position." Having attended a Concordia, I also know that they are not "safe" moral environments in dorm, classroom, or professorial office.

Regarding girls, I have no program. At this time, all I can see doing is helping each of our (three) girls consider the question as it applies to each individually. I think it is wise for women to have some kind of training or credential which would enable them to be gainfully employed. NO DEBT SLAVERY.

12 comments:

HappyFox said...

Excellent. Thank you.

Unknown said...

Have you considered online universities? I personally attended such a university (Western Governors University) to get my BA in Interdisciplinary Studies K-8 (to be a teacher which is what I love doing). Cost is much, much less. You can work at your own pace. I earned my 4 year degree in 2 years and since tuition is due by semester this also cut down on costs. I was slo glad not to have to deal with "campus" life! That's just me though. I was able to stay in the comfort of my parents' home with the people I love while attending.

One downside is not all endorsement areas are yet available online. Hope this helps and gives you another option.

E.E. said...

You sound like my mom Tena! :-) That's awesome! :D

Anonymous said...

I've raised a few debt slaves myself - primarily because they've chosen, of their own will, to attend one of the money pits we call a Concordia. I'm at a different station in life though - and even though I haven't launched all of my kids into college yet - I can't see myself ever saying, "You can't attend a Concordia to be a Lutheran teacher". I agree wholeheartedly that it is prudent for all of our children to have a systemic type of training or credential so that they can support themselves. This is true for both the boys and the girls. I do not want my daughters to depend upon a "Mrs." degree. Just the term brings back a disgusting memory of a 4th year Seminary event wherein wives were given a bogus degree. I can only hope that went the way of the Disco ball.

As parents we've provided ongoing training about preparing oneself for adulthood. This has resulted in our children making their own decisions about college and career choice although this choice has been marinated in parental prayer and frank conversation over the years. It really is folly, in some ways, for us to have a program or plan for our children in this regards - they will, like all of us, be ready to gradually cast off the parental net as they enter their late teen years. I really wouldn't want it any other way. Their success in standing on their own, in their decision making, is my goal.

etem said...

yes. i think going to a known heathen university was easier on me than going to a concordia was on my husband. he bounced back.

pekoponian said...

Having once had to support my dearest husband through an employment dry spell, which thankfully was ended some years ago by our merciful Creator, I cannot say enough how important it is for girls and boys both to a a marketable skill. Mine came purely through divine providence, but please, please don't wait around for the Lord to drop a skill into your lap!

pekoponian said...

*have a marketable skill

It's a good thing we've never had to depend upon my typing ;-)

Elizabeth said...

I think one of the worst things about debt slavery is its ability to raise socialist/communists who believe that the government should lessen or forgive the debt they've racked up, just because they are serving the Lord as a DCE, Lutheran school teacher, or even pastor...

Anonymous said...

I have a masters degree and I am kind of anti college. I am disgusted at how little they teach. I think that college is a scam and the idea of going to school to find a spouse is dumb. School is not a dating service. It just shows how confused we are. College focuses people too much on themselves not on serving others. It is four years of me, me, me. Too much about self expression, self interest, self indulgence. Too little about giving something of value in exchange for the value others provide. It cultivates low integrity.

Sorry to be such a downer.

Anonymous said...

Just wondering, to the last Anon, how you found yourself at this point - did you pursue your graduate work willingly or was it forced upon you? College is like any other part of our world - it can be turned into a selfish endeavor - it takes effort to do otherwise. I do agree that college is not a dating service - it'd be a lot cheaper to send out flyers to all of the grandmas in every LCMS church and let them do the matchmaking; after all, everyone knows someone. Alas, my kids seem to want to pick their own mates, having graduated from synodical schools and making life long friends - just not life long marriages. I have not found my Master's degree to be anything but a blessing - it's put many a meal on our parsonage table and taken some of the stress off my husband who was, for years, compensated substantially below district guidelines.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I made more money, but fewer babies. I regret it enormously. Without my income, we would not have starved even if I had had ten kids. It was a soul sucking waste of time. It was just " throwing away happiness with both hands and reaching out for something that'll never make you happy."

So, we need to tell our kids to choose wisely and not just fall for the lies of this world.

Gayle Wilson said...

We are not well off by any means but via frugality and grace, both our kids will be at Seward (one is half-way through). The final price turned out to be the same price as attending a state school in California, and they'll be much more likely to graduate in 4 years.

I am debt-averse, even counseling the kids to not become involved with someone who is or will be a debt slave.

The only way we could've gone cheaper was living at home and going to a JC. which wouldn't help either child in their chosen vocation.

I'm most excited about them being at a Concordia because of the quality of liberal arts education they're receiving.

Maybe the answer is work with savings for college, should college be found to be necessary. Or coop programs or the like. But imho, private school is not necessarily cheaper than public.